Meditation Informs Healing Facilitation

Pilgrimage to Ladakh – going to see the Amchi (Tibetan Doctor)

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6/27/08 – cont’d – After the incredible morning visit to the oracle (Ladakhi shaman), we hiked up past Namgyal’s office (he was the main guide and the owner of Yama Trekking Service) to the Tibetan Doctor. She was a very knowledgeable woman – she gave us a little talk about Tibetan Medicine. For instance, what does a Tibetan doctor do, how do they diagnose a patient, how do they read the pulses, etc. Then, we had the opportunity to sign up for sessions with her. About half of the group signed up to see her, so I decided to wait at a restaurant across the street.

In Tibetan medicine, if I understood it correctly – which is doubtful considering my inferior intellect, there are three main energies or humors – Lung (pronounced “Loong”) or wind, then there are bile and phlegm. I’m pretty sure however, that the Amchi did not need to read my pulses to know that I had a loong (wind) disorder, which normally has nothing to do with the respiratory lungs. She asked me some questions before putting her hands on my wrists to read my pulses, about my temperament, sleeping patterns and my health. Loong disorders are typical in Western cultures – manifestations include anxiety, insomnia, depression and / or extra worry. She also told me, after reading my pulses, that I also had a lung (respiratory anatomical organ) issue. Personally, in my private practice and personal study, I believe the lungs have to do with grief and sadness – so maybe I had some grieving to do.

The Amchi told me several things on this particular visit (I would see her a second time as I opted to stay in Ladakh longer). Things like – “don’t eat raw onions, no grilled foods, no running or strenuous activity for a few weeks, less sugar and do eat heavier foods – like oily sauces and meat.” This was typical advice for people with loong (wind) disorders. She also gave me some Tibetan medicine – one little bag of pills to take for a week, and then another to take for two weeks. By the way, Tibetan medicine pills taste awful! One might get used to them over time, but wow! Imagine mixing mud, curry powder and some bitters and then rolling them up in a little ball… Yick! On reflection, I am perplexed because I think the first bag was of a purgative nature. Someone in the group had a little knowledge of Tibetan medicine and he said that the doctors sometimes give you stuff to clean you out – to detox so you can put healthy ingredients back in (? I could be easily misinterpreting that). I say this because later that night I was very sick – it could have easily been something I ate – but I had a bad case of fever / flu / Delhi belly symptoms.

The second time I visited her, about two weeks later, she read my pulses and said directly, “stop drinking apple juice.” How did she know? It was true – I just had some earlier that day, but wow! Then she mentioned some of what she had said at the earlier visit. She also gave me a slightly different medicine to take for the next two weeks.

A General Overview of the Healing Process

I am writing this post for the benefit of my clients, however, others may find this information useful. Please read the disclaimer at the bottom of the article when you have the chance.* This is geared toward clients who might be willing to stick with the work over time – I personally recommend doing a series of sessions – whether four, seven or ten or more. Simply coming in for one session, while potent and beneficial, may not allow for the necessary unwinding and re-organization which the body is requesting. As a reference to my personal experience, I am including the following paragraph. If you do not need to read about why I feel I have the experience to write this, then happily skip it.

I have been doing Reiki Energetic Healing, Working with the Craniosacral System and practicing other modalities which I have been certified in, for more than six years. I also have training and experience in working with Western and Spiritual (Humanistic) Astrology, having done more than 200 charts professionally. My teachers include qualified, academically trained professors, process-oriented bodyworkers who have connections to Indigenous healing wisdom along with empirically-based graduate degrees, astrologers with more than 20 years of experience under their belts and numerous Tibetan lamas – recognized, realized heart teachers with lifetimes of living the healing wisdom of the Buddha-Dharma. I have done a few Buddhist retreats, cultivating greater loving-kindness and compassion which is offered in my private practice. In addition to the above experience and training, I have been on the receiving end of process-oriented bodywork since 2004, having cultivated and maintained quality self care since that time. And of course, I am just an ordinary human being, doing the best I can with the resources I have available.

I plan to update this material and refine it, but at present, this is a quality, if a little rough-around-the-edges, description of a general trend I have been observing in my clients’ processes (over time). Quality bodywork of any sort takes time to cultivate true, lasting healing (the trust required to go into the vulnerable, sticky-icky places where we need to do our deepest work takes time). For most individuals, I believe the body/mind system knows what it needs to heal properly and appropriately – which is one of the reasons I resonate with Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. Biodynamic work is very gentle and patient – when the system is ready to reveal its healing plan, then the practitioner follows it. Not a moment earlier. There is nothing for the practitioner to do, nothing to fix and nothing to diagnose (without the client’s system giving its input first, and even then, the practitioner is always listening, going slow and doing less rather than more). As a result of the body knowing what it needs and when, we cannot push this process. That would not be kind and I believe it could result in shutting down the budding trust.

