Default Dharma

 

I've had a rather unintentional."career" in dharma.

I was ten, my Great Uncle gave me meditation instruction when I inquired about a photo of Suzuki Roshi on his shrine.

I was 16, the predecessor to "Dharmadhatu" house was on my way to school. I practiced with hippies asleep in the corner.

I saw the 16^th Karmapa by accident when I was in NY.

I took refuge by accident when visiting Boulder. Some friends and I were walking in a park where Kalu Rinpoche gave an impromptu ceremony we stumbled upon.

I met my teacher Ponlop Rinpoche in the early 1990s while walking down the Pearl St. Mall in Boulder and was I transfixed.

I moved to Seattle thinking I'd never see him again. In the mid 90s, he moved to Seattle.

Finally I had the opportunity to directly connect with the dharma, but I had to move far away to take sorely needed work. I mourned near the shrine at the then sangha house, Vajra Spot. A young practitioner came from behind to comfort me. She said "Philip, remember that no matter where you are, the guru is everywhere." I've not forgotten that advice.

I now live in the country. I'm a bit overworked with my arts related consulting business and I'm getting married in 3 weeks. Taking time to be near the Karmapa isn't in the equation. I've read the blogs and announcements and a bit of longing arises. But, yesterdayI took a walk up the mountain on our property, and bam, there was Orgyen Trinley Dorje hangin' out enjoying the view of the Shenandoah Mountains by our old oak!

Longing can be the best or the worst guru yoga. It is the best, because the guru is the vase from which we drink the dharma. Our longing for the guru betrays our real longing to achieve the realization of mind, driving us to study, contemplate and practice. But the guru doesn't have to be there for us to do this. It is bad when such longing is simply desire and attachment – a desire to become comfortable as if being consoled by mommy and an attachment to belief and sentiment.

The fortunate co-occurrences of my early encounters with dharma and guru taught me that karmic connection will happen if we are not attached to it. So, young Number Seventeen hung out with me by up Hickerson Mountain yesterday. He challenged the height and stature of our 250 year old oak. He seemed to like the not quite ripe cherries from our nearby orchard.

Philip S. Rosemond, May, 2008