While many of you surely expected the second half of March Course quite some time ago, I did too.
Sometimes we must wait, for reasons unbeknownst to me, and completely out of my control. And so looking back on our time in KIBI, after about a month has passed, I am left with a very strong memory that clouds all others. Let me share it with you.
We always do big group photos at the end of courses, one of my favorite things since it’s a sea of smiling faces full of energy and overflowing blessing. Getting everyone to look at my camera, not at the sky or their phone, or - quite often- randomly looking backwards over their shoulder for some reason I cannot comprehend. I have my tricks, and they work fine. But there’s nothing like the Big Boss. In recent memory Karmapa has begun to take a group photo himself, on the other side of the lens, to roaring applause and searing giggles - he certainly gets everyone’s attention! People’s eyes gleam, trembling unconscious laughter erupts among the masses and we all vie and sway in a glorious joy induced cloud-nine kind of wave.
Sometimes it’s a selfie over his shoulder, but this time he asked for my camera and off he went. My photo has everyone, and they are very happy. His photo - where he told me stand in the middle to my ultimate embarrassment - is something wild. Everyone is exploding with glee, and yes even me, with an almost ridiculous look glazed over my eyes that is shared by most. What a way to get everyone’s attention, it was genius and makes for a great photo, an amazing memory. Even if I am rather bashful to be grinning like a school boy who just got an extra slice of birthday cake. Rosy cheeks and all. As is the case in all things, I always learn so much from Karmapa, even with the smallest of gestures, he blows my mind once again.
Enjoy the final photos from our beloved KIBI March Course 2025 - it was blast. See you again soon, somewhere!
