Friends and family,
I am sorry the blog has been so inactive until this point. We have been extremely busy and engaged in the wonderful opportunities of the program, and therefore have not had much time to blog. With this said, I would like to say it has been a wonderful trip thus far. A recent highlight was an hour and a half group interview with the most venerable Sayadaw U Pandita. He just happened to be in Lumbini at the same time as the group and we were able to listen to his wisdom in a terrific, intimate setting. Just one of many wonderful opportunities that have arisen.
I would like to relay a poem that was written by a member of our group:
A Pilgrim's Chain of Dependent Origination
Studying the dhamma, curiosity about India arises-
Curious about India, Being on pilgrimage arises-
Being on pilgrimage, discomfort arises-
Experiencing discomfort, crankiness and intolerance arises-
With crankiness and intolerance, suffering arises-
With suffering, interest in a cure arises-
With interest in a cure, studying the dhamma arises!!
-Helen Rosen
Be on the look out for more updates and reflections in the coming days. Until then, wish us well.
Many blessings,
Justin
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Monday, February 1, 2010
Arrivals and... departures
Friends,
All of the pilgrims have arrived safe and sound to Delhi and we are embarking on our journey this afternoon. It has been a long time for each of us, planning and organizing this adventure.
As we depart, please keep us in your hearts, as we will keep you in ours.
More to come.
Justin
All of the pilgrims have arrived safe and sound to Delhi and we are embarking on our journey this afternoon. It has been a long time for each of us, planning and organizing this adventure.
As we depart, please keep us in your hearts, as we will keep you in ours.
More to come.
Justin
Friday, January 29, 2010
Arrivals
Namaskar,
Our first few pilgrims have arrived in Delhi. Catherine Brousseau arrived yesterday, after visiting Ajanta and Ellora, and Jaylen Summers and Rich Gaito arrived today. It feels great to be welcoming these wonderful people and I look forward to the next few days when we welcome everyone else. If you haven't left yet and are reading this, please travel safely. If you are supporter of the program, thank you and please do update us with happenings from the US/reactions to posts/anything you feel moved to.
Travellin in these most special places is a profound undertaking and I am so happy that we are doing it. As the Buddha taught, we never know when opportunities like this could vanish. With this in mind, I will leave now, but please remain connected as the blog becomes more active over the next days and weeks.
Many blessings,
Justin
Our first few pilgrims have arrived in Delhi. Catherine Brousseau arrived yesterday, after visiting Ajanta and Ellora, and Jaylen Summers and Rich Gaito arrived today. It feels great to be welcoming these wonderful people and I look forward to the next few days when we welcome everyone else. If you haven't left yet and are reading this, please travel safely. If you are supporter of the program, thank you and please do update us with happenings from the US/reactions to posts/anything you feel moved to.
Travellin in these most special places is a profound undertaking and I am so happy that we are doing it. As the Buddha taught, we never know when opportunities like this could vanish. With this in mind, I will leave now, but please remain connected as the blog becomes more active over the next days and weeks.
Many blessings,
Justin
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Bodhigaya
Pilgrims, friends and family,
I hope this post finds you all in good health.
I am in Bodhigaya now, preparing for a short course with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (www.tergar.org). He is a Tibetan master, born in Nepal, who is beginning to make his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I have been traveling to study with him in Asia for the past few years.
Spending long periods at the Mahabodhi temple and Bodhi tree area over the past few days has been very inspiring. As I pull together last minute itinerary additions, the practice is allowing for a lot of ease in this process. It is truly amazing to see thousands of pilgrims come from every corner of the world to practice at this place, peacefully. Having this many people, all in one place, with such unique styles of practice, come together without disagreement is really wonderful.
Our pilgrimage begins in less then two weeks and I am so excited to experience these magnificent places with such extraordinary people like yourselves.
Many blessings and safe travels,
Justin
I hope this post finds you all in good health.
I am in Bodhigaya now, preparing for a short course with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche (www.tergar.org). He is a Tibetan master, born in Nepal, who is beginning to make his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I have been traveling to study with him in Asia for the past few years.
Spending long periods at the Mahabodhi temple and Bodhi tree area over the past few days has been very inspiring. As I pull together last minute itinerary additions, the practice is allowing for a lot of ease in this process. It is truly amazing to see thousands of pilgrims come from every corner of the world to practice at this place, peacefully. Having this many people, all in one place, with such unique styles of practice, come together without disagreement is really wonderful.
