He may only be 34 years old but he manifests in front of me like a man beyond the limits of age. Centuries of experience, and timeless understanding. The world begins and ends with him. He is a Buddha. Sitting on a throne, walking through a crowd, smiling or waving, teaching or reciting prayers, he is somehow the beginning and the end. He is the boss of all things. In many ways my entire life revolves around him. And when he isn’t there the space still carries his presence, how could it not? I see it on the faces of all our teachers, all his students, even those who have never met him or even seen him, he carries them all in the wake of his majesty. Whomever they are in their lives, whoever we all are, he is always the Karmapa. It is a feeling I cannot fully explain for I don’t completely understand it myself. I know he is my teacher, my lama, my guide, as he is for all of us. No matter what is happening in my life I always feel the influence of him all around me. He is the one being I have complete and total trust in - but trust isn’t even close to a good enough word. He is the Karmapa. He is the Big Boss. And with him here, encasing our lives with his compassion, love, understanding and truth there is nothing to be afraid of. How could there be? This is the power of the Karmapa. He unites us all. No matter where we come from or who we are, it all ends with him. But I can only speak for myself. So for me, he is the one, and only.
Kagyu Monlam 2017
