NamoBuddha Pilgrimage

NamoBuddha Pilgrimage
Have you ever heard of the story about the King Bayan Deer? It tells a story of sacrifice, compassion, generosity, and even suffering as the King discovered empathy through the actions of others. There are so many symbolic icons and representations in the Buddhist and Hindu faiths, it is extraordinary and inevitable to examine our own thoughts and actions.

Buddhist Prayer Flags

Buddhist Prayer Flags
Traditionally, Buddhist prayer flags can be found in the Himalayas Mountains, along rooftops, even embedded in the flora of a country. They are hung to bless the countryside, those that are living nearby, and serve many other purposes. They traditionally come in five colors, which represent the Five Elements: sky (blue), air/wind (white), fire (red), water (green), Earth (yellow). Tibetan Buddhists believe that once all of the elements have reached a balance, good health and harmony will follow. Although many believe that the flags carry prayers, that is a common misunderstanding. In fact, there are mantras written across the prayer flags and in addition to saying the mantras, prayers are offered up for those that hang the flags for lifelong blessings. The best time to hang the flags is in the morning, preferably when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing; therefore the wind can carry compassion and good will to all within its reach. After traveling through Buddhist communities, I noticed that some prayer flags looked brand new while others were old, tattered, and faded. Just as Buddhists have accepted the journey of life through aging, so the flags are treated the same. Alongside of old, faded flags will hang new ones. The old ones are not taken down, burned, or thrown away because of the sanctity of the mantras and symbols. Each colored flag has an image or a name of the four powerful animals, better known as "Four Dignities". Perhaps you can see them on various Buddhist flags, but they are the dragon, garuda, tiger, and snowlion. How colorful and beautiful!

One-horned Nepali Rhino Mother and Calf

One-horned Nepali Rhino Mother and Calf
Truly an opportunity! Rare, but this is why you ride an elephant through the jungle because the elephant can navigate through dense jungle pathways and conceal the human scent in order to capture this wonderful occasion of observing one of Nepal’s species that are on the rebound in re-populating numbers, previously close to extinction!

Friday, April 18, 2014





Namaste!  Welcome to my 2014 blog that will reflect and capture my experiences while on My Journey to Nepal!

It is with great excitement and passion that I share with you my invaluable opportunity in the summer of 2014.  I was accepted to teach in the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal for two months!  Nepal strives to make English one of its official languages, starting in their education systems, providing their students and future generations with skills necessary to become global participants, ambassadors, and leaders, raising Nepal’s overall standards of living. 

9 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  2. How long is the flight? I will be on a plane for 7 hours next summer so I'm curious how much it might suck...lol

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  3. Good luck! Hope you have a great time!

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  4. Its not the same without u liebl

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  5. I'm glad to hear that you made it safely. I love reading your blog!

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  6. Thank you, everyone, for your kind posts and wishing me well! This journey is more than I imagined and I'm only about a week into it! The teaching component hasn't even begun! We will start on Monday since there is a chariot festival tomorrow (Sunday), but otherwise, school runs from Sunday-Friday! Could you imagine school for six days a week? Lol. Have a safe and happy summer and feel free to keep in touch!

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My Parting Gifts

My Parting Gifts
A parting gift from two of my students that worked so hard to create this beautiful piece of art that I can't wait to hang in my room next year!! Thank you so much for a wonderful year! You have touched my heart immensely!

Ganesha Chair

Ganesha Chair
What a gorgeous expression of art! Thank you so much!

Map of Nepal