June 1st was truly an amazing day. Firstly, it was Baby's first birthday which we celebrated in the early afternoon with
Cupcake Royale Babycakes and tea. Friends and family joined us for the occasion in which Baby received lovely gifts of clothing fit for a Fashionista. As well as books because my baby is an intelligent fashionista of course! Grandma also gave her a spinnie toy that thankfully has a shut off switch.
Secondly, once the birthday festivities came to an end, Baby and I had to ready ourselves for a once in a lifetime event (hopefully it will be more than once). We were going to a children's blessing by
the 17th Karmapa in Seattle. A friend was so kind as to give us a spot for this event; I am not sure how to repay her.
We arrived at
Nalanda Bodhi West and waited in the dining room that was packed with other parents and kids before heading up to the shrine room. The wait took a while because the Karmapa was being interviewed by PBS and they had to keep reshooting it because the parents and kids below were too noisy! How ironic. It was so hot in the dining room as well, with all of the people and no open windows for ventilation. I could tell my cheeks were red as I was beginning to sweat. How lovely I know, but I was burning up!
Finally the interview was done and we were all lead up to the shrine room. As we were making our way up the stairs, a person behind us was carrying a bouquet of flowers. He thought that Baby was so beautiful that he gave her one of the flowers that looked like a large white daisy.
Once we made it into the shrine room, we sat down on chairs and waited for the Karmapa to come out. I saw David Curtis who is a Tibetan translator and founder of
The Tibetan Language Institute whom I met a few years ago at
Tulku Sang-Ngak's land in Montana as well as having taken a Tibetan language class by him with some of my other sangha friends when he was in Seattle. We talked for a bit before the Karmapa finally came out.
I was in awe. I couldn't believe that I was in the presence of the 17th Karmapa. The announcer had said before he came out how it will all happen. The Karmapa will give the blessing and then after he leaves we can come up and take the blessed pouch and if we want to make an offering we can put it in a bowl. To use a British term, I thought that was a bit pants. But, I wasn't going to complain because my goodness, here I was in the presence of the Karmapa! Something I thought was not going to happen.
But as usual, impermanence reared its head and changed things up a bit. The Karmapa came out and sat down. He looked around then told us that he had talked too much already today (he had given teachings and an empowerment earlier in the day) and that it would be best if we came up to him and he would hand out the blessing pouches to each child. I was over the moon! I couldn't believe that we were actually going to be able to approach him and touch him! But as every good Buddhist knows, be prepared because anything could happen. And I was...
I pulled out my katag and the envelope with an offering inside and waited patiently for our turn. I held Baby in one arm while holding the offering and katag in the other hand. I was shaking.
Finally it was our turn. I walked us up to the Karmapa and he smiled as he gave Baby her blessing that she happily took from him. I gave him the offerings and he put the katag around my neck. Baby held up her flower to him and I put it in his hand which he gently held out on his lap. I gazed up at him and he looked at me as I smiled and slowly backed away to let the next person have their turn. I walked away sweaty and trembling like I had just run a marathon.
We returned to our chairs but remained standing until he gave the last blessing and left. I was blissed out - I'll never forget this day.
Avalokiteshvara Tsok*
