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Nourishing With Love #OccupyLove

December 2, 2011 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo preparing a feast for Occupy DC:

I’m now starting to make giant pans of roasted root vegetables to be brought to #OccupyDC, to be delivered for their supper. Also trays of meat loaf, yummy stuff!

We will take it for tomorrow’s supper. And we still need tarps, sleeping bags, blankets, gloves.

OK, the root vegetables are roasting now! However, we bought way too manyvegetables. Huge pots all used up! What to do with the rest? Have carrots, potatoes with eyes already removed, onions, and celery. So, does anyone want to make a dish For #OccupyDC?

Now we are finishing the veggie pile and I’m making the base for Italian style soup. Three women cooking together. I love it!

Now the gigantic pot of soup is done. It smells awesome. I need to set up armed guards…

What a lovely evening, it is beautiful to cook for others who don’t often eat well. The eyes, the smiles, the little sighs. Gifts. It has been a great pleasure. Tomorrow night, a feast at #OccupyDC! Come on if you are hungry or cold. We will fill tummys and hearts! #OWS

Confronting Ignorance

January 9, 2012May 2, 2011 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Hello Twitterverse. I’m back, sadly unable to do much retreat, had a double root canal with a major abscess. Hurt bad, as did treatment. And I have two more, maybe three. Two more abscessed teeth. I hate pain pills with a purple passion but I had to get hammered with them. Now still sore, but only mind blowingly so when I hit it while talking. Nice. So I’ll type.

Problem is I let it go for way too long. Not good. If I could cut out the last three-ish years of my life I would. I couldn’t accomplish anything and it just wasn’t worth the pain to keep going. I so wish I could cut out the abscess in my emotions like we can with teeth.

Right now I see, for one thing, that our Mother planet is in deep trouble. Very few bother to learn what the issues are. And don’t care. It breaks my heart to see it. I search for caring people and can’t find them, even in my Sangha. Why do people find ignorance so appealing? Does it make you blond? (Woo-hoo) will we be moving to another planet? I hadn’t heard. Do we think angels will fix it? More likely than us, I guess.

You see, a culture of commerce needs you to be stupid so you will believe them. They depend on your self-absorption. And you kindly oblige. Nuclear Japan will not stop. You didn’t see Osama bin Laden got deep sixed. Did you see it? Did you hear? And tell me, how can big gigantic “Buddhists” go out to eat and “nosh” with starvation in their own communities? How have we become so selfish? Our rescues have little funding and no one will raise money for them. Our Stupas so precious to us all? Yeah, so we can’t manage to pay off the land they are on. I feel mangled. Did I do any good? Will any benefit last?

The crap we chase after is embarrassing. Chin tuck anyone? Could’ve fed a lot of hungry with that. I’m not a judge or jury. I’m just sad and so disappointed. I really tried. And we just don’t care. I am so sorry for us. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for and we just don’t care. I love this planet. And her people. But for the life of me I do not understand. Why do the rich do nothing? Why are the ignorant so willing to be that way? Why do we play “bliss ninny” thinking mellow is sweet like jello? And there is always room for that crap. Sweet and fake!

Will we save this planet? Naw. Will we go out for lunch, brunch, and dinner? Sure, why not, right? We are entitled to enjoy, right? Bullshit! At least “Micky D” is cheap. Leave some change for the homeless, will ya? Enjoy your dinner…

Practical Advice on Giving Rise to Love

December 16, 2011February 26, 2011 by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo

From a series of tweets by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

I feel as Buddhists we should not waste time making judgments about others. No grudges, no hate, no excuses.

As Dharma practitioners we should deepen in Bodhicitta and wisdom and abandon self-absorption and hatred. Or quit whining about your life.

As Buddhists, we must endeavor to help and love others, not just ourselves. Serve so others don’t suffer. Just love.

If we give nothing to anyone, do not respect others, need attention, are uncaring about other’s feelings and hearts, we are not Buddhists.

Never ruminate or whine if you are judged and slandered. Apply the antidote as the Buddha taught! Empathy and compassion for all!

As His Holiness the Dalai Lama teaches: one needn’t be Buddhist to practice ordinary human kindness for a better world.

Americans love to eat out, go out to movies, and then eat more. Fix a healthy meal at home and play chess. Take the money saved and feed the poor.

We must abandon the ivory tower of preening ourselves with big words and pride. Climb down and do anything to help all beings!

Bodhicitta arises when we contemplate the conditions and sufferings of all beings! In private, in our inner space, love is born!

On our way to a lovely meal and evening out, we pass the homeless, a mangy, starving dog, a bully beating a child. We don’t even slow down.

Humility is hard. We start by allowing others their dignity. We continue when we see it was never ours to allow. Ice the cake with generosity.

Humility is hard. First we lift all others above our own heads. Then we recognize the Buddha in them. The icing on the cake is love.

To all of you who earnestly seek awakening and the birth of Bodhicitta I love you! Weak or strong I raise you up. I am your servant!