I went to the Lama Foundation with the main purpose of sharing my book and helping out. Lama is a spiritual community (on the slopes of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico) where all religions meet in harmony to find common ground. You may want to visit sometime.
Sunset on a rainy day, a gift
A few minutes before. Can you see the lightning? Enlarge if you can’t.
Most of the permanent residents at Lama are well-balanced people. Meet Joe, Megan and Pema below:
Pema is the youngest resident.
Megan and Pema
Bobby was the “watch” (resident in charge), almost always a beaming smile.
Some of the helpers and “stewards”, however, were heavily laden with ego, unable to smile. I even saw a few hateful looks directed at my book (I left a copy at the library anyway). But that is understandable because the reason they are there is to find presence and balance. Besides, religion is such an easy prey for the ego. Do you think the Christ would be sitting at the Vatican if he was here today? And wasn’t Hui Neng, the Sixth Patriarch of Zen Buddism, pursued by fellow monks with intent to kill? They hated his humble origins and envied his awakening. If you walk into the most remote monastery in Tibet, I bet you’ll find the monster with three thousand heads* lurking in the shadows: the world of form is its reign. Beware!
Buildings in Lama are made to withstand harsh winters.
The Dome
Dome’s roof
Sunset from the Dome
Inside, facing entrance
My friend Seth working in the vegetable garden. He was the “watch” when I left.
Helping Lama! It took me about five days (6 hours a day) to clear these steps of weeds and dirt so the rocks could breathe. A good workout!
Somebody’s camp in the woods. You must walk around making noise to scare the bears away.
The spring is sealed to protect the water. At the moment the water level was low.
Jill was doing a hermitage.
A shrine by the spring
Kirsten and Randy
Eli and Adam
May the road rise with you!
On my last day I read this poem, from Kabir. He always goes to the gist of the matter.
“Are you looking for me? I am in the next seat.
My shoulder is against yours.
you will not find me in the stupas, not in Indian shrine
rooms, nor in synagogues, nor in cathedrals:
not in masses, nor kirtans, not in legs winding
around your own neck, nor in eating nothing but
vegetables.
When you really look for me, you will see me instantly –
you will find me in the tiniest house of time.
Kabir says: Students, tell me, what is God?
He is the breath inside the breath.”
More about Kabir at: http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/K/Kabir/
http://www.boloji.com/kabir/intro.htm
More about Lama: Lama Foundation: Spiritual Community, Retreat Center & Mystery …
*PS Toltecs refer to the ego as a monster with three thousand heads. It is the best definition I have ever come across, for as you cut one head off, there is another one staring at you and ready to swallow you whole.
Filed under: Perspective | Tagged: Christ, fellow monks, Kabir, Lama Foundation, New Mexico, religion, sangre de cristo, Sangre de Cristo mountains, sixth patriarch, Spiritual Community, Travel, vacation |
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