Since the news of Mipham Rinpoche’s passing swept through the world, everything else pushed to the side, blinders on our eyes, all was forgotten to make way.
Such is the nature of impermanence; what was most important in the world suddenly becomes but an afterthought, a passing wisp of memory. My focus is very attached to what I am currently working on, only to give it away when published, moving on to the next pinnacle of interest that quickly grabs the spotlight. A constant dance of love and letting go, always forward. The final days of Monlam were exceptional, and until now I thought the photos would be lost to time. Not so as it turns out.
Looking back from outside, and from the future, I have a different view of what we all went through, how we bonded and grew as we do each year. Gaya is so special, grabbing you by the ears and shaking your concepts to dust, utter joy and deep purification abound. Offerings to the Buddha statue, one that Karmapa himself says looks the closest to how the historical Buddha looked. Prayers under the tree, when Buddha sat, attained Enlightenment for the sake of all beings. While we are all in grief over the passing of Mipham Rinpoche, I am taken back by the beauty and color that is Monlam - a sense of joy and gratitude pervade my memories. It is only through the eyes of our current sadness that these photos show anything other than great bliss and togetherness.
It is wonderful to see these moments again, to cherish them, to remind myself of just how short a time has passed since these were the absolute focus of my life. How quickly things change. Looking back we can appreciate all we have, and, how quickly it can all disappear.
