Monday, February 28, 2005

Leaving India

It's Monday afternoon around 3:30 pm and we just arrived in Calcutta from Bagdogra. Will spend a little over 10 hours here in the International terminal before taking a Thai Air flight that leaves at 1:45 on Tuesday morning.

Had a wonderful time in Mirik, taking meditation empowerments from Gyaltsab Rinpoche every day for 10 days. All of the ceremonies started after lunch and lasted until 5:30 or 6 pm. There were two days when they started around 8 in the morning. It felt very spacious and made it much easier on my knees. I took a cab each day to and from the monastery which is, I would guess, about 200 feet higher than the little town of Mirik where we stayed at the Hotel Ratnagiri.

Have lots of wonderful pictures of Eric going into 3-year retreat that I will put on the Internet as soon as I return to Portland. Eric was very emotional, but very happy as he brought up the rear of the procession of retreatants that entered the Shangpa retreat center yesterday, February 27. They finished paving the road up to the retreat center the day before they entered

Dedication of the new Monastery building was held the morning of February 25. A golden ornament was placed atop the highest point on this huge building. Monks were climbing and hanging from bamboo scaffolding to put the top piece in place. You'll see more when I publish the pictures.

Well, that's it for now. We'll be staying at the Shanti Lodge in Bangkok. There won't be any shortage of Internet connectivity in Bangkok.

I'll be back in Portland on Sunday, March 6, and will take Monday off from work to help recover from the jet lag.

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