A sacred space for everyone
Prayer To Migyur Dorje
SHU PU PAL SENG NGAM YUL SID PAR ZUNG
You are the emanation of Shupu Palseng, born in Ngam Yul
TSA SUM ZHAL ZING NAM CHÖ NYEN GYÜD PEL
Who had visions of the three roots deities, and propagated the Namcho aural lineage
JIN LAB TOB KYI ZHEN PHEN SAM MI KYAB
By the power of your blessings, you have benefitted others inconceivably
TRUL KU MIGYUR DORJE LA SO WA DEB
I pray to Tulku Migyur Dorje
From the Nam Cho Daily Practice at Palyul Ling
The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
Precious Guru beyond measure, Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, please return to us swiftly! Without you there is no sun. Our hearts fill with tears each day your precious face is hidden from the world. May your Dharma heir Palyul His Holiness Karma Kuchen stand up with strength, power and glory to carry on all you have built, your great accomplishment in the world. I vow to uphold as well your blessings, especially those bestowed on me, your bumbling servant. Forgive me for this wretched sadness since your Parinirvana. Please remain enthroned in my heart, grant me the power of our ancient Lineage and all the Throneholders, from the mighty Kunzang Sherab and the extraordinary Terton child Migure Dorje, the very foundation on which Palyul was built! Kyabje Rinpoche, when you enthroned me you bestowed all the blessings of Palyul on me and I pray in gratitude for the strength to uphold. I confess every lack or weakness and vow at your very lotus feet to attend to the gift of loving kindness you have granted. Your compassion, your Bodhicitta, your purity, are needed like a desert needs rain. Therefore if I have any merit in the three times I beg you, Tsawei Lama to return in glory and without obstacle! You, Guru above the crown of my head, my bliss, my treasure, my “king,” my love, our Father, all of us, do not abandon us! I beg you with precious jeweled Mandala, return to us all!
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
You spontaneously know the right question to ask that breaks a stalemate. Someone is foot dragging, refusing to get on board with your agenda, and today presents an opportunity for a breakthrough with that person. The breakthrough involves understanding why the other person is hesitating. That person’s concerns must be addressed, and your agenda must be changed somewhat before you’ll come to consensus. You may not be right, and if you admit this, help can come your way. The inspiring person or force is building up steam. In the next two days a breakthrough comes. Get ready! It won’t be what you expected. You can be gazing in one direction as the breakthrough occurs in another direction. As Mark Nepo said, “Birds don’t need ornithologists to fly.” You don’t need to understand the breakthrough for it to happen.
The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo while on retreat at the Palyul Retreat Center in upstate New York:
Tulkus are precious jewels in our tradition. They are the realized and awakened, like Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and the inheritor His Holiness Karma Kuchen, both have given many incarnations for the sake of Dharma and all sentient beings. His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and His Holiness Karma Kuchen are the “kings,” one from the other. The rest, we are to serve them.
No pride here. Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche is the Tsawei Lama who came to USA to find me, thus bringing Palyul here after building Namdroling. This is history. Beyond Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and His spiritual heir, where is our treasure? His Holiness Penor Rinpoche is the rock, the treasure. He is my treasure, Without Him we have nothing.
May I always have strength to follow Tsawei Lama! May I always have knees to kneel voice to sing for Him, and carry on for him, the Guru above the crown of my head! Gathering all virtue I have accumulated in the three times, Guru, precious beyond all measure, return! I beg for the sake of sentient beings! May all blessings be dedicated to the liberation and salvation of all sentient beings!
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
A magnetic leader, one who inspires others and isn’t afraid of the status quo, is a powerful protector against forces that seem to work against you. Look for that helpful energy, which can turn up in surprising places and people. A power struggle is going on between the “old guard”, those who have grown accustomed to the perks of office, and new players who are tired of the old game. If you are part of the old guard, be prepared to change. Surprises are in store, and although it’s possible to ignore voices that want change, you can’t postpone change forever. The rebellion is going on externally, in the world, and internally or within, for people. Your thinking needs to change to accommodate ideas that may seem preposterous to you. If you disagree with someone’s ideas, re-consider. Look for different ways of doing things, and be open to the new. Lord Buddha said “Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! And shine!” Could you be that new inspiring person?
Attend a play, a film, or a sporting event today. Entertainment is helpful and may be the source of good ideas for you. Spend time encouraging creativity in yourself and in others. You have the Midas Touch today. Everything you touch seems to turn to gold. Money spent is well invested and brings an incredible comeback. A boomerang effect is at work, whatever you send out comes back to you multiplied! Home beautification projects are still important. Try to visit relatives and folks from your past, especially people with whom you have an emotional connection. Love songs or poems, or nostalgic remembrances, are very touching today. Carl Jung said “Please remember, it is what you are that heals, not what you know.”
The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
I had a wonderful audience with His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche. He indicated he wanted to continue the relationship Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and I had. His instruction was to make KPC strong as it and the New York retreat center are Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s seats in USA. I made the commitment to do so. Further, he asked that I rest often and take care so I will live long for Palyul and all sentient beings. We had a few laughs about how Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche and I have the same love for helping animals, and both love parrots and dogs as I remember. His Holiness Penor Rinpoche loved the Garuda Aviary and the parrots.
