In this extraordinary series, Geshe Tashi gives us regular updates on the Coronavirus Pandemic amongst the Tibetan diaspora in India through the lens of Sera Mey Monastery, home to around 6,000 monks. In response to emails asking after his welfare and requesting advice on Coronavirus and Buddhist practice, he generously shares his observations, thoughts and advice in his usual warm-hearted and accessible style.
Geshe Tashi has been waiting for this terrible virus to hit his community, and in today’s update, he generously shares with us how he was feeling low yesterday. Despite our best efforts this is just the way things are, he concludes, and sometimes the things we try to help us feel better don’t work.
His naughty and irreverent sense of humour, however, comes to the fore as he describes the run up to a state mandated commitment at 9pm tonight.
In the Practicing in a Pandemic section, Geshe la revisits the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, briefly reviewing body and feelings, and then addressing mind and phenomena. He offers us a skilful variation on mindfulness of mind, suggesting we bring up love and compassion at this point, and gives us a helpful explanation of the purpose behind the mindfulness of phenomena.
As a little note from us, we’d like to thank you for all your comments. Geshe la has said many times how he enjoys reading them. It is, however, a genuine pleasure for us to read them all too, something we always look forward to. Please don’t be shy, we’d love it if you keep them coming. As most of you have realised, your comments don’t post immediately, but are held instead until we can check them for spam, occasional mistakes, accidents and so on, so please expect a delay of some kind.
With best wishes on this sunny Sunday
Peter & Tri
https://foundationsofbuddhistthought.org/
Khen Rinpoche Geshe Tashi Tsering taught in London for over 25 years and is currently Abbot of Sera Mey Monastery in Karnataka State, India.
Dear Khen Rinpoche Geshe Tashi-la, thank you so much for you way of being so relaxed and happy, for your refreshing laughter and for explaining how to make mindfulness meditation more deep and more meaningful.
After all, since one sits anyway, it might as well bring a far reaching benefit.
And then of course, very happy to know that the torch is useful, and you sent some signs with it to prime minister Modi. 😂😂😂
May he have received them, and may he also benefit from your compassion and wisdom.
With great appreciation, Ani Losang/Rita
Dear Geshe-La
Many thanks for continuing to think of us all during this unusual time. I was sorry to hear you had a period of feeling low, but please feel comforted that you were in good company as I’m sure a lot of us are experiencing similar mood-shifts. I certainly am, and deal with it the same way you did – remembering that it will pass.
I understood your reticence to participate in the lights-out activity (and hope the torch came in handy!). In the UK we have been asked to come to our front door and clap for the NHS every Thursday evening at 8pm. I too, was a little reluctant to do it. But seeing the many people across the country clapping, and in other countries too, shown on the news the next day made it seem more purposeful – we are all in this together.
Please keep well, and as we say “keep your chin up”
With great affection, Sue Godden