Tenzin Jampa

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  • Reaching Quarter of A Century

    Reflections on turning 25

    I am 25 years old now. My birthday was yesterday. It is strange to think that what was a straightforward question for so long, “How old are you?”, has begun to weigh on me a little bit. 25 is not young anymore. People throughout history have moved mountains before turning 25. What have I done? What have I to show for it? If I die tomorrow, what “legacy” do I leave behind?

    I understand now why people hesitate when they are asked of their age.It is not merely a hesitation because of their biological age (that they want to seem younger than they are) but I think it’s also because knowing someone’s age provides a background to compare their entire person against: How much have they done in how many years, how many connections they have in how many years, and what kind of person are they given their age.

    As I grow older, my parents grow older and so do my siblings, and so does the world around me. The questions of what to do, who to be, and where to be are becoming ever prescient. Society gives us so much grace as teenagers and young adults that we often take it for granted. I know I have. Whether it be your family supporting you, family friends giving you money, elders guiding you, institutions funding you, and laws protecting you, towards its young, carefree creatures who have a wide horizon of experiences to explore, Life is often kind! 

    But as I have become older, I have realized that such grace is not a natural feature of the world but something our elders have created. And as I become older, I have realized that it is not right for me to just be on the receiving end of such grace. It is not right for me to be mediocre and mundane and a passenger in life. It should be my responsibility to extend what I can out into the world. That, I have realized, is what it means to grow up. 

    What does it mean to ‘extend what I can out into the world?’ It sounds too vague to serve as a substantive commitment. I agree. For now, I am not entirely sure of what that could mean. Maybe the precise meaning of  the above statement is something I will figure out over the next few years. As of now, by ‘extending what I can out into the world’, I mean that I will work as hard as I can in maximizing my potential and becoming the very best I can. I have many regrets over what I have done and not been able to do for the first 25 years of my life. As much as one might wish for, the past is something we cannot change. But I can carry myself with strength into the future! 

    On the other hand, I have enjoyed much of the life I have lived until now. For being born to my parents, for being the elder brother to my younger siblings, for meeting many good friends, for the many opportunities I have had, for the love I have developed for physics and philosophy, for the books I have read and for my teachers who have taught me. For all of that and more, I am eternally grateful for my life.

  • Three Thoughts for Thursday(TTT) – Common-Place Book, Books and Mortality, and Kepler’s Somnium. (04/01/2023)

    Hello Friend,

    Following is this week’s (11/01/2023) dose of “Three Thoughts for Thursday”, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends, subscribe to the mailing lists, the blog AND/OR share it through the internet if you find it valuable. 

    • Keeping a Commonplace book: For the last few years, I have always had an easy to carry notebook besides me. Counting the one I have with me now, I have had 4 of these types of books. And in these notebooks, I would write down everything that I wanted to. Anything that interested me, everything that concerned me, and everything in between those, I would write it down. I would jot down quotes that I stumbled upon. One of the recent quotes I wrote down was an old Latin expression : “ Liber medicina animi (A book is the soul’s medicine).” Occasionally, I would also copy passages and excerpts from different sources that I want to remember and have at hand. I would write down my writing ideas, note down my reading lists, and draw sketches in the book. I would also dedicate pages to various kinds of questions that intrigued me. I was inspired to commit to this practice when I listened to Walter Isaacson- acclaimed biographer of Steve Jobs, Einstein, and Da Vinci- talk about the inextinguishable curiosity of Leonardo Da Vinci, the Renaissance Man. Da Vinci carried a notebook, something most people of the Renaissance period did as I later learnt, wherever he went and noted down everything that interested him. On one corner of his page, you would have him asking to describe the Woodpecker’s tongue felt and on the other, you would have him sketching a detailed part of the human anatomy. Such was the relentless curiosity that shone through his historical notes( which still live to this day) which drove me to commit to a similar practice as his. After all, one should try to stand on the shoulders of Giants, even if they may fail in the climbing process! This practice of keeping such a book, I recently learnt or maybe relearnt, was known as Common-placing. And such books were called Common-place books. These books were common throughout time, especially when paper became more accessible and one could easily imagine the sheer necessity of such a book in those times. Those people didn’t have the same features of bookmarking, cloud-saving, Notion-ing, Readlisting, or watch-latering in youtube, and so on. Most of the time, they would stumble upon rare sources of information that they could neither borrow nor carry around. Therefore one often had to memorise those passages or write it down on something of their own. Such was the practice done by many intellectuals and trailblazers we know of now. In the likes of Da Vinci, Newton kept a common-place book in which he sketched out much of his principia, Darwin also with his evolutionary tree sketches. John Locke famously wrote a book on how to organise a commonplace book. And it is no wonder they did. Moreover, I have noticed over the years, after keeping four common-place books that most of the time, the books turn out differently. My first book was mostly scientific in its concerns and questions. I kept it during the tail-end of my highschool and in my first years of college. My later book was mostly philosophical as I was on a very interesting stage in my life. My philosophical concerns, questions, arguments, and so on governed that version of my book. The book I have with me now, is mostly centred around Writing, as that is something I have been working on for the last year. Many pages of this book have my research into various forms and writing advices for fantasy, many pages have mind-maps of my brainstorming into my story, many pages have my sketches of the places that I want to create, some pages have the list of all the names that I think might be cool to add, many pages have interesting concepts and ideas from tibetan culture and mythology that I think would  be interesting to add. I know that after I have finished this commonplace book, I will write the date and scribble its theme on the book’s cover, and I will add it to the shelves with four other books. It’s autobiographical in that sense, a snapshot of our mind. Most of us, in some form or other, keep a commonplace book, though some better than others. We might keep it in the notes section of our phone, or google docs, or something. But we do keep it. Otherwise, how would we manage the incredible amount of information that comes our way. In this golden age of abundant information, we are Fishermen. But if we don’t have a ‘common-place book’, or a system that helps us  retain the information that we learn, we will be fishermen with a compromised Net, in a bountiful ocean. That’s a sad prospect! 
    • Books and Mortality : One thing I have noticed, I wonder if you all have also noticed, is how many of my thoughts and thinking of recent days seem to centre around the divide, the clash, of our obvious mortality and the near infinitude of the things that we want to do. The clearest showcase of such an instance is the amount of books that we want to read vs what we could read. If- please allow me this thought experiment – we live up to 80, which is in itself a charitable assumption, we would have 4000 weeks to live. Yes, 4000 weeks from the day we are born from our mother’s womb to the day we die. Only 4000 weeks. Now if you manage to read about 1 book a week, that’s about 4000 books read before you die. Only 4000 books, only 4000. The more I think, the more I read, the more I live, the more this number stares back at me, with such an intensity that most of the time I cannot bear. Only 4000 books out of 128 million books; It is but a drop of water in a pond. Now, let’s be even more charitable. Suppose you manage to read one book a day until you die; that’s 4000 * 7  = 28,000 books. Now that’s quite a lot. 28,000 books is nothing to scoff at. If you do manage to read this amount of books, you would certainly be one of the best read people on earth, throughout all known history. But 28,000 is still an incredible long shot away from 1 million, let alone 128 million. Now if we factor in the 10-20 years of our development from infancy to adulthood that may or may not involve reading, the numbers turn an even darker shade of pity. Wielding such awareness can be disheartening, depressing even. Properly mulling over this realisation, feeling it in one’s bones and marrow, one might shiver in fear when they enter a bookstore, or a library, or even a home of a person who loves books. It may even make one wonder, why bother? Why bother reading if you are only tasting a drop of a drop. Why bother even trying? That is a valid question. I often ask myself that. But I propose another way of thinking, a way of thinking I have found more comfort in, something that focuses my mind like no other. A way of thinking that Stoics and Buddhists alike have thrusted in equal measure. And that is the idea of Memento Mori : Remember you die, remember you perish. When one has really understood the concept that they die, the truism of their life’s finitude, now that is the best productivity hack! If every moment carries the possibility of finality, every minute of your life is important. Then, you attempt in all ways, to not regret any of the things that you do. As Samuel Johnson, a British writer, writes “ When a man knows that he is to be hanged in fortnight, it focuses the mind wonderfully!” And that is true. The stoics knew that, and so did the Buddhists. That is why they did death meditation, frequented places of death like cremation grounds and graveyards, and had human skeletal remains around them. All those objects of death shouted “Memento Mori! Memento Mori!” Such a source of reminder for me comes from books. And nowadays, everytime I read, I know that I am going to die! And I know that I should enjoy this book and this thing we call the ‘Present.’  
    • Kepler’s Somnium:  Johannes Kepler was a 17th Century German Astronomer, Mathematician, Astrologer, Natural Philosopher, a writer of music, and the first science-fiction writer according to Carl Sagan and Isaac Asimov. The past few days, I have been reading about Kepler and the more I read about him, my admiration for him increases evermore. In my highschool physics and later in university, Kepler as a name enters briefly as an interlude between Copernicus and Galileo/ Newton. Kepler’s three laws of planetary motion, which he computed and deduced by hand and sheer dedication, are studied briefly before they are incorporated into the laws of motion and law of Gravity by Newton. And that is where Kepler as a figure ends for most students. A historical figure of science overlooked, forgotten, and unremembered. I speak to this from my own experience. Of course, any serious student of science and physics knows Kepler and his contributions to the ‘Copernican Revolution’ of science but many of us don’t know him in the sense of Galileo and Newton. Even the mildly educated know the semi-biographical and mythical story of Galileo fighting against the Church, standing for his scientific beliefs and the line of ‘Yet it moves…’, and Newton with the famous apple falling on his head. But knowledge about Kepler’s life is not widely known. Even more unknown is the fact that he had written the first science-fiction novel- Somnium. Somnium( The dream) follows the story of a young boy and his magical mother as they are transported to the distant island world of Levania( The moon). The narrative explores space travel, the solar-system, and how the earth would ultimately look from the vantage point of the moon (something that came to pass in 1969 with Apollo 11 moon landing.) A very good read about Kepler’s Somnium and his life in brief is found in the post by The Marginialian. Kepler was a great man, I know that now, and I want to keep learning from him. And I am not the first to recognize that. As Professor David Koch starts his book – Kepler’s Witch – with the question of ‘Why Kepler?’, he writes “Because in 1620 Kepler’s mother was being tried for witchcraft. Germany was well into the Thirty Years’ War. Kepler had already lost his first wife and little boy to disease, and in the years following, he lost three more children. In his adult life, he was chased out of one town after another by the Counter-Reformation. He was excommunicated by his own church. And yet, throughout most of these years he was writing a book called The Harmony of the World. This… is a man worth knowing.” 
    • Notes on Books I have read: As some of you may know, I have set a resolution for this year to read at least 1 book a week or 52 books a year. I am very happy to note here that I am well ahead of my schedule as I have read through 6 books in the first week and a half. I have written short reviews on them on my goodreads account but I am also planning to post it on the blog, which you will find in a short while. 

    If you have made it till here, Thank you. I wish you all a happy New year, and I hope that it will be a good one for all of us. Stick around to read me write my weeks in this new year. Haha. That’s it for this week’s ‘Three Thoughts for Thursday’, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends or share it through the internet if you find it valuable. And I will see you next week.

    -Tenzin Jampa 
     

  • The Allure Of Mediocrity

    This is an essay I wrote in the beginning of the Pandemic when I was presented with a paralyzing amount of free time and I could have done and learn anything I wanted and emerge from the pandemic, a Newton with his calculus or every other person who drained his years down the toilet. But I didn't stand up to the moment and wasted away my time. But I was incredibly aware of how exactly I was wasting my life and every so often, I would wake up with the desire to rise above that mediocrity and this essay encapsulates that condition!
    “To the mediocre, Mediocrity appears Great!”

    He ‘wakes’ up one day. And he realises that he has really ‘woken’ up. He doesn’t stay in his bed for 2 more hours, just scrolling through the internet and flirting with his phone. Instead, he stands right up and begins his day. For he realises that he has woken up and is frightened by how he lived prior to that. He starts to map out his life lest it stays in the disorder that he so deeply fears now. He looks at his laptop and instead of wasting away his life on the internet(which he would normally do), he vows to himself that he will rise above mankind’s mediocrity. 

    For he has woken up, and he doesn’t want to fall asleep again. He reflects on how he was before he woke up. A mindless existence, endlessly chasing his meaningless desires to be fulfilled.  Looking back, he shudders again and feels a strong pang of regret. “So much of my life, I wasted.” He speaks to himself almost as a prayer. “Never again, never again will I live like that.” For he knows now that he has woken up to what his life was like. It was a life of mediocrity and of meaningless existence. It was the life of a person who could be replaced the moment he died. He knew that he had to be greater than that, greater than the sheep that surrounded him and the sheep he was a while ago. He writes down his commitments and meditates on it endlessly. He tries every way he knows how to burn his ‘awakened’ state in his psyche. 

    And he goes to sleep at night hoping to wake up tomorrow and ‘wake’ up to the same terror and realization that he did today. He prays that he remains safe from the slumber of mediocrity and that he rises above using every hour of every day to its fullest. And as his perpetual praying dims, Hypnos claims him in his lethargic arms. 

    And in his sleep, I whispered to him hoping he wouldn’t hear. For it is too sad a news for him to hear when he is ‘awake.’ I said softly, “Tomorrow when you wake up, you will revert back to the same mindless existence that you so detest now. You will continue to waste your life on the internet. You will still stay wedded to your phone and any meaningful existence will be alien to you. That is how alluring mediocrity is to you.” I took a short breath and resumed “You won’t remember that you ever ‘woke’ up and you will keep on searching for fleeting happiness and will have your trivial desires as your masters but…..”

    I paused.

    I was hoping to whisper into his ears some words of encouragement but none came to my mind. The reality was such that I could not fabricate a lie. And left with nothing to say, I paid respect to his sleeping body and walked away. 

    This too is a tragedy of Humanity. I thought. To be able to ‘wake up’ only to sleep back again. Indeed, no other animals but humans are capable of such tragedy. 

    “Oh what a piece of work, Man is”.

  • On National Identity…

    This was an essay I wrote to apply for Burchard Scholars Program at MIT in Dec 2021 discussing alienation especially with regards to my national identity which I later edited and added more words to (in May,2022) as the word limit was very small for the submission. And yes, I got in the program and am a Burchard Scholar!
    “Where is this land you speak of, where we were once free.”

     I love to meet new people. I love to know where they come from, what they think about things, what they hold dear to and more. But there is one question that I dread with every new meeting that comes and that is the question of “Where do you come from?” 

    I answer “I am a Tibetan refugee living in India.” Then they might say “Oh then, do you come from Tibet?” “No, not really. I was born in India but my parents fled Tibet when they were in their teens.” “Oh, then are you an Indian citizen?” “Not really, I am stateless.” “Oh…”

     I have had so many conversations like this that occasionally my mind has an auto-pilot nature to it when fending these questions. Sometimes it seems almost like a script out of a boring sitcom of a scene where the strange but charismatic (incredibly specific, I know) young stranger greets the main family and is questioned of his ancestry. 

     But fending these questions off is not what I fear, I fear the fact that I will be reminded once again that I have no solid answer to the question of “Where do you come from?” And therein lies the contradiction of my existence, a perfectly sensible question from the world that I do not know a proper answer to. 

