There are few moments in one’s life that define and shape our very beings, our core and heart forever changed, the actual balance and properties of our very body and soul altered in a permanent and powerful way. Way up in the mountains, a wild trek over rocky terrain with the hot morning sun beating down on us all we ventured to a cave once occupied by the great Drukpa Kagyu master Gyalwa Gotsangpa, and to say that this place was powerful would be missing the point entirely as the whole place seemed to be vibrating and pulsing my insides as soon as I ventured in the tiny doorway carved into the rocky mountainside.
It is dark and cold, despite the heat outside, with one wall entirely covered in a mural fresco of buddhas, the colors so intense and radiant that they seemed to glow in the dark. A blackened rock face juts out as you enter, forcing you to bow your head in order to reach the stone altar, where lies piles of kataks being placed there by the past visitors to this holy of holy places. Once inside the cramped and tiny space, now completely occupied by Lamas and Rinpoches, the puja already started, trying to find a spot to place my feet as I inch by, overtly aware of my presence and the space I am occupying, the voices echoing off the rocks seem to grow more and more intense and swirling in the air as the seconds go by feeling like hours. Time stops here, the world seems to stop here, this space is wildly intense, hard to describe intense, like the entrance to a hidden world of deep power. This is a power cave, a place where a human being attained enlightenment in one lifetime, and it seems as though this energy is still here, reverberating off the stone walls in an endless loop. Moments later we are all asked to step outside, for Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje wishes to have some time in the cave alone, to meditate in peace without the throng of onlookers and photographers. Staying inside more than half an hour he lets us join him again, when Calling The Guru from afar is sung, though I have never heard it quite like this before. The melody was so intense, so slow and powerful, every note seemed to rock my heart and try to pull me off balance. As the notes climbed higher I could feel my eyes string to not water fro sheer emotion, somehow I have triggered a deep connection here, something I was in no way prepared for. More than once I had to stop and grab myself, to catch my breath, to attempt to not fall over I eventually just sat and stopped even trying to take photographs as holding my camera was just impossible any longer. I would like to think that I meditated for at least a few moments, however the music that was ringing all around me, dancing in the air, mixing with the smoke and incense, the radiant colors of the room despite it being so dark one could barely make out the face of Karmapa as he sat right next to the altar, deep in meditation were so rich I could barely keep my focus. I managed to take few photos, but what came out of these moments could only be described as deeply saturated, manipulated and affected by the environment - swirling colors and space, smoke and faces that seem to break free, not standing still but freely floating in space.
Situated about an hours walk into the hillside above the largest monastery in Ladakh, the amazing Hemis Jangchub Ling Gonpa is the home of the Drukpa Kagyu, and the warm welcome they had provided in their welcome for Karmapa was of grand royal quality. The largest monastery in Ladakh, situated around this very cave in the mountains, from more than 800 years ago. More than 150 other monasteries are under its wing, for this is the main seat of the Drukpa Kagyu, and Karmapa’s visit here was evidently so very important to them. Surrounding the cave there are several life retreatants who actually left their closed retreats in order to pay their deep respects to Karmapa and honor his visit. A mandala offering and pujas were held in several of their gompas, Karmapa was treated like an arriving Dharma King, so much respect from so many honored guests, my head was spinning trying to keep up as we raced around from room to room, each shrine and sacred place more amazing than the last. Venturing up the mountain with more than 100 people, through the forest, across bubbling streams, up the rocks and stones we made our way to the famous Je-Go Tsang cave. Once more I bring my mind back to this moment, this incredible moment when time stood still and I was given the rare treat and honor to share the space with Karmapa as he entered a deep, deep samadhi. His face, shrouded in shadow, almost hidden away in candlelight, was so intense and powerful, his meditative state so deep, even as he sang along with the rest of the voices I felt as though he was still on a completely different wavelength than the rest of us, we all just had to try and hold on as best we could. His presence was so powerful, like being in the presence of a real buddha, in an enlightenment cave, soul rattling to say the least. What a gift we have to see such a practitioner, such a real bodhisattva - in this very life, in human form, and to be seated right next to him in this kind of space. I am forever changed by this experience, this day has been one of the most powerful and rich of my life. I cannot truly explain what happened to me in this cave as I am not exactly sure myself, but it's safe to say I seem to be still affected and mesmerized by it. Even in this very moment, my heart and mind continues to feel as though I am still there, in the power cave, in the dark. Even as I write I can feel it surround me, like I haven't left at all. I can feel the walls of stone around me, the voices filling my ears, my heart and my soul, resounding strong with the deep and powerful sound of devotion echoing off the walls. Way up in the mountains of Ladakh, this place that has already deeply inspired me in all its beauty and serenity, lies a cave, a power cave where inside its dark and smoke filled space my life was changed forever.
