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Bhutan Padyatra (Walking Pilgrimage) with Khamtrul Rinpoche

27.10.13

Private mission through hidden doorways leading into hidden Pure land's

 

29.10.13

Town Mission and like a wet soap brick up and down lanes and narrow streets and eventually located Flash light & Alarm clock. Karma's Coffee a sanctuary from the public.

 

30.10.13

Drubthob Ani Gompa (private mission)

 

31.10.13

Chorten by bridge and meeting Khandro at the Standing Buddha statue having grate dialog about Bhutanese traditional Herbal Medicine with 3 Khandro's and a doctor.

Get the tent & and ready for new Adventure in to more pristine landscapes.

Afternoon arriving at the Alacart to meet Freedom and Enterprise, the 2 Sister Dakini's, 1 Dancing the night away and the Other Sings the evening with Echo's from CBGB NY. Fearlessly liberated on the wheels into the night lights of Thimphu town.

 

01.11.13

06:00 Arrival Memorial Chorten of the 3rd King and 3 buses filled with Bhutanese Monk's and Lay-people and the Sun rising over the hillsides while we wind our way up towards the pass. Dochu la pass and the Victorious monastery filled with ancient priceless relics on the top is our first meeting and dialog after the short Prayer, Khamtrul Rinpoche. Tea & mixed rice Breakfast and slow descend into Punakha valley filled with rice paddy fields, along the river and up again winding mountain sides filled with luscious vegetation and over a new 4000 m pass and another descend into a new valley with different flora and vegetation winding our way towards lunch at Chengbiji chorten.

Along the road double Rainbows appear and passing the ancient fortress were all the King's get the right to wear the Raven Crown, then up and into the misty fog covering the pass as if a secret doorway is concealed here.....So So So Kiki Kiki So So Hagelo and down again we go into the Chummi valley so rich in vegetation beyond worldly expression, Evening descend upon the day as we slowly ascend the last winding road up towards the first location. Last 50 meters walking and into the new Lodges of Tharpaling.

 

02.11.13

Morning Prayers and Visions and a breakfast made in the open fresh air, sun rice reveals the hillside filled with Rocky landscapes, monasteries and colorful carpet of trees and vegetation. Tharpaling Kora begins and we walk up towards Choe dra for a rocky climb up passing syllables and footprints, climbing strait up the wall that brings liberation and passage into the pure land.

Then passing the Guru Rinpoche throne were teachings were given to 100.000 Dakinis and tiger paw print and yet again up the cliff wall that brings liberation to one's mother and father.

Up and up we go via retreat places of Mila's dispels and ancient yogis, on the hill top the tree tops are covered in snow while the lungta's goes up and we continue the kora down to were the old retreat hut of a Nun who accomplished full Rainbow body only 20 years ago.

After chilling at a cliff we make our way to the Dzogchen Master's Kudung Chorten and do prayers at Zambala prayer granting wall. On the top floor of the Gompa i am shown a photo of the previous Khamtrul Rinoche, Its the same as with Karmapa, both Karmapa & Khamtrul look the same in this lafe as they did in their previous life = no Bardo.

Jigme Lingpa and Longchen Rabjam..... Kadring che la.

At the Main Choe Dra gompa with the doorway to 22 hidden purlands Rinpoche do ganachakra offering and we explore other shrine rooms and explenations of Nye's.

Slowly descend back via the Hrih ranjung below the Pema Lingpa sealed Ter location and down to our guest house for evening teachings on Bardo andpPrayers in the old Tharpaling gompa.

This is the sacred place of the Longchen Nying tik masters, Thank u Chador Lingpa :-)

Time itself seams to slowly dissolve.

 

03.11.13

Up to the Kudung chorten passing Zhambalas children and up to the meditation throne of Longchen Rabjam, were the Tortoise rides a snake and over the pass were Choe dra lama offers precious Mani Ribu Mindrup pills.

Timeless forests and landscapes as we descend into the Bumthang valley towards the old Palace. Forest department greats us with Juniper smoke offering and traditional reception, my old friend Lama Neten, head of the Monastic body (Drathsang) in Bumthang, warm smiles and greetings.

In the mandala shaped court yard in a tent we get tea and rice offering before having our packed lunch and a short teaching & Lung given by Rinpoche to the locals.

Down to the school were books are offered to the library and slowly our walk continue via Jakar village up to the 7th century Jambey Lhakhang for a short stop and eventually reach the school below Tanbiji village that has offered us shelter for the night. Evening Pudja and teachings.

Today has been timeless as if 1 day has been like 10 days.

