One year ago today
at 3:45pm
I arrived at the Johannesburg International Airport

I stood there
waiting for the rest of my life to unfold


Having flown halfway around the world in economy class
my bum was sore
and I remember how glad I was to get off the plane!

More than anything though
I looked towards the rest of my life
with the woman I loved
the woman I met here, on Gaia

I looked all around for you
but I didn't see you
then, I felt a finger tap my shoulder
and I turned around to hear you say
"Are you looking for me?"

When I saw you, I immediately felt at home
and sank into your smile
We looked at each other
smiling and laughing
not believing that we were finally here
together
at the same place and the same time
finally

Ours was truly an internet love story
Were it not for the internet, Gaia,, Skype and gmail
we would never have been able to meet and then to communicate deeply
What it shows me
is that love is no longer bound by distance
If 2 beings are creative
they can communicate true feelings with great genuineness

Up until the moment we met
we used these tools as effectively as we could
True, we could not kiss, touch or be physical in any way
but we more than compensated
by writing poetry, creating graphic and visual art
and creating music and sending mp3 files
We used what was available
to express our love
and make up for the lack of touch

Looking back in retrospect
we can see that not having a physical relationship
actually has its benefits and rewards
It allowed us to go so much deeper in the spiritual and emotional realm
We went far deeper and faster it seems
than if we did meet physically

We held hands that day, Dec 2, 2007
and kissed for the first time
and by so doing
added the physical dimension to our love

Things don't always go the way one expects them to
I kept saying how we would have an amazing first kiss
but we were both a bit nervous for that

I remember driving home with you
and you had the giggles
and I kept kissing your shoulders
and that made you giggle even more

We got lost too
and that's when I found out about you and cars
and how enormous this city is
but we finally got home and closed the door
we had our first  deep, intimate kiss
the one I thought we would have at the airport
and I said I loved you
and you said you loved me
and things haven't changed much since then
except the love has grown deeper with each day
as we learn and grow together

Now
one year and a few hours after that first touch
it is the anniversary of our first physical meeting

This journey
which began with Jopoa and Gra-anna
now brings me to a world
that neither you nor I could have imagined

End of Part 1...we have to go to Nev's awards ceremony...

We wish you a Merry Nowness
We wish you a Merry Nowness
We wish you a Merry Nowness and a Happy New Awareness
 
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin;
Good tidings for Nowness and a Happy New Awareness

Oh, bring us pithy teachings
Oh, bring us pithy teachings
Oh, bring us pithy teachings  and a bodhisattva
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some;
We won't go until we get some, so bring some out here

We wish you a Merry Nowness
We wish you a Merry Nowness
We wish you a Merry Nowness and a Happy New Awareness

Guatama the Buddha
was a highly realized "soul"
From a luxury life without a single strife
His parents didn't want him to know woes

Guatama the Buddha
seems like a fairy tale today
thought he was made of really solid things
but then he found he was empty one day

There must have been some magic
in those last 6 nights under the bodhi tree
for when he put his finger on the ground
he became completely enlightened that night or day

O Guatama, the Buddha
was alive as he could be
and his students say
that he taught always
that his essence is found in both you and me

O Guatama, the Buddha
knew all human life would end one day
so he said please use this precious life
before this the opportunity goes away

Look at your own mind
with this sense of  "I" ,
trapped so deep within your head
Running here and there and everywhere saying
look at who "I" am! HEY!

Leads you down to the streets of samsara
habitual tendencies
and it makes you pause for just one moment of thought
when the pain gets a little too much, STOP!