    What is someone’s national identity? And how can one feel it so strongly yet have no proof to show for it. Is it just a common land, a common government, a common birth that hands you your identity? Is it an invisible collar that is tied the moment you are born? 

    What is it and where does it come from? You call yourself an American, he calls himself an Indian, she calls herself a Chinese and I call myself a Tibetan but can I really call myself Tibetan when Tibet is (sadly) not recognized as a country anymore. Americans have America, Britishers have their UK, so do Indians, their India but what do the Tibetans have? We have nothing but empty talks and legends of a prosperous and free past.

     But then what is this sadness that I feel when I tell people about my ‘fellow’ Tibetans suffering in Tibet and they don’t care deeply?’ I don’t blame those people, after all there is much sadness in this world and one can’t grieve for all of them: Otherwise, how can one walk? But I feel something and it is both my duty and my honour to have been able to do so. I feel sad, dejected, and hopeless. I grieve though I don’t show. I cry but rarely through my eyes. I break down but only in my heart. I know, at least, that I have a right over these emotions. I own these emotions and they rise through me. So then can my grief attest to my Identity? This grief. This unending illness. This ever prescient spectre of hopelessness and disappointment. This is my pain, a pain entirely mine over my fellow suffering Tibetans. Is this my evidence? Have I found it? Do I have to solidify my sadness so that I can stamp with it, my Tibetaness. Does this pain, that I feel and so do many Tibetans, unite a nation and its people? 

    Again, where does this national identity come from? Where does it come from that it is able to so strongly move my heart and, of many more. Sociologists have their theories, anthropologists have their conjectures, Philosophers have their thoughts but none of them have been able to quench this thirst of mine(or at least for now). If it was as simple as a piece of document, I would abandon my Stateless situation as soon as I can, pledge to a proper country and sleep happily. I would sing their anthem, study their constitution, revel in the rights and services offered, and would become a citizen better than its natural born. I would forget about ever being a Tibetan, ever walking amongst Tibetans, and live peacefully as a citizen of X country. 

    But I know I am not a Jesus, nor a Buddha. I can’t walk amongst mortals and this world without being touched by it and be tainted by mortal problems. And I have walked amongst Tibetans and have been touched by it. Therefore, I know that I will wake up one of these nights-after I pledge to another land- and remember that I am a Tibetan and I still have no proper answer to the question of “Where do you come from?” It is almost like a parasite, a malware,a virus, a malignant tumour that never really disappears and always comes back to haunt you. This cruel and demanding voice, this torture, this disappointment, It seems that I will never outrun it.  

    We have a saying back in the exile community that we are born with the letter R (for Refugee) engraved on us. I don’t know the origin of it nor from whom and exactly when I heard of it. As a kid, I never really paid much attention and thought that deeply of it. But as I grow, I understand it more and more. It seems to me, as I think right now, to be a remarkable insight, packaged in throwaway saying, of our exile condition.

    Almost like a birthmark, a natural tattoo, this letter R will be invisible but will persist with you for ages to come. No one will naturally see it but you will look in the mirror and see the inked R. Experts of a kind are able to erase most body inks but nothing of that kind has been discovered for this birth tattoo. Much like a chronic illness, It can’t be cured and erased, only hidden and alleviated and only the patient knows how much it hurts.

    Due to this, I realise now, that no matter how much I try to run away from my ‘invisible national identity’ –  how much of a ‘free individual’ I want to be, how much of a global citizen I aspire or purport to be- the World, your Community and a part of you has a way of reminding you of who you are. It is indeed a strange existence: a paradox of life laid bare.  

    -Tenzin Jampa

    Dharamshala

    26th May,2022

  • Do we remember?

    This is a poem I wrote on the 61st anniversary of the Tibetan Uprising day- a collective and spontaneous protest all around Tibet against the Brutal Chinese invasion of Tibet in March 10 of 1959. Spirits unbeknownst to me moved and wrote these words, I feel, through me. Whether or not these spirits were blessed by the Muses, they have etched these words with their experience and suffering.
    “Bhod Gyalo- Victory to Tibet”

    Do we Remember?

    Do we Remember?
Or did we Forget?

Do we not hear the cries of History?
Or have we flown too high to listen to his pangs?
Do we not remember his lessons, and his prophecies?
Or have we learnt too much that we do too little.

Do we not see the numerous trail of tears to the graveyard?
Or do we not know how to follow the trails?
Maybe we have forgotten that we do weep to death, and the dead too, weeps.

Do we not smell the foul blood that was spilt?
Or have we covered our nose to willful ignorance.?
Do we not realize that there exist no soap to wash it away?
Or have we learned to accept it and savor it?
I fear that this too, can happen. 

Do we not remember our commitment for a free world
Our reverence for justice, and our longing for freedom?
Or is that just a document written to be burned and a promise made to be broken?
I hope this not to be the case.

Because people did die for Freedom.
And their graves do move, while we still live.
More so, the longer they stay buried in an unfree land.
Or maybe we have forgotten that the dead too, moves.

Do we Remember?
Or did we Forget?

  • 2022 in Books : What I have read, and What I have loved.

    Books List: 

    • Fantasy Fiction – Perfect world, Martial World, Wu Dong Qian Kun, TBATE: Reckoning, Cradle Series, Final Empire
    • Fiction – Siddhartha, Animal Farm
    • Self-Help/ Personal Development – The 4 hour Work Week, The Obstacle is the way, Deep Work, Daily Rituals
    • Non-Fiction: The Way of Zen, Tao Te Ching, Secret Lives of Dalai Lama

    Read time: ~ 10 mins

    Before the clock struck midnight on Dec 31st of 2022, I sat down to write three pages of reflections and resolutions. I wrote about that process and what it meant to me in my January 4th, 2023 edition of Three Thoughts for Thursday– a weekly Newsletter of three short and long things I have explored and thought about. 

    The second of those pages was the list of all the books I had read, reread, referenced, or abandoned in 2022. It was a long list, with many different titles, some classically known and loved, some not so known but still loved. I titled that page ‘2022 in Books.’ And I promised that I would write a post about that in a short while and upload it on my blog. So here I am, writing this;  Part recommendation, and part review – I hope you enjoy this post. (P.S These are only books that I have read and finished, the unfinished ones are not here.)

    2022 was a good reading year for me. I touched a lot of books. Some I abandoned, some I completed, and some I kept returning to, like a reference. I read hard books, digested middling books, and sprinted through the light/easy books. In terms of just pure words and pages read, without judging the quality of the literature, 2022 was a biblical one. A rough back of the envelope calculation gives me about 10 millions words which approximates to about 20,000 pages. And that is not counting the huge amount of articles, essays, blog posts and threads I read. I am also not taking into account the intimidating- as well as embarrassing-  number of mangas(Japanese comics), manhuas(Chinese Comics), and manhwas(Korean Comics) that I have read, as the calculation for them is much harder, and reading those doesn’t require the same effort as reading a wall of text. Maybe, in the future, I can dedicate some time to write down a similar post of my appreciation of animated literature and the masterpieces of that genre. 

    Perfect World Novel Cover
    ‘Perfect World (Wanmei Shijie)- Chen Dong

    Ok, with that out of the way, let’s talk about the books I have read. The first book I read in 2022 was ‘Perfect World’ (Wanmei Shijie). The book was initially written as a Chinese Web Novel by Author Chen Dong, later compiled into a novel, and follows the martial and spiritual journey of a young boy. The world of PW is a magical one, vast and expansive, teeming with mythological creatures, powerful techniques and forces, various clans and families, magical objects, and spiritual worlds. 

    The story is in the genre of Chinese Cultivation fantasy sometimes called Xianxia (Immortal Heroes). Xianxia is a popular genre which derives its inspirations from Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Chinese alchemical and mythological tradition. It has characters cultivating to achieve immortality – Apotheosis (i.e Deification) being a crucial goal of the story. The worlds of Xianxia Stories are all expansive, and filled.  

    But seeking immortality is not an easy route, it is a journey filled with treachery, bloodsheds, heartbreaks, and death. And since a cultivator has to defy the workings of the universe, to become immortal, most Xianxia stories have this theme of rebellion and resistance as its heartbeat. This sort of rebellion against Heaven is resonant in the story of Sun-Wukong, the monkey king. (One of the classic inspirations for Xianxia literature.)  

    And this theme of rebellion – struggling against fate – keeps me coming back to Xianxia stories like ‘Perfect World’ who does it better than most I know. And once you get into it, the story has 2016 chapters of ass-kicking, progressing, escaping, fate-defying, time-travelling, and so much more. Yes, you read that correctly, 2016 chapters. Chinese Webnovels are very long.

    Martial World Novel Cover

    ‘Martial World’

    Wu dong Qian Kun Novel Covers

    ‘Wu Dong Qian Kun’

    Some other long Chinese novels- of the Xianxia genre– that I read last year at different stages are Martial Universe ( Wu Dong Qian Kun) which had about 1309 chapters, and Martial World (2275) chapters. These novels are the main reason why my word count was so high last year; each chapter of these works had 1500-2500 words.

     In keeping with the fantasy genre, and Xianxia genre, and broadly progression fantasy, I also read some of the works from western/ western based Authors. 

    I read the Cradle series (11 books out as of now with the 12th book being the finale of the series) by Author Will Wight. I had a bumpy ride through the first few books but after the third one, every book was like the strongest shot of dopamine I could ever have. I dashed through the entire series in about a week’s time, sacrificing both my sleep and work at times; but it was worth it. 

    Image of Cradle Novel Series by Will Wight
    The Beginning after the end Vol 9 Reckoning Cover

    I also read the latest book Reckoning in Author Turtleme’s series The Beginning After The End. The book made me feel like I was a gladiator, getting my deserved revenge, in a battle of sword and magic, surrounded by cheers of the audience, when in reality I was just lying down on my bed. Now that was pure immersion. I also read Brandon Sanderson’s Final Empire, which I liked. Going into 2023, I want to read more of Sanderson’s books. 

    Man, I wish I could relive all of these series, they are just so good. I have attached the links to the books, if you want to check them out. 

    Now, I would be the first one to claim that works like these, novels like these, are not at the apex of literary achievements. But the works are still fun to read and you learn a lot about Various myths, cultures, and ways of thinking. Moreover, Chinese animation studios are adapting various popular Xianxia novels in animation. Some of them are very good, with incredible graphics and music. ‘Perfect world’ is one of them. So if you can’t be bothered with reading the work, just check out the donghua(Chinese animation) of it. You can find the trailer here. It won’t disappoint you. 

    I could go on and on talking about the Xianxia genre, something I have been actively researching for a long time, but I will stop here. After all, this is a book post and I don’t want to turn it into something else. If the demand arises or the force moves me, I will write another post detailing my thoughts about the Xianxia genre, which I think is a super cool topic to explore.  

    Moving on; during my flight from New york to India in May, I had about 14 hours to kill. I didn’t want to sleep as I had learnt that you needed to fool your body’s biological clock, by following the time zone of your landing country, to prevent or lessen the effect of Jet-Lag. So I stayed awake for the entire 14 hrs of ride. During the flight, I started and finished a book, ‘The 4 hour work week’, by Tim Ferris : a book that I found incredibly motivating and timely, for me.

    Cover of The 4 hour Work week by Timothy Ferris.

    Tim argues in his book that a traditional 9-5 job of 5-7 days a week is not necessarily a dictate written in stone. He talks about all the various reasons why the work structure of modern society is the way it is, how it can be overcome, how you can escape the rat race and so on. Part self-help, part business advice, part life counselling, part lifestyle experimenting, the book touched on many things. 

    Although Tim does speak with a certain optimism about the sure possibility of a life like his to everyone who reads and follows his book, which certainly comes off as scammy or deranged, the book has certainly been a net-positive in the ways I think, and organise my life. I don’t think you will regret reading this book even if you don’t manage to make loads of money right after reading it. After all, the 4 hour work week is more a mentality, a mindset, a view on a possible way of living rather than an easy reward to be achieved after finishing the book. 

    Similar books that I read, which could qualify under Self-help and Personal Development, are ‘The Obstacle is the Way’ by Ryan Holiday, ‘Deep Work’ by Cal Newport, and ‘Daily Rituals: How Artists Work.’ by Mason Curry. All of the above are fairly easy reads; i.e the hard work starts when you try to apply the book. 

    Book Cover of the Deep Work by Cal Newport
    Book Cover of 'The Obstacle is the Way' by Ryan Holiday
    Book Cover of 'Daily Rituals' by Mason Curry

    TOITW instructs you in the ancient and timeless art of turning adversities into opportunities. DW argues the  need for sessions of laser-sharp focus and highlights how one could go about achieving it. DR is a book that compiles an incredible array of artists, thinkers, achievers, across history and elaborates on what their daily rituals looked like. DR is not a prescriptive book, which is why I don’t think of it as a self-help book; It just tells you how these people, that you may or may not admire, did what they did. It’s up to you, to learn or not, and to pick and choose. 

    Moving on, let me list two other fictional works I read. One of them is Animal Farm by George Orwell, and the other is Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. I have already written a review on Animal Farm here on my blog, so I won’t go into much detail. But to say a few words, the book is a classic for a reason. Just read it.

    Book Cover of Animal Farm by George Orwell
    Book Cover of Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse

     Siddhartha is a beautiful book; it is a short read but it is so profound in so many ways. The novel is about a man who is a contemporary of the historical Buddha, who was born in a well to do family. He is named Siddhartha, which is also the given name of the Historical Buddha. 

    The novel charts Siddhartha’s journey from a layman to an ascetic to a businessman to a boatman and finally to a father and a saint. Many beats of the story derive its inspirations from the life story of the Historical Buddha but there are also many points where the historical Buddha and Siddhartha diverge. 

    The clearest point of departure is when Siddhartha meets the Historical Buddha and listens to his sermons. Siddhartha, though he is convinced and allured by the teachings of the Buddha, decides to not follow him. Instead, he follows his inner voice (reminiscent of Socrates’ Daemon) and goes on to seek his own enlightenment.    

    Herman Hesse, the Author, seeped with rich understanding of both Eastern Indian Buddhist thought and Western Psychoanalysis, manages to weave a beautiful and convincing story of a man seeking enlightenment in Siddhartha.

     The language is simple, yet concealing and lyrical. The prose is magical and flows like heavenly nectar. The story happens as much in the words you read, as in the mind that it goes to. The story is as much religious, as it is romantic. It is not just a story of Siddhartha, it is also a story of you, your friend, that person over there, and that person that has long died. 

     Moreover, the book has so many lines and passages that are so simple, yet so profound. Consider this passage, which is one of my favourites from the book, and a recurring theme. Siddhartha, when asked what he has that he can offer, replies.    

    “I can think, I can wait, I can fast.” “Is that all?” “I think that is all.” “And of what use are they? For example, fasting, what good is that?” “It is of great value, sir. If a man has nothing to eat, fasting is the most intelligent thing he can do. If, for instance, Siddhartha had not learned to fast, he would have had to seek some kind of work today, either with you, or elsewhere, for hunger would have driven him. But as it is, Siddhartha can wait calmly. He is not impatient, he is not in need, he can ward off hunger for a long time and laugh at it. Therefore, fasting is useful, sir.”

    I can go and on about Siddhartha but I will not. Instead, I hope that you can go on to read Siddhartha on your own. It is a very short read, only about 2 hrs or so. And every bit of that time will be worth it. Man, talking about this book makes me want to read it again. Ok, moving on. 

