Clare did most of the touring around St. Andrews on her own but there were a few times where I took a break from working and we got to hang out together.

One thing about living in a University town is that there is always a party or something happening around town. While Clare was here we went to the bonfire on Castle Sands for the Summer Solstice.

Around midnight on the Summer Solstice

I love living around all of these ruins.

When Clare and I were discussing her visit I discovered that you can feed the meerkats at the aquarium. I decided to do this for Clare’s birthday gift. It was pretty amazing – although the mealworms in the bucket were not dead, as they appeared, but moved the second you put your hand in the bucket. There is also one meerkat, named Cumberland, that we were warned sometimes bites. Thankfully, he’s cross-eyed so easily distinguishable.

Meerkats!

They know it’s food time!

Clare asked for me not to put her picture up but this one is so good that I couldn’t resist.

One meerkat, named Chip, is trying to get into my pocket while another is burying my shoe. I didn’t mind.

Meerkat on my shoulder.

Dragged Clare to Balgove Larder and almost had to drag her back out.

Gorgeous landscape

Residents of Balgove Larder

Supplies for the drive to the Isle of Skye.

Drive through the Highlands on the way to the Isle of Skye. Clare did a great job driving on the left side of the road.

Great tea shop in the Highlands

 

Kenneth Branagh as Macbeth

Tonight is the final performance of Kenneth Branagh’s Macbeth at the Manchester International Festival. It is being live-streamed to the movie theater here in St. Andrews and a few friends of mine and I are going.  When my sister was visiting, we were able to get tickets to one of the preview performances, making Manchester our final stop here in the UK.

There is no real way for me to describe how excited I was to see this production. When I was in the third grade, Clare dragged me along with her friends to see Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing and I have never looked back. It was around this time that my Mom decided I was old enough to start going to the Shakespeare Theater with the rest of my family. I became engrossed in the language and the stories. I have read every play (more than once) and they feel different every time I read one.

I adore actors like Derek Jacobi, Tom Hiddleston, Patrick Stewart, Ben Whishaw, and David Tennant but my first love has always been Kenneth Branagh. I have five favorite plays (it’s impossible to decide on one): Hamlet, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, King Lear, and Macbeth. I had seen each of them performed live except for Macbeth. It was fate that I was about to see it performed for the first time while studying in Scotland. And since Clare has been there from the beginning of my obsession it seemed only fitting that we were going to this production together.

We met at a warehouse to pick up our tickets and were given our group assignment. Once our group was called we were lead to a deconsecrated church that only housed 200 people.

The view to the other side of the theater from my seat

The theater filled up

There was mud on the floor and Alex Kingston (as Lady Macbeth) was lighting candles under the darkened windows, while everyone was shown to their seats. Once the lights went down, smoke filled the room and the witches began their speech. Then, as though there was any other way for me to see Kenneth Branagh in person for the first time, thunder and lightening crashed and he was standing 8 feet away from me.

Alex Kingston lighting candles before the performance

The entire production was amazing. There was rain, mist, incense and fire, and the compact nature of the space, you felt as though you were apart of the performance. The cast was insanely talented (Jimmy Yuill played Banquo). I may have geeked out about having met Yuill and that I made eye contact with Branagh (four times!).

One of the greatest things about Shakespeare is that it is living work, never more so than when in the hands of actors like Branagh. I know Macbeth’s final monologue as well as I know my address but even I was on the edge of my seat while he was talking. As he spoke, he seemed to be looking for the right words, as if they were not already entombed in his memory. I know I am biased but honestly, I have never seen anything as impressive as his performance.

I took this during the curtain call, not realizing that I might not have been allowed to do so.

So, of course, I am now taking a break from writing to relive this experience with some of my Art History colleagues. I have talked it up so much that I hope they enjoy it…although I don’t know how they couldn’t.

One thing I have noticed about living in Scotland is that no one wants to visit during the winter, which means that this summer I am having a lot of people showing up while I am working on my dissertation. My sister, Clare, arrived last month and stayed for about three weeks. Although I have to spend a lot of time researching and writing, we were able to get away for a few excursions. We met up in Dublin, which neither of us had visited before, and was exciting since the majority of our ancestry is Irish.

We stayed in the dorms of Trinity College.

Trinity College campus

 

The campus is gorgeous.

Sphere within a Sphere by Arnaldo Pomodoro

And there is the library…

Trinity Library

not only does it house the Book of Kells, which was amazing, but I have decided that I am going to move in there.

After getting our library fix, a family addiction, it was time to get some Guinness at the Factory.

 

Guinness Sample

Old Guinness Advertisements

Walking around St. Stephen’s Green…

St. Stephen’s Green

Museums…

National Museum of Ireland

I know…again with the ceilings.

 

In the National Museum of Ireland they have the Tara Brooch, which is one of the first things I learned about in my high school art history class. It was made in 700 AD and discovered in 1850. It is considered one of the most important early Celtic Christian art.

 

 

Tara Brooch

National Gallery

We were there on June 16, otherwise known as Bloomsday. The day is a celebration of James Joyce’s work and life.

We heard some “Joycean Music” at the National Library.

Joycean Music at the National Library

And went to Davy Byrne’s pub for lunch. Look at all the people dressed in Edwardian clothes!

Bloomsday at Davy Byrne’s Pub

We spent our last day walking around the Temple Bar Area

Temple Bar area

And finally… we found Bono’s hotel. That was probably a lot more exciting than it should be.

Bono’s Hotel

All in all it was a great trip, and we packed a lot of stuff into 3 days.

Up Next: Clare in St. Andrews

 

 

 

 

My sister and I attended a lecture tonight by Irish poet Seamus Heaney at the University. I have been a fan of Mr. Heaney’s for years and it was such an honor to be able to hear him speak in person. There is nothing more enthralling than listening to the cadence of a seasoned poet. As a part of the Medieval Studies convention, he of course focused his discussion on not only the poets of that time, but specifically of Fife – the kingdom in which St. Andrew’s is located.

Tonight I got to hear Seamus Heaney read and discuss Beowulf in person – five feet away from me. This is one of those moments that is going to stick for a long time. Did I mention that Cormac McCarthy was sitting in the audience with us?!

Above is an interview from a few years ago that I think gives a pretty good impression of who he is.

The weekend that I went to Samye Ling was dedicated to Tara prayers and empowerments. The 25^th was Lama Yeshe’s 70^th birthday, which also fell on the 33^rd anniversary of his ordination, as well as day of Buddha’s Enlightenment. In honor of this occasion, His Holiness the 17^th Gyalwang Karmapa advised that White Tara prayers should be said for Lama Yeshe’s good health and long life. As a result, I was able to participate in both the Green and White Tara empowerment ceremonies as well as a set of “Neten Chachok” prayers (prayers to the 16 elders).

What is the difference between Green and White Tara?

Tara is a Bodhisattva of compassion and action, and is considered to be the female aspect of Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara). The Dalai Lama and the Karmapa are considered to be earthly manifestations of Chenrezig, who reincarnate in order to help free others from samsara (the continuous flow of birth, death, and rebirth). In fact, her origin story is rooted in Chenrezig who, upon seeing the suffering of man, cried– the tears from his right eye became Green Tara and the tears from his left eye became White Tara.

Green Tara is the goddess of virtuous activity. She is believed to help followers overcome fear, anxiety, dangers, and acts quickly for those who ask for her help. She is depicted as though she is ready to leap up and come to the aid of those in prayer.

Green Tara Image from the Empowerment Ceremony

White Tara represents the motherly elements of compassion, signifying purity, wisdom, and truth. She is associated with longevity and the removal of obstacles. She is depicted with seven eyes (one on each hand and foot, as well as on her forehead). This depiction is meant to represent her constant vigilance and ability to see the suffering of man.

White Tara Image from the Empowerment Ceremony

While Green Tara and White Tara are the most common, there are actual 21 Tara deities, all representing different elements, most of which are combined within Green Tara.

What is an empowerment ceremony?

An empowerment is a ceremony during which you make a close connection to a particular deity. It is a way to call on the qualities that the deity represents in order to bring those qualities forward in your own nature.

The ceremonies are very similar to each other. We had the Green Tara one first and I was very thankful that there was an explanation of the ceremony beforehand. I walked up in line with everyone else, chanting the Tara mantra (Om Tare Tuttare Ture Svaha) to Akong Rinpoche. He placed a blessing on my head and poured consecrated, saffron-infused water into my hands for me to drink. Then I was given an image of Green Tara to aid in my visualization (I have a couple friends who refer to these images as my Buddhist Pokémon Cards). After everyone had taken the empowerment, we left the temple and allowed Rinpoche to finish the ceremony on his own. The White Tara one was extremely similar, except for the fact that Lama Yeshe was in attendance, sitting next to his brother and participating in the ceremony.

Afterward receiving the empowerments there were explanations on how to use the Green Tara and White Tara prayers. They were amazing classes that didn’t simply go over the text of the prayers but what the deities mean and how to include their enlightened qualities in our own lives.

Celebration of Buddha’s Enlightenment

The Buddha Statue with the Katas that we offered in the morning prayers

In order to celebrate the day of Buddha’s Enlightenment we conducted a set of “Neten Chachok” prayers. These are prayers to the 16 elders, those who have already attained Enlightenment. As I am new to chanting meditation, I had been stumbling over the Tibetan (which I do not know so is quite easy to stumble over). However, this was the first time that I was able to get through a chant without getting lost after the first three sentences.

Lama Yeshe and Akong Rinpoche

Afterwards the prayers continued as participants carried copies of the “Tengyur”, the Teachings of the Buddha, around the Temple. I opted out of this part, as the texts were going to be delivered to the New Tibetan Library at the center, through a window. I am short and clumsy – I just saw it ending badly.

Lama Yeshe

My friend David carrying a copy of the Tengyur

Lama Yeshe’s Birthday

There was a celebration of Lama Yeshe in the lecture hall. There were several performances and gifts given in honor of Lama Yeshe. The Karmapa even sent him an image which was made with ink mixed with the Karmapa’s blood. It sounds a little gruesome but it really is a very meaningful gesture.

Me and Lama Yeshe. One of the children had made him that card, he pointed out to me that it was supposed to be him – because of the beard of the person in the center of the picture.

Biggest misconception about Buddhism

When I was in school, I can remember learning about different religions and filling in a chart where you listed the country it was mainly practiced in (or originated from), 2-3 basic ideological points, and the “god” that the religion focused on. This is how a lot of people learn the idea that Buddhists pray to Buddha. Even though I have been talking about deities and origin myths, this is not the case. In fact, Buddhism is a non-theistic religion. Every deity is a representation of an aspect of the nature of every sentient being and is used in order to visualize a physical form and aid the development of those enlightened qualities. Yes, we bow to our gurus, and prostrate to statues of Buddha but this is not because we think of them as gods, but are instead showing respect to great teachers who are helping us on the path to Enlightenment. It is simply easier to teach children that Buddhists pray to Buddha, rather than explain that we believe that our consciousness is beginning-less and therefore there is no creator for it.

* Thanks to Gelong Thubten and David for teaching me a lot of the specifics of these deities.

The main purpose of my visit to Samye Ling was in order to take Refuge. The phrase “Taking Refuge” is used to describe the way in which a person formally commits to Buddhism. For the past six years I have been reading about Buddhism and meditating on my own, and felt that I had been doing fine with that. However, when I was in Italy this past March I began to realize how much I missed the sense of community that I had grown up with. I decided it was time to officially commit to the Buddhist community, so when I returned home I did some research, found Samye Ling and planned my trip out.

