Life after Kopan

After one month of meditation and teachings on how to bring more happiness and peace into our lives, I do feel a little calmer inside (I think...)! The test is taking this feeling with me, into India and eventually back home.

Here is a little peek at the view from my room at Kopan. The mornings are quite cool, especially at 4:30 in the morning when I wake up! Rob and I do some practices with a small group (15 people) until about 7:30. Then it is breakfast until 8:00, cleaning until 9:00, and teachings until 11 (with the rest of the group - 160 people), then lunch. Anyway that is just a small taste of what the mornings have been like.



Here is a snap of my discussion group. They were like a family from all over the world - England, America, Australia, Holland, Hungry and New Zealand.



I didn't take alot of photos during the course so I could focus on my mind (well I tried..) but, on the last day there was a long life puja from the 'head lama', Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Here are a few shots.



The monks were on the side closest to the Westerners and the nuns were on the other side (there are more nuns than monks!)



Rob offered part of a mandala to Rinpoche as part of the puja. He is standing behind an amazing Aussie called Shyla, who is starting a new project, LKPY. We hope to get involved in this project to help young people and young at heart develop a more loving and peaceful outlook on life.



One of the beautiful nuns performing a Tara dance.



Yesterday we visited an orphanage that was started by this amazing member of the group five years ago. He has helped 35 childern stay off the street. I will post more details about it later. It was amazing to be part of this wonderful project.



Taff with some of the kids. This little one fell off the swing a few mintues after the photo.... so many tears for this cute pumpkin..

OK, gotta go. The next retreat starts in a few hours. This one is five days long and will be meditation only, so quite intensive... yaaaaaaaaha!