    I realise that this post is running on the long end. So I will just talk about the next few books as concisely as I can. All of them are non-fiction. 

    As I have rambled in the first part of this post, I got very interested in Xianxia as a genre and its historical and religious foundations. I knew that Daoism was a huge part of Xianxia, so I wanted to learn more about it. 

    To that end, I read the foundational text ‘Tao/Dao Te Ching’ by Lao Tzu(Literally meaning Great Teacher.) I also read Alan Watts’ The Way Of Zen which starts with a discussion of Daoism, and Buddhism, to explain the history of Zen. Watts writes that the synthesis of Chinese Daoism with Indian Buddhism along with Japanese Shinto-ist beliefs gave rise to this unique tradition of Zen Buddhism. I found both of these books to be incredibly insightful, and a great entry point to the two different traditions of intellectual thought.

    Book Cover of Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
    Book cover of The Way of Zen by Alan Watts

    The last book on this list is the ‘Secret Lives of Dalai Lama’ by Alexander Norman. In SLODL, Norman tells the history of a Pre-Buddhist nation of Tibet and how over time, both consciously and unconsciously, the Indian deity Avalokiteshvara became the symbolical deity/Protector of Tibet known to all as Chenrezig – the one who gazes with compassionate/unwavering eyes. 

    Book Cover of Secret Lives of the Dalai Lama

    Norman shows us that this indigenization process displays itself clearly in the phenomenon of an unbroken line of manifestations (Tulpa in Tibetan.) Starting from the story of Tibetan’s Paternal Primogenitor, the kind-hearted monkey, to the first king of the Tibetan Empire (Songsten Gampo), to the disciple of Atisha, to the first Dalai lama, and to the Great 14th one.

    It is a very interesting read, and the book serves as both a historical as well as an anthropological assessment of how Tibetans adopted Buddhism. One learns that the process of adopting Buddhism, and forming the collective myth we live in now, was not as non-violent as Tibetan Buddhist might like you to believe. The Political plays, Backstabbings, Killing and Punishing, Diplomacies, Marriages, Assassinations, that form a big part of this historical period, are vividly narrated by Norman. It makes one understand that if told correctly, history is never boring. 

    Norman commanded my full attention through his entire book. Every bit of history, properly told, is like an episode or an arc from Game of Thrones. And Norman writes in SLODL,  a significant story of the Tibetan Game of Thrones – A long and ever-relevant battle for the spiritual throne of all Tibetans. Overall, it’s a fascinating read, whether you are a Tibetan or not. I would recommend it to everyone. 

    Alright, that’s it. The year of 2022 in books. I know that I have cut many corners here and there in describing the books; forgive me as I didn’t want to make this essay much longer than it already is. I apologise. I also have not written about many other books that I have read here, like Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil and Carl Jung’s Dream Collection by Routledge, where I knew that a quick gloss, like the ones I did in this post, would never be satisfactory for me. 

    If you have made it here, I give you my sincerest thanks. As the saying goes, “It is wonderful to be loved, but profound to be understood.”I don’t know whether every part of my sentiments and thoughts were properly communicated and understood, but if you have read until here, you have shown an effort to understand me. And for that, you have my gratitude. Hope everyone has a good year of reading in 2023. Until next time!     

  • Three Thoughts for Thursday(TTT) – Reflections of Year 2022, 2022 in Books, and Resolutions for Year 2023. (04/01/2023)

    TTT Newsletter (04/01/2023)

    Hello Friend,

    Following is this week’s (04/01/2023) dose of “Three Thoughts for Thursday”, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. I know that I didn’t write TTT for the last two weeks, taking somewhat of an unprompted break, which is something I am hoping to avoid and improve on, going into this new year. Please feel free to forward this to your friends, subscribe to the mailing lists, the blog AND/OR share it through the internet if you find it valuable. 

    • Reflections of Year 2022: About half an hour before the clock struck midnight (IST) on Dec 31, 2022, I sat down and wrote three mindmaps on three different pages of my notebook. The first one was ‘reflections on 2022’ and my strategy was to write anything and everything that I could think of – events, places, people, goals, disappointments, relationships, foods, travels, problems, failures, triumphs, and more. I scribbled down, with lines and arrows, that I travelled with my friends to Manali in 2022, that I took a Gap semester and came back to India, that I started planning and writing my Story, that I tried to find ways to improve and better myself, that I failed in many things, that I struggled with my health, and so much more. It was the first time I ever did such an unorganised reflection like this; I found it to be quite therapeutic and in many ways, I found it to be incredibly poetic. It felt like my last goodbye, and my last conversation with the year that had been. As I wrote, time ticked down to Midnight. All those seconds and all those minutes were something that I could never regain, something that I can never find, even if I searched for it in every nook and cranny of the universe. A deeper, trippier, question can be asked here – where does time ‘go’ when it has passed? Where did the time between 11:45 pm to 11:59 pm of Dec 31, 2022 disappear to? A broken cup goes to the bin, energy transforms into some other form if it is spent. What happens to Time? Personally, I don’t know where it goes but I know that it never comes back. Such was the context in which I wrote my reflection. It was my last conversation of 2022 and it was an honest one. Year 2022 has been a strange year, a good year, and a changing year. I know, with some measure of confidence, that when I am old and grey and far in my age, I will remember 2022 with a peculiar nostalgia and relive it through the page I wrote, which I have safely stored away. 
    • 2022 in Books: Of the three pages I mentioned writing, at the year’s end, the second one was titled ‘Year of 2022 in Books.’ Books, I think, are an incredible way to remember a timeframe or a scene, at least for me. It is also an incredible way to visualise and understand a growth or lack thereof in someone’s life. Whenever I see and reread the Percy Jackson series, I remember my 7th and 8th grade-being in my boarding home, lying down on my upper bunk bed, and tearing through the Library issued Percy Jackson books, one that I had gotten only after numerous fights, struggles, and queuing with other fellow demi-god enthusiasts in my school. Similarly, whenever I see or reread the ‘The God Delusion’, ‘god is not Great,’ ‘Moral landscape’, and ‘Letters to a Young Contrarian,’ I remember my second year in UK highschool, where I, as a new turned Atheist, was trying to find my bearings in a new intellectual world and landscape. I remember with a vivid joy and excitement, the reading spree I went on. In keeping with sentiments like that, I jotted down all the books I had read, finished, or abandoned in 2022 as my second page. I am hoping to write an essay/blog post on the year of 2022 in books, giving brief reviews of the book I read and the context in which I met the books and finished them. Some of the Books include ‘Animal Farm,’(which I wrote a review on) ‘Siddhartha,’ ‘Tao Te Ching,’ ‘Deep Work,’ ‘The Way of Zen,’and others. The groundwork of that essay is already in the mind map reflection, so I am hoping to finish it soon. (I have many planned writings to do, so a bit more management is needed on my part to write and finish them.) I will append the link here when it is done, so please check it out on my blog. 
    • Resolutions for 2023: The third end of the year page, from the trinity of ‘holy pages’, is titled  ‘Resolutions for 2023’. I employed much of the same strategy that I did for the 2022 reflection, just writing everything that I could- things that I wanted to change, habits that I wanted to cultivate, characteristics that I wanted to improve on, achievements and successes that I wanted to have by 2024, losses that I wanted to cut, relationships that I wanted to foster, and many more. Essentially, it was a laundry list of everything that I wanted, if I could possibly have everything. For a moment, that page was the genie, and I was Aladdin, rubbing my pen on the paper, so that I could explain my wishes. I was trying my best, racking my entire head, to write down all the possible wishes that I think I had. After all, it is to be noted that most of the time you don’t really know what you want! You think you do, but you don’t! Most of the time, something I have noticed in myself, you can’t differentiate between your wishes from your friends’, your family’s, and society’s. Hence the warning that “You should be careful what you wish for, you might just get it!” Moreover, even if you know what you want, you might not know how to phrase it and explain it. Keeping that in mind, I wrote. So finally, as I finished, on the page was transcribed my ideal year – a semi-realistic ideal plan. I didn’t say I wanted to be a billionaire or a world class athlete by the end of the year, but I did write down many possible and achievable things that would become impossible, if tried together. But I was not hugely concerned with that. I just wrote. It was my laundry list, of course! But then, after I was done, my genie said, just like with Aladdin, that I needed to cut down my wishes to three. It was beyond the genie’s capabilities, to grant more than three wishes, and maybe the incapability reflected something about me, as the wisher. But there is power in limitation, there is power in reduction. Being able to reduce all my wishes for the new year down to three gives me the ability to know what I really care about, what I really am, and what I really want to be. In that sense, the act of careful and limited wishing is a process of self-discovery. That is how I viewed it all. And from my list, I carefully selected three main wishes as my new year resolution. The first is to read at least 1 book a week, 2 hrs a day, with a special emphasis on classics for the year 2023. I have a planned reading list and I am tracking it with real time notes and thoughts, which I may or may not share. For this, I am hoping to use Goodreads to the best ability that I can. You can follow it here. There is not a lot there right now. Hopefully, there will be in the days to come. The second is to have a proper and consistent morning routine– this is something I have been working on the last year and still want to continue onwards in this year as well.  The third and last one is to write everyday and show my work, whether it be a form of Three Thoughts for Thursday, Where is Hell and Where is Heaven, Blog posts, book reviews, essays, philosophical papers, reflections, and so on. Now these three wishes, or resolutions of 2023, are not my be all and and all. Of course, I will be focusing on many other things and will try to finish and achieve all my desired wishes, but these three, I have found, are the essential ones, ones that will have the most impact on my life and the way I live – Keystone Wishes, I suppose.     

    If you have made it till here, Thank you. I wish you all a happy New year, and I hope that it will be a good one for all of us. Stick around to read me write my weeks in this new year. Haha. That’s it for this week’s ‘Three Thoughts for Thursday’, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends or share it through the internet if you find it valuable. And I will see you next week.

    -Tenzin Jampa 

  • Avatar: The Way of the Water, A Movie Review

    Key Takeaways : Avatar: The Way of the Water is a beautiful, magical, and an incredibly immersive film about family, love, hope, and sadness. After a decade long waiting, the Avatar finds its way back to the theatres and back into the hearts of all who watched it and loved it. The entire team behind it, giving it their very best, made Avatar 2 another groundbreaking film. I loved it and I think, so will you. So go watch it in the cinemas if you can. 

    Read Time: ~ 15 mins read

    Avatar: The Way of the Water, Movie Review

    I recently watched the Avatar movie and I wanted to write some words about it or rather some words around it. Of course, I must say it outright, I am not a critic of movies- I have only written book reviews and that too is few and far between- and I am only a casual movie watcher as one might say. So take these words that I am planning to write with a grain of salt. This essay will be mostly spoiler-free, but please do watch the movie first before you read this. And hopefully, this type of writing will be the first of many from my end. 

    To summarise, Avatar: The Way of the Water was a very unique experience, especially to witness it in the theatres. Although I would be the first one to admit and confess that the story of the second movie (or the first one for that matter) is not exactly complex, the movie still holds an extraordinary ability to command your attention. It enchants and immerses you into the world it builds, makes you care about its people, its animals and its plants. It lets you see and experience their way of living, their society, and hypnotises you into thinking that somewhere out there, a life like this is both possible and is a life that we would want to live. Avatar, in watching, is never a movie of special effects CGI blue people; the thought of CGI is never on your mind. It is a movie about real people in a real world living in very real ways.  

    I watched the movie in 3D- it would be a sadness to not be able to watch this movie in 3D- at the local cinema hall with all of my siblings: my younger brother, my younger sister and my younger cousin; I was the oldest brother. My little sister had come home for her winter holidays together with my younger brother who was on Christmas holidays from his College. This was the first time in about 6 years since all of my family had been together as a single unit. The fault was mostly on me as I had been away from them, studying abroad, and hadn’t been able to find my way back until this year. Of course, speaking digitally, I was never separated for too long from my family. But I have learnt that online communications are never the same as the real one. I think that personal context added to the pathos of the movie, at least for me, as it involved the family of Jake Sully and the lengths they would go to protect each other. In that sense, it felt like a beautiful letter of love, hope, and desperation sent out to every family and I received it. 

    Since the first Avatar movie had been released a long while ago, when I was still a small kid, I had completely forgotten about the details of the plot. From what I could remember, I knew that the main protagonist was disabled and had come from a dying Earth to a new planet, whose name I had forgotten, and that planet had a native people of blue skin colour- I had forgotten the name of the people, Na-vi, as I later learnt. I could recall that the protagonist and his friends could transfer their consciousness onto a blue body and that our protagonist, in his blue body, meets the princess of the blue people living in the forest. I knew that they fell in love and that there was a big fight at the end, where the good guys won and the bad guys were ejected from the planet. But that was about all I could remember- a blur of pictures, memories, and emotions, some I am sure are not even mine.

    So to prepare to watch the new movie, me and my brother watched the first Avatar, we wanted our little sister to watch it with us but she gave up after the first 30-40 mins, and I was pleasantly surprised to see how well the movie stood up even in this day and age. The first Avatar was and still is a technological masterpiece and I found an incredible amount of respect and admiration for James Cameron, the visionary director and story-teller behind the Avatar franchise. There were some instances of jank motion capturing especially in the facial expressions but all things considered, the movie was and still is a magical one. It was like poetry in pictures. It was the awe of staring in the starry night sky but captured in a 3 hour movie, it was the child-like wonder for nature and animals but displayed on the big screen.  

    Even after 10 years since its release, I was still marvelling at how creative and beautiful the designs of the creatures in the ecosystem were. The Ikran (The flying hybrid of bird, wyvern and pterodactyls), the Direhorses ( the hunting horses used by the Na-vi), the Toruk( The apex predator of the Sky, making the mythology of Toruk Makto), the Atokirina( Seeds from the holy Tree), and so many more. Of course, growing up, you start to see and recognize many of the inspirations for the designs in the movie, both on the cultural front and the biological front, but that didn’t take away any of the enjoyment for me. 

    After my increased interest in the Avatar universe, and the world of Pandora, and also to take inspiration from its great Worldbuilding for my own story, I started to read more on its lore and its history. It’s crazy how much of the details of the world, its history, its culture, its language, and its biosphere had been thought out, and that too in great detail. Keep in mind that Pandora is a moon that has its own structure and that has come into contact with a new civilisation from a familiar place we call Earth. And that juncture, that intersection, that conflict is taken into serious consideration, at least from a worldbuilding perspective. (One could argue, and some do, whether the story properly treats that subject.)

    Everything in the world of Pandora has at least two ways of being seen. This is a very specific way of using a device in storytelling called Narrative lensing. A story is not just a narration of facts and events that happens- it is the specific emotions that a character feels in the events that happen, it is the ups and downs they navigate from their perspective, it is the world they see changing from their eyes. Therefore a good story, an effective one, always manages to render the events that happen through some or someone’s perspective. That is known as Narrative Lensing. And especially in the story of Avatar, we can identify the built-in lensing from at least two perspectives. 

