I have this lush and mellow feeling from the moment I wake up, to when I dizzy crash to bed - I feel so wonderfully relaxed.
That’s not to say things don’t get busy, or crazy even, but my feelings this year are so groovy. I’m swaying in the breeze, soft and carefree (not careless) as the Boss so often reminds us. I’m normally running around like a chicken with my head cut off, but not so this time. Perhaps I’m becoming less wild and intense, or just getting older, I’m not exactly sure. But one thing I do know, Karmapa is the source of this bountiful abundance of calm and sweet serenity I am enjoying. Where usually I am stressed and anxious, I feel totally relaxed - reveling in the moments, capturing what appears around me with a new found spirit of peace of mind. Groovy for sure, and happy to boot. I feel my smile emanating out, all day long, to the point where my face is actually sore at the end of the day. I hurt my knee quite badly before the tour, (I’ll live don’t worry) but I am moving much slower than before - perhaps this is also contributing to my new mellow nature. It also helps that Karmapa is the King of Cool, the Maker of Mellow, the Captain of Calm. My Skipper of Serenity.
His presence is more powerful than ever, but I find him even more joyous, hilarious, expressive, creative, sweet and kind than ever before, which is saying quite a lot for me. He has his groove, his path laid out before him in belly laughs, kindness beaming eyes, and a soft and gentle walk that lets us all know, have no fear, he has time for us all. He appears svelte and poised. Graceful and majestic, but also ever so playful. That glimmer in his eyes that lights up the room. There’s his ever so slightly mischievous smirk, looking out over the crowd, the corners of his mouth start to curl, erupting into a full blown laugh attack that gets the whole room bursting into tears. And it’s not just me, everyone seems to feel it too. He is just magnanimous in all that he does. From a Dharma teaching, to a Stupa inauguration, to meeting Mayors and politicians, his magnetic gentle energy permeates through them all. I watch as they meet him, greet him, talk with him, and the same exploding smile and warmth shows deeply on each and every one of their faces.
From deep traditional dharma, to lots about bread (eating, baking, tasting, creating) to cartoons and his favorite sci-fi movies, there is no subject that seems overly dramatic in any way. That’s what makes the Karmapa so incredible, all things from the mundane to the epic are made so simple and elegantly understandable. Nothing seems to faze him in the least - teaching to thousands with a blessing cue that stretches to next week, or a casual stroll through the garden admiring the vegetables. Stillness permeates through him. And if I am lucky, it will continue to melt into me too. We should all be so lucky. We are all so lucky. The Prince of Mellow. Our Skipper of Serenity. That’s what the Karmapa does best.
Dhagpo Möhra