Although I was excited about the ceremony, I was becoming increasingly nervous as the time drew near. It is one thing to navigate some sort of spiritual path on your own, it something completely different to put yourself into a group of people that have been studying for years together, and have a greater understanding of what they are doing. From the very first moment that I stepped onto the grounds, the people I met made me feel instantly welcomed. There was not a moment where I felt like an outsider. At dinner I met David who took me around the grounds of the center and walked me through EVERYTHING. He explained the stories of Guru Rinpoche, Nagarjuna as well as the different aspects of the art, architecture and even explained the different elements of the Refuge ceremony. Learning more about the lineage I was stepping into helped calm my nerves about participating in the ceremony, whether I was ready or not, or if this community was right for me. We talked about the different deities, the importance of the Karmapa, Buddhism as a Socratic religion and he explained some of the chants and rituals to me (I had only ever done silent meditation so I had no idea of how to meditate with chants). My contribution to the conversation, of course, led me back to Dr. Who – no matter the location I am always a sci-fi nerd, I felt my sister would have been proud.

The ceremony itself took place after an explanation of Taking Refuge by Gelong Thubten, one of the monks at the center and Akong Rinpoche’s assistant. Once the six of us who had come for refuge were prepared, we headed up to Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche’s home for the ceremony. Meeting Akong Rinpoche was daunting in of itself but to be receiving Refuge from him was incredibly so. Akong Rinpoche is a Tulku, a recognized reincarnated Lama. Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche is the reincarnation of the 1^st Akong, the Abbot of Dolma Lhakang monastery in Tibet. He was discovered at age two by monks following instructions of the 16^th Karmapa. In 1959, both Akong and his younger brother, Lama Yeshe, were part of a group of 300 that were fleeing Tibet for India. Akong Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe were among the 13 of that party that survived. He and Lama Yeshe were the ones that established Samye Ling, and he has also helped found ROKPA International, an international humanitarian organization. He is an incredibly kind and funny man, and it was an honor to be around him.

Akong Rinpoche (left) and Lama Yeshe (right). Photo courtesy of Samye Ling.

The ceremony began after we were settled and Rinpoche had answered some questions. Rinpoche and Gelong Thubten opened the ceremony with a Tibetan chant. Then, as a group, the six of us repeated a request for Refuge, in English and Tibetan, after Rinpoche. These are the vows we take to take refuge in and abide by the Three Jewels, the Three Roots, and the Five Precepts.

The Three Jewels…

1. The Buddha – This refers to the Buddha nature as well as the historical Buddha, who is used as an example for those striving for enlightenment.
2. The Dharma – The teachings of the Buddha, which are the path to Enlightenment.
3. The Sangha – The community of practicing Buddhists, who aid in the path to Enlightenment.

The Three Roots…

1. The Gurus/ Lamas – Your teacher and your guide along the path to Enlightenment.
2. The Yidams – These are the deities that you use for meditation. It is a reflection of awakening, and therefore reflects whatever each individual practitioner requires to awaken.
3. The Protectors – The enlightened energy that is the root of action or the enlightened activity of realized beings.

The Five Precepts…

1. To refrain from harming living creatures
2. To refrain from taking that which is not given
3. To refrain from sexual misconduct
4. To refrain from false speech
5. To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness

One by one we came in front of Rinpoche. When it came to my turn, both of my legs had fallen asleep (I was definitely not used to sitting like that for so long) but thankfully I was already pretty much directly in front of Rinpoche, so  I didn’t make a complete ass out of myself. Kneeling in front of Rinpoche, he cut a millimeter of hair from the crown of my head; this is a symbol of your new commitment to Buddhism. Afterwards, he anointed my head with consecrated water and gave me my Dharma name. He then touched the crown of my head with blessed objects and I returned to my spot. My Dharma name is “Karma Noryang Lhamo”. Everyone in the Karma Kagyu tradition receives the name Karma, in order to identify the lineage, but Noryang Lhamo can be translated as either “Goddess of Wealth and Melody” or “Melodious Jewel Goddess”. Your name is decided for you based on Karma. Rinpoche had two stacks of cards with names on them, one with female names and the other with male names. It was meant to be that you are in that particular spot in line at that particular time in order to receive your name. We then repeated our vows with our new name and we were officially Buddhist practitioners in the Karma Kagyu tradition. I presented a white Kata (scarf) to Rinpoche who blessed it and placed it around my neck.

Over the next couple of days I took part in the group meditations, two empowerment ceremonies, as well as the birthday celebrations for Lama Yeshe’s 70^th birthday (all of which I hope to explain in later posts, if I have time). I even had a few people ask me if I was “the American girl who came to take Refuge” and was constantly told by people I just met how excited they were for me and to welcome me into their community. When it came time for me to leave Samye Ling, it felt as though I was leaving home all over again. On that first day, David compared the experience of Samye Ling to a traditional Vietnamese way of washing potatoes. They are all thrown into a large barrel of water and stirred with a stick, causing them to crash into each other and knock all the dirt off. I love this analogy because it explains perfectly how this experience felt. It was a lot to take in, and a lot to learn, but at the end of it I felt like a better version of myself and had gone through it with an amazing group of people.

Tokens from the Refuge Ceremony: The Kata, refuge bracelet, prayers, Dharma name card, and a picture of Akong Rinpoche with the Karmapa.

I spent four days at Kagyu Samye Ling, a Tibetan center and monastery. I will go more in detail about my actual experience there but first I wanted to post about the different elements of the center itself. It is the first Tibetan Buddhist Center in the West, built in 1967, nestled in the hills of Scotland  and is the most peaceful place I have ever been. As I am still learning about these different elements, I got all of this information from the Samye Ling website.

These stupas line both sides of the entrance to Samye Ling next to the Butterlamp House. When the Buddha died and passed into parinirvana (final liberation), his disciples cremated his body and interred his ashes in eight stupas, which were erected in different auspicious locations. Each stupa represents an important event in the life of the Buddha.

The Dorms and Dinning Room

The Dorms…

On the way to the Dinning Hall

The Butterlamp House

Where they light 1,000 butterlamps for world peace.

The Peace Garden

This is a statue of Nagarjuna, the forefather of the Madyamika school of philosophy, which forms the basis of the Karma Kagyu view of emptiness. According to Buddhist legend, Nagarjuna discovered the Prajnaparamita teachings that had been entrusted to the nagas for safekeeping.

The king cobra rising up behind Nagarjuna is the king of the nagas and is protecting him from rain and sunshine. This is reminiscent of an older story of the Buddha wherein once when the Buddha was practicing meditation, it began to rain and a king cobra rose up behind him and used its head to shield him from the rain and fierce elements.

The statue conveys several different symbolic meanings. All snakes and fish are seen as symbolic of nagas; so Nagarjuna is located in a lake filled with fish and is protected by a cobra. He is seated on the coiled body of the snake, whose body acts as a parasol, to show that the nagas are respectful of him and wish to serve him. The books to his left are the Prajnaparamita Sutras. The vase to his right is a vessel for storing his monastic possessions. According to the accounts of his life, he kept his monastic vows perfectly. Consequently, he is also wearing the robes of a fully ordained monk. The hand gesture or “mudra” is the mudra of teaching. It indicates that he is instructing the nagas in the Dharma (the teachings of the Buddha.) His legs are in the bodhisattva posture, which is symbolic of his love and concern for all living beings.

The Cloutie Tree

It is both a Scottish and Tibetan custom to make a wish and then tie a coloured ribbon to the tree. As the cloth fades the wish is carried off by the elements and hopefully one day comes true.

The Stupa

A Stupa is a symbol of the enlightened mind of the Buddha and its function is to restore, balance and transform negative energies to heal both our planet and ourselves. The form and contents of the Stupa express the balance and purification of earth, water, fire, air and space. They also express the wisdom and compassion of Buddha nature, the true nature of all living beings. The Victory Stupa at Samye Ling was consecrated in 2000 and is the first of its kind in Scotland.

The Prayer Wheels around the Stupa

The prayer wheels contain millions of mantras (short prayers) for peace and compassion, which have been inscribed on paper soaked in saffron water and blessed in a special way. As one turns the prayer wheel clockwise it activates the blessing of the mantras, transmitting the energy of peace and compassion in all directions.

The Temple

Pictures cannot do this place justice.

In the centre of the balcony above the entrance to the main shrine is a large golden eight-spoked Dharma wheel. This represents the wheel offered to the Buddha by the god Brahma so that he would teach the Dharma after he attained enlightenment. The two deer alongside the wheel represent the two deer that emerged from the forest at Deer Park and sat down next to the Buddha when he began to teach the Four Noble Truths for the very first time, showing that his teachings are relevant to all beings, not just humans.

On the four corners of the gold roof, there are chusins or water animals whose function is to harmonize the water element.

Inside the Temple

There are 16 Karmapa statues representing each of the 16 incarnations of the Karmapa, who is head of the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. These statues are at the front of the shrine on the top row. Each statue contains relics (such as pieces of their robes, nails and hair) from that specific Karmapa. Placed in square cabinets around the central statue of the Buddha are smaller statues of the main lineage holders (arranged clockwise from left to right): Dorje Chang, Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa and Gampopa.

Where Akong Rinpoche sits during the ceremonies

In Tibetan a shrine room is called Lhakang, which means ‘Palace of the God’. This indicates that representations of enlightened beings are present.

In a Buddhist shrine three things are essential…1. Relics or images of the historical Buddha. These are not for worship. Instead, the statues, relics and images are to provide inspiration for what we can achieve by following the Buddha’s teachings. They also serve as a support for our respect and devotion to the teachings.

The main Buddha statue was not made in Samye Ling, but was imported from India. Inside the statue is a ‘life stick’, which represents the inner spiritual life force. The statue also contains relics, dried flowers and precious jewels. The statue is particularly precious because it contains relics of both the Buddha and Guru Rinpoche. They are behind the diamond on the forehead of the Buddha statue.

It is believed that anyone who looks on the statue will find peace of mind and his or her karma will be purified.

Beside the main statue are two standing figures depicting the Arhats Shariputta and Amogollana, the Buddha’s two main disciples. Around the statue itself are the Twelve Deeds of the Buddha shown in pictorial form. They represent the main events in the Buddha’s life. The dragons are symbols of bodhisattvas offering wish-fulfilling jewels to the Buddha.

2. Representations of the Sangha or followers of the Buddhist Teachings. The Sangha is represented in the shrine by the 1000 Buddha statues at the front and by the statues of the Kagyu lineage on either side of the main Buddha statue. The 1000 Buddhas represent all the Buddhas that will appear in this cosmic aeon and each of these statues contains a precious relic.

3. Representations of the Dharma (or Teachings). At the time of the historical Buddha there was no image of him and his teachings were not written down. Two of his main disciples, who had committed his teachings to memory, later wrote them down. These writings are referred to as the Kanjur. At a later stage commentaries were written on these teachings by enlightened scholars and are called the Tanjur. Referred to as ‘the Buddhist Canon’, these appear in the shrine room as the scrolls covered in gold and red cloth on either side of the main shrine. Those covered with gold cloth are the Tanjur and those covered in red cloth are the Kanjur.

On the ceiling of the shrine are alternating screen prints of dragons and phoenixes, painted in Chinese style. The phoenix balances yin (male) and yang (female) energies. In Tibet dragons are revered because they are regarded as having magical and healing powers. Both of these animals have the symbolic function of prolonging life. The Sanskrit letters written on the cross beams inside the shrine are the names of different Buddhas in the past and are also purification mantras which bless all those who walk beneath it.