Guatama, the Buddha
passed into paranirvana one day
but he said don't cry
the actual mind never dies
I am you always

I'm dreaming
in a waking dream
just like the ones I dream at night
where the forms have no substance
but appear so real
that they give me nightmares sometime

Oh I'm dreaming
in a waking dream
with every single breath I take
mistaking perceiver for real
and perceived as real too
not knowing awareness is the true self

I'm dreaming
in a waking dream
at the very last moment of my life
may mind dawn as luminosity so bright
and may mind experience itself, the clear light

Deck your halls with all that's holy
Ah ah ah ah ah     ah ah ah ah
Every moment should be sacred
O om om om om     om om om om
Don we now without our ego
Ho Ho Ho    Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho HO!
Troll the ancient dharma scriptures
Om Mani Padme Hung Hung Hung

Feel the blazing fire of tummo
Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah
When you sing, no singer or sung now
Ah ah ah ah     e e e  ah
Can you hear milarepa's song now?
Hung Hung Hung Hung   Hung Hung Hung Hung Hung
While he tells his songs of realization
Om Mani Padme Hung Hung Hung

Fast away, your life it passes
Ah ah ah ah ah     ah ah ah ah
Seize this moment, lads and lasses
O om om om om     om om om om
Precious journey  let's go together
Ho Ho Ho    Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho Ho HO!
Heedful of samsaric weather
Om Mani Padme Hung Hung Hung

Oh, the behavior in Samsara is frightful
but the fire of truth delightful
and since we've no place to go
let it go, let it go, let it go

Samsasa shows no sign of stopping
and I brought some mantras for chanting
The butter lamps are burning low
Let it go, let it go, let it go

When we finally say goodbye
and I take my very last breath
but if we've practiced and have confidence in the teachings
I'll breeze through the bardo of death

The fire in me is slowly dying
and, my dear, we're always good-bye-ing
but as long as I'm not thick-headed
let it go, let it go, let it go

(Note: Sing this song to the melody of "The 12 days of Christmas")


On the 1st link of interdependent origination
we forgot who we really are

(Avidya / Ignorance: though there is no self, we firmly act as if self exists, though everything is impermanent, we act as if we will never die, we are unaware of the true nature and deluded by the apparent nature)


On the 2nd link of interdependent origination
we acted and brought suffering
coz we forgot who we really are

(Samskara / Volitional action: the impulses that arise just before the action which leads to karma. Acting out of obscured emotions, kleshas, we are either selfish, hateful or stupid and our actions come out of these obscured states, leading to karmic imprints which imprints into our mindstream which gives us the habitual tendencies we have in our present life)


On the 3rd link of interdependent origination
karma prints on our mindstream
from impure actions
coz we forgot who we really are

(Vijnana / Consciousness: the karma from the impure action imprints itself on the mindstream, which travels to the next life after shedding this body)


On the 4th link of interdependent origination
reborn in an embryo
along with karmic mindstream
that came from impure actions
coz we forgot who we really are

(Nama-Rupa / Name & Form: reborn into an embryo, with no mental formations or senses as of yet)


On the 5th link of interdependent origination
we grow our 6 senses
this embryo we're born to
from migrant karmic mindstream
from past impure action
coz we forgot who we really are

(Shadayatana / the 6 sense organs develop from the embryo)


On the 6th link of interdependent origination
we make contact with the "world"
using our 6 new senses
from this embryo we're born into
from migrant karmic mindstream
from past impure actions
coz we forgot who we really are

(Sparsha / Contact: contact of the 6 "sense faculties" with their respective "sense objects" via consciousness)


On the 7th link of interdependent origination
arise feelings good and bad
from our contact with the "world"
using our 6 sense gateways
from this embryo we're born into
from migrant karmic mindstream
from past impure actions
coz we forgot who we really are

(Vedana / Feelings: or sensations arising from the sense objects...pleasant, unpleasant and neutral)


On the 8th link of interdependent origination
arise cravings and desires
that come from feelings good and bad
from our contact with the "world"
using our 6 sense gateways
from this embryo we're born into
from migrant karmic mindstream
from past impure actions
coz we forgot who we really are

(Trishna / Craving: Now, from these pleasant, unpleasant and neutral feelings, we create desire, agression (anti desire) and uncaring)


