Bliss day, happy day! Enjoy this time without wanting to capture it forever. A happy frame of mind leads to an excellent idea or plan. Take it. Jokes, songs, good-natured people and activities are of paramount importance today. Although this is generally a work and nose-to-the grindstone time, you can mix love and joy into the blend and the product is excellent. Be cautious in dealing with governmental organizations. They will want to hear about plans and timeframes as opposed to happy projections. So present your plans and timeframes in a joyous way. You’re irresistible!
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!
An important agreement happens today. A soft-spoken person is on your side and will support you. Pay close attention to others. An alignment of forces is growing and changing from ephemeral to solid. Sharp disagreements can hurt feelings. If you hurt someone’s feelings accidentally, go back and apologize. Emotions and intuition are most accurate in this dream-like day. Debating skills are out of order. At the same time, humor pervades the environment. Leo Burnett said, “To swear off making mistakes is very easy. All you have to do is swear off having ideas.” You will make the important agreement not by ideas or by debates, but by mutual consensus. Sounds impossible, but it isn’t. Not today.
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!
In Honor of Ani Thupten Palchen on the one year anniversary of her death
Ani Thupten Palchen died on Friday, January 8, 2010, at the age of 80. As Tibetan Buddhist practitioners, we have heard stories of seemingly ordinary and devoted practitioners in Tibet who showed miraculous signs at the time of their deaths. And now we have in our own sangha a display of these miraculous signs from a student of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo.
What are the miraculous signs of accomplishment at the time of death? The signs are described in the following excerpt from the introduction of the new biography for His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche called an Introduction to Light of Fearless Indestructible Wisdom
The Dzogchen tantra Blazing Relics of Buddha-Body describes signs of realization observable to others when a great master leaves the body, as well as the meaning of those signs. When a circle of light surrounded by rings appears after death, that individual has reached the ultimate state. When a light goes straight up, it indicates that the individual has instantly reached enlightenment without having to experience the bardo.
When beams of light appear, it means the individual is reaching enlightenment at the end of the bardo. That same tantra teaches that when a sound comes from the eastern direction, the practitioner has achieved enlightenment in the vajra family; from the south, in the ratna family; from the west, in the padma family; from the north, in the karma family; and from above, in the buddha family. Furthermore, the complexion of one who has merged the child and mother clear-light luminosity states remains bright; even if the body is left for as long as twenty-five days, it will remain fresh. And fragrances are emitted, more pleasant than camphor, saffron, and sandalwood.
Ani Thupten Palchen’s body was kept in the hospital for six days before it was transferred to the crematorium. Since her body was to be cremated, it was not embalmed. On the seventh day after her death, three Buddhist Anis (nuns) went to dress her body for cremation. According to Beverly Heckrotte, the President and Mortician of Going Home Cremation Service in Clarksville, Maryland, nothing had been done to the body other than refrigeration. No embalming process was used and no make up was applied. Juanita Thomas, Mortician, confirmed that the only thing she had done was wipe Ani Palchen’s face to make it nice and clean. She also indicated that the refreshing scent in the room was unusual, especially considering the length of time since her death and the fact that Ani Palchen had open wounds from a skin graft on her leg and open heart surgery. As evidenced by the photo of Ani Palchen’s body, Ani Palchen’s face and skin continued to have a natural tone seven days after her death. These are unusual signs.
Here is a first hand report from Ani Aileen who was present at the crematorium.
Today Ani Drolkar, Ani Rinchen and I went to the crematorium to dress Ani Palchen’s body for the cremation. We took her daily robes, her yellow robes, and the rest of her Dharma clothes and put her together as best we could. Then we covered her with flowers and incense. She looked beautiful!
Juanita from the crematorium was with us and we commented on the fact that Ani Palchen had no odor, although she’d been dead a few days. And, at the hospital, they had taken skin to use in grafting for burn victims, so she had open wounds. In fact, the whole room smelled quite pleasant. Juanita replied that it was quite unusual for someone to be completely without odor–and almost unheard of when there were those kinds of open wounds. We were all delighted and astonished. Ani Palchen looked so peaceful when we left her after prayers of dedication and we were so happy at her auspicious transition!!!
Ani Ariana’s report:
I had the great good fortune to be present when the call came to the home of Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, our Guru and Spiritual Guide that Ani Thupten Palchen had died. As has been described previously, Jetsunma immediately went into her prayer room and performed the practice of Phowa for Ani-la at the very moment of her death. Palchen was successfully awakened from her death slumber, and guided by Jetsunma to Amitaba’s Pure Realm, known as Dewachen. She was liberated! This is what all practitioners aspire to; this is our goal.
Now we have a most remarkable second part to Ani Palchen’s story. Her body had remained for almost a week at the hospital where she died, an unusually long time. Finally, her body was released for cremation. In preparation for this final step, three of our Anis went to the crematorium to dress Ani Palchen in her ordination robes, and to prepare her body with due respect for the cremation. They surrounded her with flowers, laid incense on her body, and arranged her as though for a funeral pyre. To everyone’s astonishment, they discovered that there was no odor whatsoever from Ani Palchen’s body. Even after so many days, even after having been subjected to surgery and skin grafting prior to her death, there was no scent of deterioration. This was incredible to everyone there.
