On the final day of the Kalachakra for World Peace 2011 I drove to Yard Park in Washington, DC and waited for the Dalai Lama to arrive. Earlier that day the mandala, a beautiful circular sand painting that monks had been building and praying over for the past 10 days, was dissolved and swept up into a silver urn, bound for the Anacostia River, where His Holiness would pour it into the water as a blessing for aquatic life and the greater environment.
Unlike other events I had attended as a member of the press contingent, this special ceremony was not open to Kalachakra attendees or the general public and I realized this would be my one and only opportunity to get close enough to the Dalai Lama to receive his personal blessing. When we were advised that the he was ten minutes out I claimed my spot at the curb, checked my telephoto lens, pulled a kata – silk scarf – out of my backpack and wrapped it around my neck. Moments later, a caravan of black SUV’s rolled up and jerked to a stop. State Department agents jumped out to help the Dalai Lama out of a long, sleek black sedan and surrounded him as he walked toward the crowd.
Completed Kalachakra mandala, a sacred sand painting
I snapped a single shot of His Holiness as he walked slowly past journalists to my left, then dropped my camera and grabbed the scarf from around my neck. Draping it over my hands, I held it out and bowed my head, hoping that he would place it around my neck in a traditional blessing. Suddenly, my right hand was firmly grasped and a warmth coursed through my body. Startled, I looked up into the smiling countenance of His Holiness, who was holding my hand. I opened my mouth but nothing came out; for the first time in my life I was completely speechless. His clear liquid eyes looked directly into mine and that famous little boy grin spread across his face; he knew I was incapable of speech and seemed inordinately amused by it. He finally let go and continued toward the tent where the ceremony would begin. In ninety degree temperatures I shivered, feeling his magnetic energy withdraw.
Dalai Lama arrives at Yard Park in Washington DC to pour blessed sands from dissoved Kalachakra mandala into Anacostia River
Being singled out by the Dalai Lama for personal attention was an indescribable joy, especially since I am fairly new to Tibetan Buddhism. My path to Buddhism began many years ago when I read a book about Eastern religions, but it wasn’t until I visited Thailand some ten years go that I truly committed to the philosophy of enlightenment espoused by Buddha. Over the ensuing years I struggled to achieve a deeper understanding, learning bits and pieces from the occasional monk who spoke English and attending teachings when my hectic work schedule allowed. Continue reading