I hope to have the opportunity to invite all here to KPC during the times when retreat center is closed. The idea is to help provide the objects of support and refuge for monks, nuns, and all practitioners who lose their steam during the rest of the year. KPC will work to do that. We are not wealthy and cannot (yet) offer support financially. Thinking to put up “yurts” for continuing retreat. We have, already a secure place for Tsa-Lung. Who wants to help? We need land cleared, yurts, financial support, help with everything-the folks, Bikshus and Bikshunis who do it all now are tired, can use relief. We have 27 fully empowered stupas. Five altars, including the sand Mandala made by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche during the Rinchen Terzod as well as a 24/7 around the clock prayer vigil for the benefit of all beings. I hope to benefit those who find it difficult to carry on without a spiritual home all year long. Come. Feast. Stay, or come and go. Palyul has a home all year for all.
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
Confidence reigns today! At last! The emotional storms of the recent past are subsiding, and a new leader inspires others. Regime change! Men are upbeat and sunny. Women and children want to shop today! Optimism and a lucky surprise bring a brand new air of enthusiasm. Look for the person with confidence who is willing to step in and shoulder a burden with gusto. Support that person. Financial matters take a turn for the better. Happiness enters the picture! The Bible says “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.” It is now time to laugh. Don’t have a gloom hangover, and don’t keep reminding yourself or others of problems. How can you make others happy if you aren’t happy?
The daily astrology post affects everyone. Because individual charts vary, the circumstances outlined in the post will
affect people differently. Some will feel this energy in the personal arena, some in finances, some with children or
family, some in work and so forth. There are many departments of life. Look to see where the dynamic affects you!
The following is from a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:
I just finished my afternoon practice and all is well. I am enjoying this time (‘cept the heat) and it feels healing. My mind is clarifying. Again, I feel stronger. The disturbance of the last three plus years is dissipating like smoke in the sky, and I’m grateful for the blessing and rest.
The Palyul family here looks happy with the practice and Dharma activity. People who are busy with Dharma generally are relaxed and joyful. This place is so precious, one of the many gifts given to us by Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche, as we need retreat to deepen.
In ordinary life we become comfortable and complacent, forgetting that we must continually make progress until full awakening, until Buddahood. We must not become dull or self-satisfied, forgetting the Tsawei Lama, and puffing up with pride. Constant practice helps. A good practitioner is always the humblest of all, never bragging about themselves, just simply and quietly attending to the Liberation and Salvation of all sentient beings. That, after all is the point, of course as samsara is filled with suffering. That is why we dedicate all merit to others, and never do harm.
Sometimes a Lama gives a wrathful display, and that is to cut through obstacles. This is a blessing. Or to protect others from some sort of downfall. But it is always done in compassion and in the spirit of Bodhicitta. To be of benefit.
Tomorrow is Vajrasattva Empowerment, and Sunday is Nyingthik Yumka, which I hope to attend. What excellent good fortune! I have not seen the students here for some time, and those I have seen are continually increasing their good qualities. How wonderful to see this testament to Kyabje His Holiness Penor Rinpoche’s amazing work. His footprint in this world is peerless, really. We should never forget, always enthroning the precious Guru on the Lotus Throne within our hearts. Now we have here His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, carrying on our Tsawei Lama’s good works. We are the most fortunate of beings! May His life be long and free of any obstacles until all beings are liberated! EMAHO!
Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. All rights reserved
An excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo from the Vow of Love series
You cannot be a ‘sugar daddy’ in this world; there are no ‘sugar daddies’ in this world. You cannot be the conqueror or the savior as you cannot conquer someone else’s mind. Each person has to relieve themselves of the hatred, greed and ignorance in their own minds. But you can be the savior, and you can be the conqueror, in the sense that you, yourself, can liberate your own mind from hatred, greed and ignorance. In so doing, you can be a way or a path or an instrument by which the hatred, greed and ignorance in the minds of others can also be liberated. Therefore, your prayers have to consist, at least in part, of liberating your own mind from the causes of suffering. At the end of every practice, at the end of every teaching, at the end of every empowerment or anything that you do as a Buddhist, the prayer is this: “May I attain liberation in order to benefit beings.”
It’s very difficult for Americans to hear this kind of thing. It is a real struggle. We don’t like to hear about suffering; it’s so hard for us to hear about suffering. Yet, if you go to different parts of the world, they know about suffering. They know it exists. There are lots of people in the world that can say, “Hey, I’ve heard about this. I know this song.” But we who live comfortably don’t like to talk about it. We think it’s beneath us somehow to speak of suffering. We’ve become hardened to the idea.
You might say, “Well, I don’t believe that it does any good to talk about suffering. I think it does good to think positive thoughts and to constantly create a positive world.” I don’t think that’s the answer. We have become hardened to the idea of suffering, and we must first cultivate within ourselves a willingness to understand the nature of suffering so deeply and profoundly that we can do something other than scratch the surface.
© Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo