Phir Milenge

Many thanks, India--and to all who made this such a meaningful journey: taxi-drivers, chai vendors, Buddhist monks, fellow travelers, friends and colleagues, and, most especially, the arts delegation, faculty facilitators, Geshe Lobsang, Tara Doyle--and Rebecca.

Phir Milenge: "Till we meet again."

Madrik Lhundup

This Tibetan term refers to that experience in life when there is a natural convergence: things not prearranged spontaneously come into being.

So has it been with this journey from the moment the seed of an idea for it was planted in my being while staying at the World Buddhist Center in Delhi during my first trip to India back in December 2008. Since then every possibility has been further cultivated--from the support of colleagues to the logistics to the various meetings and travel plans. Along the way, as well, I met people who seemed to come from another life, such as a graduate of my high school as well as a resident of Isle of Hope--right in my pathway, there, in India.

All of these experiences have been embedded in my being for further meditation and contemplation. Truly life-changing.

Reunions

Nothing like a family reunion to cure jet lag. (Thanks especially to Sean for making sure I arrived there and to Ron who chauffered my parents!). Cousins from near and far, along with a few aunts, uncles, mothers and fathers, and interlopers, showed up for the Barbee family reunion at Isle of Hope. Entertained by stories of "Toby the Terrapin"--who was hatched in the hand of William Jennings Bryant and trained by my great grandfather to "shake hands with the gentlemen and wink at the ladies"--we shared a common connection to one of the most beautiful places on earth. Always lovely to come back home, especially accompanied by my parents, after a long voyage. It was thrilling, also, to share so much about the entire India experience with the extended family.

For a video to learn more about Toby--and the potent powers of terrpin soup--as well as some Isle of Hope history here!

Karmic Destiny

"Since all phenomena are interrelated, the placing of the endless knot on a gift or greeting card is understood to establish an auspicious connection between the giver and the recipient. At the same time, the recipient is goaded to righteous karma, being reminded that future positive effects have their roots in the causes of the present. This is because the knot represents a connection, a link with our fates, binding us to our karmic destiny. Not surprisingly, this is one of the most favorite symbols in Tibetan Buddhism, and often occurs independently on its own.

Since the knot has no beginning or end it also symbolizes the infinite wisdom of the Buddha."

http://www.exoticindiaart.com/article/symbols

Everything Auspicious

Paraphrasing Donovan--and with respect to His Holiness the Dalai Lama:

Everything runs in a circular motion
Thought is like a little boat upon the sea.
Everybody is a part of everything anyway,
You can have everything if you let yourself be.

On my circumnavigation around the world, I have been contemplating the meaning of interdependence and circularity. Safe at home (and jet lagged!), I am preparing to go to my birthplace, the Isle of Hope, where I will see my parents and various other relatives. What goes around comes around: while driving there with Sean, I will be meditating on everything auspicious from this grand journey of life.

The entrance to Meditators Compound on the path above Dharamsala.

Homeward Bound!

Sittin' in a railway station. Got a ticket for my destination . . .

Actually we sat in several railway stations yesterday on a marathon train ride from Shimla to Kalka on the Himalayan Queen then on the Shatabdi to Delhi--first carriage cooled by mountain air, second by AC. Altogether it was a day filled with sights and sounds and adventures, including the wild chaos of the Delhi train station and taxi driver negotiations. My guide and interpreter showed great skill at navigating these tracks and trains.

After a good night's rest, Rebecca and I hope to do a little shopping and meeting up with her friends before I begin the final leg of this journey (via Paris) around midnight tonight. You can view a video about Rebecca's life in Delhi here.

Meanwhile, Namaste India!

Friends we met along the way.

Shimmering Shimla

Yesterday, Rebecca and I spent most of the day traveling from Pragpur to Shimla on quite a twisting and rocky road. It took us almost 7 hours to go 225 kilometers. Nonetheless, Shimla is quite a worthy destination with cool breezes and panoramic views. Shimla served as the summer hill station for the British Raj. It has interesting Elizabethan-style architecture amidst Indian food stalls and bazaars. Today we took a long walk to the old Vicerol Lodge which now serves as home to the prestigious Indian Institute for Advanced Studies.

Tomorrow we head towards New Delhi by rail with hopes that our reservations on the Viceroy's 'toy train'--96 kilometers of narrow gauge line--come to pass.

On the rocky road (again)

Leaving Dharamsala felt like saying good-bye to Nirvana. However, just a few hours drive down twisting mountain roads, Rebecca and I found this lovely Heritage Hotel, Judges Court, in Pragpur. We've taken two nice walks along the village paths and also enjoyed delicious meals on these elegant grounds. Tomorrow we head for Shimla, known for exquisite views and cool breezes.

Rooftop of the World

Moon Peak

Moon Peak soars above us. The name actually comes from Muni or Sakyamuni, the Buddha, referring to the silent sage or the silent peak. In the life of the Buddha, true silence leads to truth. We had a great view from Jimmy's Italian Restaurant, a quiet spot above the noisy streets of Dharamsala where commerce and spirituality intermingle.

Streets of Dharamsala

On a relatively quiet afternoon. Also, you can view a video of life in our guest house starring one of my colleagues!

Om Mani Padme Hum

Today, throngs of laypeople and monks congregated at the monastery. The vibrations of their chants hovered over Dharamsala. I conducted several circumambulations within the interior walls of the temple. After lunch with Rebecca, we took a tour of the Tibetan Museum depicting the events and conditions of exile. Afterwards, I pursued circumambulations along the exterior path.

We have one more full day in Dharamsala, before traveling to new sites within India. The rest of the Emory group will be returning home on Saturday.

