Deer Park Buddhist Center
Tea is shared during a special teaching by Ngawang Kunga, Sakya Trizin Emeritus (now known as Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche) at Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery just outside of Madison, Wisconsin. I was just browsing through some of last year's photos and this one caught my attention. I can't begin to explain how honored I feel at being invited and trusted to capture these moments for the monks.
This is my spiritual "gym." This was my place of truths. My place of self reflection. Once I walked around this stupa alone in thought, in all weather. As I approached it I conjured the inner darkness to rise to the surface of my soul. Those dark fluttering bits of dark thoughts, like the shadows of the prayer flags on the cobblestones. I learned to calm those thoughts, to sooth myself. The whispering prayers on the little flags caressed my face as I circled. Brought to light the shadows all fade, loosing their inky mystery. They are just the shape of things being defined by light after all. It's that definition by the light that draws me. I guess it's why I am a photographer, a painter with light in what ways I can. One artistic dream I have always had is having a creative partner and model to work with. A human figure to paint with light, using the shadows to define the whole. I met just the right person at this very spot. We walked and spoke of who we were as people. As I looked into her eyes I saw a reflection of my "self." we shared truths and agreed to work together. I've a new sister. I'm so excited with ideas of what we can create I've not been sleeping much.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
The Clarity of Practicing the Dharma
Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche, previously known as His Holiness Sakya Trizin, conducted a teaching today at Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery. I had the very special honor of photographing it. It was a one of the best shoots I have done in a very long time. Given permission to truly move about the Temple while he spoke I did my best to not be too distracting. His words were simple, to the point and I found a profound sense of well being and understanding waken in me. As he spoke I was close by on my knees at one point. The way he phrased our tendency to cling to the inconsequential in our lives, and to place importance on what are fleeting moments of essentially nothing as "tiny bubbles" which could suddenly burst, leaving us with emptiness really struck me. At one point I was brought to tears, which made photographing things a bit of a challenge. Thankfully I was able to slip to the back of the Temple to clear my vision. And in someways that is exactly what happened to me today. I have a clearer sense of how I want to go about tending to my spiritual needs.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
Ngawang Kunga, Sakya Trizin Emeritus (now known as Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche) is greeted on his first visit to Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery just outside of Madison, Wisconsin. He is considered to be second only to the Dalai lama in the spiritual hierarchy of Tibetan Buddhism. His lineage is an ancient one, and he is thought of as the very personification of the Wisdom of the Buddha. I had the absolute honor of being asked to come photograph his arrival, and this intimate greeting in his quarters by the monks of Deer Park. I cannot wait to go photograph his upcoming teaching session at the Temple! When I needed to learn more about compassion the Dalia Lama himself appeared in my life a few years ago. At a time when I know I need to bolster my wisdom, and I've been writing about my sense that it's time to transform again, the Buddha again appears. How is so that I find myself in the presence of just the sort of knowledge and guidance just when I need it? I am truly blessed. I can no longer take it for granted but will embrace this opportunity. I didn't need to go climb frozen mountains in Asia to find this resource. I simply moved to Wisconsin of all places and it was here waiting for me.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
Guru Puja with Tsok - 07-23-2017
Guru Puja with Tsok to commemorating the third anniversary of the passing of Deer Park Buddhist Center & Monastery's founder and spiritual guide Geshe Lhundub Sopa. His Eminence Ganden Jangtse Choje Rinpoche presiding.
