Theme:Attending to details and attending to your heart
The placement of the Sun, Mercury and Venus provides continual planetary energy opportunities to connect with your heart and in particular how we are all interconnected with one another, all beings. The Moon is in Virgo. Virgo being the polar opposite of Pisces. Where Pisces embodies the formless realm, unconscious part of us, Virgo embodies the material realm of caring for self and others. It’s also a handy sign for attention to details which is helpful during Mercury retrograde when details can be missed.
Let a soul radiate in every direction love and compassion, and thoughts of hatred can find nothing to which they can attach themselves.~ Annie Besant
Tonight is suppose to be a lunar exclipse, a gibus moon, and blood moon. Actually that’s suppose to be a sign of war. War is coming. Maybe here. Don’t want to scare you, but that’s what that moon means. It’s rare and powerful. Bella Luna be kind, smile down on us, and bring blessings to people in war torn countries.
Maybe since it’s so cloudy it won’t be so bad for us. One can only hope.
Venus is moving closer to Neptune conjunct Saturn softening the energy of this challenging conjunction. In a way Venus provides us with an opportunity to re-evaluate the challenges of this aspect in a more beneficial light while providing healing human connections that aid us at this time. Mars has moved into Pisces bringing a different kind of courage to the battlefield – one of connecting with our heart and feelings. In this placement compassion, love and prayer are potent weapons.
You can say yes, that someone is a bully and someone is a victim. But what is really happening is people are infected with a fever of fear, and it’s spreading all over the world…Please, find a way to pull the fear out of you and make it something useful.~Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo
Her Eminence Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche recently shared with the sangha the prayers she recites each night before bed. Among the many expressions of gratitude, one student’s response gave rise to the conversation below, which Rinpoche has asked to be shared publicly so everyone may benefit from this teaching. Names have been made anonymous for privacy.
Student 1: Thank you, Jetsunma, this is much appreciated. Mom [Student 2] does something like this. She has a list of mantras that Student 3 compiled.
Rinpoche’s attendant: Student 1, are you actually comparing this teaching from Jetsunma to a list that Student 3 compiled?
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: If Student 2 wants to practice Student 3’s Dharma she will end up with Student 3’s mind. It blows me away after all these years you haven’t.
Student 2 certainly does her own thing.
The dysfunctional are leading the dysfunctional and the blind are leading the blind.
Student 3, since when did you become a teacher?
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: Student 2, stop doing the bullshit prayers that Student 3 sent you and do what I said. I am the teacher here, not Student 3. What in the world are you thinking? Student 2, you’ve been doing that bullshit stuff since the beginning. It took effort to get you off the Shower of Blessings and do some real practice.
You need medication and therapy. But you won’t do it. You don’t do anything I tell you to.
So just keep doing blah blah blah or whatever you do, and ignore my prayers. I won’t offer you anymore support and advice or teaching.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: Student 3, who are you to compile and distribute practices for others without the discrimination to know how sick the others are, or the wisdom to present to the students what they need?
Rinpoche’s attendant: Do you all realize you appear unable to discriminate the difference between Dharma and ordinary activity? Practice is not merely a collection of words on a page. There is a reason Dharma is passed from teacher to student, and not just circulated like self help books.
Student 2: Dear Jetsunma,
Student 1 is referring to a list handed out many years ago by the sangha (I do not know who). The list was of what empowerments we were given and what the samaya was on each of the mantras associated with the empowerment.
You are my Teacher and I am totally helpless without You!
Thank You for this beautiful teaching. I am doing this teaching at night and I thank You so very, very much.
Student 3: I am most definitely not a teacher of Dharma, Jetsunma. And I have no idea to what Student 1 is referring, as it had to have been a very long time ago.
I haven’t compiled anything that I can recall since the book I made for myself that was requested for those who travelled to India.
What I have done recently is print KPC’s practices (like Sojong, Chimed Sog Thik, Ratna Lingpa Vajrakilaya, what we’ve been doing in group practice) for three or four of your students who asked if I could print a hard copy for them bc they couldn’t.
May I always remain your student, developing good qualities and virtue, wisdom and discrimination, so that in some future lifetime I may become a qualified teacher worthy of your respect.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: Student 1 portrayed it differently but Student 1 perceives differently. I’m sorry to have bothered you, Student 3.
Student 3: I am grateful for the teaching, Jetsunma. Your blessings come in many forms, in a myriad of ways. Thank you.
Student 1: I’m so sorry, both to you, Jetsunma, and to Student 3, and mom. It’s an old, old list from way back when. I thought Student 3 compiled it, but I must be wrong. I was just happy that mom recites mantra to keep samaya every day. I’ve no doubt she’s doing the mantra you’ve said here now.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: You had better check. I think you’re in crisis Student 1. You’re in bad shape anyway. Do you need your meds upped? You’re spinning.
Student 1: I will check. I just started nearly my full workload at my job without decreasing what I’ve promised to do at the temple. It’s going to take a couple weeks to get a stable schedule, and a regular schedule with the meds. Last week was rough for the chopins and I was also prayer chart caretaker at the same time. I’ll need a couple weeks with the new schedule to get used to it.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: What are temple duties?
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: I knew it. Clearly it’s your meds are off. Can’t you manage it? Do you need a case manager? I mean, we can provide one. Really Student 1, you’ve been through this for years. you know Student 1 if your meds are off you are in danger. First of all you become recalcitrant, then you become an asshole, then your moral conduct is lost, and fourth you don’t even recognize your teacher.
Who are you receiving therapy from? You’re thinking sounds really squirrely again.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: Student 1, how old are you now?