    One, a more scientific, a human (not to be confused with humane), and a ‘civilised’ one and the other, a naturalistic, a mystical, a religious, and a ‘tribal’ one. This is seen easily in the classification of creatures into scientific names (in the tradition of Earth Science) as well as the names for it in Na-vi language. Attention to details like this is my love-language in story-telling. I love myself a well thought out world, one in which endless stories can be told and retold and I believe that Pandora is one of those worlds. The story of Jake Sully, the protagonist of the Avatar series, and his family is one of those.   

    Narrative lensing is a great way to tell stories while breaks in narrative lensing is a great way to develop a character, create conflicts, and propel the engine of a story. One such instance of a conflict in narrative lensing, which we can see in our Main character of Avatar, is Jake Sully. JS, by birth, is a human from earth and has served in the Marines but he then transforms into a Na-vi Avatar, and learns to live among the Na-Vi. Thus he starts to be situated in the intersection of the two major lenses of the Narrative and therefore impacts both worlds, for better or for worse, and that is why, for most of the time, his character is very interesting to follow. Stories that use characters in intersections of narrative lenses are frequently found, think of Tarzan, Pocahontas, Game of Thrones, and many more. Once you start to see it, you can’t unsee it. 

    James Cameron had said that he didn’t want the Avatar series to be plainly recognized as science fiction  but wanted it to be seen more as science fantasy, a merge of the two of my favourite genres. That sentiment of James Cameron really shows in the Avatar movies, the first one as well as the second one. Science fiction does have many fantastical and mystical elements but at its core, the genre demands logic, coherent technological developments, and a naturalistic( in a scientific sense) rhyme and reason. But fantasy is a much looser genre and you can do a lot more in a fantasy universe than in a sci-fi one. You can have different sources of powers, strange creatures, and mythical locations. Of course, fantasy universes and its workings does need to have a coherency of rules and reason to it but that reason doesn’t need to be the one we are familiar with in this universe. 

    James Cameron intended to blend these two genres together, drawing the strength of both, and create a spellbinding world. On one hand, you would have a cryogenic interstellar travel, interplanetary colonisation, automatons, mechanical exoskeletons, and so on. That is the science-fiction part. But in the same sentence, we have the very world of Pandora setting itself up as a fantasy world with an all-seeing deity in Eywa. Eywa, even though there is somewhat of a scientific hypothesis for its existence, is used primarily as a religious and a spiritual motif in the story. 

    Symbols of Religion and religious motifs are a universal one. We have all had the experience of praying, in some form or the other, and sought divine guidance, even if we may think of ourselves as agnostics. That is why scenes of Jake praying to Eywa, Na-vi People crying out for Eywa’s guidance, and the use of Eywa as a passage to afterlife are so impactful. One such memorable moment comes in the second movie when Jake asks Kiri, his adopted daughter, what Eywa sounds like. She replies. “Mighty!” That line is powerful and it moves you, it raises the hair on my body. And for a moment, in a science-fiction movie by appearance, everyone watching becomes religious. That is how Avatar manages to cross itself into the science-fantasy genre. 

    I am writing this review a few days after I watched the Avatar 2 movie and in those days, I have had the time to reflect on the wonderful experience I had in the 3 hours or so I had in the cinema. In that time, I have also been able to go down the rabbit hole of several behind the scenes footage of the actors, directors and the entire Avatar team, just giving their all to create this movie that we had waited for about 10 years with patient excitement. I have also binged several interviews of the director, producer and the actors talking about their experience through the film. Learning about all that has only made me appreciate the immense creative genius that flows through the entire Avatar team, and especially James Cameron, the director. 

    James Cameron is a visionary director, a genius worldbuilder, an eccentric explorer, and above all a very patient man. He has an incredible resume under his belt with directing and writing superhits like Terminator, Titanic, Avatar 1, and now Avatar 2, pushing the envelope in all of his movies. He also is an explorer, sharing a deep love for the ocean, and went on a deep dive exploring Mariana Trench. These eccentricities, and these curiosities that he has, deeply influences his work and thinking. 

    In many ways, he is a perfectionist, or atleast demands the best that he can envision, and cares deeply about the quality of his work and how it will be received by the fans and the public.That is also why he is so patient, I have read in interviews that he has had the script or atleast the story of Avatar mapped out shortly after the immense success of the first one. But he understood that the technology of VFX, underwater motion-capturing, and CGI hadn’t caught up to the level he wanted to in his sequels. A lesser man would have jumped the gun and made the sequels because even if they bombed, the momentum of the first movie would push the latter ones to relative success. 

    But James Cameron and his team decided not to. Instead they waited patiently for the technology to improve, even commissioned and brainstormed possible ways to improve underwater motion-capturing, and finally, around 2016-2017, James Cameron and the team decided that it was time to shoot. And for that, he had his acting cast trained( years in advance) in deep sea freediving, learning to breathe underwater, acting and expressing under water, so that they are incredibly comfortable with being under water. And this amount of dedication and record-breaking effort( Notably Kate Winslet breaking Tom Cruise’s breath holding record of 6 mins by a new 7 mins 15 seconds) really shows in the Avatar 2 movie. Seeing the sea people in the movie act like real sea people, move with the grace of a sea person, live and breathe the sea in their every motion, really added to the immersion, the very thing that Avatar excels at. 

    I realise that I am writing this review a bit on the long side when I originally planned to make it a short one. But as I typed word by word, so many ideas and reasons why I like this movie franchise came gushing out of me that I couldn’t just cut it down. I understand that this is unlike a traditional movie review but as I said when I started out, I didn’t want to write about the second Avatar movie, but that I wanted to write around it. 

    And write around it, I think I did and with as little spoilers as I could manage. Maybe a more detailed inspection of the plot of the movie, specific scenes, potential gripes and other interesting features can come in a month or two when the movie has reached its half-life stage, giving me a chance to tread into spoiler territory. But yeah, all in all, the main thing I wanted to say is I love the movie and have discovered many reasons to like it even more, and that you should definitely make time to watch it in the theatres if you haven’t until now. That’s it. 

    Thank you for reading. If you liked it, consider liking this post, sharing it to your friends and movie buffs, and check out some of my other posts. They are quite cool.

  • Chapter 9 : Nailing the Phurba, Breaking the Earth

    This chapter was originally intended to be the fifth chapter but as I have realised, sometimes you find things and places and features that your story wants to show to you which ends up sidetracking you. It is partially a failure and shortcoming on my part as a beginner story writer to not properly execute on my planned story. But all of this is a learning journey for me as much as it is for Kunkhen in his journey to learn the path of Turning. I am always learning and trying to improve. Hopefully, that's the one thing that may be of notice in the early chapters and the later ones. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

    Chapter 9 : Nailing the Phurba, Breaking the Earth

    Where is hell and where is heaven

    ***

    “Good. Now, we will leave this place. We have reaped our benefits. I am sure that Old Scrooge will cry tears of blood when he learns what happened!” Kunkhen gave a gentle nod as he heard Karma Wangmo but his eyes were still fixed on the Phurba in his hands. Kunkhen was entranced by the weapon as he ran his hands gently over the hilt of the Phurba. His face was lit with excitement. Karma Wangmo’s words only had a distant echo in his mind.  

    Kunkhen was torn. To a large extent, he was excited, like a boy who was gifted a new toy to play with, but he was also uncertain as to what he could do with this weapon. It was not a traditional weapon, like swords or spears, that he had seen people use in real life or in stories. He had only seen these in Temples as decoration or used by religious saints as a religious instrument. 

    Kunkhen admired the beautiful union of gold and turquoise that coated the Phurba, before gripping it again with his right hand. The handle had three sides as well, but the grip was steady. The pommel of the Phurba also had three protruding figures but the details of the figures were lacking, like an unfinished carving. 

    Three of Threes. Three and Nine. What could that mean? Kunkhen thought. As he did, he started swirling the blade around, like you would do with a sword, before committing a sharp strike. The blade of the Phurba teared through the air, and it made a sharp whistling sound.

    Kunkhen’s eyes widened as he heard the sharp whistle the Phurba just made. He carefully secured his grip on the Phurba and made sure to keep the tip facing away from him. He had to be more cautious when handling the blade; the Phurba was sharp, sharp enough to cut. 

    Struggling away from those thoughts, Kunkhen slowly put the Phurba away and faced Karma Wangmo once again. An embarrassed smile curved through his face. “ Ahh. I am sorry. I got carried away.” Kunkhen apologised. “It’s alright. I know how exciting it can be to receive a Spirit Weapon. How does it feel?” Karma Wangmo said, in the soft tone that she always used. The tone which Kunkhen had loved since the moment he heard it.

    Kunkhen took a pause, and relaxed the focus in his eyes. He then said, “It feels strange. This weapon…Although I don’t know anything about it, it feels like a long-lost friend, like a brother of mine. And I feel secure, with this in my hand. ” While speaking, Kunkhen would occasionally nod at his words, as if he was agreeing with his own statements. 

    “Kunkhen, whenever a Spirit Weapon is forged, powerful words need to be spoken – these are our instructions and our requests- and blood needs to be given. These ingredients gather our Spirit, our Bla, and through the forging process, moulds it into the shape that defines the very nature of our Spirit. 

    “Everyone has their own Spirit. A Spirit is different from one’s mind or body or essence. It is also different from rlung. It’s an added concept, an extra source of Power that one can train and cultivate in. But every Spirit is not the same. They are defined, crafted, and shaped by different circumstances of the individual. They have different capabilities and powers and different forms. One such shape of the Spirit comes when your Spirit weapon is forged. We also call such weapons, Bla-Tson! Everyone, when their spirit weapon is properly crafted, receives a personal weapon. That is why the weapon feels so near and dear. After all, that weapon is their own spirit, whether they recognise it or not, it is the physical shape of their Spirit.”

    As Kunkhen listened to Karma Wangmo, his eyes were pulled towards his Phurba and his focus alongside it. This weapon. A Phurba, this was the shape of his Spirit. Why? What did that mean? Kunkhen was interrupted in his thinking as Karma Wangmo continued.

    “Your Spirit Weapon is a Phurba, another’s might be a sword, another a blade, some even receive a staff and so on. We call it a weapon, but only in the broadest of sense. So one can easily have a ball for their Spirit Weapon. These different manifestations of one’s Spirit define a part of them. Understanding that part would strengthen their spirit and likewise their weapon. Therefore, it is not unexpected to see the Spirit Weapon of some grow and evolve. But some also rot and die.” 

    Kunkhen had paid his best attention to what she said and a few things caught his attention. Kunkhen asked. “What’s your Spirit Weapon like?” But as soon as the question slipped out of Kunkhen’s mouth, like a fisherman whose catch squirmed out from his hand, he felt a sense of regret. An embarrassing heat ran through his face, which told him that it was not the best question to ask her. 

    “I can’t give you the answer to that. In time…” Karma Wangmo took a deep breath. Kunkhen felt the remorseful tone of her breath, or maybe he was reading too much. “In time.. Maybe.” Kunkhen opened his mouth into a small gap before he quickly closed it. He wanted to say something but no words felt right. So Kunkhen gave a silent nod. A small pause lingered on, carrying that tension, before Kunkhen said. “Karma Wangmo, How do we leave this Place? What do I have to do?” 

    Kunkhen had an intense gaze matching the firm stance he had when he asked Karma Wangmo. In his right hand, the black blades of the Phurba blended in the dark surroundings as the golden and the turquoise attachments glittered. Karma Wangmo explained. “I am mostly out of energy, so this is something you will have to do. Simply said, you will have to tear the space around us and break this world.” 

    Kunkhen’s mouth dropped open as he heard that and his eyes squinted in doubt. How would he be able to do that? But Kunkhen quickly composed himself, reining in his faltering mind, and asked “What do I have to do?” Karma Wangmo replied. “Follow my instructions. First, start turning. Turn as much rlung as you can into your core.” 

    As soon as Kunkhen heard what Karma Wangmo said, he crouched down and took a seat on the ground. He folded his legs and gently closed his eyes. He rested his hands on his lap with his phurba. His core, the Khorlo in his abdomen, picked in speed like the wheels of an accelerating vehicle. And with steady and rhythmic breaths, Kunkhen was absorbing the rlung in his surroundings. He was turning. Kunkhen could see in his mind’s eye, long strands of energy spiralling into his Khorlo. This was his third time turning but Kunkhen knew he had improved a lot since his first one.

    “Good, keep turning. Visualise your core like a rotating wheel, sucking in all the rlung that it can. ” Kunkhen didn’t respond but he heard what Karma Wangmo said. And so he kept turning. And sure enough, Kunkhen saw some changes soon enough. His Khorlo, after absorbing a lot of rlung, had brightened. Kunkhen could feel the overwhelming force that it held. Like a rotating turbine, it had an immense power that was waiting to be used. 

    But Kunkhen also knew that he had reached his limit. No matter how much he turned, his Khorlo was not rotating any faster. It wasn’t able to absorb any more rlung. Kunkhen tried turning harder- frowns developed on his face as his breathing strained. But instead of his Khorlo rotating faster, it started wobbling. Kunkhen realised that if he tried pushing any harder, his Khorlo would give out. It might break or burst, like a wheel that rotated faster than its capacity. Kunkhen didn’t want to take that chance, so he said “I am done. I think this is my limit. Now what should I do?”

    Karma Wangmo quickly replied. “Good. Hold onto that rlung energy. Keep your Khorlo’s rotation steady. For a turner in general, there are three phases. The first is the phase of Turning. As you have done now and before, in this stage, your Khorlo collects and turns as much ambient rlung as it can. Ambient rlung is the wild rlung that is available in the surroundings. The second phase is known as the Churning and Refining phase. In this stage, the ambient rlung that you have collected in your Khorlo will be churned and refined into internal rlung (Nang-Rlung). Internal rlung is the rlung that you will be able to use and manipulate.That is what you have now, in your Khorlo. Do you feel it? ” 

    Kunkhen listened to her carefully. He still had his eyes closed as he was controlling his Khorlo and the rlung energy it had. But he could see what Karma Wangmo mentioned. A torrent of white coloured energy bubbled in his Khorlo. That must be his internal rlung. Thinking that, Kunkhen gave a nod to Karma Wangmo. 

    “Good, now we move on to the third phase, the Phase of Actualising. Listen carefully, as the third phase is perhaps the most important phase. It certainly is the most creative stage. In this phase, you learn to use your internal rlung to manipulate your own body and your surroundings. By using your rlung, you learn to actualise the ‘reality’ that you want.”

    A quiet shiver ran down Kunkhen’s spine as he heard that. ‘The phase of Actualising…’ Kunkhen’s heart thumped faster. What sort of ‘realities’ could he create? What would be the limitations?  As Kunkhen was trapped in a maze of such thrilling questions, Karma Wangmo started speaking again. Kunkhen immediately straightened his spine and focused. 

    “As you noticed in your first understanding, our bodies have a network of channels, Tsa, that is connected to your Khorlo as an epicentre. The rlung energy flows through these channels, and much like blood, circulates and powers your body. With studying and practising, you can control the flow of rlung in your body. That is what the Third phase is. Here, follow my instructions. After all, the best way to learn something is to try it.” Kunkhen adjusted his bottom and gave a nod. 

    “Alright. First, focus on the rlung like you did earlier. Observe it carefully, Look at how it moves, wiggles and waves around in your Khorlo. When you have done that, slowly imagine that rlung energy circulating towards your fist.Picture a pipe that connects your Khorlo to your hands. Have you done it?…Ok. Now, in your mind, slowly open that pipe. And like water, the rlung will flow from your Khorlo to your hands.Visualise that. Concentrate as deeply as you can. There is great power in the depth of the picture!” 