The body also knows at what pace to journey down its healing path, to create and nurture lasting healing – not temporary shifts which fall back into old patterns over time. One of the many respected teachers in the Craniosacral field is Hugh Milne, also an Osteopath, he says in his book, The Heart of Listening, “that we can never go too deep, just too fast.” I am a follower and proponent of this advice. As a result, in sessions, no matter what is ailing the client, I work from the feet up – grounding their system and developing the feelings of comfort and trust that are necessary for them to let go of old stuff.

The body generally wants to work on the gross (largest, most pressing) issues first. Whether structural (from an accident, injury or birth trauma), emotional (e.g. grief, anger, jealousy, etc) or energetic in nature, the body / mind system wants to move toward the fullest expression of its highest potential. I believe that this desire is true for all of us – to actualize our highest potential and that this is the body’s deepest intention. If the body needs to let go of something, or shift an old pattern which no longer serves this goal, then it knows what it needs to do. In the beginning of any session, I ask the client to state an intention for that particular session – which can be anything from, “I want to be more calm and centered,” to “I’m ready to move out of my depression and towards healthy interaction with others” (and anything in between). [I just want to state for the record that I do not treat depression. I am using that example as one of the more ambitious intentions that someone could set.] I believe that energy follows intention and attention. This is what my teachers have preached; see Julie Henderson’s book on energetic health, The Lover Within. Therefore, the client determines the frame or intention for their particular session. This is normally in alignment with what the body is looking to accomplish – or to add to this – the body does what it needs to, in order to move toward that intention, along with moving toward its overarching intention of self-actualizing.

Once the grosser issues have been worked through, which could take anywhere from one to twenty sessions – it depends entirely on the client (how much work have they done with other practitioners previously, do they maintain a healthy lifestyle, are they disciplined about doing the homework which healing-facilitators recommend, are they ready to shine some light into the darker recesses of the heart, etc).

Keep in mind that the body will always reveal more healing potentials if we have the capacity. What this means is that as we make more space and clear the grosser issues, subtler issues can arise which we did not realize were present previously. This is because our awareness is becoming sharper and more sensitized (healthier), and we are becoming better able to listen to what our body needs. This is not always the case, but if someone has a history of trauma or abuse (and according to Thomas Merton, a Western monk and mystic, the fast-paced lifestyles that we live here in the West are more than just stressful, but that they are often violent, and certainly not kind – so it might figure that we all have many layers to work through), then it makes sense that we have a number of layers to process. Until we come into easy, sustainable alignment and equanimity, there will be more to work on. However, once we start to make some headway on our healing journey, bringing the light of awareness and wholesome persistence, then we start to feel more joy and gratitude with every moment we are blessed with. As clients (one in particular said this) who have been with me for multiple sessions have said, “Kirby, I would have never known this was possible. My life is full of sparkly joy now. Finding the words for it is difficult, but I am happier and more at peace.” I know this sounds a bit corny, but it is what she was feeling, and what I had been noticing as she shifted.

In a future post, I will include an example of what I am referring to in the above paragraph – about the body / mind letting go of old stuff and then discovering new stuff to work on; information on the healing process. However, I believe that the healing journey can be a lot of work, but it is worth it. [See foot note below.] Joy, clarity and lasting lightness of being are possible. I believe the relationship is reciprocal – we get as much out of the process as we are willing to put into it – in other words, if we are willing to go to some uncomfortable places and do the work, then it will be worth it on the other side. Sometimes we have to feel it to heal it. Then we can celebrate our journey. And with that I bid you a happy Spring!

[Foot note – there are a number of modalities which promise instant results, or immediate healing. If I hear this, what comes to mind? Here are my thoughts – do the results, the claimed healing, truly stick? I believe this is possible but it really depends on the practitioner. Miracles do happen. But I would recommend looking at the people who say that they will give you lasting, easy healing, the practitioners themselves – are they balanced? are they truly, unconditionally happy? are they living in alignment within their communities and with the Earth? do they seem to be very wealthy (if they are flaunting it, then this is not a good sign) There are modalities which claim to go into our belief structures and re-organize them quickly. Again, I am a little suspicious when I hear this. What makes process-oriented bodywork so potent, is that through the bodywork aspect (hands on), you can create lasting shifts at the cellular level over time. But again, the practitioner is not the one doing the work. The client is the one doing the re-organizing. The practitioner merely holds space, listens and provides containment for the process. Rarely and only if appropriate does the practitioner throw in a little coaching. I’m not trying to knock any type of healing modality, but I have seen people spend a lot of money on modalities which I believe provide very little in the lasting results department. To wrap this up, have a healthy skepticism toward healing that sounds too good to be true. Do a little research and analyze the practitioners – are they walking their talk?]

