It's been a long time since I first posted this. I'm going to spend the next few days just giving a glimpse of the complexity of a Stupa. On the surface, it can look like an ornate concrete structure, but that is only the beginning.

As you can see from this diagram, and this is just one way to look at the various elements involved in a Stupa, there is much, much more going on than meets the eye! I'm no teacher, and no expert. I'm just sharing some of what I've picked up from reading and being around the Stupas, and having the good fortune to be around some of the folks who have built them.

This image shows the different elements and how they correspond to the body of the Buddha, as is represented by the shape of the Stupa. I'll take some time to create a composite over the next few days to give a better idea of what that means, but this image is a good place to start, as it also shows a little of what goes INSIDE the Stupa. (You can click on the image for a larger view of it by the way) Here the most clear element is the central axis, or pole. This is also called the "life tree". It's hard to see from the size of the image, but at the bottom is a vajra, and at the top is a small Stupa. I'd go into the symbolism of this, but I'd be guessing, so I won't for now. : )

Attached to this central channel are many prayers, or mantras. These mantras are considered the very essence of Enlightenment, through them awakening is able to arise in our own minds. They are considered a relic, just as surely as any bone or strand of hair. This channel also has those kinds of relics placed on it as well. Over the next day or two I'll show you some photos taken back when Migyur Dorje was built, of relics present in the very Stupa we'll be working on this week! I guarantee if you know anything about Tibetan Buddhism and its masters you'll be amazed at what we have sitting out here in Poolesville!

But for now, I'm content to just give you an image to think about. It is my hope that by giving you some of this background information, that it may enhance your appreciation of how the Stupas have such amazing power. They are not ordinary objects, whether you regard them as beautiful or fascinating or not.

Of course, none of this knowledge is necessary to derive benefit from the Stupas! That is offered to beings by them continuously, without judgment or requirement. So if all this technical talk makes your eyes glaze over, it's okay to just come out and take a stroll in the woods and enjoy the scenery! And trust I will post photos here as well, for those who don't care to read! The images are how your mind connects with the Enlightened Mind embodied by the Stupa, so that's what really counts...Remember, the Stupas are always here for you, in Poolesville, Maryland, and online!

In case you're wondering what's going on with our project, the answer is "rain". It hasn't happened yet, but the threat remains real, so we decided against painting today and went to tsog instead. : )

Rain or not we'll be out on Wednesday though! The stripper needs to be applied in a dry environment, but it can get wet after! We've gotten some guys to commit to coming out to help, so we'll be climbing the spire that day. We welcome your prayers for our safe completion of this project!