    Kunkhen followed Karma Wangmo’s instructions as best as he could. He could see and feel the pool of roaring white rlung energy in his Khorlo. Kunkhen imagined that rlung slowly leaving his core and flowing towards his hands, his hands that sat on his lap in a meditative gesture. A white serpentine connection from his abdomen to his hands, that’s how Kunkhen was imagining it.

    Kunkhen knew that his imagination had results. The powerful flow of rlung that he could feel in his abdomen, pulsing and roaring, had wriggled up to his hands. Now, his hands, his two hands, were filled with rlung energy. He could feel that. Kunkhen could even see a faint covering of white light on his hands. As soon as he had succeeded, Karma Wangmo said “ Very Good. You should be able to feel it, the power that you have in your hands.” “Yes.” Kunkhen said with a nod in sync.

    Karma Wangmo continued. “Good. Now ready your spirit weapon. Hold it in your hands, both of your hands…That’s it.” Kunkhen opened his eyes and stood up from the ground. He clutched his Phurba in his hands. The three-sided handle was long enough, just enough, for both of his hands to fit. He was holding it like a sword. 

    “Now, Transfer the rlung in your hands into your Phurba!” Kunkhen’s head did a slight tilt backwards. He understood what he had to do but didn’t know how he could do it. Karma Wangmo must have noticed Kunkhen’s hesitation, so she clarified. “Kunkhen. You must remember that the rlung energy is the vital energy, the movement energy. The rlung covers everything universally and it can enter and travel through anything. Think of your weapon, think of the Phurba in your hand as your extension. There is no space between you and your Phurba. The gap that exists is also a channel of your rlung. Think of your inner rlung like the warmth of a body, ceaselessly and easily spreading and moving.”

    Kunkhen stood silent for a moment. His eyebrows had creased, and his eyes had a distant gaze. This was the sign of Kunkhen in deep thought. A few moments passed by before Kunkhen redirected his gaze towards the Phurba. He widened his stance and started to concentrate. He was trying to transfer the rlung energy that he had in his hands to the Phurba. There is no gap between me and Phurba, we are one and the same. Kunkhen kept telling himself that as he concentrated. 

    Slowly but surely, tiny filaments of rlung began to wriggle out of Kunkhen’s hand and slowly entered the Phurba. Kunkhen imagined the Phurba having channels of rlung for itself and transferred the rlung through them. To Kunkhen’s astonishment, his Phurba was like an endless pit. It absorbed all of the rlung energy that he had and it seemed like it could absorb even more. 

    As soon as Kunkhen was done, the Phurba started to vibrate and it heated up. For a moment, Kunkhen felt as if he was holding a live animal, with a beating heart. The faint vibrations stopped as the three-sided handle of the Phurba started to glow. The glow of gold and turquoise, a halo that Kunkhen had grown familiar with. That glow moved downwards from the handle and lit the claw-like structures that gripped the three-sided blades of the Phurba. 

    The three claws had colour black, golden, and turquoise. The black claw developed a golden outline but it was incredibly faint, overshadowed by the black background of the claw and the blade. The other two claws had a dim glow of their own colours, enough to give them a divine presence. 

    Kunkhen’s legs felt like noodles, his core was aching and a spell of lethargy rushed over him. Kunkhen was exhausted, he knew that. He had expended all his rlung energy into the Phurba. Kunkhen understood that he had to be careful in using rlung. The techniques had their price, it was not a free lunch. But Kunkhen had to see this through, he had to get out of this black prison and see his parents again. He had questions to ask, mysteries to resolve and most of all, he just wanted to hug them. He missed them. 

    I am not giving up here! Kunkhen told himself as he gave all his remaining strength to his legs and solidified his stance. Kunkhen looked towards Karma Wangmo, gesturing for further instruction. She complied, “Phurba is a weapon that is also a Divine Nail. In ancient times, Divine Nails, blessed by forces of nature and the Great Law, and wielded by Turners, were driven deep into the ground. This is called the Nailing of the Phurba. It is said to break the earth and pin the earth-serpents down!

    “So Kunkhen, hold your Phurba and nail it down. Force it as hard as you can. Let this Phurba pierce through this prison world. You can do it. Nail the Phurba in the ground!” Kunkhen’s heart started to beat faster and faster as he listened to Karma Wangmo’s uplifting command. A warm rush of excitement had spread around his body. With a solid expression and adrenaline coursing through him, Kunkhen directed a nod towards Karma Wangmo. 

    Kunkhen dropped on his knees, to bring him closer to the ground. He changed his grip on the Phurba and turned the sharp point towards the ground. Kunkhen took a deep breath. In this breath, various images fluttered in his mind, how he was brought to this world, how he was almost killed, the white world, meeting with Karma Wangmo, and being granted this Phurba. Every moment of his time in this world was deeply carved into his memory. Thinking such thoughts, Kunkhen gave a deep roar and drove his Phurba through the ground.

    The faint glowing claws on the Phurba left a trail of light as the weapon came down on the ground. The Phurba stabbed through the ground, piercing the earth like it was rice. Kunkhen slowly stood up. He looked down. The dark ground near the Phurba had broken a little but nothing significant had happened like he thought it would. 

    Of course, Kunkhen didn’t know what should have happened but facing a moment of silence, where nothing happened, was disheartening. Did he fail? Was the energy not enough? Kunkhen reluctantly faced Karma Wangmo. His face was painted with guilt and shame. Kunkhen thought he had failed her, until Karma Wangmo said. “Brace yourself. You succeeded!” “What?!…” Kunkhen replied in a flash of surprise as he looked at the Phurba that was nailed in the ground. Cracks started to appear around it and like webs of a spider, it spread in all directions. 

    Kunkhen, in a hurry, picked his Phurba up from the ground and covered himself. He looked all over his surroundings. The cracks from the epicentre, the place where the Phurba had been nailed, kept going far off into the horizon. The cracks had the same glow of gold and turquoise. Gold and turquoise together, It was a beautiful union of colours. Kunkhen thought again.  

    The cracks broke through the grounds as it started breaking apart in a cloud of dust and rocks. Moreover, to Kunkhen’s surprise, the rippling cracks started to climb upwards and cover the dark sky. The glowing cracks ran and criss-crossed through the dark sky as it quickly spread all over. In a matter of seconds, the entire dark world was covered with cracks and was breaking. It was a beautiful scene, like a kaleidoscope of cracks, lights, and splintering reality. 

    And as Kunkhen looked on, the entire dark world disintegrated, it broke down into small pieces of glowing dust, like falling snow. A warm world coloured by a reddish hue of light infiltrated Kunkhen’s sight. Kunkhen recognised this familiar light. Kunkhen blinked a few times as his eyes adjusted to the brightness, especially after coming from the dark World. 

    Kunkhen realised he was still in the same place he had slept. The Sun was reaching its setting point so time hadn’t flown by as quickly as he thought. Kunkhen looked at the blue sky that covered him with fond eyes and soaked himself in the warm golden rays of the Sun. Kunkhen was relieved. He had been in the dark prison for quite some time. So he missed this. Kunkhen tried to make a step but his legs gave way and Kunkhen fell to the ground. 

    He had exhausted himself. He was tired, mentally and physically. But Kunkhen had never been happier. 

  • Three Thoughts for Thursday(TTT) – Hand-Writing my first Draft, Copywork, and Listening to the Song of the Siren (1/12/2022)

    Hello Friend,

    Following is this week’s dose of “Three Thoughts for Thursday”, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends or share it through the internet if you find it valuable.

    • Hand-writing my First Draft : For the past many weeks, I have been deliberately researching and experimenting in various ways to improve the quality of my writings and cultivate a strong habit to write fast and well. It has been a unique and a learning experience as I have never tried to deliberately learn and improve my writing, my skill of writing – regardless of its merits or lack thereof- has been something I have instinctively and naturally fostered with my love of reading great and good written works and writing personal and assigned works. One of the experiments I have tried, with a good measure of success, is Hand-writing my first draft with a good old pen onto an honest paper. Don’t get me wrong, I still type-write many of my works and the practice of it has served me very well- I can write fairly fast as I can type fast, the fonts and the clarity and consistency of the characters being typed helps me, and my hands hurt way less when I am just typing the words. But in the case of writing my story, typing the first draft has been working against me, there is so much friction and I have a huge tendency to perfect each word, each sentence, each moment before I move on. This has led me to a drudgingly slow pace in writing my story. Also, the clarity of the words and the paragraph I am typing works against me as a part of me rings an alarm bell every time it sees something that it’s unsatisfied with. That doesn’t happen with writing with pen and paper. Yes, Writing with a pen and paper is slow, but that is a feature of the practice and not a bug. Since you write slower, you begin to think each word out at a time and the ease of editing, backspacing, deleting, cutting and pasting that is present in typing is non-existent when you write with your hand. You just keep writing and keep moving your hand and vomit your first draft out from you. Then you can type it onto a google doc and that’s your first edit. It’s somewhat tedious but it works, at least for me. Since I have tried it, I have been able to write ~3000 words every single sitting. Now, those words may not be the best, may not be perfect, may not be great, but it’s there, it exists. You can only edit something if it exists. 
    • Copy-work: In the same domain of writing and improving the skill of writing, I have stumbled across a concept called Copy-Work. It is not a new concept by any means, as the process is something many students and people are familiar with. Some have used it to improve their Hand-writing and Calligraphy, some have used it to help them memorise, and some have even used it as a form of meditation and learning. Copy-work is the process where you copy by hand (or by typing) word for word of a famous passage written by Great Writers or just writings that you admire or like in general. As I have said, this activity or this work has been used since ancient times. Many have used it to copy their favourite religious passage, some have used it to study and memorise but those are not the benefits I want to write about here. Instead, I am introducing this concept as another piece of advice to improve one’s Writing. It has been said and understood that Copy-working famous passages or the write-ups of great writers is a very good way to experience the writing styles of a person. It is a great way of passive learning. If you have some time on your hand, try this by yourself. Get a page or a paragraph by your favourite writer or a writer that you like, and then just copy that page or paragraph. When you do that, and keep doing that, you realise many things. First, you are reading a good form of writing and that’s good. Second, when you are writing or typing, it increases your concentration, your form of writing, like a state of self-hypnosis and that gives you the habit of focus and deep-work. And third, you slowly begin to internalise the writing styles of the person you are copying. You passively learn the way they craft a sentence. You learn the way they move on from one scene to another. You learn how they play with metaphors and words and create impactful phrases. You see how they can weave together different ideas into the beautiful tapestry of words that you are copying. All of this, you can passively learn and then move on to use them and imitate, in your own works of writing. As they say “Imitation is the highest form of flattery.” Imitate but don’t plagiarise. And if you keep copy-working many great writers, you might be able to imitate them all and by that point, you would have become a unique and a good writer in your own right. Again, if you have some time to kill, try this practice out. I am sure it will help you in some way. 
    • Listening to The Song of the Siren: If you have read my earlier TTTs, you would know that I keep a journal and I try, to my best abilities, to keep true to writing a journal entry every day. In that journal entry, I might reflect on the day that has been or the day that might come, or anything else in general. But I have a word, a term, a concept, that I really like to use when I am reflecting in my journal. The word is Siren. I write about the Siren as the voice of temptation, the voice of lethargy, the voice of mediocrity, the voice of laziness, the voice of my vices, and the voice of my Resistance. I write about Siren and her songs as the lure that keeps me from becoming my best self, from keeping to my habits, from doing the hard thing, from writing, from running, from meditating. That is the Siren. Obviously, I am borrowing the concept of Siren from the Greek mythological beings who Odysseus and his crew encountered. The Sirens are creatures whose Songs are said to be hypnotic, bewitching, luring, and ming-breaking which makes them appear as heaven-defying beauties. Many sailors and warriors are known to have lost their lives being fooled by the Siren’s and their Songs. Odysseus, being the clever man that he is, knew about that and with the advice of Circe, a magician, instructed all of his crew mates to be covered with wax in their ears so that they wouldn’t hear the Siren’s signings. But Odysseus was also a great man, he was a hero, a seeker of knowledge and adventure, and he wanted to listen to the Song of the Siren. He wanted to know what they had to say and live to tell the tale. He knew that Siren’s sang of the deepest desires and wants of a person and that made him curious. To that end, He asked his crewmates to tie him to a pole without any coverings in his ears, as tightly as they can, and told them to never let him loose no matter how much he yelled and screamed to let him go. When the ship passed by the region of the Sirens, Odysseus got to listen. The process is described as very painful to Odysseus with him shouting, desperately, to let him loose but his crewmates, who couldn’t hear the song because of the wax, held firm to what the captain had originally instructed them. As the ship got away from the region of the Siren’s, the song died down into distant echoes and Odysseus and the crewmates could relax.You could look up the exact song that Odysseus had heard and lived to tell. But I think, for me, that’s not the crux of the story. I think the core of this story is how Odysseus chose to listen to the Siren’s songs when he could have just covered his ears to be in the safe. He chose to listen to them, and struggle against them, out of curiosity, out of love for wisdom and adventure. Maybe more. But for me, I take this as a message to learn to live with Temptations, learn to see them for what they are, the Sirens, and listen to them, and then move on from them to do the right thing. Giving into Temptations, giving into the charm of mediocrity is easy, that’s being fooled by the Siren. Covering your ears and separating yourself from temptations, living like a monk, is not easy but it is not the hardest. Wanting to see what the temptations are, listening to its songs, fighting against it, and living to tell the tale, now that  is the hardest endeavour and yet, it is the most heroic one. Striving for balance with temptations and doing the right thing. That is one of the great reasons why Odysseus is such a great Hero; He listened to the Song of the Sirens. 
    • Book/s I am reading: ‘The Secret Lives of Dalai Lama’ – Alexander Norman, ‘The Power of Myth’- Joseph Campbell and Stephen Moyer, ‘The Arrow and the Spindle’ – Samten G. Karmay

    If you have made it till here, Thank you. It was a long one, I know. 

    That’s it for this week’s ‘Three Thoughts for Thursday’, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends or share it through the internet if you find it valuable. And I will see you next week.

    -Tenzin Jampa

  • Chapter 8 : Forging A Spirit Weapon

    This and the next chapter, and the events that happen in it, is something I have been wanting write since the beginning chapters. Initially, I thought it would happen around chapter 3 or 4 but as I said, sometimes my story drives me to write in ways that delays events that I have been planning. In this chapter, Kunkhen finally receives a weapon, and the weapon is heavily inspired from a religious instrument from Buddhist and Vedic traditions. This weapon is something I have been wanting to use for a long time. I understand that some people might not feel the best about using a religious instrument but as I have prefaced, this is a fantasy story that takes inspirations from various sources. I spend a lot of time researching and reading up on all the materials that I could use, and brainstorming how I can apply those various concepts. And in writing them into my story, please understand that they will not always retain the exact symbolism they are supposed to have. I hope you as a reader might look past that and treat this story as it is, a fantasy story.

