Dalai Lama - Long Life Ceremony

No pictures today. This morning was a celebration at the Temple to ask for long life and health for the Dalai Lama. The security was very tight for the ceremony and no cameras were allowed. The three hour ceremony drew in thousands of Tibetans (and some tourists) who love the Dalai Lama and we watched him process in with all his attendants, and then, if you were lucky (and I was) watched the ceremony on a big screen TV. Most of the attendees couldn't see anything, and just listened to the chanting for three hours.

I had been reading about the oracles that the Dalai Lama uses to help him make choices and decisions and today we were able to see them doing their devinations. The oracles wear very elaborate robes and large headdresses; as they begin to do their work, they dance - first slowly and then increasingly quickly, until they dance themselves into a trance. At that point the oracle takes over and whatever they speak is carefully noted. This morning the oracle collapased after giving his proclamation, and had to be carried out of the room.

The love of the Tibetan people for the Dalai Lama was papable in the crowd. One of the ways lamas are honored is with long white scarves (all the photos of the Dalai Lama are draped with them). At the point in the ceremony where the Dalai Lama spoke to the crowd, people in the crowd began to throw their scarves toward the TV screen and to say the 108 beads of the mala.

It was an honor to be there today. Even though I didn't understand a word, I know that I was in the presence of a truely remarkable human being and a great spirit. I add my wishes for his long and healthy life.