Celebrating Ven. Pema Chodron's 90th trip around the sun today, and wishing her a most happy rebirthday. This is her with the local Crestone crew after performing an ordination ceremony.

Somehow, almost juxtaposed in the feed. 😄

A large snake appears to have taken up residence under the Padmasambhava Stupa pad, leaving its shed skin at the entrance to its den. No harm in a little naga protection.

Raised a Padmasambhava flag today, a gift from Sravasti Abbey. At least something useful can come of this relentless hot, dry wind.

The Padmasambhava Stupa in Crestone, CO, got fresh gold leaf on the gau (the frame around the statue) and Padmasambhava's face, as well as stucco on the base. Looking gorgeous, no?

Beyond words, beyond thought, beyond description, Prajnaparamita is unborn, unceasing, the very essence of space, Yet it can be experienced as the wisdom of our own pristine awareness. Homage to the mother of the buddhas of the past, present, and future!

The flagstone octagon is now complete around the Padmasambhava Stupa in Crestone, Colorado.

You never know who you'll find lounging by your iris in the morning.

The implication being that, in J.D.'s view, "matters of morality" don't apply to our public life. Me, I'm firmly Team Leo.

The sutras can be pretty blunt at times: “Just like a snake shedding its old skin He gave up everything like snot in the dirt."

It's not often I learn a new word, but here's one: kenning. It means "a metaphorical compound word or phrase (such as swan-road for ocean) used especially in Old English and Old Norse poetry.

This one?

"Whether we look to Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism or any of the world's great spiritual traditions, the message is fundamentally the same: love, compassion, tolerance, and self-discipline. Violence finds no true home in any of these teachings."

I swear to all the buddhas and bodhisattvas this is real. This is the immigrant who bought the presidency and dismantled much of the government last year. I'll look the other way if you publicly set your Tesla on fire.

Aljazeera puts it succinctly:

On the editing screen, a praise of the Buddha: “In your supreme wisdom, you understand each and every being. For the beings whose minds cling to gloomy mistaken views And fail to recognize that their confusion is like a mirage, You feel unequaled compassion and lead them to realization."

Took me a sec, then I laughed right out loud.

Fresh prayer flags hung. They've got a lot of work to do just now.

Someone in Crestone erected this oversize skeleton along the main road a while back, and changes its decorations according to the season/holiday. Driving by yesterday, this one made me laugh out loud, so maybe it will do the same for you.

Now that's the way.

What other weapon do we have but the truth? “[Bodhisattvas] themselves will abstain from killing, will encourage others to abstain from killing, will praise abstention from killing, and when others abstain from killing will give them praise and approval." ~Perfection of Wisdom~

Just when we thought we couldn't reach a deeper depth of embarrassment. The "president" is basically Veruca Salt at this point.