Tibetan Sunrise Pilgrimage
This is an imaginary monastery on a holy mountain in Tibet. You can imagine
waking up to the cool air, as the clouds swirl past the peaks just becoming
golden. This is Mount Kailas, called the Center of the World.
The clear sound of the conch trumpet makes you turn to regard the monks as
they light juniper branches and drum to salute the dawn.
Raising your hand, you accept an orb of rainbow fire, the gift of reiki as practiced
here, and it flows into your body until you feel refreshed and wonderful. You can
see the breath of the yaks in the cold air although it is summer.
Tying on a prayer flag for the local spiritual forces, you ride west, gently prodding
your beast when it stops to investigate grass. Above you the sky is a clear blue.
The wind blows the fur of your parka. You remember the rattling of the tiny drum,
the monkey drum with two beads on strings that is twirled in the hand, as a
shaman blessed the caravan. For anything may happen.
These lamas are using the big frame drum of the Siberian steppes in their ritual.
.
You remember the chant “Om mani padme hum”, the jewel in the heart of the
lotus. Om is the out-breath of Brahma bringing the world into being, and Vishnu
keeps the tones moving, and then Shiva draws in the breath, unmaking all so it
can all be made anew.
Mani is the jewel hidden inside every human, the divinity and perfect content,
wisdom and strength and compassion. Padme is the lotus, a flower that grows
from the mud of pools to make a beautiful bloom. Hum anchors the blessing of
the chant in your earthly and spiritual bodies. Hum ends most Tibetan chants
only they pronounce this mantra more like “om mahnee pemma hung” than as it
is sung in India.
Another chant to bow to the spirits of the four directions is “Om ah hum “ said at
the center, “Vajra” east, “Guru” south, “Padme” west, “Siddhi” north, and “hum”
again at the center. East is the elephant of water, south is the horse of earth,
west is the phoenix of fire, north is the tiger of the steppe wind. You are the tree
in the heart of the forest, the mountain in the center of the world. Four streams
meet at you in harmony. Indeed, four rivers spring from Mt Kailas, among them
the famous Indus and Ganges.
Sometimes all you can do is just watch the world with your mouth open in wonder
at the beauty. The reiki inside watches with you. The light, compassion and
power are alive and are your friend. You have had them since your level one
reiki. You didn’t have to make a pilgrimage at all.
You can recall this yellow-orange sunrise with the spiritual chants of Tibet and
use it for healing and protection, as part of your reiki. Say “Tibetan Sunrise!”
Enjoy! Craig 2009
pilgrim of the center direction