    Chapter 8 : Forging A Spirit Weapon

    ***

    “I understand.” Kunkhen said, his determination resonating in his voice. “Good. A strong Will is a good thing to have; perhaps the most important thing. Well then, let us not waste our time any more.” As Karma Wangmo said so, she started to fly towards the black wall that surrounded them. Kunkhen followed the Turquoise stone. Upon reaching the black rotating wall, Karma Wangmo started to speak. 

    “You see, this hidden world – a dark prison as you called it – is something that old Turner created to entrap you. The barrier of this world has strong restrictions. The captive has no way of communicating with the outside world. And the world beyond has no way of entering this world. He thought to kill you. I am sure you guessed that. As for why and how, those are answers you will have to seek on your own.” 

    Kunkhen tightened his fists and clenched his teeth, the memory of almost being crushed to death by that mysterious old voice and the black tendrils still burned strongly in his memory. If not for Karma Wangmo protecting him and saving him, he might not be alive anymore. Kunkhen’s frustration was interrupted as Karma Wangmo continued.

    “But consider this,  All is not bad with being captured here. Nothing is ever completely bad, you must remember that, especially as a Turner.  And this time, our luck comes in the form of this wall. We need to reap our benefits before we leave this place. ” Kunkhen was lost as he couldn’t fully understand what Karma Wangmo was getting at. So he said “ I am sorry I don’t follow.” To which Karma Wangmo replied in a question. “ Do you remember the black liquid that was spread all over the place? ”

    “ Yes I do.” Kunkhen remembered that strange liquid; It was darker than anything he knew of. He also remembered the familiar and beautiful odour it had, the smell of burnt Juniper. He also remembered some of the unpleasant things that followed afterwards, namely being sucked into the tornado that Karma Wangmo created. Thinking these thoughts, Kunkhen said, “ If I am not wrong, you created this black wall by using the black liquid and the black earth. But I don’t understand why you did so.” 

    “ Yes, I created this black wall, and I did so to reap the full benefits of the two treasures that we speak of now. The black liquid and the black earth are not ordinary materials. I am sure you sensed it. They are treasures in their own rights. From what I can guess, the black liquid and the black earth is from the Sacred Soul Tree, also known as Bla-shing. More specifically, the liquid must be the burnt sap of the Soul Tree and the black earth its ash.”

    “ A Soul Tree…I am afraid but I do not follow. ” Kunkhen relayed his confusion to Karma Wangmo. This was an exciting piece of information, so he wanted to understand it with some measure of clarity. “ It is alright. I understand that all of this is a lot to take in at once. Many things will come in their own time.” Karma Wangmo reassured Kunkhen. “Just know this for now. The Soul tree is considered one of the four Sacred Trees of High-Earth and it is generally believed to be a Giant Juniper Tree.”

    “The sap from this tree is known to be very rich in spiritual energy, having incredible healing properties, and its wood is said to be one of the hardest materials. Thus, this Tree is prized, revered and searched by all Turners but nobody knows exactly where this Sacred Tree grows. Of the Four Sacred Trees, the location of only one is known, the rest are yet to be found. However, for some strange reason, there are places, some known and some yet to be discovered, spread across High-Earth where parts of these Sacred Trees can be found, almost like gifts. These places are known as ‘Mines of the Sacred Trees’. From these mines, we find, sometimes a branch, sometimes a leaf, sometimes a bough, sometimes a fruit, but never the whole Sacred Tree. It is strange, isn’t it? It is as if these Trees want us to believe in their existence, by leaving us these gentle reminders, but never fully want us to see them in their entire glory. It is indeed strange. Well, I don’t know how that Old man got his hands on this amount of the Soul Tree and why he hid them here. It should have cost him a fortune or he must have murdered and ransacked an entire kingdom. But that doesn’t matter now. As I said, this is our luck, our luck to seize.”    

      Kunkhen listened in bewilderment, something he found himself doing quite often at every explanation that Karma Wangmo gave. As he thought over what she said, a distinct picture popped up in his mind. It was the picture of his dark core, scarred with a painful crack, being slowly healed by the black liquid. Maybe it was the Soul Tree healing him, but where did that wound come from? He thought of asking Karma Wangmo about this series of questions but he decided not to. He knew they had to leave this dark world first, and he decided not to interrupt Karma Wangmo as she continued to speak. 

    “ I have absorbed as much of these treasures as I could and I made sure you did the same. The benefits of these sacred materials will surely manifest in time. And as I mentioned earlier, the materials of the Soul Tree are precious beyond belief and sturdier than most metals. That is why they are also sought to make precious Weapons and Artefacts. That is what I seek to help you do. That is why I created this Black Wall. And from this rotating black wall, I will help you make a weapon of yours! A Spirit Weapon of yours. ” 

    Kunkhen was too stunned to speak after what he had just heard. He looked once again at the massive wall of black that surrounded him; It extended to the heavens and it still rotated around him. All of this was going to be made into a weapon, how, how could it be possible. Kunkhen thought in utter disbelief. As he started to speak, he stumbled over his words as he did with his thoughts. “ A Weapon…Wait…This black wall…how…?” Karma Wangmo chuckled lightly, seeing Kunkhen so disarrayed, and then said.  

    “ I understand your surprise. I was once surprised like that too. But this method I am going to use is known throughout High-Earth. It is deceptively simple, but one needs a powerful Turner with a very high realisation in the laws of Spirit and Combination to be able to act as a medium. So it needs three things mainly- The recipient of the weapon, the materials to craft from, and the Turner through which the weapon is crafted. But ultimately, the results depend most on the recipient of the weapon rather than the Turner who initiates the forging. Here, Show me your hand. You will understand more of it as we go along.” Kunkhen was still brimming with doubts and questions but he did as he was told. He reached out his right hand and opened it towards the flying turquoise stone, who was about a feet away from him.

    “Good. I will make a small cut on your hand to drain some of your blood and spirit energy from your body. And then when I tell you, repeat the words I say after me.” Kunkhen nodded as he intended to do what Karma Wangmo instructed. He had no clue or inputs to give. So he followed Karma Wangmo the best he could. As soon as Kunkhen nodded, Karma Wangmo, as the turquoise, released a sharp beam of light, cutting across Kunkhen’s palm. It happened so quickly that Kunkhen didn’t feel anything. But the cut was deep enough as blood started to trickle soon after. 

    Kunkhen gazed intently as he followed the line of blood flowing out from his palm. As the blood was about to fall out from his palm to the ground, it was pulled away towards Karma Wangmo. This stream of drop was being collected as a floating blob. In the meanwhile, Karma Wangmo had started her end of the process. The turquoise stone began to glow much brighter, and the brightness covered the entire black wall like a blanket. 

    Slowly, the entire black wall started to rumble loudly and bright cracks of Golden and Turquoise hues started to appear. As the cracks grew larger and larger, the Black wall started to crumble. The crumbling pieces from the wall disintegrated to sand and disappeared through the air. The process repeated itself, as parts of the Wall kept crumbling down, cutting down the black Wall into smaller and smaller size. Kunkhen stared in amazement. 

    It felt like he was seeing this entire Wall carved down to its essence. It was like watching a stone sculptor at work. It was mesmerising. In a short time, Kunkhen witnessed this gigantic wall reduced to the size of a semi-liquid semi-solid ball. This ball was of three colours- black, golden and turquoise green- and it floated right in front of Karma Wangmo. Kunkhen’s attention was interrupted as Karma Wangmo spoke. “Now, repeat these words after me. I call upon the great Spirit that flows through me…” 

    Kunkhen steadied his mind as he repeated those words, as clearly as he could. He felt a tension build up in his body as he finished that sentence.  “I call upon the great Spirit that flows through me…” 

    Karma Wangmo continued “the spirit that is me and the spirit that is mine,” and so Kunkhen followed. “The spirit that is me and the spirit that is mine,”

    “to bless this weapon  and give it your divine shape.” 

    “ Let this weapon be a vessel for your power and grace,” 

    “So that it may strike true and shield with confidence.” 

    “Let this weapon have your divine mark,”

    “So that it may spread its name in all directions.”

    “Let this weapon have your divine wishes,”

    “So that it may guide me in my darkest times.”

    “I call upon the Great Spirit that flows through me,”

    “The spirit that is me and the spirit that is mine,”

    “To heed my call and answer its prayers.” 

    As Kunkhen finished repeating these words, he felt a sense of weakness and dizziness wash over him. Kunkhen quickly got a hold of his knees to retain his sense of balance and prevent himself from dropping over. Kunkhen could tell that these words, these invocations, were not ordinary. With each sentence that he repeated, Kunkhen felt his heart tighten up and a pressure slowly built up inside his body, like an arrow being tightened on a bow. 

    And he felt like he had released that arrow, with the last sentence he chanted. As Kunkhen recovered himself, he heard the voice of Karma Wangmo.  “You did good. Your Blood and your Words will carry your Spirit’s power and your own Essence and help this weapon craft itself. The weapon will be unique to yours and will represent a part of you. Such is the nature of a Spirit Weapon. Remember the words you spoke! That is your contract with this weapon.”  

    As Karma Wangmo explained, She brought the blob of Kunkhen’s blood that was floating in the air and slowly mixed it into the three-coloured ball. As it did, the ball glowed a bit more strongly and started to rotate. The rotating ball looked very beautiful as it was a mix of charming colours. 

    Karma Wangmo then released a burst of fire which became a ring around the rotating ball. She then released a burst of water which became a ring around the ball. She then chanted some words that Kunkhen didn’t fully understand. But it must have worked, as characters of light materialised in the air. These light characters spiralled towards the three-colored ball and formed another ring. At this point, it was less like a forging of weapons and more like a creation of mystical art. With three rings of fire, water, and light and three colours, Kunkhen could stare at this structure for hours and still be amazed. 

     But Karma Wangmo was not one to wait. She then released a last beam of light that pierced straight to the ball. And as soon as the light entered the system, the rotation picked up in its speed at an exponential rate. Kunkhen could see shapes being formed out of the different materials due to how strong the rotation was. He knew that the process was nearing its end. At that moment, Karma Wangmo shouted, and Kunkhen could tell that her voice was imbued with all kinds of mysterious energies. “ Manifest! ”  She declared. 

    As soon as Karma Wangmo said so, the rotating mix of materials exploded into a loud bang and released a blinding light. Kunkhen, on instinct, closed his eyes and brought his hand to cover his head. Not a moment later, He felt a powerful gust rush through him that almost knocked him over. Kunkhen had to firm himself so that he could withstand the force of the wind. The rush of wind lasted for a few seconds before it died down. Kunkhen could tell that the strong light had also dimmed down. So he gently unfolded his hands away from his head and opened his eyes to a blurry vision. The vision gradually sharpened as his eyes adjusted to the ambient light. 

    Kunkhen saw Karma Wangmo, still floating calmly, unaffected by the sudden burst. Kunkhen once again couldn’t help but admire that serenity about her. Even if she was a stone now, she had a divine grace. ‘I wonder what she looks like.’  Kunkhen softly wondered in his mind. Right beside Karma Wangmo, Kunkhen saw a dagger-like object floating in a comfortable halo of golden light and turquoise green. 

    This object was about as long as an adult’s forearm- longer than a normal dagger but shorter than most normal swords. It had a three-sided blade, black in colour, that spanned about two thirds of its length. The three sides then connected with a handle, which gripped each side of the blade with a unique claw like structure. The claws were black, turquoise green, and golden in colour, each gripping one side. The handle looked similar to a sword handle. It was a mix of all three colours that it was made of, but it had stronger shades of golden and green than black. It was a strange object, it looked like a mix between a dagger and a stake, but one could imagine using it like a sword as well, even a dart if one gets creative. Kunkhen had seen this object, this weapon, before.  

    “It is indeed this one…” Karma Wangmo softly said. Kunkhen heard that and was thus drawn to what she began to say. “Kunkhen, Take this weapon into your hands. This is your weapon, made from your blood and your spirit. Here.” As Karma Wangmo said so, the weapon slowly flew towards Kunkhen. Upon seeing this, Kunkhen extended both his hands and bowed, as a gesture of gratitude and respect. “ This Spirit Weapon is called a Phurba. Now it is yours to wield.” Thus, Karma Wangmo said as the Phurba landed on Kunkhen’s hand. 

    And as soon as Kunkhen touched the Phurba, he felt a rush of electricity coursing through his body. It felt right. For some strange reason, Kunkhen felt at peace to have this weapon, this Phurba in his hand. This was his Spirit Weapon, and he had already established a bond. 

    “ Thank you very much, Karma Wangmo. I like it very much. ” Kunkhen said in an honest tone as he tightened his grip around the Phurba. Kunkhen couldn’t wait to see what he could do with this Phurba. “Good. Now, we will leave this place. We have reaped our benefits. I am sure that Old Scrooge will cry tears of blood when he learns what happened.”  

    Previous Chapter

  • Chapter 7 : Ten Foundations of Rlung

    Thank you for reading this week's chapter. There will be two chapters (Chapter 7 and Chapter 8) released for this week. Originally, I wrote them both as a singular chapter but it was becoming too long to stand as a singular chapter. I have noticed that, maybe it is also a sign of me being an inexperienced writer, that my story and my characters tend to run longer than I planned or intended. It is almost like my characters and my story are alive and sometimes act in their own way. This delays some of my planned plot points but now I hope to reel them in and learn to control them.

    Chapter 7 : Ten Foundations of Rlung

    ***

    Kunkhen heard Karma Wangmo’s congratulation. Before thinking anything about what she said, Kunkhen immediately searched for her. A deep sense of satisfaction and gratitude ran through his body as he did.  After all, all of this, all of the progress he felt like he was having, the knowledge he was gaining, was because of her. As he reflected on the kindness of Karma Wangmo, he remembered something that he had promised himself to do. 

    Kunkhen quickly turned towards Karma Wangmo, or at least the her that was in the turquoise stone, and bowed. The bow was not too deep nor too straight, but it felt just right to Kunkhen. “Thank you. Thank you very much, Karma Wangmo. I realise that I haven’t said these words nearly enough to you. I haven’t shown you any gratitude for all your help and support. We could be called strangers but you have saved me from peril, time and time again. All this kindness, I will etch it in my heart. I have nothing to offer now and I am weak and powerless but I will surely repay this gratitude. This is my promise.” 

    Kunkhen felt a strange sort of nervousness dawn upon him as he spoke. And as he promised, his heart tightened a little, like a string binding around his heart. This was the second time he felt this way, a promise he felt he had to keep no matter what. 

    A moment of silence dawned after Kunkhen spoke. Right as the silence became tense, Karma Wangmo pierced through it as she softly said. “Kunkhen…I accept your thanks but know that we are not strangers. One way and the other, I know you and you have known me. Also, I am grateful that you have promised to help me but know this even more, a Turner, a Great Law practitioner should never promise lightly. Promises are sacred rituals, rituals of agreement that the Great Law oversees. That’s why, whether they be for good ends or not, promises need to be upheld once they are made. And for Turners, who are closer to the Great Law than regular mortals, a promise broken is disrespect of the highest order, one that has high consequences. That’s why, Kunkhen, you should never make a promise lightly.”

    Kunkhen, who had straightened himself from his bow, listened carefully as Karma Wangmo spoke. He could feel lots of different emotions colouring her voice as she spoke and there were many details in her speech that made him curious. Kunkhen wanted to ask, he wanted to ask what she meant by saying that they were not strangers, and that they had known each other. He wanted to ask how that could be possible. But most of all, he wanted to ask why she had such a regretful tone while she said those words. But Kunkhen stopped himself. As much as he wanted to know the answers to these questions, this was not the time. And even if he asked, something told him that Karma Wangmo wouldn’t reply properly.

