Dalai Magic

Here's my take on the teaching in Mcleod Ganj

First of all, getting to the tail end of our India section of this trip, both dreamman and I were feeling the strain of constantly moving from place to place. We even discussed cutting our Northern travel, and basically leaving out Dharam Shala. I persisted that we must go there. I just felt like I had to make the effort to be where the Dalai Lama lives. Jonathan reminded me quite a few times that just because we went there made no guarantee that we would see the Dalai Lama at all, especially since he is getting up there in age, and has not been so healthy lately. I still wanted to go.

Once in the village of Mcleod Ganj I kept my eyes and ears open for any word on the Dalai Lama. As the best way to find out if he is available is by word of mouth. Jonathan and I had spent a couple of days up in this magical little mountain town relaxing, when he decided we should go to the Tibetan Museum. He warned me that the exhibition might be depressing, but being up there, surrounded by exiled Tibetans, eating Tibetan food, feeling closer to Tibet than India, I felt it was only fair of me to go and learn more about their story.

Well, I am glad I went, but I was a mess. I started crying half way through the exhibit. It was just too much..the thing is, that's just it. The terribleness of the situation IS too much. Its real and we were walking amongst people that have seriously suffered. A suffering that is hard to grasp when you have lived a comfortable life. A suffering that did not, and does not have to happen. My emotions ran from sadness to just being mad at the Chinese government, and really much of the world for letting stuff like this happen.

After the museum, with my tear stained cheeks, we went up to the adjoining temple. The temple is beautiful, mostly open space, with elaborate paintings. The view from all around is extreme mountain beauty. I spun all the prayer wheels, and almost started to cry again. I put one out there for everyone of you, and people I have lost touch with, and those I do not know, but I know they need a prayer.

As we were on our way out, I noticed that some areas where roped off, and there were cardboard or blankets on select spots with names on them on the floor. We asked a nun what that was all for, and she said for the teaching. The Dalai Lama was due to host a teaching in 2 days!!! I could not believe this!! Our luck!!! Had we not gone to the museum, and had I not cried, and had we not turned the prayer wheels, we might not have found out about the teaching in time!!!

As I think Jonathan already mentioned we then had to register, and save a spot for us to sit too. On the morning of the teaching I put on a beautiful outfit, and we made our way down to the temple around 8:45 am. The teaching was to begin at 9:30, and they suggested you arrive a half hour early. Well...that was a little of an under-estimate. There was a mass exodus from all over Mcleod Ganj going to the temple. Once inside after a vigorous bag check, and pat down {this one was ok with me, unlike the movie theatre experience!} we walked up to the English translation section, to find a mob of people crammed in. I was so happy that my dreamman had gone up the day before to place some cardboard down to hold our spot!! As we snaked through the sitting cramped crowd, we finally found our cardboard. As lover has mentioned it was ripped in half, and there was only truly room for 1 person. I looked at Jonathan and said "Why did you use such a small piece???!!" As you know, he didn't, someone had been nasty and stolen half for themselves to save a spot. At this point we had to squish and squeeze to fit in the tiny space, all the while the girl behind me started to moan and groan at her now lack of space. I turned around and gave her a dirty look. She needed to pull it together..after all, we had saved the spot, it wasn't our fault someone had gipped us. Funny, you would think at a teaching of Compassion from the Dalai Lama that people would have a little better of an attitude.

When the Dalai Lama came out promptly at 9:30 am, he was accompanied by an entourage of Monks swarming all around in their maroon and orange robes of cloth. Everyone inside and outside the temple stood, and bowed in prayer to him. There must have been thousands of people there. In ever nook and cranny there were followers, and travelers, and local people. It was amazing to see everyone get up and bow, the power in the room at that moment was overwhelming.

Once his Holiness sits then everyone can sit. Again, the girl behind me seemed pissed to have to squish. I wanted to tell her to leave!! Unbelievably for us, the teaching was done is English. The Dalia Lama asked everyone who understood English to raise their hands, and it was well over half the audience, so he chose to begin his 3 day teaching in English.

The Dalia Lama is a funny little man. He is so jovial, and happy. He truly believes in humanity. It is wildly refreshing and amazing to see someone who himself has fled in exile, and watched his fellow Tibetans suffer, have such a positive attitude. He has no hate for anyone. He would rather sit and talk with the Chinese, and hold a personal, real, conversation to prove that they are the same, than to retaliate with anger. He is inspiring to say the least.

Throughtout the teaching he would make silly little jokes, and his laughter would evoke everyone else's in the temple. When he laughs his shoulders jumble up and down, and that is enough to make you smile and feel good. The Dalai Lamas energy is infectious. You forget that he is old, even not well. I had a tingle of goodness running the length of my flesh the whole time we were there.

Unfortunately, halfway throughout the teaching a slew of older people all had to get up and use the restroom I suppose. The trouble was that one person decided that right where we were crammed and sitting was going to be the path out, and everyone followed. Literally there were old ladies with canes, resting their hand on my head for balance as they tried to step over me, and then the old man with his giant clown shoes just missing my precious toes, and on, and on!!!! I really could not pay attention at all to what the Dalai Lama was even saying at this point because of all the foot traffic commotion in a space where there was no space to walk through. Ugh.. of course...why would anything that we do in India ever be easy, and without disturbance???!!!!

Overall, I was so happy to have gotten the chance to be present for such a wonderful person. The Dalai Lama really is a magical man of hope, and compassion, and he will not be here forever. People the world over look up to him and his positiveness, and I got to see him, hear him, and feel his presence on such an ultimate level. I will never forget this opportunity, and am so glad we went to Mcleod Ganj!!!

xoxoxox
Alicia Claire