Om mani padme hum, Om mani padme hum. This past July when I was in Tibet I discovered a people who live their faith. It was a humbling thing to observe. My friend Khandro, who spoke almost no English, walked me through the circumnavigation of various Chortens, and guided me through a Tibetan monastery service which included going to the front and receiving a blessing from the High Rimpoche. Heady stuff for a mere Lutheran who prefers sitting in the back of the church.
The tour leader of our Tibetan group, Dianne Aigaki, has kept me updated on news and troubles that concern our Tibetan friends. Recently she sent me a notice that the Oh Szang Village would be hosting a fifteen day prayer vigil. Villagers, nuns, and high lamas would attend. If we wanted to have them pray for individuals in our life we needed to send the person’s name, and birth date. Dianne suggested we send a donation along as well because of the poverty in Tibet due to the Chinese Occupation. The Tibetans weren’t expecting that, but she thought it would be a good thing to do. My husband and I sent in my dad’s name (healing from a stroke), a friend’s name (who has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease), and a request for world peace.
Last night we had dinner with friends and the gentleman with Parkinson’s was there. I told him he didn’t know it but eight hundred Tibetans were praying for his healing, and then I explained what we had done. He lit up and asked when this had happened. I said the prayer session was in its twelfth day, with three more to go. Along with the Parkinson’s this friend had recently taken a very serious fall down a flight of stairs and had spent the better part of a week in the hospital. He almost missed his son’s wedding last weekend because of his injuries. “But for some unexplained reason my healing accelerated this past week. I was able to dance at the wedding!” We looked at each other and smiled. Thank you Tibetans! For a people who are facing oppression and have every reason to feel sorry for themselves, they continue to share peace and love with the world. As I said, it is humbling.
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