    After suppressing his initial burst of curiosities, Kunkhen proceeded as normally as he could as he said. “ Promises are not to be made lightly, I think I understand that. I felt it, you see, a tightening around my heart once I gave my word. I know that’s the weight of the promise I made. I felt that, I still feel it now, in my heart. But I haven’t given that promise lightly. Even if time rewinds itself or the Great Law offers me a chance to rescind my promise, I would still promise you, all the same, to repay this gratitude. And if anything, the weight of this promise has made it all the more sacred. So please don’t worry. ”

    After hearing Kunkhen’s resolution, Karma Wangmo took a deep sigh before she very softly said. “ I see…”A brief moment of silence followed. Kunkhen waited, wondering if Karma Wangmo would speak more. But when it became clear that she had no more to say, Kunkhen cleared his throat, trying to ease into the quietness and asked. 

    “ In any case, I have another question.You said that I have reached some stage now.…Dhang-rlung stage, was it?…As in First-rlung?…May you explain what that means? ” “Of course, I will. But first, you tell me. What did you do or what did you plan to do when you started turning? What changes do you see inside of you now?” Karma Wangmo responded without any hesitation. Kunkhen thought for a moment thinking how he could answer this. He also wasn’t entirely sure why he did what he did but nonetheless, he tried explaining.

    “ When you were telling me about the mysteries of Great Law and how that ties into the practice of turning, I had a sudden realisation about the Great Law. I don’t think it’s a profound insight by any means, but in that very moment, I felt as if I was struck by lightning. I started to meditate on that insight and started turning. I kept repeating in mind the quote that sparked my understanding and kept Turning. I don’t know why I did that but it just felt right, maybe it was the Great Law guiding me, maybe some other reason but it felt like my body knew what to do even if my mind didn’t.

    “ I am not sure if I am making any sense but that is what it was really like. And as I kept turning, my core rotated faster and faster but it also started to hurt. It felt like the pain you get when you are running at your limit, but magnified tremendously. It was painful, very painful. But I heard your voice in my head, you told me to keep turning and so I did. 

    “The entire thing felt like a musical piece, you know, like when a music approaches a climactic crescendo, that’s what it was like, only it was the music of pain and turning. But as soon as I broke through that crescendo, it was like I had received a second wind in Turning, like I had hit a runner’s high. The pain subsided and my body felt rejuvenated. And now, I can feel my core with much more clarity. My core has become light black and greyish in its colour. And it rotates much faster than before, so I can turn a lot faster. I also feel that the energy it holds has increased. I feel like that power is calling on me to use it. I also feel like my body has become stronger and more powerful. I don’t know. That’s my experience. ”

    “Very astute observation.” Karma Wangmo quickly added as Kunkhen finished his explanation. “ It is nice to explain to someone who is so keen and can observe to such a high level. This makes it easy for me. Alright, as you noticed. You made what Turners call a Breakthrough. In the art of Turning and in the practice of Great Law, there are as many paths and routes and specialisations as there are stars under governance of the great Law. You will see that for yourself as you progress in your practice. 

    “But remember, mastery of Rlung still remains the backbone of every path that you choose. Therefore every Turner starts with Rlung practice and keeps at it. As I have said, Rlung energy is the most versatile, most universal and most friendly of all three energies. And there are 10 known stages of Rlung Mastery. Some call them the 10 foundations of Rlung Practice. Everyone, whether they know it or not, has been at stage zero. That is the stage you were at earlier, at this stage you are unconsciously turning whether you know it or not, but you won’t be able to use the rlung energy that you are turning for anything other than basic sustenance of your body. In that stage, your core is Dark black in colour, because of the impurities of your body and spirit, and it rotates slowly.

    “But some people, either by luck, guidance or lineage, manage to pass from that zeroth stage to the first stage. This first one, the starting stage, the ground stage is called Dhang-rlung. It literally means the first-rlung or the principle-rlung. That is where a Turner starts their real journey. As you noticed, your core gets lighter with each stage you process. But it also gets faster, and denser. And you can start using the rlung energy to manifest and manipulate in the outside world. For that reason, your body also becomes stronger in order to withstand the pressures of the increasing energies. After Dhang-rlung, you have 9 more stages but each stage has 3 sub-stages of breakthrough. These sub-stages progress as Mha-rig, Kyil-rig, and Tho-rig, meaning Low-grade, Middle-Grade, and High-Grade. 

    “Each breakthrough comes with training, practice, insight, environmental influence, external blessings, natural sources of Principle Energies and elements, and so on. The one you had right now was driven by a singular insight. But insight comes few and far between and insights are never extracted by oneself alone. But then it also depends on the capability of a Turner to understand the insights; someone’s insight might just be useless garbage to another But nonetheless, Turners frequently battle for insights and methods from great Turners from the past, and for resources and so on. So you have to prepare your heart and harden your will because struggle and bloodshed are some of the things that are ever-present in a turner’s life. 

    Kunkhen listened intently to the exposition that Karma Wangmo gave. A smile of willfulness and excitement increasingly grew on his face. A visage of excitement, hope and expectations was plastered on his face. It was really as he thought. He really had made some breakthrough. Now he can really start Turning and doing the magical arts. He might be able to start manipulating elements. And so Kunkhen asked, excitedly “You mentioned 9 more stages after Dhang-rlung. Can I know what they are?” 

    “A little expectant, are we?” Karma Wangmo lightly jabbed at Kunkhen. Kunkhen smiled and turned his head in an embarrassed way. “But it’s good. As they say, a vision for far guides your actions for near. So it’s good if you are aware of the heights of the Turning practice but you must also remember to not let that excitement or despair – because some are driven to despair as well- muddle your determination in the here and now. I hope you keep that in mind. 

    “Now to your question, the 10 stages of Rlung mastery are Dhang-rlung(first-rlung), Lhu-rlung( Naga’s-rlung), Sey-rlung (Prince’s-rlung), Gyal-rlung(King’s-rlung), Sar-rlung (New-rlung), Lha-rlung (god’s rlung), Jhang-rlung( Bodhi-rlung), Gye-rlung (Complete-rlung), and finally, Kunkhen-rlung( All-knowing rlung)” The world rumbled gently as the final Rlung stage was announced by Karma Wangmo. 

    “And that’s the 10 stages of rlung mastery. Although the 10 stages are known, Turners in the last two stages are very few to be found. In the world of High-Earth, there are not many known and recorded Turners in the Gye-rlung and Lha-rlung, only some with legendary and mythical stature. Each stage of progression is much harder than the last. It is not known what stages lie beyond the 10th one. What happens to that Turner who goes beyond? We don’t know. But if you keep true to cultivating in the mystical arts of Great Law, who knows, you might be able to touch the pinnacle of Turning. ” Karma Wangmo ended her explanation with an open question.

    Kunkhen looked at her. He was still processing all the things he had just heard. It was a lot. Different strands of thoughts were running through his mind. But something was strange, strange enough that even Kunkhen didn’t notice it himself. It was the fact that he, as Kunkhen, a boy who had lived in a very normal world for a very long time, seemed to be adjusting to the life of magic and mystery, maybe a bit too fast. But Kunkhen himself didn’t notice this. He was just swept away in excitement and determination. 

    Quickly, Kunkhen said “ I have many more questions to ask, but I think we should leave this Dark Prison first. We have been here for a long time and many things have happened. I still have many questions to ask and answers that I need. But I need to see my parents again. I need to talk to them.”

     He then said, “ Do you know how we can leave this place? ” Karma Wangmo responded “ Yes, I do but I won’t be able to lead us out of here. That is something which you will have to do for us.” Kunkhen responded in a polite tone. “ But I am afraid I don’t know how to do it. ”  “That is fine. I will help you.” 

    Kunkhen stood silently as he heard what Karma Wangmo said. He wondered internally as to the reason why Karma Wangmo didn’t break him out of this world on her own. ‘Maybe this is a test for me, a trial,’ Kunkhen thought, as he inquired about the designs behind Karma Wangmo’s words. What Kunkhen didn’t realise about himself was how easily he wore this thought on his face, something that Karma Wangmo noticed and so she said. “ Are you wondering why I tasked you to lead us out of here, and why I didn’t just do it myself?” 

    Kunkhen quickly steadied himself as he heard Karma Wangmo calling him out. He said “I am sorry. Please don’t take this the wrong way. I will do what I can and what I must, of every word you say. I am just curious for the reason behind your decision. I  wonder if this is a trial for me, to test me in ways that I don’t fully understand. After all, I can’t think of anything that I can do that would help us out of this. This is what I was thinking.”    

    “It’s alright. You don’t need to apologise. I understand your concerns. But no, I didn’t ask you to do this as a test. Though in some ways, it is a trial but not one I am setting for you. I am afraid but I really can’t break out of this world by myself, at least in the form I am now, I am not able to do so. I am still recovering and I need to save every energy I can. So you will have to break us out of here. Of course, I will help you do it but the last step, you will have to make it by yourself. Do you understand?” 

    Kunkhen understood what she meant to say. So he closed his eyes, and took a long and deep breath, hardening his will, before opening them back. “ I understand.” Kunkhen said, his determination resonating in his voice.

    Previous Chapter
    Next Chapter

  • Three Thoughts for Thursday(TTT) – Nagarjuna’s Middle Way and Spotify 2022 Wrapped (1/12/2022)

    Hello Friend,

    Following is this week’s dose of “Three Thoughts for Thursday”, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends or share it through the internet if you find it valuable.

    • HH Teachings on Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Wisdom of Middle Way: Recently, on Nov 25th and 26th, HH the 14th Dalai Lama initiated a teaching, requested by a Korean Buddhist Organisation, on Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Wisdom of Middle Way known in Tibetan as Uma Tsawa Sherab. Since I have been in Dharamsala from June 2022, I have attended numerous teachings of HH and Long-life offerings(Tenshug in Tibetan) for His Holiness. It is always an intense experience, being in the crowd of numerous devotees of HH, while waiting patiently for HH’s arrival and the chance to get a glimpse of his visage. Although I identify as an atheist and do not believe in HH being embodied by any supernatural or divine entity, I still can’t deny the incredibly moving force of hundreds of people bowing and prostrating as HH walks by. I have been thinking of writing a piece on this phenomenon, this experience, this very unique and intense experience of being in His Holiness’ presence. I hope to do it soon, but it’s not going to be here. Instead I wanted to write about my relations to the works and thoughts of Nagarjuna, on whom HH was going to be teaching.  Although I am not a Buddhist, by its metaphysical predicates and requirements, I still like to think of myself as a student of Buddhist Philosophy as much as I like to think of myself as a student of Western Philosophy. I know that there is as much wonder and wisdom to be found in Nagarjuna’s work as I do in Plato’s. To that end, I have been studying Nagarjuna’s work, his life and his intellectual legacy for a long time. Nagarjuna’s Biography/ Hagiography(Namthar in Tibetan) is incredibly inspiring and still resonates with me as I try to understand the Universe and conclude it in my own way as Nagarjuna did. In particular, his Magnum Opus, The Fundamental Wisdom of Middle Way,(FWMW) is a book I have read and reread multiple times. In this book, Nagarjuna introduces us to what he thinks is the ultimate teaching of Buddha- the teaching of Emptiness, non-duality and dependent origination- and establishes it with a logical force and skillful dialectic that remains far above most philosophers I have read. I try to read this work in both English and Tibetan, as some words and phrases are more easily comprehensible in one language than the other. The work is fairly short, written in verses and separated into chapters, with each chapter examining a specific process or concept whether it be Cause in the first chapter or Motion in the second. But it is an incredibly dense book and each stanza builds the logical argument like a wave, a wave that crashes on you by the end of each chapter. I have read the work (FWMW) more than once but I don’t claim to fully understand it. In fact, it needs to be said that it is a moment of joy whenever I do feel like I understand something in its completeness. To conclude, I wanted to write about Nagarjuna for this week’s TTT as I have been revisiting his FWMW following the teaching of HH. To end it here, I think it needs to be said that I don’t think of Nagarjuna as a divine figure as many traditions like to think of him. He was a human, a mortal, albeit head and shoulders above many others. Therefore, his work is not the be all and and all, but it is still incredibly profound and insightful. 
    • Spotify 2022 Wrapped:  It is hard to believe that 2022 is nearing its end. It feels like the months have flown by so quickly. I guess it is true when one of my friends told me what her mother used to say about time: ‘the days move slow but the weeks go by fast.’ As the year ends, as is customary,  one takes the time to reflect on the year that has been which I am doing. One such reflection comes around in the form of the Spotify Wrap Day. During this day, Spotify gives each individual user of the very popular audio streaming service a beautiful summary of their listening history and activity for the year that has passed, for them. Questions like what was your most listened to song, what was your favourite genre, what kind of new music did you listen to, who were your favourite artists and so on coupled with easy to visualise graphics and shareability makes this day, the Spotify wrapped day, a day looked forward to by millions. Spotify Wrapped started as a virtual marketing campaign and exploded to instant success and cultural relevance. A user on Twitter, which I am forgetting now, even likened Spotify yearly wrapped to be a psychological report of them for that year. I think that statement is more true than it is false. For example, I learnt that I explored about 38 genres of music, that I start my day with beautiful uplifting music and end the night with sombre and sad ones. This is in the lines of a discovery that you might stumble upon in a counselling session. And maybe a big factor of Spotify Wrapped success is exactly that, it allows one to look at what your year has been like in terms of what you listened to, easily. The songs you returned to, the genre you expanded into, the podcast that you have started listening to, and so on. Much of our day in this technological age is being jacked to audio via headphones, whether in commute, in cafes, in shops, in workout and more. Therefore, it matters whether you know what you are listening to, either by conscious choices or unconscious ones. At least, that’s how I am thinking of Spotify Wrapped day. I wonder what you think of it. If you want to look at my Spotify 2022 Wrapped playlist, follow this link and tell me how you find it. 
    • Afterthought: Personally, I wonder if Youtube will ever do their version of Yearly Wrapp and how it would look like. I spend a significant amount of time on Youtube, much more than Spotify, so I would love to know the analysis of that watching data.
    • Podcast of the Week: ‘#1901 – Steven Pressfield: The Joe Rogan Experience’  I am a huge admirer of Steven Pressfield’s work. In particular, his book ‘The Art of War’ has been a huge influence in all the creative endeavours I do. In Art of War, Steven Pressfield writes about the process of creative endeavours and the Resistance(the embodied force of negativity, procrastination, and mediocrity) against it, how one must treat the process of working, and how one cultivates a relation with the Muse( the creative spirit or god).

    If you have made it till here, Thank you. It was a long one, I know. 

    That’s it for this week’s ‘Three Thoughts for Thursday’, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends or share it through the internet if you find it valuable. And I will see you next week.

    -Tenzin Jampa

  • Chapter 6 : The Great Law

    Thank you for tuning in to read this week’s chapter. This chapter was quite long, and I considered breaking it into two parts. But I decided against it as I felt the length justified itself through the nature of this week’s chapter. This chapter was very exciting to write and rewrite as we get a first peek into what the world and magic of the story is really like in this chapter. Kunkhen must learn the mysteries of Great Law but how will he do it and what are those mysteries. Answers will come, hopefully. Hope you will like it as much as I liked writing it.  

