So, we’re currently sitting in what’s known as the “Big Love Cafe” here at the Chenrezig Institute. The meals are huge (and healthy…) and we love our motel style suites, which keep out the multiple species of highly poisonous everythings that live in Australia. We were all a little bleary-eyed upon our arrival, due to the highly comfortable all night train ride, but we were served a delicious pasta dish and lots of free coffee and tea.
Our first night, we went to a ceremony for Tara, a figure who portrays the Buddha’s more feminine nature. There was lots of chanting and fast muttering that none of us could keep up with, periodically interrupted by exciting crashing and banging noises… nonetheless, it was otherworldly and enchanting to listen to. Even better: they served us the best chai tea in the world halfway through the ceremony, and gave us a big slice of chocolate cake at the end!
Since then, we’ve been doing yoga, getting the background of Buddhism, and today we had our first meditation course. There’s plenty of rest time where we’re free to explore the rainforest here.. on a side note, up until the seventies, Chenrezig was just a bare hill side where cattle grazed, but with the help of some volunteer students, 30 acres rainforest, complete with the rain and the animals, was born!
We’re spending the rest of today walking through the garden of enlightenment, and let’s not forget Lindsay’s birthday festivities!
