Dharamshala - the Tibetan community in exile
What I wanted in Dharamsala was lodging overlooking the Dalai Lama temple complex where I could just sit on my balcony taking in the vibe. I wanted to feel the prayers for world peace fluttering outward from the colorful flags on winds that could carry them around the world. I wanted to feel true and utter compassion. Gentle caring.
I wanted to drift anonymously amongst the gentle monks and nuns who live there. To sit quietly in the temple while they prayed. I wanted to become one with the drumming, the sonorous chanting, the dung-chens calling across the land. I wanted to spin the brass prayer wheels, chanting Aum mani padme hum. To believe that the lotus bud is opening and we are on a path toward enlightenment. I wanted to light an eternal chöle so that my deepest wishes manifest; to give wings to my dreams. I wanted to feel possibility again.
Row of brass prayer wheels outside the temple proper but on the temple complex terrace one circles in meditation.
And so it came to pass.
The hotel I stayed in, the Chonor House, is run by the Norbulingka Institute, an organization, chaired by the Dalai Lama, structured to preserve Tibetan culture. The artwork, the furnishings, the food, the customs all contributed to this end. I had Tibetan oil massages given me lovingly by a Tibetan refugee who would have liked to be able to use her hands to massage her elderly mother in Tibet she will likely never see again. The glowing murtis and the thangkas in the temple showcase the skillful artistry and here are some photos of the furnishings and artwork in my room.
The meditation/yoga room on the top floor looked out over the Himalayas and both of the nearby Buddhist temples. It became my personal dance studio. I celebrated turning 69!