* Disclaimer: I have been trained and certified in working with the Biodynamic Craniosacral system (CST) along with Reiki Energetic Healing, and as a result, I do not treat, cure, prevent or diagnose any disease. Craniosacral Therapy has had some success with a few, limited bodily issues, but I do not make such a claim. I recently completed undergraduate work with a bachelors of science in psychology.

Pilgrimage to Ladakh – observing an oracle (shaman) in action

6/27/08 – Wow! I continue to gradually move through my journal, from the summer of 2008, and I am pleasantly surprised when I come upon these treasures. We were very fortunate on this particular journey – seeing several things which only locals would have access to – or that devoted Buddhists might glimpse or request. This day was one of those special occasions.

We walked all around and through the back alleys of Leh, making some of us wonder if we had gotten lost. But that was not the case, after crossing numerous little streams (on tiny concrete bridges) and wandering down walled alleys, we made it to the oracle’s house. We arrived early on purpose. There were 16 of us plus the guide – so 16 “Injies” or westerners. The front room, where the oracle and her assistant were busily setting up the shrine (they were not possessed yet), was seriously, 16 ft by 12 ft tops. We were a little cramped in there ourselves. Just to be clear, this was not a large room!

The oracle and her assistant had a strong, confident glint in their eyes. [See note below.] They were setting up the small shrine with water bowls, coins, paper money, flowers and tea. Local Ladakhis started to join us as the time grew near. Remember, we were already feeling a little crowded… heh, well that was nothing. By the time the oracle and her assistant became possessed, there were easily 30 plus people in the room with a dozen more waiting outside. I was practically sitting on someone’s lap.

The oracle and assistant went outside for some reason, and it turned out, that they become possessed outside and then come in the room. We could tell something had happened because they came in making many unusual noises – hiccups, guttural growls, whistles and high-pitched moans. The assistant (apprentice) started hitting herself in the back, a ritual that would repeat later on, shaking and then both apprentice and oracle started chanting / singing. They sang praises to Guru Rinpoche and to Bakula Rangdrol Nyima Rinpoche (? I have this written in my journal, not sure why. See previous post regarding this lama.) The head oracle put two khatas on her head, then a five-pointed crown, a sash and an additional apron.

Then the head oracle turned to us and started answering questions. We had been prepped ahead of time and we came prepared with one burning question each (some people refrained from asking anything). Someone said the locals might ask, “where is my yak?” But we asked questions about our Western lives – relationships, business, emotional process, etc. The oracle would put rice on her drum and then shift it around, doing a divination of sorts and then tell us what she saw / heard.

Because Ladakhi is similar to Tibetan, I could understand a tiny bit of it, and another translator who was on the pilgrimage understood it better. The oracle answered my question about putting a lot of effort into my business in the fall, ending with, “Bey yak po du! Bey yak po du.” Meaning in Tibetan – very, very good / beneficial. But when our guide was translating what she had said later, he did not say those words at all. I was curious if there was something lost in the translation (there had after all, been at least half an hour between her answering and his regurgitating those answers).

After all the questions had been asked – by the locals and by us, the oracle then asked if anyone was in need of healing. This was the bizarre part, as if it could get any stranger! Someone (a Ladakhi) approached the oracle and pointed to her mouth, saying something (probably about a bad tooth or something). The oracle then drank some water and then proceeded to suck, using a wide straw-like tool, on the woman’s cheek and then she (the oracle) spit out this gritty, sandy-looking liquid – it was tan in color. She did this again and then she told the woman that she should see a doctor.

She did this with multiple people. We witnessed about a half dozen healings and then we got up and left. The hallway outside was full of shoes – at least 50 pairs were strewn about. Several people came in to take our spot. As we walked toward downtown Leh, I had the chance to get my wits about me. I realized that I had been in a state of shocked amazement / amusement while in there – probably because we were crammed in like sardines and I had never seen an oracle / shaman become possessed. But we were able to ask questions of our guide and compare notes. If the healing-by-sucking-on-the-straw-and-then-spitting-out-the-gunk was a fraud, none of us could figure out how she was doing it. She would take a drink of clear water from a clear glass jar, suck on the straw and then spit out the sandy goop. Then she repeated this process at least six or seven times without a break.

What was most amazing (to me, as a healing facilitator) is that she only “charged” or asked a donation of 10 rupees for the questions. That is like 25 cents… Wow! Hopefully she charged more for the healings. Not sure. Oh – we were not allowed (politely asked not) to take pictures while we were in there, so unfortunately I don’t have any.

