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This story was shared by Ani Sangye, one of Jetsunma’s students:

On Wednesday, February 26, 2020, a 30 year old horse named Strike Up the Band fell in his pasture, after having suffered from an infection for several days that had caused him great pain in one leg. Strike wasn’t responding to treatment begun days earlier and had stopped eating. He was completely exhausted from standing on three legs and couldn’t get up. The decision was made to euthanize him. 

I live on the farm where Strike lived, with his devoted owners of 21 years, Erich and Gloria. When he fell, we all happened to be home and rushed out to the pasture. While waiting for the vet to arrive, Jetsunma’s “Prayer to Be Reborn in Dewachen” was played for him. I texted Jetsunma’s attendant, Ani Sonam, informing her of what had happened and requesting that Jetsunma please pray for Strike. We didn’t hear back until the exact moment when the vet was administering the sedative prior to the euthanasia drug– perfect timing. Jetsunma said she would pray for him and instructed us to tap the crown of his head repeatedly. Gloria, Erich and I all took turns tapping while he was euthanized and for 15 minutes after, at which point I looked at his crown and saw the unmistakable sign of his liberation– a hole-like opening in the hair.

I immediately texted Ani Sonam with a picture. Jetsunma asked, “Did you get oil on your tapping fingers?” We then saw that Gloria’s fingertips were coated in a thick black oil, which had a distinctive perfume-like scent, sort of floral with a hint of honey. Gloria had been the one tapping his crown right before we saw the signs. Gloria noted that her fingers didn’t smell at all like horse. She also remarked that she doesn’t use any scented products at all, so this scent couldn’t have come from her hands. 

Jetsunma said, “This is an auspicious sign! That horse went to Dewachen!” 

Almost immediately after seeing the signs on Strike’s head a gentle rain began, which is considered auspicious. 

Strike’s holy body will continue to purify the earth and water around it and to bring benefit to countless beings. My Precious Guru Jetsunma Ahkön Lhamo, a sublime and supremely enlightened one, has liberated this horse and blessed us with unmistakable signs. It was an extraordinary blessing to be able to witness such a rare and profound event. 

May this account deepen the faith and devotion of every Dharma student, as we see undeniable proof of the teachings before our very eyes. 

May Jetsunma’s life be strengthened and lengthened as a result of her compassionate activity and blessing us in this way. 

May this event be the cause for all sentient beings to be liberated at death. 
This account was written by Ani Sangye. 

26/2/2020 Wednesday by Wangmo & Jampal

Theme: Points of tension

There are challenging aspects between emotions and assertion of one’s will. So today, find a way to maintain equanimity in the face of people who push your buttons, or situations that do the same. The key will be finding a different way of dealing with challenges. Be mindful during activities when you are physically working, including driving. Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.~Thich Nhat Hanh

2/19/2020 Wednesday by Wangmo & Jampal

Theme: Welcome aboard!

With the Moon conjunct Jupiter there is a a great sense of well being, emotional expansion and optimism today. The Sun has officially entered Pisces bringing the world of feelings, intuition, compassion – and escapism and addictions – into play! Other planets in Pisces, Mercury and Neptune, strengthen the Piscean theme over the next few weeks. As Mikhail Gorbachev, a famous Pisces said: “Peace is not unity in similarity but unity in diversity, in the comparison and conciliation of differences.”

1/31/2020 Friday by Wangmo & Jampal

Theme: Challenges and separations

With hard angles between a number of planets today there is more friction and dissonance than usual. It is difficult to hold onto something solid and secure. If you feel a sense of separation look at ways that connect you with the larger world in which you live. Today is an important day to develop compassion for oneself and others, so try to keep your heart open. If you carry joy in your heart, you can heal any moment.~Carlos Santana

Today the Moon is Void of Course from 10.10 am EST USA until 7.28 am. If you’re in another country check what that means for you time-wise. It’s best to avoid making major decisions or signing contracts during this time.

12/23/2019 Monday by Jampal & Wangmo

Theme: Strengthening your purpose

With the Sun and Jupiter in union there is a boost to your optimism and therefore, what you can accomplish. The fog is lifting and you can see more clearly. Expect unpredictability in your relationships. People need more freedom. For the next few days your health requires closer attention. With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.~Eleanor Roosevelt

Today the Moon is Void of Course until 11.35 am. If you’re in another country check what that means for you time-wise. It’s best to avoid making major decisions or signing contracts during this time.

