Hold on to your hats everyone, this is an incredible story. As you know, I'm staying at a very beautiful and unique monastery/retreat center in an urban area of Bangkok, created by a renowned nun, Mae Chee Sansanee, who has done a great deal around world on behalf of women, peace, children, etc. She's worked with the UN on special programs for women and children, and is considered a spiritual leader throughout the world. One of her projects is the International Tara Award, which she created several years ago, to honor the work of those around the world who devote their lives to service and to compassion, in the spirit of Tara, Boddhisatva of compassion, she who hears and responds to the cries of the world.
While most recipients are grassroots or local leaders, she has also awarded it to renowned global figures such as Jane Goodall, Richard Gere, and the Dalai Llama. After several days at the Center, I learned that she had in advance selected me and another foreign layperson staying there-a French artist who paints large and complex Tibetan mandalas-to receive the award! A ceremony in her Tara temple was planned that afternoon. Needless to say I was stunned, but I have been learning here to just ride the waves, the flow of unexpected and sometimes astonishing events that sweep me along.
The temple is a small gold cave at the top of a modern four story structure (Ven. Mae Chee designed this entire center on a 5 acre urban empty lot, transforming it into a Shangi La with waterways and ponds, verdant trees and all manner of growth, statues, fountains, and buildings which vary in style from stone caves to glass and wood elegant modern structures.)The temple is filled with various representations of Tara. At the center is an ancient Tara figure, over 2000 years old, found buried in the earth in Mongolia. On the far wall is a much larger replica of the original. It's an incredibly ornate setting,which is typical of Thai Buddhism, perhaps Asian Buddhism as a whole. Lots of gold, and extraordinary figurines of Tara.
The ceremony was deeply moving to me, a very teary occasion. A beautiful statement was read about the award, and as Ven. Mae Chee stood in front of the large Tara , I and the other recipient processed forward and with some bows and beautiful words, were given the certificate and a small jade Tara figurine. One of the most beautiful parts for me was that she invoked our mothers, saying that the bodhisattva work that we do is a tribute to our mothers. "When I look at you I see your mothers". You can say that again!
The last gift was a small simple Tara etched in stone, and we were to write our mothers name on the back of the stone. It is then stored in a special room with other recipients’ mothers’ stones, and the community chants for the mothers frequently. My much loved mother died just 1 year ago, and I can only say that whatever qualities these loving people see in me, they are largely a reflection of Margaret Rose.
This was an incredible day in my life-- recognition is always lovely-and usually unexpected-but when the recognition comes in such a deeply spiritual and global way, and from the heart of truly great spiritual leader, I can only respond with tears and hugs and some mumbled words about my mother. As you can imagine, I feel incredibly undeserving, and yet that isn't really the point. Even that "who, me?" has a kind of ego in it, and I am trying to just let all of this flow through me without either clinging to. It or rejecting it. As Paul Simon famously said, "Who am I to blow against this wind"
I had my little travel guitar with me, and was inspired to offer to lead all in a Tara chant- the beautiful song\chant to Tara written by my friend Jennifer Berezan. We sang it over and over, as I let my eyes fall on the varieties of Tara image around the cave/temple, and on the sweet and open face of Ven. Mae Chee. There were tears on her cheeks, and after the chanting, she said to Sunny-my new friend and one of my wonderful translators– in Thai, "This is my award ".
I’ve posted pictures below and on the Thailand photo page.
I hope the pictures give you a little sense of it all. It's impossible to fully express the impact of being honored in a ritual so rich with history, mystery, spiritual depth, respect and open heartedness. It fills me with gratitude for all the communities that have been my training ground and teachers, for Thich Nhat Hanh, Spirit Rock, my parents and siblings, and the immeasurable gifts of spirit given me by the faith of my childhood, and the Buddhadharma. Not to mention my childhood music teachers! This is what was being honored, and the small jade Tara now sits on my travel altar to inspire and strengthen me as the journey continues.
While most recipients are grassroots or local leaders, she has also awarded it to renowned global figures such as Jane Goodall, Richard Gere, and the Dalai Llama. After several days at the Center, I learned that she had in advance selected me and another foreign layperson staying there-a French artist who paints large and complex Tibetan mandalas-to receive the award! A ceremony in her Tara temple was planned that afternoon. Needless to say I was stunned, but I have been learning here to just ride the waves, the flow of unexpected and sometimes astonishing events that sweep me along.
The temple is a small gold cave at the top of a modern four story structure (Ven. Mae Chee designed this entire center on a 5 acre urban empty lot, transforming it into a Shangi La with waterways and ponds, verdant trees and all manner of growth, statues, fountains, and buildings which vary in style from stone caves to glass and wood elegant modern structures.)The temple is filled with various representations of Tara. At the center is an ancient Tara figure, over 2000 years old, found buried in the earth in Mongolia. On the far wall is a much larger replica of the original. It's an incredibly ornate setting,which is typical of Thai Buddhism, perhaps Asian Buddhism as a whole. Lots of gold, and extraordinary figurines of Tara.
The ceremony was deeply moving to me, a very teary occasion. A beautiful statement was read about the award, and as Ven. Mae Chee stood in front of the large Tara , I and the other recipient processed forward and with some bows and beautiful words, were given the certificate and a small jade Tara figurine. One of the most beautiful parts for me was that she invoked our mothers, saying that the bodhisattva work that we do is a tribute to our mothers. "When I look at you I see your mothers". You can say that again!
The last gift was a small simple Tara etched in stone, and we were to write our mothers name on the back of the stone. It is then stored in a special room with other recipients’ mothers’ stones, and the community chants for the mothers frequently. My much loved mother died just 1 year ago, and I can only say that whatever qualities these loving people see in me, they are largely a reflection of Margaret Rose.
This was an incredible day in my life-- recognition is always lovely-and usually unexpected-but when the recognition comes in such a deeply spiritual and global way, and from the heart of truly great spiritual leader, I can only respond with tears and hugs and some mumbled words about my mother. As you can imagine, I feel incredibly undeserving, and yet that isn't really the point. Even that "who, me?" has a kind of ego in it, and I am trying to just let all of this flow through me without either clinging to. It or rejecting it. As Paul Simon famously said, "Who am I to blow against this wind"
I had my little travel guitar with me, and was inspired to offer to lead all in a Tara chant- the beautiful song\chant to Tara written by my friend Jennifer Berezan. We sang it over and over, as I let my eyes fall on the varieties of Tara image around the cave/temple, and on the sweet and open face of Ven. Mae Chee. There were tears on her cheeks, and after the chanting, she said to Sunny-my new friend and one of my wonderful translators– in Thai, "This is my award ".
I’ve posted pictures below and on the Thailand photo page.
I hope the pictures give you a little sense of it all. It's impossible to fully express the impact of being honored in a ritual so rich with history, mystery, spiritual depth, respect and open heartedness. It fills me with gratitude for all the communities that have been my training ground and teachers, for Thich Nhat Hanh, Spirit Rock, my parents and siblings, and the immeasurable gifts of spirit given me by the faith of my childhood, and the Buddhadharma. Not to mention my childhood music teachers! This is what was being honored, and the small jade Tara now sits on my travel altar to inspire and strengthen me as the journey continues.