[On a side note, if I had not known better, I might compare that look to someone who in our culture might be diagnosed as having a psychological disorder. But they said that in Ladakh – some psychoses can be used productively. Silver linings to mental health problems! Very curious indeed.]

Thank you for visiting!

Kirby Moore

konchog chakchen

Pilgrimage to Ladakh – Bakula Rangdrol Nyima Rinpoche

6/26/08 – According to my journal, we took it easy today. That is, after the three day excursion to the Nubra Valley, where there are some of the most precarious roads on the planet. So I was very happy to do so. We had some time to explore the shops of Leh and then we reconvened to go visit Bakula Rangdrol Nyima Rinpoche, one of the Tulkus from Lama Yuru Gompa (a Drikung Kagyu monastery). There is another Bakula Rinpoche (tulku) of the Gelugpa sect, who we also received blessings from; he is a different person.

Bukula Rangdrol Nyima (Rinpoche) had a house on the outskirts of Leh. It seemed rather ordinary and of a moderate size (nothing too special from the outside). Inside there were more of the monastic decorations I was expecting – tangkas (religious paintings), banners, the beautiful Buddhist door hangings, and a little shrine or two. Rinpoche seems to be about my age – early 30’s; he is spry, direct and energetic. Watching him walk around Lama Yuru later, one could tell he moved with purpose and clarity. As he is younger, the tutor (or attendant) was there with him – Drupon Sonam Kunga. Drupon was a short Ladakhi man (monk) who just radiated peace and contentment. It was very pleasurable and an incredible blessing to meet both of them in such an intimate setting.

They received us and another attendant (a layperson) served us tea and cookies. Rinpoche spoke a little about Tibetan Buddhism and then answered a few questions. He also passed out CDs to each of us – he put together a beautiful CD of his singing traditional chants and Buddhist songs. Very precious.

Later I heard the story that Drupon Sonam Kunga (who did not look old enough for this to be the case, but nonetheless) was in the same 3 year retreat as His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon (Chetsang Rinpoche). This was quite a star studded retreat as Khenchen Rinpoche, Konchog Gyaltsen, Drupon Samten and eight other highly respected lamas participated. It was at this retreat that His Holiness became very ill, so much so that it seemed like he would not be able to finish the prostrations section of the (5-fold path of Mahamudra?) practice. One of the other lamas found out about His Holiness’ illness and made a petition to the retreat master, who at the time was the highly venerated master Kyunga Rinpoche. It was noted that Kyunga Rinpoche prostrated to His Holiness and said something like this: “Kyabgon Rinpoche (your Holiness), despite the fact that you are Avalokitesvara (or Manjushri) incarnated, you still must finish your prostrations for the benefit of all sentient beings.”

That was inspiring to say the least! Rinpoche (Bakula Rangdrol Nyima) is also known as one of the best Cham dancers (monastic ritual dances) in the Drikung Kagyu. Later on the Pilgrimage, when we visited Lama Yuru, we had the chance to see him and many others in action. The photo above is from those dances, I’m not certain it is Rinpoche however. You can visit <http://www.drikung-kagyu.org> for beautiful photos and for the bio of Rinpoche and many other high lamas.

Bakula Rangdrol Nyima Rinpoche is the 4th reincarnation. The guide said that while he is alive and residing at Lama Yuru, the main Drikung Kagyu monastery in Ladakh, it flourishes. However, when he is not around, it declines. Lama Yuru, he said, supports 400 monks and nuns – some in smaller hermitages, monasteries and solitary retreats. I think most of them were there for the Cham dances (there were hundreds of ordained running / milling about). It was quite inspiring and it made me feel good that Tibetan Buddhism still has a lot of support and ordained membership despite what is occurring in China.

Later that day we did a little shopping – where I purchased my first tangka for 3300 rupees (~$80 US) – what a deal. It is a beautiful tangka of Green Tara.

Thank you for visiting!

Kirby Moore

konchog chakchen

Pilgrimage to Ladakh – Deskit Monastery

6/25/08 – In my journal, I do not have anything written down, aside from little dream tidbits, so I am going by my photographic recounting along with my memory. We visited a monastery on the way back to Leh, and I believe it was a Gelugpa gompa named Deskit (in Tibetan I think this means something like Happiness and Joy). It was a beautiful monastery with several sections.