The following is a video teaching by Khenpo Tenzin Norgay offered at Kunzang Palyul Choling temple in Maryland:

The following is an excerpt from a teaching by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo called “Faults of Cyclic Existence”

If we broaden our perspective, we look out from our own self-absorption into our immediate environment which is generally pretty easy for most of us.  We have friends and relatives that we don’t mind increasing our space to include and we look at them and we consider them part of our lives. But let’s move out and see all the rest of humankind.  They are all, in the same way as we are, striving to be happy.  And then look out beyond that to the animal realm.  Even though these animals don’t have a forehead, even though these animals cannot conceptualize in the same way that we do, still each one of them in their own way is trying to be happy according to their capacity. The predator is trying to be happy when it chases its prey.  The prey is trying to be happy when it fixes itself or creates for itself a safe environment and develops coping mechanisms with the reality that the predator is always out there.

There are many different ways to view this, but we can see if we really study, that we all have that in common and so we become, in a sense one family with a fundamental genetic code.  Even across species, even across the form and formless realms, we become one family with this particular underlying reality in common. Now if we were to really contemplate this issue in this way, we might come up with a new world view.  Wouldn’t that be wonderful!  We might come up with a new, more universal perspective.  Wouldn’t it be delightful!  We could use that tool as a way to end self-absorption, and to really open our eyes and look at everything around us with a new kind of vision, a new kind of empathy, a new kind of understanding, a new kind of willingness to put oneself in the place of others, a new kind of planetary human, you know, aware of life around itself, a new kind of cosmic perspective, a new understanding as to what life is all about.

Now how does this relate to refuge?  Well, as we are turning our minds towards Dharma,  that means softening them, preparing them, fertilizing them, plowing the field so that the mind is turned toward the path that leads to liberation and renouncing what does not lead to liberation.

Where does the idea of Bodhicitta actually come into play?  Actually it comes into play as both a motivator and as a clarifier.  As a motivator , we understand that part of the process of turning the mind towards Dharma is to truly look at the six realms of cyclic existence and all the conditions and situations of sentient beings.  Having done that, we see that cyclic existence is faulted and that these sentient beings, although they do wish to be happy, have no understanding of the causes of happiness.  That’s the main different between a Dharma practitioner, and the serial killer.  The Dharma practitioner wants to be happy just like the serial killer, but they are engaging in method.  Method means we are looking at cause and effect relationship.  We see the faults.  We look at cause and effect relationships and we are trying to work it out where we produce the causes that allow the desired effect.

The serial killer is also trying to do that.  He perhaps feels some kind of need build up in him and then he goes and tries to satisfy that need.  So in his way, this serial killer is doing the same thing.  He is engaged in trying to create the causes that produce happiness.   The difference is he does not understand.  There is such heavy delusion that there is no understanding of what causes produce happiness, so the serial killer is in a way, like a completely ignorant, completely confused, completely hatred-oriented basket of misconstrued ideas acting in a knee-jerk way to get some kind of result.  He is not able to think it through and has no guidance to think it through.  So the serial killer is yes, engaging in method, but what method?  The serial killer is engaging in the method of hatred, is engaging in the method of destruction, is engaging in the method of harm-doing, and is thinking that it will bring some sort of power or happiness or relief in some way.  And yet what this person doesn’t understand is that the seed and the fruit cannot be unrelated.  You cannot produce happiness from the fruit of hatred, destruction, ignorance and harm doing.  You cannot produce happiness in the same way that a peach seed cannot produce a banana tree.

 Copyright © Jetsunma Ahkon Norbu Lhamo All rights reserved

Dear Mr President,

I want you to know that first of all, I greatly respect your office. In this country our democracy, we are all one nation, Dems and Republicans. I don’t understand why you so hate the Dems. It’s so evident that you do and they are half our nation. Can’t you understand you are doing yourself no favors? 

You are rejecting half our nation and as a result, half is rejecting you also. I know you think you have some special power or special mind, but Sir, I think life is life and cause and effect are perfect. I certainly can not threaten you and I wouldn’t do that. I have no power. But the rest of us are really hurting. They don’t understand why our democracy is turning into smut. Have you read the Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood. Of course not, you don’t read. I ask you please to have someone read it to you or for you and give you notations. It’s what is happening now to us. And you are part of it. Please help us. I beg you for compassion for the people. 

The people are everything. We the individuals, don’t amount to much. 

But the nation is vast. Please open your eyes. Before you get too old. And you die too. Please see the light.

A spontaneous teaching on Bodhicitta by Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo:

Be real. It’s not that easy. You decide and your will decides and your will has gotten you where you are. How superficial is that? You have to practice deeply and meditate. And correct yourself from judging sentient beings by practicing Bodhicitta. You don’t just stop yourself from doing it. You go after it with dragon teeth!
Practice deeply. Cut out the ROOT.
And try to practice with others. You are too isolated.