The view from the back is like an enormous football field endlessly fading into the distant Gompa where sitting at the very heart center, is Karmapa.
Surrounding him is wave after wave of locals and westerners alike, gathered in the hot afternoon sun to receive Chenrezig from the emanation himself. My view today was to be like everyone else’s; it was so packed and so crazy that the security simply wasn’t having it - and absolutely no photographers were allowed inside. How to capture such an event, such a spectacle of magnanimous proportions from the back? After a few tries though windows and several moments of panic I realized that this was such a blessing - for I was given an up front and personal view of the devotion and incredible heart of all the locals here. They were sitting in doorways, on top of each other, lining the walkways, and under bushes and trees. There was a large screen in the back area, but so many were sitting out of even earshot of Karmapa’s voice, never mind being able to see him. They were anywhere they could be, and they were endlessly smiling and joyful, praying with tears in their eyes to be so close to Karmapa this once. They weren’t fighting to be inside, they were simply content to be there, surrounding this monastery, knowing that the heart was inside, praying endlessly for them too. So, I took the hint and joined them. I only took a few photos, and instead meditated and prayed with them and my bride to be, concentrating on the incredible blessing I have to just be there with them. To be so close to Karmapa, and the incredible life I have. It was intensely powerful. So much more so than I ever expected. And you know what? In the end Karmapa came out to those people first, blessing the back section before anyone else. That is what the great heart does. This is my teacher, my inspiration and my reason to do what I do. Just sometimes I too need a little reminder and help. To relax. To put down the camera, and to remember the reason why I do this everyday. To remember the great heart that is always with us, no matter how close we are to him, or if we can even see him at all. Because the blessing is just as strong at the back.
Kagyu Monlam 2017