Our pilgrimage begins in less then two weeks and I am so excited to experience these magnificent places with such extraordinary people like yourselves.
Many blessings and safe travels,
Justin
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Maryland to Mumbai
Hello. I am Catherine Brousseau and I graduated from the first BCBS study & practice program. About 10 months ago I retired from 23 years with AARP, during which I did issue organizing, training, coaching, and staff development. My home is in Silver Spring, Maryland and I am one of the minor teachers at the Insight Meditation Community of Washington. I will be flying into Mumbai on the way to Aurangabad to see the Ajanta and Ellora caves. From there I'll take the train to Dehli and Agra. I look forward to meeting you all at the World Buddhis Center and sharing a wonderful journey together. Blessings.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
snowBuddha from Maine
Namaste & Happy New Year fellow pilgrims; We are a couple from Maine who besides reading "Along the Path.." have built a snowBuddha to prepare for our trip to India. We are beginning meditators and life long spiritual seekers. Jaylene is a psychologist focusing on hypnosis & hypnotherapy and its integration with mindfulness and meditation. Rich is a former physics and science teacher who loves music, sailing, woodworking as well as exploring the world's many cultures and mysteries. We look forward with gratitude and excitement to this rich and diverse trip with everyone. We leave on Air India flt #212 on Jan 28, arriving January 28 @ 16:45pm. we're being picked up by Naigymal and driven to the WBC. May we all travel safe, much metta, Jaylene Summers & Rich Gaito
Thursday, January 14, 2010
from North Carolina
Dear Fellow Pilgrims - I very much look forward to meeting us all and traveling together. My first post on this blog is a tip -
I learned that it is a good idea to give a Travel Notification to your credit card company. Apparently, in their look-out-for-fraud zeal, they have rendered cards useless after a few purchases or cash withdrawals. Might as well be skillful pilgrims.
With metta, esp. to Haiti - Jeanne van Gemert
I learned that it is a good idea to give a Travel Notification to your credit card company. Apparently, in their look-out-for-fraud zeal, they have rendered cards useless after a few purchases or cash withdrawals. Might as well be skillful pilgrims.
With metta, esp. to Haiti - Jeanne van Gemert
Monday, January 4, 2010
Hello from Amita
Greetings from Boston everyone,
A very happy New Year to you all.What a lovely way to begin the year-A Buddhist pilgrimage in India-land where I was born and grew up.I studied medicine in Delhi at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences,met and married my husband, who was my classmate there,and we both have been living and working as physicians in the USA since 1972.After completeing my Pediatrics training here in Boston I practised Pediatrics , also in Boston, for more than 30 yrs.I retired in 2007.My husband Sanjiv Chopra still continues practising and teaching medicine at Harvard Medical School
My husband and I learned to meditate in 1980 and have kept up the daily practice ever since.
My friend Indira Maini told me about the Pilgrimage and asked if I wanted to come along and ofcourse what more could I ask for than being in India ,meditating with a group such as this and have amazing teachers and guides to go with. I am certainly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to meeting and being with all of you.
I will arrive in India on the 28th Jan and will be staying with my two sisters who both live in Delhi and meet up with the group on the 2nd Feb
A very happy New Year to you all.What a lovely way to begin the year-A Buddhist pilgrimage in India-land where I was born and grew up.I studied medicine in Delhi at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences,met and married my husband, who was my classmate there,and we both have been living and working as physicians in the USA since 1972.After completeing my Pediatrics training here in Boston I practised Pediatrics , also in Boston, for more than 30 yrs.I retired in 2007.My husband Sanjiv Chopra still continues practising and teaching medicine at Harvard Medical School
My husband and I learned to meditate in 1980 and have kept up the daily practice ever since.
My friend Indira Maini told me about the Pilgrimage and asked if I wanted to come along and ofcourse what more could I ask for than being in India ,meditating with a group such as this and have amazing teachers and guides to go with. I am certainly grateful for this opportunity and look forward to meeting and being with all of you.
I will arrive in India on the 28th Jan and will be staying with my two sisters who both live in Delhi and meet up with the group on the 2nd Feb
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