a land of Tibet

We're in our coracle on Yu chu on our way to the forest of the Temto monastery! I thought we could look over the general area to get a sense of it. Anyway , there are a remarkable number of plants found in the moist forested valleys of the Chuzi gangdruk; our Footprint Tibet handbook indicates at least 10,000 are found there which is quite amazing! When we consider that these represent 75 percent of all Tibetan herbs and that they can be combined in many ways and compounded with other substances they represent an incredible number of medicines! Plants are important for keeping Tibetans warm too particularly on a pilgrimage or retreat. Tibetans didn't heat the interior of their dwellings as it would be a waste of precious fuel. Instead they relied on robes like the chuba and lots of hot butter tea! The tea was heated using yak dung but for retreats or pilgrimages this wouldn't be considered acceptable because it might contain animal life. So instead brushwood or a fungus mosslike plant that grew in large rounded mounds on the mountainsides was used to heat the water. The chortens stupas in this area are probably have a structure similar to many found in Tibet. First there's a square base symbolizing earth, then on top of that a dome where the relics of the lama, texts and other energetically powerful things would be put; this symbolized water. On top of this would be a steplike structure symbolizing fire which tapered to a parasol that represented air with a finial at the top which represented space. Very shamanic! The Chortens also symbolized the various stages of the Bodhisattva's development and even were of different types representing events from the life of the Buddha! There's a lot more to add but as usual two as one we'll add to the notes later beautiful one!


	Through My Eyes * We're in our coracle on Yu chu on our way to the forest of the Temto monastery! I thought we could look over the general area to get a sense of it. Anyway , there are a remarkable number of plants found in the moist forested valleys of the Chuzi gangdruk; our Footprint Tibet handbook indicates at least 10,000 are found there which is quite amazing! When we consider that these represent 75 percent of all Tibetan herbs and that they can be combined in many ways and compounded with other substances they represent an incredible number of medicines! Plants are important for keeping Tibetans warm too particularly on a pilgrimage or retreat. Tibetans didn't heat the interior of their dwellings as it would be a waste of precious fuel. Instead they relied on robes like the chuba and lots of hot butter tea! The tea was heated using yak dung but for retreats or pilgrimages this wouldn't be considered acceptable because it might contain animal life. So instead brushwood or a fungus mosslike plant that grew in large rounded mounds on the mountainsides was used to heat the water. The chortens stupas in this area are probably have a structure similar to many found in Tibet. First there's a square base symbolizing earth, then on top of that a dome where the relics of the lama, texts and other energetically powerful things would be put; this symbolized water. On top of this would be a steplike structure symbolizing fire which tapered to a parasol that represented air with a finial at the top which represented space. Very shamanic! The Chortens also symbolized the various stages of the Bodhisattva's development and even were of different types representing events from the life of the Buddha! There's a lot more to add but as usual two as one we'll add to the notes later beautiful one! * courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions. The information for the sketches is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje. ( please click here to return to my spinning for you!)