"He filled the entire room with intense blessing and we felt as if we had never been separated from him"

How was your first meeting with the new Karmapa?

...Hannah and I went to see Karmapa three times and each was like a different world.

During the first visit we did everything according to Tibetan culture in order to make it very auspicious. We were very aware of the importance of that meeting for the future. It was on the last day of the Year of the Rooster in which Karmapa was supposed to meet his old friends, according to prophesy. Before the meeting, I went through all my luggage and chose everything that a highly gifted eleven year old boy would like. A small blue globe made out of glass with yellow continents, some good quality flashlights, a small Swiss army knife with the scissors to give refuge, some good pens and more.

Always looking in the rear mirror so that nobody would follow us - I am used to that from our old days - we drove, taking several detours, to the place where Karmapa was staying.

The gates behind us closed and we entered into a brown house. Karmapa, disguised with a baseball cap and jogging pants, was sitting behind a glass wall in a big room. The television was on. He is in the process of learning about the world and familiarizing himself with what is going on in the world. We went in immediately and at that very moment somebody made a loud noise, so that we could not be sure what his first words to us were. But then the contact was totally there. Observing him, we were amazed at how easily he could take apart and put back together our presents, showing great intuition and understanding.

I told him about the work we have been doing for him since his last life, and he thanked us from the depths of his heart. That really touched my heart... While giving the good-bye blessing he moved his hands upwards on the sides of our heads to the top - a very familiar gesture...

During the second visit I told him all that we expect from him and how our world has developed and grown. He understood everything immediately and he grasped the complexities faster than one could imagine... We talked a lot about the future and what we can offer the world.

The third time, a few hours before our departure, we quickly jumped into the jeep and raced to see him. This time he used the full power of his blessing. He really gave everything of himself. While the first visit was clear, the second was looking into the future, this one was totally powerful. He filled the entire room with intense blessing and we felt as if we had never been separated from him. When we were leaving the room he gave us a last strong dose of his blessing power. His face changed and we became hot - it was that "10 thousand volt" feeling. With that, I left India.

Now we are waiting until everything is settled and there are no more difficulties. Until then, His Holiness will be thoroughly educated on many levels. It is truly like with the former Karmapas; he has to see or hear things only once, and he comprehends them fully.

For being only 11 years old, his hands and feet are very strong, that means he will grow to be quite tall. His face is very noble; he looks like the Mikjo Dorje statue we have in our centers - very beautiful...


Kagyu Life International, No.1, 1994. Copyright ©1994 Kamtsang Choling USA.