Hey everyone!
As you may already know, today marks our 8th day in Australia. Already the Hongi family has experienced everything from mediation with Buddhist nuns to visiting the Australia Zoo on Steve Irwin Day. Despite the loss of two beloved group members, we have still managed to carry on (albeit heavyheartedly at times) and enjoy the amazing opportunities we’ve been granted. On a more personal note, this week has marked for me a point of considerable personal growth and a movement towards greater self-awareness.
To give you all some background as to the spiritual significance of this week, let me begin by going into some depth about our time at the Chenrezig Institute. Chenrezig is a Tibetan Mahayanan Buddhist center that was established in 1974 in Queensland, Australia. It was the first in the Western World, and to this day it is one of the largest. It is now home to a Tibetan Lama, many monks and nuns, students, and volunteers. During our time here, we were immersed in the beauty and peacefulness of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. We were given tips on how to live mindfully, love openly, and meditate properly. We even spent an entire 24 hours in silence to learn what it means to be mindful of our speech. A few of us even made the decision to go vegan or vegetarian to honor all living things.
However what really struck a chord with me was a conversation we had with one of the resident nuns. If you’ve ever seen a buddhist nun, you would understand me when I say that they are really quite distinct. Shaved head, long robes (In Tibetan Buddhism, the robes are dyed a rich burgundy), and a very peaceful aura. It’s actually quite hard to distinguish them from the monks. Anyway, we were talking to a nun named Tendron about Mahayana Buddhism and some of the daily practices of the Sangha (monks and nuns), when she started to discuss the reason that they shave their heads. She talked about the importance of finding peace within yourself and not worrying about your external self. What she said really resonated with me and immediately I began to think about how often I worry about my external apperance. Although it may not seem like it from many of the pictures posted (shoutout to everyone who’s posted unflattering photos), I really have spent a considerable amount of time on this trip doing my makeup, spending money on clothes, and wasting time doing my hair. Since our trip began, I’ve already died my hair twice, cut my bangs, and straightened my curly locks countless times. My perfectionist attitude toward my hair had actually become a little obsessive. So, I did what any other 18 year old girl on the brink of self discovery does: I gathered my group members and had them assist me in shaving my head.
As silly as this may seem to the average bystander, I feel like a better person since making the decision to ditch the hair. It’s proven to be quite humbling. In a society that emphasizes external beauty over inner peace and self love, many of us have kind of lost ourselves. In a world where cosmetics and clothing are constantly advertised as means to improve personal worth, and where plastic surgery is a booming industry, we’ve all forgotten how to love ourselves. And I am certainly no exception. Now that I’m missing a major component of my “aesthetic beauty,” I have no choice but to love and accept myself exactly the way that I am. I should also mention that this major step towards self acceptance would not have happened without the total love and support of my Carpe family. I really appreciate the kind words and encouragement that I’ve recieved from them. I could not have asked for a better group of people to travel and grow with.
All in all, the beginning of our Australia adventure has been amazing! We’re really excited to see where it takes us!
Much love,
Gracie