Inside the Temple. Where we prayed, conducted the Green and White Tara Initiation Ceremonies, and took class – those are our desks

The Gardens and The River

The Organic Garden, where they members of Samye Ling grow their own food.

Garden Pets…

The River Esk

This stone structure is embedded with semi-precious stones and was built as an offering to the nagas or water spirits who dwell at the junction between the two rivers.

Making offerings to nagas is a way of bringing environmental forces into balance. The point where the two rivers meet is directly opposite the doors of the temple and is very powerful in terms of geomancy. The Naga House also serves a function in balancing the powerful energies emanating from this point.

Medicine Tara Statue

The Tara Healing Garden is dedicated to the 21 emanations of Tara and will preserve and propagate medicinal herbs native to Tibet that can be cultivated in the climate of the Scottish Borders. Each of the 21 emanations of Tara has the power and the qualities to overcome 21 different kinds of physical and mental disease. Therefore 21 different herbs connected with these different aspects will be planted in separate petal shaped beds around the central statue of Medicine Tara.

“Fairy Hill”

The flags are inscribed with prayers for peace, compassion, strength and wisdom; and the different colours represent the five natural elements. They are flown with the aspiration that as the wind blows, the blessing of the prayers will be carried in all directions.

Formal Entrance to Samye Ling

This is the formal entrance to Kagyu Samye Ling. The Gate is dedicated to world peace and is decorated with carved mantras and figures that are said to help develop peace of mind in all those who see it or go under it.

The Karma Kagyu tradition is the spiritual lineage of Samye Ling. At the bottom of the pillars are paintings of four great kings who are guardians of the four directions and ward off negative forces

On the inside of the pillars further down, are other animals carved into the sides of the pillars, all of whom have a protective function in warding off negative influences. You can see a white yak,

a white hawk

and a black scorpion, all of which are different manifestations of Nyenchen Tangla, a mythical king

The black crow symbolizes Mahakala, the principal protector within the Karma Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. A protector is a manifestation of enlightened energy that wards off and transforms obstacles and negative conditions. There are black crows ALL OVER St. Andrews, so learning this brings a whole new meaning to my life in my small university town.

It is a beautiful place, where everything has a lot of meaning.

I am working on my posts from my four days at Samye Ling and my Refuge Ceremony. In the meantime, here is a video from a center in Dublin. It is an interview with Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche, who gave me Refuge. It was an honor to meet him and I feel very lucky to have received Refuge from him.

Last week the school of Art History sponsored a lecture by author and feminist, Germaine Greer, where she discussed Aboriginal Art and the Art Market. So why would a feminist author be invited to talk about art? Greer is actually a rather interesting art historian in her own right. Her book The Obstacle Race is a compelling look at the way in which women artists have been overlooked throughout the centuries, while their, equally talented, male counterparts have thrived in history.

As I was raised in a household that encouraged feminism (my mom has all of her degrees in Women’s History), I was excited for this talk. Although it was interesting talk, it was also a little hard to follow at times. You can tell that her main focus these days is on the political tensions between the Aboriginal peoples and the Australian government, not as much on the art itself. Although she did have some wonderful examples of Aboriginal artists from different decades, I wished she had discussed the development of these artists a little more. She claimed that one artist, currently working in New York, never won a prize because she is a woman with controversial work. Personally, and this may have been just the example that she picked to show us, I didn’t find this woman’s work compelling and I didn’t feel that  the fact that she was a woman had anything to do with it.

I was thrilled by this lecture, regardless if I agreed with everything she said or not. Greer is an energetic and engaging speaker who believes completely in what she says. There is also a ferocity that she puts forth, almost daring you to question her. The speech was a little disorganized but fascinating and it was the first time that I felt like a critical Art Historian.

I tried to find a video of her speaking about art but was unable so instead I attached this video from 2010, to give you a sense of who she is. I feel very honored to have been able to hear her speak.