The lower section, in elevation that is, had a large meditation / audience hall. It had a throne for the Dalai Lama and for the Panchen Lama (like all monasteries – keeping a seat warm for the highest lama in the lineage). It also had gorgeous murals and photos of other lamas. It was very contemporary – of all the monasteries we visited, the internal structure of this hall seemed the most modern. The large building was at the foot of a hill which had been leveled, and on top, a large seated Buddha statue was being constructed. They may have been half way through – there was an extensive series of lattices and scaffolding around the Buddha whose overall shape was coming into form. As you can see from the photo, the statue is seated atop a building, so when it is complete, I am confident it will be at least at total of 60 feet high above the building (!) (quite a large statue).

The older buildings of the monastery (some monasteries claimed to go back more than a thousand years) were higher on the mountain side. Therefore we climbed numerous steps, which is quite normal for gompas we visited. There was a protector shrine with its residents having their wrathful faces covered by cloth, a meditation hall, and a spot where the lamas performed wrathful / purifying pujas.

Actually, our guide told us a very curious story about this protector shrine – in collaboration with what looked to be a human skull in the hands of one of the deities. This is from my memory, so forgive me for the errors which I know are present, but a long time ago, there was a prince. He made a pact with the local Dharma protector – “help me defeat my enemies in battle and I will dedicate my life to you.” Sure enough, he was successful in battle. He wanted to go about his life normally, as a prince might, afterward, but for some reason he could never leave the monastery. When he tried, strong winds or weather would prevent him from doing so. Therefore he stayed at the monastery for years. Finally, he became so tired of being chained as it were to the Dharma protector, that he decided to end his life than go on with his present existence. He jumped to his death – a long plummet off the highest monastery wall. His body fell a long way down into a ravine, which was very dangerous for the monks or local villagers to try to get to. Therefore, I believe the animals and vultures cleaned the bones. But somehow, mysteriously and ominously, the prince’s skull came to be found in the hands of the Dharma protector in the monastery – where it has been to this day. (most of this story is accurate from what I heard) The moral of this story – be very careful with the vows you make (and break)!

This outdoor Buddha was a preview for a gorgeous statue we would visit later in the pilgrimage at Likir Monastery (in a future post). And I am sure by now that this Buddha statue has been completed and it is radiantly sitting on its perch, gazing out over and protecting the Nubra Valley.

At the top of the monastery, there was a curious stone slab, square in shape, with two little partitions as it were. The partitions had seed syllables of wrathful deities on them, and so I asked what this was. The lama who was with us told the guide, who translated it into English. This was where wrathful / purifying pujas happened – the seed syllables on the partitions protected the lamas from the nasty stuff – it sounded like they performed potent rituals here – possibly along the lines of exorcisms.

I have many decent pictures from this monastery, but I have tried to present several here that are representative of the batch. It is with tentative apprehension that I post this photo of the Dharma guardian with the skull in its hand – please treat it with respect. And have a good day.

Thank you for visiting!

Kirby Moore

konchog chakchen

Ladakh Pilgrimage – Life in the Nubra Valley

I originally wrote that going to Ladakh was going to a new world, which is true, but going to the Nubra Valley was yet another new world. It was just as dry as the world we left behind, but it had towering sand dunes, striated canyons, (similar) treacherous roads and in one of its villages, a slightly Persian feel to the people. There is greenery next to the river and the rivulets, sharp steep pinnacles and rocks are everywhere.

I wrote in my journal: “it looks like Utah plus Egypt plus Afganistan with the Moon and Mars thrown in for good measure. Bily Brown on the banjo, making the strings of my heart twang, brushing my teeth with willow, watching shooting stars and having a good laugh with members of the pilgrimage.” There are an abundance of apricot trees (one of the only fruits to enjoys growing at altitude – hence the sugary staple of Ladakh – juices, jam, dried fruit and seeds all come from this hardy tree).

6/24/08 – another full day. We visited Sartok (sp?) monastery, crossing the river to do so. There are many statues and paintings, plus some black backgrounds with gold painted on it – making for a difficult-to-discern-yet-eerily-beautiful murals. As we were leaving, we passed a monk carrying a boy on his shoulders. The boy had on gold and saffron colored clothes, and some people were wondering if the child were special in some way – normally monks aren’t walking around with small children like that.

We stopped and sure enough, it was Bakula Rinpoche – the famous monk (tulku) whose previous incarnation was India’s ambassador to Mongolia. He is a Gelugpa Tulku and he was just four years old when we saw him. He was precious – he was playing with a toy, while many villagers and ourselves requested blessings of him. The monk – I’m assuming his tutor – would say, “khata, khata” and point to us as we were waiting for his blessing. He would pause his playing with the toy and put the khata around our necks and then go back to the toy. There was something piercing and radiant about his eyes though – part child, part meditation master? What a precious opportunity.

We came back for lunch, to the camp site. A couple days earlier, I had put in a request for meat, because I normally have several servings of meat per week and we had been on a completely vegetarian diet up to that point. However, they took the request quite literally and began to offer us meat with every meal… Whoa! Luckily I was not the only one who needed it.

