Jenn's Rickshaw Ride

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Holiness' Anniversary Day

Namdroling/Kushalnagar

Zangdopalri

"Veg Meals"

Shopgirls hands (they followed me around, giggling and saying, "Hi Jennifer")

As Keith says, nothig can be contained here--it all spills into the streets

Bits and Pieces

The ceaselessnes of change within my mind. Billions of fake flowers. Like the way I don't notice until a droplet of sweat has already formed. A leper standing on his stubbed legs like a little deer with hooves. Waiting for Keith. Always waiting for Keith these days...Our underwear and socks hanging in the window. Watermelon juice from the new cafe above Beena. American Idol and Heroes at night! Crazy Indian music videos--one stangely compelling. Keith shuffling around in his sandals. The miday sun beating down on our heads--stalking each slab of shade. The hotel worker monks always watching TV. The garbage man monk driving around in the tractor. Bodhisattva fruit. Two small dogs running around the Migyur Dorje stupa. The Chinese ani sweeping all the beggar spots near the main gate at five in the morning with her short twig broom. The Hong Kong ngangma and one monk doing full prostration khorwa around Zangdopalri...Eating tiny ants. I hadn't realized they were crawling all over my cashews. Keith's prickly heat rash. The string of jasmine above the mirror--my sticky under chin. The always melty chocolate.

There's

Holiness' sister doing khorwa around Zangdopalri every night--looking amazingly like Holiness.
Touching leper hands. The salt of his body.

I Never Would Have Believed

I'd still feel this way. Something happened last year--and all due to the blessings of His Holiness Penor Rinpoche...For example, to be honest, I usually cringe and avert my eyes when passing by the old stub-handed beggar who cries, "Ma, Ma," stretching his arm towards me. But this morning he was wearing a winter cap with his shorts as it was early and still cool. When he saw me, he cocked his little head to the side, red inner eyelids showing and crossed one little arm over the other gentlemanly. Suddenly, he was so sweet to me. Cute, even. For me, for this mind of mine with such impure view--it was a tiny bit of progress--albeit fleeting. And somehow, I still don't notice the trash. Or if I do, it doesn't bother me. The horns no longer grate on my ears. So strange. And here in the internet cafe, Holiness' mantras play...
Oh all you dear friends of mine, I wish you were here. Ed and Meredith, you have to come next year!!! And you too Minh and Noelle. And Dizzy. And you too homebody Drew! Well, at least Keith and I are meeting Dizzy in Nepal in a few weeks--the three of us will be missing you guys as we visit Guru Rinpoche caves and visit as many lamas as Keith can think of...Speaking of Keith, I think a tiny bit of bragging is in order! He's doing the tsa-lung retreat with the monks here and as he says, "Representing Holiness' American students..." Needless to say they are impressed! The first day, our friend Gaywa Sangpo asked Keith if everyone in class laughed at him. "Laughed? No--I led the class!" Keith replied...But for some reason, the monks can't seem to wrap their heads around the fact that Keith knows tsa-lung and can do it--asking again and again where he learned and who his tsawai lama is! Oh, and Noelle--I see Pema all the time--I'll tell him you two say hi--I've decided he's the Tibetan (or is he Nepali?) version of Minh...He'll be a Lopon in a few days now... Also, I am staying away from the curd although it is calling to me, and today I did walk a bit on the wild side at the new juice bar above Beena...But I'll try and reign it in! Hope all of you are well! Love Jenn (and a very bruised and sore Keith) PS We're taking lots of short little videos and hopefully can post some when we get to Thailand...

Yes,

we're here in India! Namdroling is lovely, again.