Hello all you lovely people.
I just finished a ten day retreat at a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery outside of Kathmandu and feel totally at peace with the world despite, or perhaps because of, all the meditations on suffering and the certainty of my death! At the end of the retreat I chose to ‘take refuge’ so I can now say I am officially a Buddhist! It involved a ceremony in which vowed to develop my mind for the sake of all beings. I took the 5 lay precepts, one of which was never to drink alcohol ever again. It sounds extreme, well it certainly would have to me about 6 months ago, but since the retreat I did in Thailand I haven’t felt particularly inclined to drink anyway. I have generally been doing it because whoever I’m with is sinking some. The night before last I went to a cocktail bar in Thamel and didn’t have a drop, despite being the only one not drinking. It wasn’t too hard and I felt really empowered afterwards. It was clear to me that I didn’t need to do it to have fun or be socially comfortable. Anyway, the process of taking refuge has been really great for me because it committed me to a path that I was tentatively heading down. I feel that my enthusiasm to meditate and practice is stronger than ever. No more half arsed practice! I promised! And I even got given my own Tibetan name, Losang Pelmo. I’m told it translates as ‘Good heartmind perfect understanding lady’. How appropriate. Lol.
Also, I’ve decided to live at the monastery for the rest of my time abroad. Whilst I’m tempted to do some more sightseeing (some of my friends are heading to Tibet for example) I know that in the long run staying here is more important. The Nuns are great teachers and the other students are really friendly and a pleasure to be around. We are going to work out a 4 week retreat for me to do, based on the Lam Rim – the text we’ve been studying in Melbourne and the one that His Holiness taught about at Losar.
However, having said that I did some pretty touristy things yesterday. I went into Kathmandu to visit Pashiputinath, a major Hindu pilgrimage area. It was quite confronting seeing people being cremated left right and centre. The bodies and the funeral pyres were much closer and more exposed that in Varanasi. I felt quite disrespectful being amongst the processions and grieving families, so I sat on the banks and did Tong-Len to try and ease their pain. It didn’t seem to be working at all so I headed back to the monastery on foot, winding my way through the back streets and seeing some pretty remarkable sights. It is amazing how the number of kids without pants on quadruples as soon as you leave main road. 3 hours later I arrived back in time for tea, very dusty and sweaty.
In other news, I have picked a return date! I am flying home from Kathmandu on the 24th, arriving in Melbourne around noon on the 25th. I won’t have much to write until then, and will be using the internet even less than before (if that’s possible) but please keep me posted on life down under.
Till then, all my love and hugs to you. Particularly Harry. He he, I didn’t forget this time.
