Trijang Rinpoche's stupa

We've been here since February and hadn't walked up to the incredibly peaceful area behind Tushita where there is a stupa of Trijang Rinpoche (junior tutor to HH Dalai Lama) and home to many meditators.... until now.

I walked up there with Free and Julie as the mists of the monsoon rolled in (well, hmm, we took at taxi to Tushita - only because of time restriction....).

The little white speck on the top of the hill on the left is Tushita. You can see the town of McLeod Ganj to the right.

Free and Julie.



The misty road that took us to the stupas.



The entrance of this special place is lined with prayer flags (lung-ta).



Trijang Rinpoche's stupa is to the right.





It is not a traditional style Tibetan stupa. More east asian.....



This is one of the many meditator huts that are sprinkled around.



They are very simple and would be freezing in winter.

I couldn't believe how peaceful it was up there. My mind seemed to clear as we walked around and I left realising how busy my mind had become.

Walking home in the mist.

Rob snapping up some street scenes from our of the window of this first floor restaurant.

Rob talking to the guys at Tushita about the website he helped them create. He had it on loadspeaker....... he's not yelling at them.

Tiiram posing for his facebook photo!

Free, Rob and Tiiram thinking about VB...... You become so Aussie when you get together with other Aussies......

I love these kind of photos. Between Tiiram and Julie is Tiff.



This is me laughing about Julies Irish cousin....

And finally, this is Yeshe and Nigan as they departed McLeod Ganj. They are headed for Australia!! They are covered in katas, a white scarf that is offered as a farewell and good luck gesture.

Views from our house

View number 1: 'Out of the kitchen window'. From here I can watch people washing clothes, dishes, themselves (they stay clothed!).... The lower house on the right has recently put up some new iron sheets just in time for monsoon (which is just around the corner.....eeeek). It's also a great spot for watching monkies tease the little white dogs that guard each roof top.

View number 2: 'The storm'. Rob took these just the right moment!







View number 3: 'The clouds rolling in'. Yep, monsoon is coming!

View number 4: 'The rent inspector'. This little tike turns up in our room most mornings. He lives downstairs with his parents and two sisters. He speaks to us in Tibetan and we speak to him in English but we understand each other completely. He is sooooo cute!

This isn't our house but it might as well be.... We eat here alot. This is a (mostly) Aussie crew - its weird how you do that. Rob, Free, Julie, me and Margaret. I love the Manga-esk painting in the background.

Picnics, Buddhist art, new apartment and hiding from hail

After four wonderful months at Tushita, Rob and I have moved on to a student lifestyle again. We go to a few Buddhist Philosophy classes in the morning and then spend the rest of the afternoon hanging out! It's great.

We had a small picnic on Sabine's beautiful lawn (the best I've seen in India) to mark the occasion.

Ollie, Rob, Sabine, Maya, Fred, me and Pieta


Sabine, Maya and Fred


Rob, Chogu, Sabine, Kalu and Maya


Me, Pieta, Tashi and Venerable Sopa

This is the foundation of the new building. Except for the cement mixer, this building has thus far all been done using muscle and sweat!!!

Rob and I visited Norbulingka with our own personal tour guide, Corey (fellow Aussie and lover of all thing elven), who used to work there. Norbulingka is set in beautiful gardens and aims to preserve Tibetan culture such as statue making, thanka painting etc.

The statue making area is a little bit away from the rest of Norbulingka and we would have completely missed it if it wasn't for our fearless guide.

I wonder if this head will belong to the body below.....? Two physical features of a Buddha include long ear lobes and right turning hairs. These physical features represent internal attainments, which I can't quite remember...... I think the long ear lobes represent the Buddha listening to all being without exception and the hair represents the Buddhas complete control over his mind..... Maybe.... Check out HH Dalai Lamas ears next time you see him....

It's hard to do full lotus when you're wooden.


The big statue near Rob will be sent to Tibet. It seems that this place, here in India, is preserving Tibetan culture better then in Tibet???

There are paintings of all the Dalai Lama's throughout history on the upper walls of the main gompa. Unusually the 13th and 14th (current) Dalai Lama's have been painted with the actual faces. These painters are so talented that they can paint traditional Tibetan style or life like.