Student 1: Last week I did all the tormas for Losar. Prayer chart caretaker. Prayer shifts. Cleaning. Eggs, though I’m behind on that. If I take myself off the tsa lung team we won’t have enough people, so I’m going to try to do it in less time. It’s manageable, I just have to get back on a schedule.
I fell asleep last night before I had my evening meds.
I’m 58. My therapist is [name redacted].
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: You don’t need to do tsa lung. Take yourself off that.
Wow you’re almost 60 huh? Not a little girl anymore. Why do you still act like one? And you still can’t manage your affairs? Why is that, Student 1? Can you manage your meds, because if not I could put someone on it. I was hoping by now you would be better enough to see to yourself. But, I will take care of you if that’s what you need.
How often do you go to therapy?
Student 1: I go to therapy every Wednesday morning. And no, definitely not a little girl anymore.
If I come off the tsa lung team, the team won’t have enough people. Already too much is on Student 4’s shoulders. One of the team members is injured, and another just had a sharp increase in responsibilities.
People manage with much more than I’m doing. It’s just a new schedule, a lot of change, and we’ve had Losar, two weather events… all within the last few weeks when I’ve started my job.
Rinpoche’s attendant: Her Eminence has taken you off the Tsa Lung team for your own good.
Student 1: Please give me a couple weeks to get on a schedule with everything. If I can’t manage, then maybe tsa lung has to come off. I don’t need to do it, but someone does. People at the temple do a lot more than I do.
I’m actually doing better. Last week I was in much worse shape.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: Student 5, don’t let Student 4 carry everything. Other people need to get involved.
If Student 4 wants to help she can call on the people who have had tsa lung from New York and invite them to come and practice.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: Maybe Student 6 and Student 7 can call and ask people to help (with tsa lung)
Student 1: Thank you, Jetsunma. The team’s too small and Student 4 needs help with it.
Student 5: Yes Jetsunma. I’ll talk to Student 4 to get the background and get others to help.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: Student 1, you do what I say – period. Everyone will do what I say, not what Student 1 says. Do you understand that?
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: Student 1, you can stop playing the control games now. You saw where it got Student 8, if you’re still taking in information.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: I also want Student 1 off the Chopin team until she gets her shit together, gets back on her meds properly, and does what I tell her to do. She is no longer a princess here. Or anywhere really if you look at her ragged life.
I’m trying to help her tame her mind but she is like a wild crazed horse, which I am unwilling to ride. That’s up to her to do.
Student 1: Okay, Jetsunma.
Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche: Student 1, what I want you to do is work the program, if you can negotiate your way through to the program. Get your medicines fixed. And get your therapy more frequently.
Student 1: Yes, Jetsunma, I’ll make that my priority.
With Venus sextile to Uranus for a few days we will seek a break from the normal routine. This energy will promote exciting social gatherings. New relationships may not last but if they do they will be life changing. At the same time there is still an expectation of disruptions, and of people being rash and impulsive. The Moon continues to move through Leo, but we experience some extra stress in the early morning.
Every man I meet wants to protect me. I can’t figure out what from. ~May West
Our beautiful shubunkin fish have been hanging out in the little “cave/house” we built them. They like it there. it’s sheltering, and I bet it makes them feel a little bit warmer. Their pond is warming up too, but they don’t seem to be as eager to feed.
A Message from Her Eminence Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo Rinpoche:
“I wanted to share with you a little practice I do at night when I’m in bed getting ready to sleep. This is not instead of your practice. It is in addition to, before you go to sleep. But it does help you keep Samaya.
3 x Seven Line Prayers
3 x Vajra Guru Mantras
5 x HUNG HUNG HUNG HUNG HUNG
3 x OM AMI DEWA HRI OM AMI DEWA HRI OM AMI DEWA HRI
3 x OM BENZAR SATO HUNG OM BENZAR SATO HUNG OM BENZAR SATO HUNG
3 x OM MANI PEDME HUNG OM MANI PEDME HUNG OM MANI PEDME HUNG
3 x OM AH RA PA SA NA DI OM AH RA PA SA NA DI OM AH RA PA SA NA DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI
SOHA
Just a little kiss to the Buddhas before you go to sleep.”
The combination of Mars square Uranus continues for a few more days. If we have not let situations get opposed to our true wishes this may not be a rough time. But generally something has to give now, and we can explode with anger. Or if we are repressing ourselves accidents are likely. We are also likely to revolt from old relationships and authority figures. If we are aware of the need to make changes, new opportunities will come up. The Moon enters Leo today, which is a fixed fire sign and encourages play.
It is anger that is a sign of weakness, whereas patience is a sign of strength. ~H H the Dalai Lama
The Moon is void of course today until 3:18 am EST. Do not make any big decisions until after this time.
The koi know spring is springing! they are chowing down, eating veraciously the algae we have been trying to cut down for so long. they won’t get it all, but the interesting part is that they are eating, before the time they should actually be able to eat.
I think they’re getting ready for breeding time, which really is coming up soon. it all depends on weather conditions and water temperature. Last year our spawn happened at the end of April. Chat says a little later. Who knows? Chat knows! Ha ha!
This year we’re gonna do all our breeding and our spawning outside, and our medical care also. We have learned so much! The ones we tenderly cared for and spawned in my Lanai (my entire Lanai) have come to nothing. I don’t even know if there’s a survivor.
The ones we let happen outside have gotten strong and big. Duh. We’ve learned from Mother Nature. Dr. Brent says that’s how it is. They have to build strength in a natural environment. If they can’t make it in a natural environment they weren’t meant to make it. We have managed to harden some of the ones we kept inside. They are doing well though. but we are learning.