On the 9th link of interdependent origination
arise clinging to permanence
due to cravings and desires
that come from feelings good and bad
from our contact with the "world"
using our 6 sense gateways
from this embryo we're born into
from migrant karmic mindstream
from past impure actions
coz we forgot who we really are

(Upadana / Clinging: Now, from clinging to desire, agression (anti desire) and uncaring, we create a feeling of permanence and in our mind, we now create a condition for rebirth because the basic ignorance is completely solidified)


On the 10th link of interdependent origination
we give rise to action
that came from our clinging
due to cravings and desires
that come from feelings good and bad
from our contact with the "world"
using our 6 sense gateways
from this embryo we're born into
from migrant karmic mindstream
from past impure actions
coz we forgot who we really are

(Bhava / Becoming: Acting out of our strong clinging or aversion, we put this into action of some form. The peak of desire for a couple is sexual union, which prepares the groundwork for a new birth)


On the 11th link of interdependent origination
we set the ground for another rebirth
stemming from karmic action
that came from our clinging
due to cravings and desires
that come from feelings good and bad
from our contact with the "world"
using our 6 sense gateways
from this embryo we're born into
from migrant karmic mindstream
from past impure actions
coz we forgot who we really are

(Jati / Birth: The result of desire is birth. If we make love without contraception, another being is reborn into this world, migrating from his or her karmic mindprint into the egg. Also another intrepretation in this new life, we repeat links 2 and 3....our actions being impure again are the cause and set the stage for our next rebirth)



On the 12th link of interdependent origination
we grow old and die
coz we've created our own rebirth
stemming from karmic action
that came from our clinging
due to cravings and desires
that come from feelings good and bad
from our contact with the "world"
using our 6 sense gateways
from this embryo we're born into
from migrant karmic mindstream
from past impure actions
coz we forgot who we really are

(Jara-Maranam / Old age and Death: Once our actions  determine rebirth, then of course, this means we must age and die to continue the cycle. If we want to prevent death, we must prevent rebirth, link 11. To prevent rebirth, we must prevent karmic actions, step 10 and so on. Ultimately, we must go right back to link 1, ignorance. If we can penetrate ignorance, we stop the entire cycle, extinguish the wheel of samsara. )

(Note: Sing this song to the melody of  "Little Drummer Boy")

Come, I tell thee, Om Mani Padme Hum
A new mind is born to you, Om Mani Padme Hum
Our finest gifts we bring, Om Mani Padme Hum
To lay before this King,

Om Mani Padme Hum,
Om Mani Padme Hum,
Om Mani Padme Hum

So to honor you,
Om Mani Padme Hum
Now that you've finally come

Precious Buddha Mind, Om Mani Padme Hum
I am the same as you, Om Mani Padme Hum
I am the gift I bring, Om Mani Padme Hum
That's fit to give to King,

Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum

Shall I chant for you, Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum

Deity sing, Om Mani Padme Hum
The Earth and Sky kept time, Om Mani Padme Hum
I chanted my mantra tune, Om Mani Padme Hum
I chant with full presence,

Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum

Then I felt inner peace,
Om Mani Padme Hum
Om Mani Padme Hum

Dashing through the sangha
in a long robe, bell, dorje
over all these cushions
chanting all the way

Bell clasped in left hand
bringing buddha near
oh what fun it is to meditate all night and day, HEY!

CHORUS

Dorje Bell, Dorje Bell, ringing all the way
Oh what fun it is to find
the true nature of mind, HEY!

Dorje Bell, Dorje Bell, ringing all the way
Oh what fun it is to find
the true nature of mind, HEY!

Silent OM, Holy OM
All is OM, Every sound is OM
Round yon silence lay, mother and child
Holy presence so silently loud
Can you hear it in the peace?
Can you hear OM in your peace?


OM is the sound of the universe
it rings out loud, like a high frequency pitch
it's been there your entire life
but you've missed it

Listen now...
can you hear it?
Once you hear it
You will say AHA!
and from then on
you will always hear it
in silence or in sound
It is the sound of the universe
singing to you