August, 2009

Prayer flags dance in the warm breezes of summer at the HÜMÜH Monastery. They welcomed all those who arrived for a very special Empowerment from August 2-15: The Secret Presence of Enlightening Beings. There is far more to life than what is seen with the physical eyes and heard with the physical ears. We are not actually the limited identities that we think ourselves to be. In this two-week adventure into the light, participants explore the vastness of the ever-changing fluidity of divine potential. Enlightening beings are illuminated embellishments, gifted to a person who has turned the focus of their attention towards enlightenment. Such a being’s presence then results in endless bursts of light that serve as guides to one’s destination.

Additionally, all those who come to ‘Skycliffe’ now have the unique opportunity to enjoy two of the newest Self-Guided Tour meditation features on the Monastery grounds: The Karma Shedding Pit and The Whirling Circle.

By following the signs outside the Padma Valley Gate to the right and heading towards the Forest Temple of Enlightenment, one discovers a rock-lined path that branches off to the left through a meadow filled with bird song and arrives at The Karma Shedding Pit. Designed to help someone let go of whatever is burdening them from the past or present, the Pit is ringed by stones and protected by a wooden fence draped in brightly colored prayer flags. After reflecting quietly upon that they want to release from their life, the visitor takes one of the black-painted stones from the bucket provided and symbolically casts it into the Shedding Pit. From another basket, they then select a gold-painted stone to take home with them, a ‘Golden Memory Stone,’ which represents the peace that now fills the space made available by what has been released.

The second new meditation feature, The Whirling Circle, can be found in Padma Valley itself by following the signs to a roped circle just south of the Prayer Flagpole on the approach to the Golden Healing Stupa. Here, one discovers a quiet clearing framed by hazelnut trees. Upon entering the circle, one finds a sign inviting the visitor to pick up one of the staffs propped on a nearby bench. After relaxing and quieting the mind, the visitor begins to turn slowly in a counterclockwise direction, taking small steps and using the staff for balance when necessary. One may pause after a single rotation, or several, lowering the staff to the ground to regain balance, then lifting the stick when ready and continuing to whirl at a pace that is comfortable. Science has shown that the counterclockwise motion quiets the analytical mind and induces a state of openness and mental quiet - ‘no mind.’ For this reason, the Whirling Circle is also called the ‘Samadhi Dance,’ samadhi meaning a meditative state of non-dual consciousness.