 

04.11.13

Morning Prayers and breakfast in a clear blue sky filled with sun light, lama Neten offers me some biscuits and saou for the trip. Int the sunlight we walk while Rinpoche bless the students and the small group is on its way up the valley into new adventures visiting Monasteries with hidden stories and secrets way beyond any Lord of the Ring's or Harry Potter. Even Indiana Jones comes short here as we ascend up after a short stop up the valley climbing cliff sides and arrive inside a Monastery with Body prints, foot prints, hand print and self arisen syllables in solid rock related to Guru Rinpoches visit, meditation and Extra ordinary Siddhis.

Crossing the suspension bridge and along the valley up following the river, eventually it opens up and we arrive below the old ruins of Drapham Dzong and find our Camp for the evening were tents suddenly pop up. Here the traveling shrine also pop up and the evening pudja is under way.

Yest another day with Timeless dwelling, 1 day fells as long as 10.

 

05.11.13

Frost nights though for a Northern Drukpa, Tokden Viking this is just a chilled evening, after all the Vikings are used to 20 to 30 below 0 celsius :-).

after Pudja while the sun has slowly ascended up behind and over the hillsides we trek up into hidden valleys winding ourselves up and up were meteor rocks are found rivers flow and lungtas are put up and we are greeted with a nice sign say Congratulations at the pass were we have our packed lunch.

Slowly down the winding trails of the forest and into were the trail opens up into a doorway passage into the stupa greeted with jumpier smoke offering and tradition reception for a tea offering of the local village area, 15 min rest. Into new open and revealed landscapes a scenery any movie maker would dream of we follow the upper ridge and then a Terma is revealed by Thsmapa.... Dusum Sangye Guru Rinpoche Hung Hung Hung Phet.... and just around the corner Siddhis are spontaneously displayed in front both Rinpoche and 20 other Pilgrims as by a simple hand gesture in the air makes a friend (Karmas Husband) go back into the line, then by another hand gesture he is flown over an rock obstacle and we all laughs.

Yet another warm welcome for Rinpoche at a local house before we descend down the hills side and enter the village of Tandingang were we are offered shelter at the new monastery camping ground, seeing the Prayer hall my heart is filled with warm happiness, Dungse Garab Dorje Dudjom Chokhang, i am home. The resident Lama puts me on the Khenpo Seat as we are give tea offering on arrival, the other Khenpo's seated on their respectable Khenpo seats next to Rinpoche. Kudung Tsa tsa blessings while the Drukpa Lineage and Rinpoche offer Choed practice. Frost is on the tents before dinner is served :-) and i am offered a room from my fellow Dharma brother that was Dorje Lopen by the age of 9 and studied Sanskrit in Varanasi and now head of this Choe khang, by witnessing his generosity to the pilgrims, Rinpoche and conduct in body speech and mind this is really a Tulku. Timeless Experience again.

 

06.11.13

From Tandingang thanking Tulku for his Kindness while weeping Ladies wave us good by and try to call us back for more chang offerings while we disappear along the ridge landscape into open untouched terrain while i chat the Garudas mantra and soar the blue cloudless sky, this landscape is a Yogis home to wander freely around and hills and cliffs for meditation retreats, even here Termas ha been revealed by Pema lingpa.

A short descend to a valley passing a house i offer some chinlab, mani ribus and of into a hidden valley with sunshine we slowly come to a old house with a white chorten were i do the kora, some years ago i dreamt of this place but the kora around the chorten was not possible due to 2 big rocks, now the kora was done effortlessly due to no rocks, no obstacle's.

Further up the valley by the end of the trail we cross the bridge and have lunch in the open fields before Rinpoche announce that due to running late we will not come down tonight but stay over in the monastery build around the cave high up. A nice dialog with Rinpoche during the rest. Rinpoche jokes that he may have to teach Thumo since all sleeping bags are left behind hehehe. Khandro Pem does some magic with my domestic flight and we all slowly ascend up the forest trail and eventually like mountain goads reach the last winding turn and arrive safely at Thowa dra just before dark.

Inside this monastery things are beyond time and space with self arisen conch shells, the whole inner Monastery shines in its vibration while the local master and care taker slowly starts to unfold a story older and more spell bounding than any children bed time storey ever told. Due to a phone call from the Royal's things are taken out and revealed to us that is way beyond any adventure story ever written and seen on screen, blessings received with chinlab setting any practitioner beyond the 7th bumhi and in direct dwelling of Amitabha's pure land, the evening pudja with tshog offering while night slowly descend on Thowa Dra while the inner shrine room is filled with pilgrims spending the night in Drema yoga & meditation. Rinpoche's face is exactly identical and the same as the face of the 4 armed Chenrezing statue :-) Om Mani Padme Hum.