Jetsunma confirmed that this phenomenon occurred because Ani Palchen had been truly liberated. It was a sign, a true confirmation of her successfully following the Path of Vajrayana, with complete devotion and faith, and achieving freedom from the suffering of cyclic existence. It was a modern day miracle. There could be no ordinary explanation for the phenomenon that was witnessed at the crematorium.
Here is Ani Sonam’s report:
I was at Jetsunma’s house when Ani Ariana got a call from Ani Rinchen who was at the crematorium where they were dressing and preparing Ani Palchen’s body for cremation, and they reported that it was very unusual because the body had no odor. When Jetsunma was told she said, “That’s a sign that Ani Palchen is no longer ordinary. She has been liberated.” And Jetsunma said, “This is wonderful news for people who don’t believe that miracles can happen anymore.” I commented that, even more extraordinary, it was a Westerner who had accomplished her practice. And Jetsunma said, “A woman accomplished her practice with a woman teacher.”
This is historic. These are signs of Ani Palchen’s spiritual accomplishment through her devotion to her root Guru, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo. In Jetsunma’s words, this is “Proof that liberation in one body is possible! Lineage and devotion are the real deal.”
His Holiness Karma Kuchen Rinpoche, Head of the Palyul Lineage was informed about Ani Palchen’s miraculous signs. His Holiness Karma Kuchen upon seeing this post on Ani Palchen, looked closely at her picture and said, “I know her from retreat! This is good! This is VERY VERY good!” Nawang Paljor who was with His Holiness, expanded by saying, “Especially in Nyingma, faith & devotion are emphasized, and even lay people show these accomplished signs from their practice. Now for westerners, it’s very good that they can see with their own eyes this proof of their faith, and perhaps more westerners will be drawn to Dharma.”
Mental levity! Cheerfulness, you have it! The best mind is a happy mind, and that is here now. A frustrating partner or problem is departing; the situation has been resolved. Be careful not to look backward or keep ruminating about something that has ended. Alexander Graham Bell said, “When one door closes another door opens but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.” Art and medicine are favorable today, and a behind-the-scenes matter is in the process of being favorably resolved. Something beneath the surface is growing and developing steadily in your favor. A door is opening, watch for it.
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!
My life is a bridge between the East and the West. My intention is to keep the best of both worlds to function as one, without interference.
Yesterday, and today as well I feel exhausted and sick. I think it is the hate and vitriol, the harassment, constantly. Stress is a killer, so I rely on my practice, the kindness of my Sangha, friends and family for strength. With my practice and prayer I feel His Holiness Penor Rinpoche close to me, in the great expanse of the Dharmadhatu. He is my comfort, my treasure, my life! No one can understand unless they accomplish the Guru Yoga. Without Guru Yoga it is hard to attain realization in these degenerate times. Here we mix our mind with that of the Guru.
So we rely on the Guru in that fashion. Guru Yoga is not about “liking,” or any other personality concept. We rely on the Guru for every facet of awakening, from blessings to teachings to empowerment to guidance, all of it – which is a gift, as those without a Guru tend to run amuck.
Likewise, those who rely on an ordinary person with nice words become lost and damaged. We see a lot of that these days as was predicted by Guru Padmasambava – tough times with strange signs and false teachers with false teachings. I’d say the huge animal die offs are a sign.
In short I’ll say this. It’s time and beyond to find a pure teacher with pure Dharma and Practice, meditate, contemplate. Do the Dharma now!
Emotional angst becomes bliss today. Spirits soar, suddenly the world is a happy place to be. Still, men and authority figures aren’t satisfied; they are indecisive. Wait until they make up their minds. Don’t force a solution to a problem. An imaginative plan appears to you as you relax or spend time with friends or children. News comes from afar. Do your best to look at the big picture in your present situation. Long distance travel is excellent. Study, write, and learn. Engage in stimulating thought and debate. Legal matters hang on principle, so if you are in the right you will win. If you’re trying to push somebody around or to cheat, you will lose. Watch your ethics today.
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!
It seems that you have been stopped cold by an obstacle. Your perfect plan won’t work as you imagined. Today and tomorrow it will be necessary to back up and take another route to your destination. A road may be blocked or closed. Your job is to use your imagination to find a new solution to your problem. Don’t tackle things head on; you can’t win. A frustrating negotiation leads nowhere. Stephen Hawking said, “When one’s expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything one does have.” Let go of your expectations and watch yourself become happy. And then, of course, a door opens.
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!
A worldly energy is at work. Do everything in your power to move forward in your goals. An opportunity may have presented itself last night, or perhaps you came up with a new idea during the evening. Act swiftly in the morning, and then let the results play out during the day. A happy message comes to you, some good news appears. The energy changes during the day, and suddenly you’re inventive, cutting edge, ready to interact with groups. Friends are helpful. A loving energy is present today, just beneath the surface of everything you do. Flow with it.
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!