Later in the day, we rode Bactrian (sp?) camels – two humps. There seemed to be a group of men who took care of the camels, and a group of Asian tourists got off and a couple minutes later, we got on. Of course I was given the camel which seemed to be the most ornery. Luckily it didn’t spit on me. Although it required a guide all to itself as it kept trying to carry me off in another direction.

Some of the group went off to see a local deity shrine. Apparently it was a bit of a hike, and I was tired from the day, so myself and a few others stayed behind. In retrospect, considering how precious and rare the opportunity was to be in this marvelous and new country, I would have rather attended every event possible. As it was though, I only missed a couple things.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the Ladakhis are incredibly efficient with their water usage. Their systems of irrigation are precise and “turned on and off” at various times during the day. I say this because this particular canal near our campsite was full of water in the mornings but always running dry by early afternoon and evening.

Thanks for reading!

Kirby Moore

konchog chakchen

Pilgrimage to Ladakh – Kardung la Pass

6/23/08 – Yesterday was a good day. We saw incredible monasteries, a veritable Buddist city on a hill and we crashed a Ladakhi wedding where everyone was incredibly generous and welcomed us with warmth and authenticity. Well guess what I discovered on this day, which might live in infamy in my viscera… My fear of heights translates to many different situations – Yay! Or I should say, Ouch. Here’s why: The roads in Northern India are not any better than the poorest roads in the United States (from my limited travels). I guess we should be grateful that they have roads at those high altitudes in India at all, but… I’m not sure I need to be on them! Maybe if I practice more Dharma I will let go of my attachment to self and this little phobia will go away upon doing so.

We were heading to the Nubra Valley. There are several monasteries in this valley, along with views of a canyon which rival that of the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA, and there were several little surprising attractions as well.

On this day, we primarily traveled by car, up and across the highest motor-able road in the world. Seriously – 18000 plus feet. The problem, if I may go so far to call it that, was that to get to the Kardung la Pass, most of the road hugged the sides of precariously steep, cliff-like mountains, some of which seemed to be supported by shoddy masonry (only). As we went up higher and higher, we would see, far down the slopes, skeletons of Jeeps and LandRovers and buses that had fallen off the road, most likely with tragic consequences. And as if that were not enough, there were a couple places where rock slides had taken the road out and they were in the process of patching it back together.

Oh, and I need to mention that we were heading into areas that border Pakistan (or China), and therefore we had to have our passports with us in case we came to a military check point, which was not uncommon. That also meant we had to be careful what we photographed (basically no cameras around military installations). Not to cast a somber mood, because it seemed like these rules had been relaxed, but all of this was in my mind as we climbed to the highest point in our pilgrimage.

Just to give readers a little glimpse of what I found frightening: nearly all the corners around the mountain roads are blind. There are no lines on the road, no median and no extra space in the shoulder. Also, on at least half of the curves, there were no guard rails. So a slight mistake on the driver’s part or by the on-coming driver, and well, it would be time to practice Phowa (and hope our preparations for our next rebirth had bee in good order). Therefore, the drivers constantly honked as they approached each curve (thank goodness!) and as a result, I was constantly reminded of my fear of heights… But there was a silver lining and a beautiful valley to see on the other side. With that…

In my journal, I mention that there were large, colorful cargo trucks on this road, along with other buses and vans full of people and supplies. From about 16000 ft and up, the pavement stopped and more of a patchwork of cobblestones could be observed in the road. This was true on both sides of the pass. All in all, the journey to the Nubra valley took six hours (from Leh).

On top of Kardung la Pass, the air was thin, clean and crisp. Considering we had gone from Leh at 11000 ft to 18 K plus at the top, we needed jackets and there were little stubborn patches of snow around. Oh – a side note. Thankfully we did smoke pujas – otherwise known as offering rituals of protection on most days of the pilgrimage. And on this particular day, I was enormously glad we had done these rituals and that we continued doing them. We did smoke offerings at the top of the mountain as well, at least most of us did. Some people (those of us with spry youthful bodies) decided that 18,300 ft was not high enough and that they should continue climbing a rocky ridge up toward some boulders (see photo).

There was a military outpost on the pass, with soldiers milling around. There were a number of other tourists as well. We went up a little ways and came to a curious little temple – a one roomed shrine. There was a small couch or bed of sorts which made me wonder about its occupant. The shrine was in good order. While this little temple was fascinating, what really took the cake for me was the prayer flags on the “summit” near the pass. I got some good photos of members of our group, of the smoke offering being made and of the surrounding mountains as well. They said that, on a perfectly clear day, which was not this one, people could see all the way to the north and gaze upon K-2 – the second highest mountain in the world. As it was, they pointed out several mountains which were near K-2 (I guess its brothers and sisters).

