Sunday December 5
*
A glimpse to
whence
the leading light of my long day
slight gentle beautiful determined bright one
has made her way
she firmly alone firmly herself
leaving a silent bright affirmation
beneath the open sky
to quietly remind me
that not so far away
for she I we two
our warm and bright future day
and to her then to say to tell
of how she I we two as one
patiently carve the script
as that which will someday
fly upon the wind
And of a lone figure
on a hillside
bent beneath the wind
seeking but for what
in the shadow of the rocks
a plant grows that has
the power to heal
she puts a few stems in her basket
strapped among a pile of branches
and to the lands below returns
There in hut of earth and bough
among bunches dried just visible
dried herbs
the essences of earth and stars
wind and rain
time and life
just visible
in the flickering of the changing lights
of yak butter candle
and sacred fire
she to combine
as quietly she sings
painstakingly one with many
others dozens each with purpose
to the whole that is to be
the medicine of sacred power
for a being struggling
with the frailty of this life
in this place they call Pelyul
on the banks of Ngu chu
she to consecrate this place
with her selflessness
Look beautiful one
there's a place of healing here now
of Tibetan medicine
where the energies of the universe
bounded in material form
plant and earth and precious stone
ground and compounded
dried and soaked
fashioned and transformed
into that which brings
the balancing aid a Tibetan
needs who in pain struggles
through the door of the
Hospital of Traditional
Tibetan Medicine
traditional yes but ever
changing as wisdom does
to meet the balancing need
for each being unique
Then to Pelyul Namgyel
Jangchubling monastery
upon the hill we sense
the presence of on
the one we know
whose hearing
infinitely keen to hear the suffering
of those who live
for it's to blue Vajrapani
Bodhisattva that this place
is sacred
And Yeshe Tsogyel Padmasambhava
Garab Dorje and
Kyere Chokyong Wangpo
all graced this hallowed place
and to this place the Terton
treasure hunters came
for the wondrous termas
that were left
inscribed illumined writings
from minds that had grown
beyond the reach of pain
A quiet patient time apart
even when not seen
still gentle hearts vision
And so, we share this time together
slight gentle one
as we rest easy
as our plan grows
Lotus blossoms rest
upon the window sill
and so we wait
two as one
we our effort
real and lasting
slight gentle
beautiful one
November 29
* courtesy of A Luminous Diamond (Bright) Crystal Show productions.
reference material for the poem is courtesy of the Footprint Tibet handbook by Gyurme Dorje.