In 1997 I, along with about 100 students and a few guests, traveled to McLeod Ganj near Dharamsala India to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
We had asked for an audience and it was granted.
Everyone was filled with anticipation and joy.
It was March, the time of the Dalai Lama’s annual teachings. When we arrived the town was filled to the brim with shaved heads, gentle countenances and spinning prayer wheels. The air was thick with excitement, the swishing of burgundy robes and the Mantra *1 Om Pani Padmi Hum.
That evening just outside our windows hundreds of Candles held in the hands of faithful monks and nuns, flickered streaking like little comets through the descending darkness of late evening. Soft faces aglow in a sea of burgundy and hints of yellow. It was an auspicious sign that this would be an eventful time and it was. This after all was/ is Tibet in India. Or, it was as close to that mysterious culture as we were likely to ever get.
It’s so odd … we are all so grateful for the descent of this culture into our midst yet so pained by this very displacement. So it is with life and death and the apparent movement between the two. Who can explain it?
We were just thankful to be drinking spiritual nectar from the Land of Snow, the root of Shambala. It is easy to romanticize the Tibetans. They create an atmosphere of devotion that we enter through the portal of our own forgotten innocence … wholeheartedly … senses open and receptive.
Our group scattered, each one off to be attracted by their own magnetic current, filling their time with meaningfulness.
We were also shopping a good deal too. We just had to get those tankas, purbhas, that turquoise and silver. Women bought Tibetan dresses and we all loaded up on Buddhist books. We bought up the town, for gifts and memories and to further sanctify our altars. Everything little thing marked a very special time.
I had brought with me a peculiar gift, a bowl made of a human skull. It was given to me and really, I had no practice that called for such an item and I felt it was a true power object that deserved its rightful place. I knew I could not take it out of India … can you imagine the customs agent’s inquiry upon discovering it? Nor, did I want to keep it around as a simple curiosity. I always wondered who it was that once filled that skull and how it became a sacred bowl? So I, and whoever ‘it had been’ … was going to find a rightful and respectful place here among the tantrics of Tibetans.
There was a weather-changing yogi here that I wanted to meet and I thought this was where a skull bowel could rest.
The day came for our audience. It was in fact a wonderful day. The Dalai Lama was very open and charming. He gave us plenty of time and fed our group with genuine inspiration. We wove laughter, humility and hearts through the filaments of his kindly spoken words and his powerful yet very available presence. It was a big gift to be with him in that hour that stretched ever so long and disappeared far too quickly into our personal and collective memories.
Over the years we have had three audiences with H.H. the Dalia Lama, each was in fact a huge blessing for all. It was always an unforgettable time, a sparkling moment and an out-pouring of grace. We continue to pray for his well- being and long life.
During our visit I had learned that the weather-changing yogi had passed away.
Hmmm … the skull bowl! Now, whom, what or where?
I asked one of the Dalai Lama’s assistants…to whom might this skull bowl might belong? He said that I should visit the Dalia Lama’s Oracle, the Venerable Thubten Ngodup also and most often known as Nechung Kuten and offer it to him. He gave me the address of the Nechung Monastery and I made the connection for an appointment.
Upon meeting this gentle welcoming monk, I found him to be incredibly humble and non pretentious. He spoke very little English and though our verbal communication was somewhat clumsy, he seemed to me to be genuinely happy to spend time with us (Indro, my husband and I visited him).
I presented the skull to him explaining that I was directed to give it to him. He received it gracefully and I knew the one that had once lived in it had found his rightful place. It was a sweet-heart-relaxing relief.
When I left the gates of his monetary, I felt a little sadness to leave him, yet I knew we would meet again and we did meet again and again.
There was a gap of about eight years that I did not see him. However, his presence was always with me, and his gifts sat on my alter.
Over the years whenever I heard of anyone going to Dharamsala, I requested that person to deliver an envelope to him from me. They had a good reason to meet him and everyone felt blessed with his visit. I thought this was a really good idea for all concerned. A visitor came offering an envelope with a donation and my signature. It was for him to know that I never forgot him and I wanted him to remember me. Sometimes he would get two or even three envelopes from me in a year. This kept us close at heart and has gone on for many years and I plan to continue this invented tradition as long as we live, or as long as is possible.
PART 2
THE CALL
This year two students (Kendra and Gopal) told me they would be headin’ off to Dharamsala for a while. “Oh great, you can take an envelope to Nechung Kuten for me”. They were happy to meet him and to deliver my humble offering and the memory activator message.
Time passed as usual. The two returned to our ashram in India, along the banks of the sacred Ganges and the home of my wonderful and illustrious Spiritual Master Maharajji Hansrajji.
Kendra said, “Kutenla sent his phone number and asked that you call him. He’s in Dehradun (a near-by city) now and would like to see you”. I said, “thank you, I’ll do that”.