We stopped for lunch near the side of the road, in a village that had an army base in it. There were wild dree (sp?), the hybrid breed of yak and cows, running around. They were incredibly dexterous and agile – considering they may have weighed in excess of 300 lbs! It was fun to observe a new species – a really hairy, agile cow. At first, some of us thought they were yak but we were quickly corrected.

Once we got to Nubra, there was a separate truck that had our supplies and workers (cooks and camp setter-uppers) – they had gone on, just ahead of us. We put our stuff in our tents, were supplied with sleeping bags and pads and some of us, like yours truly, were so exhausted from the long, precipitous ride that we took a nap.

Up above you can see the glacier which provides the water for Leh and its valley. They said that each year it is slow shrinking, which is going to be a problem one day. The Ladakhis are some of the best in the world at channeling water – their systems of irrigation were just mind boggling. But without any water to transport… Yes, a problem indeed.

Thank you for reading!

Kirby Moore

konchog chakchen

Crashing a Ladakhi Wedding

I went with a great group of students and practitioners and wanderers to Ladakh India in June and July of 2008. We had some incredibly amazing experiences – just coming back home, safely, after riding around the Ladakhi roads is saying something. But one of the surprising events, not on our itinerary, was on June 22nd. We were coming back from Chemray Monastery, when, luckily the trip guide had the windows down in his car. He heard some music coming from far off and asked the driver to stop. They backed up and sure enough, there was a wedding going on, out of sight but relatively close to the road. And of course you bring your 16 Caucasian, Western (clueless) tourist / pilgrims to a random wedding! I mean who doesn’t?

In the first picture, is the significant pile of wedding gifts, which I will get into. But first, we were a little hesitant. Was it okay to crash a stranger’s wedding? Did Namgyal, the guide, know these people? No he was not sure but he was insistent anyway. It turns out he knew some relatives of the bride and other friends. There was an enormous tent set up, with tapestries (dyed cloth) serving as the roof. And under this tent, there were at least 200 people – seriously. Up front where we came in, there were five or six musicians, playing big drums, little drums and a couple had wind instruments – horns of sorts. Every once in a while, the drummer with the largest drums would shlop some oil on his drum and smooth it around before continuing to play.

The Ladakhis were so, so sweet and generous. They made room for us up front and then they proceeded to treat us like we were honored guests – have you ever heard of such a thing? The parents of the bride and groom came by and greeted us – shaking our hands. Then they passed around plates and cups, along with the traditional Tibetan / Ladakhi butter tea – a very salty, buttery tea. Normally that tea is not my favorite, but on this day, it was awesome – of course it is like a meal in a cup, but it is filling and warming. Quite nice at the right time. Then someone came around with the celebratory rice with small sweet-potato-like roots in it, sweetened with raisins. I think it is called trol-ma-drey-see in funky phoneticized Tibetan. And that’s not all! After they had given us something to drink and fed us, someone passed us some Ladakhi Chang – it was called “Godfather.” Chang is the fermented barley beer / wine. Little did I know, and thankfully it was not a problem, but in Ladakh, this is not pasteurized – so the probiotics and vitamin B’s are better but you better hope they used clean water!

We arrived as they were about to start dancing. In Ladakh, they do a rhythmic, slow circular dance which I believe resembles and signifies a flower blossoming. The matron of our guest house explained it later on in the week. Some of us got up and danced with them, some people had to be pulled. For some reason, I was enjoying the Godfather (beer) too much to dance – or I had not had enough yet! On a side note, I have given up drinking for the most part, except on Tibetan holidays or with religious celebrations and on this day, I made an exception. Hey – when it Ladakh, do as the Ladakhis do – right? The tent was so large that, despite 30 or 40 people dancing in a circle, there were still rows of people in the back and they only circled a small part of the space (where the gifts were situated).

Later, once the dancing paused, the groom and his friends got up in front and started talking amongst themselves and occasionally one of them would go and talk with the parents of the bride / groom (I could not tell who was with whom). If this wedding was anything like a traditional Tibetan wedding, which I only know a little bit about, the families involved probably planned the union. We were there for at least an hour – maybe two – and we did not see any vows being exchanged and only rarely was the groom anywhere near the bride.

The groom and his friends were wearing some very interesting clothing and accessories. The groom had a traditional Ladakhi / Tibetan / Chinese tunic, blue jeans, Nike running shoes and he and his friends (about half a dozen or more) were wearing hats that looked like they were trying to communicate with extra terrestrials. I’m not sure if this is traditional garb for Ladakh, but see for yourself.

