Buddhism
Snowman Trek Bhutan – Yaks, Herders, and the Snow Leopard

Snowman Trek Bhutan – Yaks, Herders, and the Snow Leopard

Turning west, we began a new route for the coming 10 days. This area has more trekking and local-use trails, but there are still very few tourists compared to other trekking routes around the world. We saw only 7 other trekkers, in groups of 1-2, during the entire...

Snowman Trek Bhutan – Death & The Bardo

Snowman Trek Bhutan – Death & The Bardo

Prayer flags placed by a family to help the soul of a loved one achieve a fortunate rebirth. Some of the strange creatures the soul may meet in the Bardo, the space between death and rebirth. After turning back from the snowed-in pass and medically evacuating one...

Snowman Trek Bhutan —  Rituals and Mystics

Snowman Trek Bhutan — Rituals and Mystics

Paro dzong Our Snowman Trek began in the western town of Paro with a cultural and religious orientation to Bhutan, as well as physical acclimatization to higher altitude. We explored the town’s dzong, a massive stone monastery-fortress which helped defend and unify...

Treasure Lakes Trek – Nubsonapata

Treasure Lakes Trek – Nubsonapata

From the 10th-15th centuries, Bhutan was a land conducive to spiritual treasure-hunting. Treasure-finders, known as tertons, were generally monks with spiritual powers that allowed them to see and bring forth treasures including ritual objects and sacred texts. The...

Buddhism in Bhutan

Buddhism in Bhutan

  Around Paro, the capital Thimphu, and surrounding areas, we can’t pass a temple without my wanting to explore it. I’m gathering stories and looking for interesting out-of-way places to build into future trips...and Bhutan does not disappoint. Dark rooms are...

Tantric Buddhism in Mustang

Tantric Buddhism in Mustang

Early one morning in Lo Manthang, the walled fortress-like capital of Mustang, we visit the monastery to receive blessing from an old monk. He has spent more than 40 years in the monastery and is master of an ancient Tantric rite, one that derives directly from the...

Marrying A Fruit

Marrying A Fruit

While in Kathmandu between trips, I happened upon a ubiquitous and yet unusual Newari ritual: marriage of young girls to a bael fruit. Yes, full marriage regalia--clothes, jewelry, ceremony--to wed a fruit. But it all makes sense... Hindus have a traditional practice...

A Blessing From Lama Geshe

A Blessing From Lama Geshe

    Day 5: Meeting with Lama Geshe always brightens my heart, and my trekkers were so moved by his blessing and his warmth that they were crying. This 80+ year old Tibetan lama chants over us, instructs us in mantras, blesses our prayer flags before we hang...

The Old Monk’s Hands

The Old Monk’s Hands

Mu Gompa, at 3700 meters, is the final outpost of habitation in Tsum Valley. Set on a mountainside about two hours walk beyond the last village, the monastery is home to perhaps 10 monks. It is a spartan and windy place upon the earth. We stayed for a night in the...

Choedar’s Story

Choedar’s Story

Genchoedar Lama is from the village of Choekam in Tsum Valley. He traveled with us in 2010 and joined our group again this year as we reached Tsum. It's been an honor and a pleasure to travel with Choedar, so I thought I would share a few quotes reflecting themes he...

A Tale of Two Monks

A Tale of Two Monks

Our first monk is steeped in Tantra. He wants to teach us mantras and meditation and tell stories of Padmasambhava (not to mention the Yeti). He knows all the deities painted on monastery walls and gives us advice for passing smoothly from this life to the next. He...