My assistant, Sahara, called a few times and either Kutenla’s phone was turned off or we got no answer so we just let it go.
One day quite unprepared for a visitor, I was told that there was a Tibetan monk arriving at my door. I knew who it was. It was so good to see him. He looked great and not a day older than eight years ago.
He said he was receiving teachings from his Master in Dehradun.
I asked him how he found our ashram? “I just came to Rishikesh and asked where you were and was directed little by little here”, he said.
We had a nice visit. He stayed for about two hours. Sahara attempted to make tea for him and the monks that accompanied him. They lightly sipped it and joyfully let it get cold…pretty bad tea. Sahara is not a tea maker. Kutenla’s compassion tied him and Sahara together that day. He gave a mala to Sahara and was truly touched by Sahara’s unsuccessful attempt to make a decent cup of tea.
Kutenla went to see Maharajji and both were very touched by their meeting.
He asked me to come to an Oracle event. That’s a ceremony where he goes into trance and the deity Nechung moves into his body (kuten means body) and addresses issues and questions posed to him by H.H. Dalai Lama or other important persons.
He had invited me in the past when I was in McLeod Ganj but it was just was not possible, my schedule would not part, even for a moment. I said I would love to attend an Oracle event…maybe next year I could.
Kutenla said that there would be an event within a few weeks and urged me to come. Our visit that day catapulted Kutenla and me into a closer deeper chapter of our relationship. Something clicked that both of us cherished.
I would like to mention here that he spoke about a new Nechung Monastery in south India.
The monastery monks are very young boys and are in need of a food fund. I told him we (my students and friends) would attempt to gather the funds for a year’s supply. Through the generosity of good people we were able to raise enough for a year of food for the young monks.
Kutenla called us after a week or so. He had set the date for the Oracle Event and asked us to be sure to come. I agreed and Prem (one of my wonderful organizers) arranged train tickets for thirty-five people.
PART 3
AN ORACLE EVENT ...with a dear, dear friend...
Video Captured by Sadhyaa and Presented Here with her Permission
Please Double Click Video To Start and Stop
This video is a rare opportunity to see what happens during an Oracle Event. Here you can see how difficult it is for the Nechung Deity to be contained in a human body and how difficult it is for the Monk Venerable Thubten Ngodup’s body to contain the Deity. This is a very sensitive video and we thank Venerable Thubten Ngodup’s for permitting us to post it.
Article Continues Below
We arrived in McLeod Ganj on the 13th of March; the event would occur the next morning at 7:30. We were all excited, though most of the people did not know what to expect. However, they did get a bit of a preview by watching a short YouTube video.
Kutenla invited my assistants and I, (four of us), to stay at the Nechung Monastery guesthouse and that was really nice. The other guests were scattered around the town in (hopefully) cozy hotels rooms.
That night, upon a rooftop of the Nechung Monastery, traditional long horns blew an invitation to the Deity. The night was lit by a full moon, and the horns blew for a very long and beautiful time. Jo Handley (one of the four) and I watched the monks sounding the horns through a window from my elevated room. They were facing us and we felt the vibration to our bones.
We were very moved by this experience.
The next day we all gathered early and the horns blew again as the ceremony began. We were ushered into the temple and sat to one side of the room, before the throne of Nechung. Tibetans, monks and a camera crew and our group filled the temple room.
An assembly of Monks from south India sang the sacred songs that set the atmosphere for the entrance of Nechung. Nechung Kuten came into the temple in deep meditation dressed in beautifully colored robes that were incredibly ornate. It is said that the robes of Nechung weigh seventy pounds. Horns, cymbals and deep guttural chanting created a magical atmosphere. The monks strapped a leather belt around Kutenla’s waist so very tightly that it bound my breath still in a gasp for a moment. Kutenla was obviously uncomfortable yet very peacefully centered in his meditation.
Even though complex sounds were circling the temple, there was a silence in watching him that could be compared to standing on the summit of a mighty mountain.
I watched closely, my eyes keenly detailed the scene like an egret watching a fish he was about to catch and swallow. The monks strapped a *2 shamanic mirror to his chest. It covered his solar plexus and his heart. It was made of highly polished brass and gold with a Tibetan inscription in the center.
Something began to happen to Kutenla, his eyes began to twitch. His body twitched; it was a time of great anticipation and a feeling of spiritual depth swept the room as the energy intensified. All of a sudden monks were strapping a *3 huge golden crown on his head, Nechung had arrived! The deity stood up and took a sharp sword and a bow in hand and began to dance. He moved to a throne belonging to the Dalai Lama and bowed and bowed. He danced and the sword was waved around ceremoniously. His hands were freed of the sacred objects and the monks directed him to his throne. Nechung was present and his body was powerfully shaking. I could hear him hissing and his voice was high and striking, speaking in a language neither Tibetan nor anything I have ever heard.
