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North
Coast Buddhist Sangha Library |
KUMEIDOTibetan Monk Visit December 8 - 11, 2005
From the lush green hills and
countryside of southern India, eight Tibetan Buddhist monks of the Dalai
Lama's lineage from Gaden
Shartse Monastery traveled to the rugged North Coast of
Mendocino. They came to bring the Dalai Lama's immense loving kindness,
generosity and compassion into greater intimacy with Western communities, to
promote peace and to raise funds to save Tibetan culture, sacred art and
philosophical texts.
During the day, on Thursday and
Friday, December 8th and 9th, the monks visited private homes, local businesses,
schools, senior centers, the hospital, artist co-ops, a Native American
medicine man's family and other important community resource centers,
blessing and purifying all with the heart of liberating wisdom. On Thursday evening at College of the Redwoods, there was a
lecture by the senior Lama on Sustaining Hope and Patience during difficult
times. This was followed by an ancient music and dance performance. Friday
evening there was a potluck dinner preceding a purification and empowerment
ritual at the spirit house of Ron Nadeau in Fort Bragg. On Saturday, December 10, there
were daylong activities at Kumeido Zen Center in Little River, beginning with
a blessing, empowerment ritual and lecture especially for social activists.
The purpose of this event was to bless our coast environment and imbue the
important service work of our local citizens with the qualities of wisdom,
compassion and harmony. The afternoon featured two
ancient rituals. First, "Healing the Healers" which will purified
and empowered volunteers, patients and families and staff involved in the
Cancer Resource Center, Home Health Care, Hospice and the Mendocino Coast
District Hospital. The second was for healing and empowering in an era of
violence and anxiety. This blessing is highly sought after as it helps one to
become more peaceful and compassionate despite troubling events. That
evening, after evoking the gracious presence of the Dalai Lama to bless the
land and all beings present at the event, the monks performed ancient dance
and music ceremonies from the 9th century. It is believed that those
observing these dances will be cleared of all inner and outer negative
obstacles. |