Time itself has long disappeared from our existence and minds, 5th dimensional awareness of Guru Rinpoche, Buddha beyond the 3 times, timeless yes indeed. Om Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padme Siddhi Hum.

 

07.11.13

Morning meditation in all white & Kabney, Thumo seams to work while the rest is wrapped in jacket and blankets here in Thowa Dra.The Sun is out and illuminate the valley landscape and breakfast in a rock cliff face next to the monastery with panoramic wives, what a blessed place to be.

Along the narrow cliff road the the Chenrezing Door way (climbing through) and Water spring and along onto a cliff road so narrow with different caves, 1 wrong step and u fly like a bird (sever 100 meters rock face), Yogis and Lama as well as the elders and Grand mothers do the trail and all pass safely up to the knee print (prostration marks) and yet again we walk super narrow roads up and down to secret caves near the Guru Rinpoche meditation throne. Further up along the trail passing the Dakinins stairways and the wish fulfilling wall, Guru's walking stick and the kora rock face, Guru Foot print and the Guru Drollo and Guru as Dorje Chang meditation cave.

Back at the monastery we do a Ganachakra offering before we slowly descend down the steep hillside and make our way down the valley for Lunch by the truck that still has the sleeping bags :-)

Receive blessing from the Cymbals, Shoes and Bell & Dorje of Bhutans last Detsi and down into Sunlight and blue sky green valleys towards Ugyen Choeling Palace and eventually Evening teaching and Prayers in Tang Rinpoche. This wall murals and place speaks of ancient Drubthobs tertons and Guru's Legacy, Pema Lingpa's Trema revelations and endless stories, The monastery itself is surrounded with Doorways to hidden Pure lands, foot prints, Garudas, Gurus Bath and meditation place and many other secret hidden things and places. Late arrival in Tang Valley were the local school has offered accommodations for us all. Another Timeless day.

 

08.11.13

Good morning Tang and Sunshine and blue sky, Rinpoche give teachings, & Lung and blessings to the School children and we are on the road again slowly taking the path up the forest slowly up up up, not a single cloud in the sky, Dzogpa Chenpo true nature of mind realizations 1 and All. Along the corner and on the top following the trail along the ridge and onto the dirt road before arriving at the Namka Village gompa with the Guru footprint, tea and rice offering and packed lunch in the garden.

Again along pathways up the valley along ridges and eventually coming around the corner were slowly the forest makes way to a re-sighting of a ancient place to re-visit. Kunzang Dra of Pema Linpa with all its shrine rooms and hidden rock formations, stupa and treasures, shrine rooms, a mirror were i see my self :-) and Ranjung manis, Zhambhala abodes and a a main shrine room were i am seated on the lower throne next to Khenpo and Rinpoche while the Pudja thunders away with long life blessings from the Termas revealed by Pema Lingpa, The Long life Staue, Stupa, Vase & Counch chell, Tshog offering are distributed and slowly we descend down the valley in dark passing Pema Lingpa USHA stone and eventualy arrive in Bapzur ECR for tea and Dinner, here i have a nice warm talk with Rinpoche and try my best to express my deep deep gratitude about being able to experience this pilgrimage with all of the people traveling here.

Jakar Khandro shows up and we more or less fly back to Bumthang in the Night with fellow Troma practitioners and arrive late for tea in Jakar.

 

09.11.13

After Breakfast Pema Dawa of Riverlodge offers me a ride to the local domestic airport while i ask him to give my deep thank u to Lama Neten, Pema Dawa is like family and a Home away from Home. The smallest Airport house and counter yet seated in the lounge and eventually out in the sunshine and the Dragon arrives and turns. I board the Dragon and up we go seeing Jakar Dzong slowly shrink below us as we ascend up into a clear blue sky, i am given a seat in to Cockpit with My old friend from Thimphu who is co-pilot and we cruz on auto pilot passing Chummi valley with Panoramic Royal views of the Himalayan mountain range sing Tibet in a far distance, passing over all the passes and Trongsa and Wangdi before passing over Dochula and Thimphu and rounding Dongkala Gompa with half a kora before descending the action like Mc Giver in flight down winding valleys passing Drak Karpo and Dudjom cho khang and eventually safe on the ground in Paro.

A local taxi Back to Thimphu for relaxing and rearranging luggage and visiting a close friend and evening Dinner with the Close friend Dawa and his Wife.

 

10.11.13

Ascending up into the clouds for new Adventures and Secret hidden Pure lands, Gone Gone Totally Gone Beyond.

 

J :-)

 

 

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