You can learn more about the Emory-Tibet Partnership from a Carlos Museum podcast with commentary by scholars and scientists on The Mindful Body through a look at a Tibetan image of a Buddha in a posture of meditation--and the implications for western medicine.

Hail to the Buddha nature that resides in the heart of all human beings.

May All Sentient Beings Find Happiness

It is a common practice in Dharamsala to start or end the day with circumambulation along a pathway, clockwise, surrounding the temple. With each step one encounters pilgrims of all ages and backgrounds, prayer wheels kept in motion by the devout, wandering dogs, watchful monkeys, and

well-satisfied cows. The incline is steep in places but very elderly walkers climb it without pause. Along the way, the rhythmic chant of "om ma ne padma hum" inspires further reflection and meditation along life's way.

Circumambulation

Follow my circumambulation path on video!

Norbulingka Tapko: Friendship

Today we visited Norbulingka Art Institue where our friends DK and Tenzen Norbu, the master Thangka painter, work. They have come to Emory for the past two springs for Tibet Week. We were happy to make a reciprocal visit It was a pleasure to spend time with them on this beautiful site devoted to Tibetan art and handicrafts.

Himalayan Paradise

Our colleague who oversees the Dharamsala study abroad program lives in a lovely spot just below Cafe Boom Boom the Fifth. She had us over for afternoon tea yesterday, along with some local artists and friends. I'll be able post some other pictures of our time together once I return. home. She resides in a beautiful home with breathtaking views.

Room With A View

This is the view of the monastery and temple from my room. In the morning it is nice to conduct circumambulations along a path surrounding the temple. Many devout local Buddhists and visitors quietly meditate as they walk. It is peaceful space outside of the normal hustle and bustle of Dharamsala.

Seeking Enlightenment

Partnership

At the signing ceremony for relationship with The Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. Watch a video of this entire event!

Tashi Delek

Tashi delek is a Tibetan greeting which means "blessings and good luck." Another translation is "May all auspicious signs come to this environment." Thus far on this journey we've had many auspicious signs.

After arriving at McLeod Gang in Upper Dharamsala, greeted by colleagues and friends at Pema Thang Guest House, the weary travelers had a good nights sleep. On Thursday we spent most of the afternoon and evening at the Sara campus where two Emory programs are in session: the Emory Tibet Science Initiative with Emory science faculty, at the invitation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL), teaching modern neuroscience and physics to the Buddhist monks; and the Emory Summer Study Abroad Program in Tibetan Culture for undergraduates. Both programs are extremely engaging, and we were quite pleased to join the proceedings.

All of us (students, faculty, staff, and monks) came together the following day for a special audience with His Holiness, who spent an unprecedented 90 minutes with us. I was privileged to bring special greetings on behalf of Emory. Luckily the proceedings were filmed, which I hope to be able to post at some point. In the presence of HHDL, we signed a joint agreement between Emory and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, further establishing important partnerships.

Following these meaningful moments, we enjoyed a lunch kindly hosted by the Institute for Buddhist Dialectics. Our magnificent day was made even more complete by a special dance performance at TIPA, the Tibetan Institute for Performing Arts, then a delicious dinner.

Our friends, colleagues and hosts have been extremely gracious to us. And the weather has been most accommodating. We are looking forward to returning such auspicious hospitality when His Holiness and his entourage return to Emory next fall.

From Delhi to Dharamsala

It's now been a full week since I left home. So much has happened that I'm at a loss to know where to start. Everything has gone exceedingly well. Even the usual travel difficulties have had good outcomes. Technology access, however, has been something of a challenge.

It will be impossible to summarize what we've been up to; nonetheless here's an attempt:

Arrival in Delhi: Rebecca met me and my colleagues at the airport in the middle of the night. After getting them sent on their way, we headed toward her flat. It was nice to see where and how she lives: "Very homely" as they say in India. She navigates the hustle and bustle of Delhi with great efficiency. We did a bit of shopping and wandering. Also I hosted an event for Emory alumni and incoming freshmen (and their parents) with the help of an alum who works in the U.S. embassy, which was great fun. The next day, along with one of my colleagues, we met with officials at the Embassy to get some advice regarding visas for visiting scholars and artists trying to get from India to the U.S. It, too, was very successful.

On Wednesday, we headed in a van from Delhi to Dharamsala with others in my group. It was a long and winding road, taking close to 12 hours. Originally we were scheduled to fly, but with rain and storms in the forecast, we spent the day on the road seeing much of northern India along the way.

Finally arriving in Dharamsala was like a long-planned dream coming true. I will write more along those lines in an upcoming entry. And at some point I'll figure out how to get photos from my iPhone to my iPad.

Ta do-ran-sha

That's Tibetan for "it's time to go."

After some last minute packing, a quick trip to Pilates, and lunch with Ron and Sean, I'll be on my way. We have an Emory alumni event scheduled in New Delhi along with some meetings at the American Embassy, then it's off to the mountains where I'll be staying at Pema Thang Guest House as well as visiting various sites and dignitaries while exploring the meaning of emptiness and circumambulation in Buddhist thought and practice.

Contemplation

Once again I am contemplating the condition of being a "between traveler" as referenced in an earlier post, now nearly two years ago.

In Tibetan Buddhism, the "between traveler" hovers between two worlds, navigating new territory, mapping a way into the next life. At such moments, we become able to seize great opportunities with heightened sensibilities.

Just a few more days before I leave for India, and a very busy time for me. Nonetheless, these thoughts are on my mind.

Thoughts Upon Preparing to Go to Dharamsala

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

Don't go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want.

Don't go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the doorsill

where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open.

Don't go back to sleep.

From Essential Rumi

by Coleman Barks