high altitude moonscape

Faced with barren moonscape and exhausted in the mid day heat
we make our way...
minds heavy with doubt.
i do my best to stay afloat...
Left foot infront of right
inhale
exhale
upwards towards the saddle. going up to go down.
om mani padme hum
om mani padme hum
om mani padme hum
this mala mantra softens my face
slowing the mind race
clams and clarifies
keeping you there in the presence of grace.
om mani padme hum
I focus on my breathe, and bring my awareness to my feet
engaging the energy beneath my step
I feel the earth. each rock. each grain of sand
a walk this barren moonscape
barren desert
the heat aggrevates me
lips dehydrated
sigh...i go inside and de-attach from these thoughts.
i then invite the breathe to cool me
ah, exhale.
each step with the land, with those whom walked before me.
I gaze up, blue sky framed by clouds.
crossing over now, gazing up
only to look down.

---molly

acclimatization

Monasteries melding into the moonscape

above us we sense and feel the compassion, wisdom, and connectedness reverberate.

White Gompas above us as we sleep

dreaming of the past melding into the present,

as the Buddha's words echo,

"Leave the past behind; abandon all thoughts of the future,

and let go of the present. You are ready then to cross to the other shore."

Our clear eyes are blessed with prayer flags everywhere---

yellow, green, red, white, blue...

consistently softening our smiles

The delicate breezes carry the prayers out of the fabric and into everyones hearts

as it simaltaneously cools our sun kissed skin.

High altitude eases our minds

connects our beings

to our temples

Snow covered Mountain Peaks.

Rigo--these rugged peaks

encircling

towering above us

reminding us of our nature.

of our essence.

Inspiring us to stand tall

with integrity, power, and awe inspiring love.

We gaze up and look inward as we sit, read, reflect, and teach one another of lifes lessons.

We arrive

home.

----Molly

Strike.stand up for the land.

Strike

close your store

close your doors

stay at home

pray.

then take to the streets

stand up for this sacred kashmiri valley

Amarnath.

Stand up for your land.

stand up for you people

stand up for your way.

Let capital not waver your passion for freedom.

May these unique people remain united

binded by their faith and their love for kashmir.

May this prove to be the antedote to this epidemic of

greedy devouring companies

driven by capital

blinded by progress

May this passion for freedom in turn wipe their eyes clean of greed

and inspire them to see the amarnath valley as a sacred place

more valuable without development.

more valuable under the ownership of the kashmiri people.

And may this fight for autonomy

inspire us all.

As it reminds me of the tibetans struggle

to regain the right to live in harmony upon their land.

May this year be the year for these special people across the world that fight for what is right.

and may this inspire us to slow down and connect to our place

and maybe even rediscover, reroot, and redifine our way.

------Molly

Lotus blooms in July

Peacefully floating aboard a shikara boat
we explore dal lake
feeling like princess, we dip our toes in the silky calm water, sip kashmiri tea and relax
"no worry, no hurry"
In the presence of water lilies
we gaze and ponder the white mosque, reflecting itself upon the glassy water.
afternoon prayer projected through speakers
awakens our hearts
as we honor the greater power--whatever name rings true for you.
Captivated by these reflections we float on
gazing upon the budding lotus, stetching tall out from the murky depths,
only to bloom come July.
ahhhh, this becomes the metaphore for our journey
we cultivate, nurture, learn, explore in june
nourishing, reaching toward the light we become rooted in ourselves---in our great lightness and our murky darkness. we rediscover our selves, and help eachother along the way.
As we look to july, like these budding lotus, we await the day we unfold into our full nature.
For july we return to the land of the Buddhists.
Mid july we will sit in silence.
and then carry this insight into our daily movement.
mindful ness in action as we bloom in july.
-----Molly

Arrive in Ladok 15,000 feet

Soaring mountains sing to my soul.
Rivers rush through me and capture my heart,
runnning white from glacier run off.
The high mountain air fills me as we climb higher and higher on a windy dirt road.
Snow capped peaks greet me from every direction.
Beautiful people smile when our eyes meet. They live so simply on this vast arid land, in communion with their heard.
Their faces light up after every greeting passed. "Jule"!!!
I am in a different land but in the presence of the mountains I am home.

abby

Mighty Mountains

To see the greatness of a mountain one must keep one's distance, to understand its form, one must move around it, to experience its moods, one must see it at sunrise and sunset, at noon and at midnight, in the sun and in the rain, in snow and in storm, in summer and in winter, and in all the other seasons. He who can see the mountain like this comes near to the life of the mountain, a life that is as intense and varied as that of a human being. Mountains grow and decay, they breath and pulsate with life. They attract and collect invisable energys from their surroundings: The forces of the air, of the water, of electricity and magnetism; they create winds, clouds, thunder-storms, rains, waterfalls, and rivers: They fill their surroundings with active life and give shelter and food to innumerable beings. Such is the greatness of the Mighty Mountains.

(Lama Anagarika Govinda)

Believers

"where reason departs, faith enters."
"We are concerned with the believers
for whom the invisible supernatural is more real than the visible material."

---quote from a book on dispelling the misconceptions of Islam

Kashmir dispells our fear of muslim people
we are taken in by a wonderful family afloat dal lake
where lotus and water lilies bloom
fine herbs and healing teas
kashmir...a place to be happy.

the people prepare

After a nights drive

we arrive

in Srinagar, Kashmir

afloat the Buddshaw Palace on Dal Lake

we arrive

and we go retire to our princess palace

sleeping the drive off.

I arise

to the people prepareing

for a storm

rain clouds form

some people gather to watch

others prepare the houseboat

closing doors and shutters.

I rise to this bustling.

language and lifes rhythm meld together

one cosmic dance

not understanding the words

you learn to listen to it as song

and dance along with the natural beat.

we await the rain as the wind brings a much needed air flow into my room.

this afternoon we prepare to arrive with the coming of a storm.

---Molly