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 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 very kindly devotes this update to our welfare. He suggests we take some time to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around us, as he has been able to do recently from the roof of the monastery. It is why he sent us those photos. He notes that for many of us, this pandemic will be causing our conscious and subconscious levels of stress to increase a great deal, and suggests we try to get enough rest. That way we will be in a better position to help others, in the bigger ways of course, but just as importantly in the many moments of the day spent with our partners and families.
As usual Geshe Tashi is walking the walk when it comes to his gentle urgings for us to practice kindness and compassion.
We include the photos from Geshe la’s roof as he shares the beauty of the natural world around him.
With our best wishes,
The Admin Team
Dear Gesha la thank you so much for continuing to send out these simple and profound practices and messages of resilience and hope. In the past I spent long periods of time in hospital away from family, friends and my community. Although it was a challenging and very lonely experience I experienced kindness and commitment to my recovery. I remember coming home and feeling like I was in a beautiful garden surrounded by all these lovely and amazing things. My everyday life felt wonderful and extraordinary. I was able to walk about free and breathe fresh air whenever I wanted to. There are parallels with this pandemic. There was tremendous suffering and I encountered a world I would never have known existed. Beginning to feel gratitude for this experience is healing. I believe that on our return to some semblance of ‘normality’ we will all experience such gratitude. Thank you. Stay safe and well.
Dear Geshe Ji – this message came at the perfect moment. In the rearrangement of our daily routines all taking place in one space, the home, our boundaries between different tasks can feel very blurred. This can cause agitation in the mind and body! You remind us that despite the overlapping space, we can still observe and respect boundaries of time. There is a time for everything, and it is important for us to take time for rest also. With regular time for rest, we can keep mind refreshed. _/|\_
Dear Geshe La
I so look forward to your posts every 2 days.
The care and time you give to us is deeply appreciated. This gentler quieter pace of life in lockdown has certainly allowed me to observe the beauty of spring awakening in the Lake District more intimately. Thankyou for your photos of the beauty on your doorstep.
Your message to remember loving kindness to oneself is something to share especially with my daughter and others who are working with dedication for the NHS at the moment.
May you and all at Sera Mey be well and happy.
Dear Geshe-la, I am enjoying all of your updates and this one really spoke to me. Thank you for the photos too. There is a lot of natural beauty around my home as well but I sometimes need reminding to appreciate this.
Thank you so much and very best wishes,
Sam
Many thanks Geshe-la for the today’s topic and your very practical series of advice!
What a lovely set of pictures too, so bright and clear!
All the Best wishes,
Carina
Dear Geshe-la, Thanks so much for the ever-thoughtful and -practical observations and advice on current events, for the insights on life at Sera Mey, and for the sunny photos. It’s really good to be able to visualise your surroundings. Keep well and keep smiling! Richard
Dear Geshe-la,
Thank you so much for taking the time to visit my kitchen this morning to give your talk!
It is hard for everybody at this time of crisis. Particularly when the very human contact that we would normally use to comfort each other, a simple hug, is denied to us. I am incredibly grateful for your talks and observations… and for your photos! Many thanks. And also my thanks to Tri and Peter for arranging all of this for us.
May the good wishes you send to us in the UK be multiplied a thousand fold and returned to yourself, the monks in your care and all sentient beings.
With my deepest thanks, David
Dear Geshe la
What beautiful scenes – it feels like taking a virtual holiday! I love the roofs, like little hats and a Mount Kailash type hill in the background. Thank you for sharing and your very helpful advice. I hope the new routine will allow a day off soon. Warm good wishes and love to all Jane
Dear Geshe-la
Thank you so much for broadcasting your talks. It’s wonderful to be able to connect on an almost daily basis with your humour and caring insights. Thanks for thinking of us in the west while you must be so busy with the unprecedented situation in India and in the monastery. It is very inspiring to see and hear you. With thanks and deep respect, Liz Dickson
It’s such a joy to turn on my tablet in the morning and find your latest video! So helpful, so grounding, a wonderful way to start the day. It is so kind of you to do this for us. And your photos are lovely. May you and all your monks be safe and well.
Thank you once again Geshe La for finding the time and space to share your thoughts with us. On a surface level I don’t feel like I have been feeling stressed and have for the most part enjoyed the new opportunities that have opened up, for example to to practice Morning prayers with friends online which Jamyang London have kindly arranged. I will however take your advice to look beyond the surface and also look to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us in new ways. Om shanti namaste. Chrissie
Dear Geshe-la,
thank you very, very much for sharing your precious time with us. I love watching your videos!
All the best wishes for you and your community,
Volker
Thank you for the photos. Lovely views of everything. It puts “a place to a name”
I also love hearing the birds singing on your recent posts.
Thank you very much.
Shirley (UK)
Tashi delek from the UK.
I am avidly following all your posts.
This post was so timely. While almost 70, I no longer have the same issues, family, work etc to cope with as many people do, other issues take their place, one way or another. I had reached a point yesterday, in relation to a particular issue, concerning a neighbour, where I began to feel “am I doing enough to help this this person? Should I be doing more?”
You have given a clear direction and I thank you for it.
Jeh-yong
Shirley