The monks were intensely writing while one held a small recorder at his voice.
We all moved up to him in a line and he offered blessing strings and sacred barley seeds with jerking hands. Some of us were told early on to return into the temple room as we moved past the deity. Many walked out but I took up the suggestion and returned to the room. I pulled some of my students back into the room as the ceremony continued.
The camera crews nudged up real close and I watched through the gaps of human forms. It was a wonderful powerful viewing. I moved up in line with the camera crew at the urging of a couple of monks that knew me to be a friend of Kutenla. The ‘honored monks’ moved into a line after Nechung finished speaking.
I moved into that line and received what I felt were very special barley seeds plopped into my hand. Why did I feel that these seeds were particularly special?
It’s because these seeds were hot and they kept my hand buzzing as long as I held them.
All of a sudden Nechung got up and ran to the Dalai Lama’s throne and bowed and collapsed. The crown came off and monks carried Kutenla out of the temple. I believe that I caught a photo of the spirit deity. I present this here. When Kutenla saw this photo he said he never saw anything like it.
Perhaps it is; perhaps it’s not but it seems like it is. This was a very wonderful, very special and a powerful experience. I am honored to have been invited to this ceremony. Thank You Venerable Nuchung Kuten! Thank You.
PART 4
THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED
Kutenla said that it takes about two hours to recover completely from the trance. However, I thought to leave him alone that day.
That evening Sahara got a call from Kutenla inviting us to breakfast. Yes, we would love to come.
We had such a great time asking questions about the ceremony and telling him
about our observations and experience. He was touched by our conversation.
He said he could talk to us because we understood his answers and that was uncommon. He insinuated that we were good company for him and well…he was definitely good company for us. He invited us to lunch and then breakfast and then an evening visit. He attended to us in such a way that we were deeply humbled again and again. Breakfast again and a look though his wonderful photo album. We talked about traveling to the monastery in the south, which I (we) will do. He said he would like to go to New Zealand with us, perhaps Peru.
On the morning of the last day, he came to our rooms and offered beautiful gifts.
I also offered gifts. That day we would meet with the others and say good-by.
The group gathered before departure and sang an offering song that we had sung to H.H. the Dalai Lama. We chanted the Medicine Buddha Mantra and he noticed that it was raining. Rain after a sacred offering or ceremony is an auspicious sign in many traditions. He spoke of our old friendship to my students and was particularly charming and happy yet there was an under current of a sadness emerging from all of us. He offered everyone tea and personally placed a traditional Khata (a length of silk) around the neck of every guest. Then he wanted to have a photo session…we loved that. A deep bow and a hug between the two of us, and I made a request for him to take care of his good self and his wonderful heart. Then….then, it was time to go.
About a week later we got a call. He said, “that was a very powerful mantra chanting that your group offered.” He said “it brought the rain and a rainbow, that was very powerful”.
“Thank You Kutenla…again soon we will be in touch”.
Some of the things revealed in our morning noon and evening meetings:
1. Kutenla’s heart beats 190 beats a minute during trance.
2. The Language Nechung speaks is only known by a very few monks and by
H.H. Dalai Lama.
3. At this Oracle Event Nechung was advising a young Tibetan Prince about his future.
4. The shamanic mirror is inscribed with the word ‘She’.
It is through this mirror that Nechung Deity enters Kuten (the body).
5. The crown only sits upon the head of Nechung Deity and not until he arrives is it placed.
6. Kutenla said that he does not know how to shoot a bow and arrow and cannot even pull the bow string but that Nechung is a skilled marksman.
7. Kutenla never learned the sacred dances that Nechung performs in ceremony.
They are very specific.
8. Kutenla never learned the language of Nechung but does know it now that he is the body of the deity.
9. Kutenla does not know of anything that is said or done while in trance. He said he goes into a kind of sleep or dreaming state. He says “It is like I step aside”.
10. I asked him what it was like for him after his very first trance and seeing his photo in trance. When he looked at the photos he said. “That’s not me”.
We could vouch for that.
footnotes
1. This mantra translated into English is something like this…The universe (Om)
(is a) Jewel (mani) in the lotus (padmi) of my heart or my self nature or being-ness (hum).
2.The shaman’s mirror is a disk worn on an energy center such as the heart or solarplex. Made of a polished metal, it is worn for protection against intruding negative energies. It also is a blessing aid and by looking into the mirror that the shaman has honed to his own awareness. He/she can detect illness and its location.
Kutenla wears the shaman’s mirror and through this mirror the deity Nechung enters his body.
3. The crown is only placed on the head of the deity and not on the body until the deity arrives. Dalai Lama says that this crown is so powerfully strapped onto the head of the body of the Oracle, that is Nechung himself were not present the man
(in this case the Venerable Thubten Ngodup Kutenla) would surely be strangled.