One thing that I had not had a chance to do since coming to Scotland is make it to the Highlands. It was also something that Mike had wanted to see. So here is the problem… Mike was here for a short time and navigating the Highlands takes both time and transportation other than simply the train. So we found a tour group, Highland Experience Tours, which would take us through Loch Ness and Glen Coe and bring us back to Edinburgh.

Bright and early we made our way to the pick-up point on the Royal Mile and waited for our tour guide, Kenny. The bus was comfortable and Kenny, who I might add was wearing a kilt, was pretty funny. As you drive through the different parts of the highlands, they played dramatic recordings of stories of the Jacobite rebellion and the murders at Glen Coe. Although I know that there are a few details that were not completely accurate (Margaret Tudor was not the daughter of Henry VIII but Henry VII)  it was fairly entertaining.

Our first stop of the day was the one I was looking forward to the most… LOCH NESS.

Not the real Nessie…

Apparently if you turned the Eiffel Tower upside down, you can submerge it completely in the Loch.

The first depiction of the Loch Ness Monster was actually in the 6^th Century when Saint Columba, an Irish monk, came across a group burying a man by the River Ness.  The man had apparently been swimming in the river when he was attacked and killed by a monster. Columba sent his follower out across the river and when the monster came after him, Columba stopped it by making the sign of the cross.

The myth became popular in 1933 when George Spicer and his wife supposedly saw a creature cross in front of their car, stories that the locals repeated in their own experiences until 1938. It was at this time that the Chief Constable wrote a letter stating that there was no doubt that the monster existed. There have been several pictures and videos of a plesiosaurs-type animal throughout the years, with the most recent sighting being in 2011 by George Edwards, but they have all been proven as fakes. Although there has been no concrete evidence of the monsters existence, it is still something that people believe in. In fact, since the 1930s looking for Nessie has become a main attraction for the Scottish highlands.

On the hunt… the hat is an essential part of monster hunting.

“The Surgeon’s Photograph” by Dr. Wilson in 1934 – probably the most famous Nessie picture

Look! I found her!

One thing I did have to do was get a stuffed Nessie for my newborn nephew. I probably had more fun with that task than I should have. In fact, I may have gotten one for myself as well.

Mike trying to steal my nephew’s gift.

Sitting on the banks of Loch Ness is Urquhart Castle. The ruins date from the 13^th to the 16^th centuries and were used as a royal residence in the 14^th century.

Our next stop was a few moments at Ben Nevis, the highest point in the British Isles. Kenny told us that it is often referred to as “the mountain with its head in the clouds”.

Apparently, because we were such a good tour group with time constraints, we were able to make an additional stop at Inverlochy Castle built in the 13^th century.

The most impressive landscape we saw on our trip was our drive through Glen Coe. Glen Coe is also known as “the glen of weeping” for two reasons. First of all, there are several waterfalls from the melting snow but this term is used more famously to refer to the massacre at Glen Coe from 1692.  It was then that members of the Clan Campbell murdered thirty-eight members of the Clan MacDonald after accepting their hospitality, on the orders of King William. The story has become the subject of many highland folk songs and poems.

I have a weakness for animals, always have. For example, I remember going to see Titanic when I was in 7^th grade with all of my friends, and we were all sobbing at the end. However, I was the only one not crying over Leonardo DiCaprio, but rather the fact that they never showed any of the dogs, that were filmed earlier, on the lifeboats.  So when we got the chance to see some Highland wildlife – I was thrilled.

SHEEP!

Look at the lambs!

This was my first time seeing a Highland Cow (aka “Heelind Coo”)! I was very excited about this because I find these guys absolutely hysterical. The oldest one is named Hamish and is 20 years old.  It was the perfect end to our (11 hour!) highland tour.

I am sad to have said goodbye but Mike’s trip was an amazing break and, even though I had more Scotch than I should have, it was a wonderful time.

10 years of friendship, 5 states, 2 countries and HOURS of girl talk later and we still are the coolest people that I know.