New York State of Mind

Hiya folks,

We're in New York still. We were very bemused to get an e-mail from Ethan. He sent us a photo of himself with Guruji. Very sweet. Sally and I seem comfortably over our cold and now are in the clear with the whole volcanic mucous eruption that overwhelmed our senses and sinuses.

We're having a really nice time now catching up with our friends. My best friend from Graduate school is here. She was also my best man at our wedding. A little strange, but I didn't have any male friends that were available. Her name is Jenny Maloney and her dad died last weekend. He had a very peaceful death. His wife told him that it was alright and that he could go. And he did. He just went a few minutes later.

Sally and I have been studying with Robert Thurman-- who was the very first westerner to take the Tibetan Buddhist vows and to receive the 126 precepts from Tenzen Gyatso the current Dalai Lama. He told us a story about how in the first Star Wars movie Obi Wan Kenobi can feel a disturbance in the force. That disturbance is the death of billions of people frightened of destruction as the Death Star blows them away. That kind of death where you shield yourself and hide is the kind of experience that causes us to be reborn hiding and protected. So we end up being reborn as a crab, or a rhino, or a cockroach scurrying around. Literally, we are choosing a rebirth to become a Sherman tank ready to fight back.

However, if we can receive death peacefully with joy and open arms then our next life will be one where we can search for the buddha with an open heart. And that death is one that calms the waters for other rebirths in every direction. It is a gift.

So I told Jenny's mom how pleased I was that Jimmy Maloney had a peaceful death. That it was important. She agreed and we had a little cry together and then went and got something to eat.