Another great part about having our tour guide was that we got to see inside HH Dalai Lamas room. He has a room here, always ready, even though he has only visited once. The grounds are set out like his summer palace back in Tibet.

Below are a few pics of our cute, small, very green little place (please don't mistake this room for HHDL!).





Rob, Tiiram (Free's little bro) and I were stuck in a restaurant as a hail storm past over. Below is the view out of the window of the resturant. There is a little vegie stall right there.

They were pretty happy to be stuck inside. More time to eat cake!

His Holiness Dalai Lama at Tibetan Childrens Village

Today we went to the Tibetan Children's Village (TCV) to listen to His Holiness Dalai Lama give some teachings. We couldn't go inside because all of the inside spaces were reserved for the students from all around India that the teachings were intended for. But we sat overlooking the tent that was erected for those sitting outside (below). I love the way dogs and cows (or buffalos) just wander through anywhere in India!!!

His Holiness stopped for some photos will some school children as he left.



And we managed to receive some blessings as he drove out (I hope)!!

To get to TCV we had to walk along a small forest path for about 20 minutes. This is Venerable Rinzin (below) showing us the short cut. He is a Kopan monk that is staying at Tushita for a few years to study and learn English so he can be a translator.

And here he is again feeding this poor crippled monkey on the path from Tushita to McLeod Ganj. He is so kind, he helped us to find an apartment today for when we move out of Tushita.

What's been happening lately........

Sometimes we like to do kora around His Holiness Dalai Lama's temple. Basically by walking around the place clockwise you create merit (like good karma or energy) because of all the holy objects inside. The more you can generate good thoughts when doing this the better. Also, it is very beautiful with lots of trees, colourful prayer flags (below) and prayer wheels.

Some of the many prayer flags around HHDL palace.

This very special statue is hardly ever on display in His Holiness Dalai Lama's temple. It only comes out on SakaDawa (May 31st - special Buddhist day when the historical Buddhist was born, attained enlightenment and manifested dying). This statue is of Chenrezig (Buddha of Compassion) is said to have manifested of its own accord - i.e. it was not created by anyone.

I find it to be extremely life like with an amazing presence, so wise and loving....

This is me standing next to a gigantic pot that they use at the temple to cook food for all the monks and nuns when they come for teachings. Or maybe this is the pot that they make chai in.... Everyone is offered chai during the teachings (provided you BYO cup). Sometimes they offer Tibetan tea which is completely gross - it is milk with tea leaves dipped in for about half a second (really weak) and then rancid butter is mixed in..... yum..

This is Corey, Free and Rob - three Aussie blokes - waiting for their sushi to arrive at the Japanese restaurant.

It was such a clear night with an excellent view of the beautiful mountains surrounding McLeod Ganj.

This is part of the Tushita crew just before Venerable Namdrol left for Nepal (she is the nun second from the left at the back). She is totally amazing, inspirational and one of my heros. Her aim is to do 600 Nyung Nays, which is a extremely difficult fasting retreat. She has already done 144!!!!!

Next to her on the left is Sonam (cook), and the right is Corey (Aussie jazz guy), Old Lama Gupa (a very special monk that lives at Tushita), Ollie (the new office walla), Tashi (librarian), below Pieta (manager), me, Sabine (Spiritual Program Coordinator), Chunno (cook) and Rob. In front is Dawa, Kalu and Chogu.

Rob and I posing with the mantra machine - the rumbling cement mixer. Gotta love the way they paint flowers on the heavy machinery over here!!! A country where guys hold hands all the time and wear skin tight pink t-shirts with Britney Spears on them - not at all afraid of their feminine side, which I think is really cool.

Pieta, Maya and Rob hanging out in the office.

This man cracked a HUGE rock with a mallet, a few well placed metal stakes and a life time of knowledge of where to hit rocks to make them break.

These are my English students, Venerable Sopa and Tashi. They kinda look the same in this photo but they are not related....

This is Lama Yeshe's stupa during a light offering on SakaDawa. This stupa houses some of the relics of Lama Yeshe. Relics are pearl like substances that remain after the cremation of holy beings. They are an indication of the spiritual attainments of great mediators. It was a beautiful peaceful night and a great way to end an amazing day.