Happy Losar! Or as the Tibetans would say TASHI LOSAR. It was an eventful few weeks here at Pullahari as the monks prepared for the new year with practice and Pujas. The most ceremonial was the Mahakala puja and finale fire, which I have included many photos from. I was ready to leave for a few days holiday. My mind fried and my desirous self was longing for better food and different scenery.
I made plans to go stay at Osel Ling, the monastery of Tsoknyi Rinpoche and the teacher I have great aspiration to study with. Unfortunately, his monastery is high on a hill that is a 45 minute uphill walk and I got too lazy to carry my sleeping bag and food for two days up there. SO, I missed the ceremonies, but did go up on Losar (Feb 18) for an impromptu audience with his brother Mingur Rinpoche and surreptitiously handed off a Kata to Tsoknyi in the stairwell! I’ve included a picture of Osel Ling as well as a few of the view from the top. Osel Ling is in Swayambu, so if you look closely at the pictures, you’ll see the stupa down below.
Then on the 19th I headed to Nagarkot with a friend from Pullahari (Vassia from Greece) Nagarkot is on the edge of the Kathmandu Valley and promises to have great mountain views, and at only 32km from the city is is worth a try. Vassia is one of these adventure types that re-kindled my spirit and so we were a great pair. We took the local bus to a town called Bhaktapur (I will go there in a few weeks on my own and have more to say) and from there another bus up the hill and into the smell of pine trees and mountain air. Nothing much to write about until waking up the next morning at sunrise to the view of the snow capped Himalayas. How spectacular! We stayed for two days and then hiked down 3 hours, through the most gorgeous spots I have seen of Nepal and finally to a village called Sankhu where we jumped in a mini bus back to Boudha.
It was nice to get away, but now that I m back I feel somewhat disappointed that I didn’t take time to study! A little over 2 weeks left of my course and pressure is mounting. Many people left so we are a small group and my Tibetan class even smaller. I have made some new decisions, and will leave here on the 13th when the program ends and move down to Boudha to attend some teachings with Thrangu Rinpoche and then return to Pullahari for a 4 day Ngondro program ending on April 4th. I will then travel to Tso Pema in India and do a month retreat..leaving me to visit the Karmapa and Dharamsala sometime in May. No news yet about my scholarship to Nitartha and/or what I will be doing when I get back…Most likely asking all of you for a place to sleep!
So, here I am continuing to reflect on the nature of phenomena and within this dream like state I still wonder about you, so please send word of your life. Laura
