Meeting Kalu Rinpoche

A while back we were travelling out West to find a new home after living in New York City for many years. 

We spent some time in Boulder, Colorado. It's the home of my professional school, The Dr. Ida Rolf Institute, which trained and certified me as a Rolfer^® in 1981.

Boulder is a famously "New Age" community. The quip goes that it's "... 26 square miles surrounded by reality". So, naturally, there's more than a little interest in the holistic and the spiritual.

[When I was receiving the 10 session Rolfing series in New York City way back before it even occurred to me to consider that work as a life's profession, in the waiting room at the then New York Center for Rolfing there was a book about a Buddhist monk who was known for building and promoting the building of Stupas. A Stupa is an ancient form of Buddhist architecture representing in its basic shape the seated Buddha having achieved enlightenment. They usually contain relics and are sites of meditation. I don't remember a name, or the particulars. But ...]

So here we are in Boulder in 1994 and I'm in a gift shop clearly merchandising to the Buddhist sensibility. Malas, ceremonial objects, books. Sure, lots of beautiful oriental style decorative objects. Singing bells, for sure. Incense.

On the bookshelf this particular item called to me ...

It is a memorial homage to the late Venerable Kalu Rinpoche, one of the first Tibetan Buddhist Masters to teach in the West. The serene compassion in his face is always an inspiration to me. Just look. It says it all.

Down the road a piece in Santa Fe, New Mexico we visited the KSK [Kagyu Shenpen Kunchab ] Buddhist Center. They are in the Shangpa Kagyu lineage; and founded by Kalu Rinpoche. They let us spend some time to meditate in the Stupa there.

And ... in their bookstore we came upon something miraculously serendipitous. A photo of young Kalu, in 1990 the recognized reincarnation of the previous Kalu Rinpoche [1905 - 1989].

Soon after, having settled to live in Arizona, we visited Tucson and attended a Buddhist empowerment ceremony; and took vows with young Kalu Rinpoche presiding. 

Remembering how at one point in the ceremony those of us taking vows came before him and had a lock of our hair snipped off. 

Currently we follow him on Facebook. And, follow him in his path in the Master's footsteps.

During our visit in Boulder, and at that gift shop, I came upon this scribbled on the wall in their rest room. 

Imagine that ...

PS I was inspired to write this recollection after a friend asked us about whether there was a Buddhist Center here in New Jersey which we attend. 

We meditate. And, incorporate Buddhist teachings in our ongoing practice. If you ask whether I'm a Buddhist, I'll just say they are spiritual friends for life; and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone. Yet, spiritual practice is highly individual, and it's best to follow you own inclinations there.






Rolfer^® and Rolfing^®  are service marks of the Dr. Ida Rolf Institute.