The bride was wearing the traditional turquoise and semi-precious stone head dress herself. I have heard that these are very heavy, and since I mainly saw the bride sitting down, it made sense. The ceremonial female headdress is like a cobra’s hood of sorts and actually the money in the Ladakhi families is controlled by the women because it is in their jewelry. Patriarchal religion but matriarchal family structure of sorts. See below for a picture of the back of the bride’s head – she was turned away from us and I did not feel like running around being a photographer (might have been rude at an otherwise awkward situation to begin with).

Thanks for reading and have a good day.

Pilgrimage to Ladakh – Chemray Monastery

As I reflect on my trip to Ladakh, we were so very lucky. We had numerous adventures which tourists can only dream about – attending a Buddha and a King in His Holiness Chetsang Rinpoche, crashing a traditional Ladakhi wedding, attending a shaman / oracle and seeing her in action, as well as having tea with numerous Tulkus (recognized reincarnated Lamas). It might be difficult to replicate this pilgrimage in this lifetime. And of course there was the camel riding and other “touristy treats.” Wow! Needless to say, I’m glad I went.

So, in this post, there is a little Buddhist city known as Chemray Gompa. As we drove by it on the way to Tak Thog monastery further up the valley, I had an inkling I had been there before. It literally looks like a town on top of its hill – all the building in the traditional colors of monasteries – hence the Buddhist City designation. It is (another) Drukpa Kagyu monastery – as the majority of the monasteries we visited were of that sect. But it’s splendor is not easily passed over.

We ate lunch below the monastery and we got to see several Ladakhi families – including precious toddlers running around, exploring the stream and the irrigation canals. Afterward, we drove up the winding road to the monastery.

There were some local villagers at the monastery when we arrived, and seeing an ancient looking Ladakhi, her eyes deep and present, full of wisdom and chanting the Mani Mantra was precious. She may have been in her 50s or 60s, as, due to malnutrition and the harsh environment, Ladakhis tend to age quickly. In the states, her appearance might indicate 80 to 90 winters.

There were gorgeous murals (including these impermanence-inspiring dancing skeletons), very fresh and crisp – as if they had just been painted the day before. And at the very top of the monastery was the Guru Lhakang – the Guru Rinpoche shrine, and the paintings in there continued up the 20 ft walls and then across the ceilings. Incredible! This is where we saw the “I <heart> Drukpa” bumpersticker with His Holiness the Drukpa Kyabgon’s picture.

Thank you for visiting!

Kirby Moore

konchog chakchen

Pilgrimage to Ladakh – Tak Thog Monastery

In this post – we went to two monasteries on this day, along with crashing a Ladakhi wedding – what a surprise treat! The second monastery and wedding will wait for the next post. So, we went to two additional monasteries today – and while yesterday had the enormous Buddha statues, this day and its monasteries had their own selling points. First we drove to Tak Thog (rock ceiling) monastery and then visited Chemray on the way back.

We were in the car at least 90 minutes to drive out to the far reaches of Ladakh, in fact, Tak Thog monastery is significantly higher in altitude than Leh, I would guess it is at least at 15000 ft. We noticed the difference when we were climbing the monastery’s many steps. The road basically ends at the monastery because beyond, the mountains become too steep. In my journal I wrote that it was “way out in the middle of no where” which is saying a lot for ultra-rural Ladakh. Tak Thog is named appropriately, because some of its shrine rooms are in cozy, butter-lamp-soot stained caves with low rock ceilings (the rock walls and ceiling are black from the butter lamp exhaust). It is famous for having hosted Guru Rinpoche (he meditated there) and he apparently left a foot print in his meditation cave – however, today there is always a retreatant in that particular cave and we were not allowed to see it. Does that sound at all fishy to you? Not that it didn’t happen of course!

In this particular photo, I could not get a completely clear picture of this shrine room, even though I took over a dozen shots (?). However, this is the best pic I have. The ceiling had paper money (rupees) and coins stuck to it as offerings. Notice the black color of the rock.

The guide said that the monastery was “one ridge away from a glacier” (which is where the water for the long valley below originates). There were big round rocks all over this monastery, which was a treat. Unfortunately, the murals and paintings were blackened with soot and could only be viewed as vague outlines. This is one of the only Nyingma (ancient school) monasteries in Ladakh, so there were multiple statues of Guru Rinpoche. They were in the process of filling several – so a monk gave us a detailed explanation of that process (filling a 2 meter statue would take at least two months – so a tedious task to be sure).

I loved how this monastery used the natural rock formations, it was almost as if the mountain and the rock were more important than the building itself. What a great indigenous / Earth-loving concept!

Thanks for reading!

Kirby Moore

konchog chakchen