Karma Dupgyud Choeling Monastery
It is dark and cold, despite the heat outside, with one wall entirely covered in a mural fresco of buddhas, the colors so intense and radiant that they seemed to glow in the dark. A blackened rock face juts out as you enter, forcing you to bow your head in order to reach the stone altar, where lies piles of kataks being placed there by the past visitors to this holy of holy places. Once inside the cramped and tiny space, now completely occupied by Lamas and Rinpoches, the puja already started, trying to find a spot to place my feet as I inch by, overtly aware of my presence and the space I am occupying, the voices echoing off the rocks seem to grow more and more intense and swirling in the air as the seconds go by feeling like hours. Time stops here, the world seems to stop here, this space is wildly intense, hard to describe intense, like the entrance to a hidden world of deep power. This is a power cave, a place where a human being attained enlightenment in one lifetime, and it seems as though this energy is still here, reverberating off the stone walls in an endless loop. Moments later we are all asked to step outside, for Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje wishes to have some time in the cave alone, to meditate in peace without the throng of onlookers and photographers. Staying inside more than half an hour he lets us join him again, when Calling The Guru from afar is sung, though I have never heard it quite like this before. The melody was so intense, so slow and powerful, every note seemed to rock my heart and try to pull me off balance. As the notes climbed higher I could feel my eyes string to not water fro sheer emotion, somehow I have triggered a deep connection here, something I was in no way prepared for. More than once I had to stop and grab myself, to catch my breath, to attempt to not fall over I eventually just sat and stopped even trying to take photographs as holding my camera was just impossible any longer. I would like to think that I meditated for at least a few moments, however the music that was ringing all around me, dancing in the air, mixing with the smoke and incense, the radiant colors of the room despite it being so dark one could barely make out the face of Karmapa as he sat right next to the altar, deep in meditation were so rich I could barely keep my focus. I managed to take few photos, but what came out of these moments could only be described as deeply saturated, manipulated and affected by the environment - swirling colors and space, smoke and faces that seem to break free, not standing still but freely floating in space.
Situated about an hours walk into the hillside above the largest monastery in Ladakh, the amazing Hemis Jangchub Ling Gonpa is the home of the Drukpa Kagyu, and the warm welcome they had provided in their welcome for Karmapa was of grand royal quality. The largest monastery in Ladakh, situated around this very cave in the mountains, from more than 800 years ago. More than 150 other monasteries are under its wing, for this is the main seat of the Drukpa Kagyu, and Karmapa’s visit here was evidently so very important to them. Surrounding the cave there are several life retreatants who actually left their closed retreats in order to pay their deep respects to Karmapa and honor his visit. A mandala offering and pujas were held in several of their gompas, Karmapa was treated like an arriving Dharma King, so much respect from so many honored guests, my head was spinning trying to keep up as we raced around from room to room, each shrine and sacred place more amazing than the last. Venturing up the mountain with more than 100 people, through the forest, across bubbling streams, up the rocks and stones we made our way to the famous Je-Go Tsang cave. Once more I bring my mind back to this moment, this incredible moment when time stood still and I was given the rare treat and honor to share the space with Karmapa as he entered a deep, deep samadhi. His face, shrouded in shadow, almost hidden away in candlelight, was so intense and powerful, his meditative state so deep, even as he sang along with the rest of the voices I felt as though he was still on a completely different wavelength than the rest of us, we all just had to try and hold on as best we could. His presence was so powerful, like being in the presence of a real buddha, in an enlightenment cave, soul rattling to say the least. What a gift we have to see such a practitioner, such a real bodhisattva - in this very life, in human form, and to be seated right next to him in this kind of space. I am forever changed by this experience, this day has been one of the most powerful and rich of my life. I cannot truly explain what happened to me in this cave as I am not exactly sure myself, but it's safe to say I seem to be still affected and mesmerized by it. Even in this very moment, my heart and mind continues to feel as though I am still there, in the power cave, in the dark. Even as I write I can feel it surround me, like I haven't left at all. I can feel the walls of stone around me, the voices filling my ears, my heart and my soul, resounding strong with the deep and powerful sound of devotion echoing off the walls. Way up in the mountains of Ladakh, this place that has already deeply inspired me in all its beauty and serenity, lies a cave, a power cave where inside its dark and smoke filled space my life was changed forever.
Karma Dupgyud Choeling Monastery