    Chapter 6 : The Great Law

    ***

    “My name is Karma Wangmo; Karma for the law of Cause and Effect and Wangmo for the sovereign queen. I come from the land of ‘Sky-seeing river’ from High-Earth. Although I may not look like it now, I am a human or at least, I was born one. You see, the line gets blurry when you are a Turner in the Great Law.”

    As Kunkhen heard this introduction, his eyes gradually sharpened, focusing deeply at the green stone in front of him.“Karma Wangmo…That’s a unique name. Can be both a male and a female name.” Kunkhen sounded his first thought. Karma Wangmo quickly interrupted with a chuckle as she said. “ My name huh…yeah, it’s quite unique…It’s even got a story of its own.” Karma Wangmo chuckled a bit more, lightly, as she finished. Kunkhen was stunned for a moment, his mind grasping on to a phrase that he found quite curious. A story of its own. Kunkhen wondered what that story could be and even thought of asking. But he kept this curiosity aside as he asked questions that had haunted him for a while. 

    “High Earth… Great Law… these words keep visiting me…but I don’t know what they mean?…I have faint shades of guesses but they amount to no solid understanding. But it seems that my connection with them is not so simple. Therefore, May you please tell me what they mean? ” 

    Karma Wangmo took a short pause before she replied. “ You ask me about High Earth and the Great Law. Do you really have no idea? Search in your heart and soul, Do you not feel anything? Do your memories hold no answers for you?”

    Kunkhen swiftly responded. “No, I don’t think I have. I understand, through many signs and visions, that I am related to it but I can’t begin to understand how and why. It pains me to be so unaware.” 

    “Hmm, I see. Do you remember when you passed out before? Can you remember what exactly happened then?”

    “Before I passed out?…” Kunkhen asked in a doubtful tone. He wasn’t sure how that could be related to the questions he asked. “Yes” Karma Wangmo replied confidently. So Kunkhen closed his eyes and while reliving his memory, he answered. 

    “I was slowly making my way to the black wall and resisting its pull with all my strength. And when I reached close to the wall, I felt something stirring inside my body. Suddenly it felt like thousands of worms were wriggling inside of me and eating me. I felt my blood boil and my lungs suffocate. I couldn’t breathe. I could feel this heavy ball-like structure forming near my navel region. Every part of my body was hurting. And then… the pain got to my head. And it was the worst pain I have ever felt. It was like my head was being crushed and minced repeatedly. And then, I felt something burst in my mind. I don’t know what but it felt like a bomb going off. And I saw pictures, images, and other things. I can’t seem to remember totally. But it was like watching a movie, a very familiar one at that. And then… I must have passed out. I can’t remember anything after that.” 

    “Hmm, I see. I am sorry that the process turned out so painful. But you know how it is with healing and stuff, it’s not always easy. So tell me, do you feel anything different with your body? Take a slow breath, Clearly visualize that breath seeping through every part of your body? Try to be the breath. Try to see what it sees. Try to feel what it feels.”  ‘Process…Healing’ That word echoed in Kunkhen’s mind as he quickly followed the instructions that Karma Wangmo gave. 

    Kunkhen took a deep breath, unsure of what this exercise wanted to achieve, and imagined himself as the breath as it seeped through his nose and mouths into his chest. Kunkhen closed his eyes, and felt the breath inside his lungs. He focused all his mind as he imagined himself separating from his body and joining the breath. As Kunkhen concentrated with all his force, he sensed a small touch on his forehead. 

    Immediately, Kunkhen felt a mild shock run through him. The next thing Kunkhen noticed, his body had disappeared into a mist of sensation. He couldn’t feel his body. He was only a puff of smoke, a ball of spirit, a floating cloud of sensation. Now there was just Kunkhen and the breath, one and the same. As the breath, Kunkhen travelled through his lungs and entered his bloodstream. As he travelled in the blood, he felt himself slowly dispersing inside his body. Kunkhen and the breath separated through three channels. One went through the left side of his body, one through the middle and the last, through the right. Kunkhen followed the three parts of the breath as they travelled through their channel. 

    The left breath had a cold, dark, and relaxed nature and the channel it went through seemed like a world of frost and darkness. The right breath was the opposite. It had a bright, hot, and excited nature and the channel it went through seemed like a world of warmth and brightness. The middle breath, in Kunkhen’s observation, was the strangest of them all. It appeared as a weird synthesis of the preceding two breaths. It had both the natures of cold and hot, bright and dark, relaxed and active but it also seemed greater than both. If one might be inclined to use a word to describe this energy, it would have been Movement. Kunkhen felt everything being moved and affected by this energy. His breathing, his heart beat, and even his own mind felt moved by this breath. 

    ‘A strange sort of energy, so powerful yet so flexible’ Kunkhen thought as his mind kept following this middle breath. The breath ran down through the middle body, through his head, his throat, and his chest until it reached Kunkhen’s navel region. But when Kunkhen saw the scene that lay before him, he was stunned. His navel region was painted in red, blue, and white. Like a strange sort of contradiction, the region was covered with lava rivers, frosted mountains and violent winds. And straight in the sight of Kunkhen, an incredibly dark spherical structure steadily rotated. 

    Around the sphere, three forms of energy seemed to be spiralling in. The left cold breath, the hot right breath and the middle movement breath, all of them seemed to be entering the dark core. And the dark core, slowly but surely, absorbed them all. Kunkhen had to pause for a moment and gather his wits to understand what was going on. 

    He stared deeply at the dark core. He could feel power radiate from its rotation, a power that if one could harness could change everything. Kunkhen knew that, his instinct told him so. Kunkhen looked on as the core processed the strange mix of energies that it absorbed. And as it did, the core seemed to rotate a bit faster. Though that might just be a form of Kunkhen’s imagination. 

    ‘What is this core? And what is it doing?’ Kunkhen asked himself. Maybe to appease his own curiosity, Kunkhen slowly moved towards the dark core. As Kunkhen drew closer to the dark core, with each step, unknown emotions bubbled up inside of Kunkhen. Sadness, joy, guilt and anger. Though he didn’t know where these emotions came from, Kunkhen could feel the strength and sincerity of them. 

    And as Kunkhen stopped, just in front of the dark core, he noticed an incredibly brutal crack that ran through the dark core. As soon as Kunkhen saw that crack, an image flashed in his mind- A haunting image. A young man standing in a pool of his blood with numerous blades piercing all over his body and from all directions. His blood and flesh surrounding his body and his face torn with sadness, pain, and anger. Yet, his eyes burned with tragic determination as the light slowly left them. But like a strike of lightning, that image disappeared as swiftly as it appeared. Kunkhen could not remember what he saw, despite all his efforts. Silent tears of sadness trickled down from Kunkhen’s eyes, the only memory remaining of that image. 

    Kunkhen couldn’t understand why he was crying. He felt like he glimpsed something but he couldn’t remember what. Only a profound sadness lingered on and this sadness found his eyes. As Kunkhen tried to wipe his tears away, Kunkhen looked again at the dark spherical core and the wound on it. And as he did, he saw something that surprised him. He noticed a distinct coating of dark tar-like liquid on the surface of the core. Several strands of this dark liquid were slowly filling up the cracks. And like cement, this liquid would then solidify, slowly repairing and filling the wound that this dark core had. 

    Understanding what was happening, a strain of relief ran through Kunkhen. This core was being healed, it was recovering. Wherever this wound came from, it was not a light one but it was now being healed. Kunkhen brought his hand to touch the dark core. But as his hand drew nearer, just before it touched the core, something happened. Kunkhen’s concentration faltered and his awareness was dragged away from the dark core. And right after, Kunkhen opened his eyes, and gasped for air. “Not bad. Consider me impressed. You lasted quite long. Looks like you still have some talent.’

    Kunkhen heard that. His awareness hadn’t fully returned but he still heard that. Still have some talent, What did that mean?  Kunkhen slowly stood up, and supported his hands on his knees. As he was catching his breath, Kunkhen looked in the direction of Karma Wangmo’s voice. “What!…hah…What was that?!… What did you do to me?” Kunkhen complained in gasps. “Oh my! That’s rude! I was just helping you with your questions. Didn’t you say you wanted to know about the Great Law? ” Karma Wangmo chuckled lightly as she answered Kunkhen. 

    The turquoise stone fluttered around and flickered its golden glow.  Though Karma Wangmo was still in her turquoise form, Kunkhen could imagine her expression. As Kunkhen was about to interject with an argument, Karma Wangmo intervened. “Well, how was it? Did you learn anything? Tell me, tell me what you saw!” Kunkhen calmed himself down as he explained.

     “ I am not sure. I don’t know if I can describe it properly. But as I concentrated on my breath, I don’t know how and when but, I had become the breath. It felt like my consciousness had separated itself from my body, and it had become the breath. Or maybe it was that I was following the breath, like I was on the breath, no, it felt more like riding a car. Yeah, It was like I was riding the wind, the breath in my body. And I travelled with my breath.” 

    Karma Wangmo remained in silence, as Kunkhen explained further. He told her about the three energies, and the dark core that he saw that absorbed everything. As Kunkhen finished his story, he concluded. “ That’s all I have. All I remember after that, was being pulled back into my body and hearing your voice. Now it’s your turn. Tell me, explain to me what I saw and how it bears any relation to the Great Law! ” 

    “Of course I will. But I must say, Not bad. It turns out you saw quite a lot. That will be helpful, for both you and me, as I explain. Now, pay attention and listen carefully, as these are not things that should be repeated lightly.” Hearing this, Kunkhen readied his posture and his mind. “What you experienced earlier is called the first understanding. It’s one of the first methods used to test and awaken one’s ability to cultivate in the Great Law! What you saw, Kunkhen, what you experienced in your first understanding, and to what detail you saw will guide you as you start your journey in understanding the power of the Great Law!” 

    ‘first understanding…again…why do I feel so nostalgic when I hear this?’ Kunkhen inquired internally before he said.  “First understanding…Hmm, so this will help me understand the Great Law?”

    “Well, that depends on your abilities. But roughly speaking, yes. Normally, this exercise is initiated for kids of 10 and below, helping them enter the road of the Great law. You see, where I come from, kids start training in the great law at that age and by age 18, one’s worth or lack thereof would be obvious. There are exceptions, of course, but there are few and far between so the general fact still remains. I tell you this, because I know you are closer to 18 than 10. It’s not an accident that the training of Great Law starts as a kid, and only few adults have picked it up late in their life with any success.  Therefore, if you undertake this journey, this journey of becoming a Turner of Great Law, your life will not be easy, that I can assure you. So I ask you this, one last time, Kunkhen of surname Tenzin. Do you still want to step on the path of Great Law and become a Turner?! ” Karma Wangmo asked for confirmation one last time. Kunkhen paused for a moment. He was partially absorbed in the concerned tone that Karma Wangmo had used. He knew she wasn’t feigning it, her warning voice echoed in his mind. But he also felt a strange mix of emotions burst within him as Karma Wangmo talked. Emotions of excitement, hope, and happiness. Kunkhen also remembered the promise he made, his given word to return the favour of blood to the mysterious Old man. As all of these thoughts slowly settled in his mind, Kunkhen turned towards Karma Wangmo and calmly said “ I am sure! ” Silent Determination burned in Kunkhen’s eyes.  

    One could feel the heat of his gaze. Karma Wangmo then said. “Very well then. I will continue with my explanation. The exercise of first understanding  is a way to introduce one to the concept of what we call Turning or Turning the Great Wheel. You mentioned seeing the three energies and the dark core and those three energies being absorbed and mixed in that dark core, right? 

    “Well, that is what Turning is. When you Turn, you breathe in the Ambient Energy from your surroundings. You cycle that energy around your body until it reaches your core. We call that core a Khorlo, a wheel. The exact reason why, I am not sure. But that is what it’s called. That energy is then stored in the Khorlo and is yours to use. The more experienced one is at Turning, the faster their Khorlo rotates, the brighter it shines, the denser it is and the energy it can store and generate, is something to tremble before. 

    “Everything in our universe is filled with this Energy, this ambient energy that if you can harvest, if you can turn, you can do things beyond your wildest imaginations. We call that all reaching mysterious energy ‘Rlung!’, literally meaning wind. But do not make the mistake of thinking of it as the ordinary wind. One only thinks of the ordinary wind, that pervades everything and flows with both force and gentleness, as a useful metaphor to explain Rlung. But it is only that, a metaphor. Moreover Rlung carries power and mystery far greater than any ordinary wind. A great turner once said that ‘Within Rlung, every mystery of  movement can be seen and within every movement, the mystery of Rlung presents itself!’ Thus it is no surprise that one’s practice in Great Law starts from turning Rlung. And that is also where you must start!” 

    Kunkhen listened to Karma Wangmo’s explanation with a piercing focus. All of this was what he had been waiting to hear and his laser-like concentration grasped on to every single detail. With occasional nods and eyes moving with deep thought, Kunkhen processed his understanding. ‘ Rlung, that must be the energy I felt in my black core. Turning the Great Wheel…Turning Rlung energy through your body and into the core…A turner, was that Old man a Turner? Did his mystical force come from Rlung? How strong must he be, among other turners?…What about Karma Wangmo? She managed to stop that Old man. How strong is she?…’ Kunkhen lightly gazed at Karma Wangmo, the small turquoise stone, as he wondered what mysteries surrounded the woman.  

    Karma Wangmo paused for a moment. Then she took a long breath and continued. “You asked about the Great Law right?”

    Kunkhen nodded. 

    “I truly wish that I could give you a concise explanation, but the mysteries of the Great Law still elude all who practise in it. One can only speak in riddles about it. At the place considered to be the birthplace of Great Law practice, there is said to be a pillar on which these words are etched.  

    ‘In the beginning, there was the Great Law and from it and through it, all Greatness sprung to life and all life sprung to greatness. The creator who doesn’t create and the teacher who doesn’t teach. Thus, you find it everywhere and nowhere and you see it in everything and nothing.’

    “ It is not known who wrote those words and when, but all who practise in the Great Law are said to be on a quest to understand those very words.

    “In essence, we think of the Great Law like the grand Order of all existence. The Order that a cause precedes an effect, that seasons change as does everything under heaven, that a person should abide by a moral code, and many more orders of existence that you can think or can’t think, all of them are a manifestation of the Great Law. But one must keep in mind that order is not the only manifestation of existence. That there exists chaos and darkness and despair and tragedy in existence is also a manifestation of the Great Law. Thus the great Law exists above all dualities of existence. Personally, I am a follower of that line of thinking. But you will find that different turners have their own views on the Great Law. Some treat it in abstract and some concretely, but one thing can’t be denied- that the Great Law is very much real! It is truly Great!

    “A creator, a non-creator, the laws of the universe, the Great System, the Great Structure, These and more are all epithets for the Great Law. And what a Turner does in their practice is try and understand the Great Law, understand the Great law in its profundities and unravel its mysteries. If you should only know one thing, it is that the Great Law breathes its gifts and powers through one if one attain realisations of its mysteries. And Rlung energy is also a manifestation of the Great Law. Therefore, Turning starts from understanding RLung. ”

    Kunkhen’s mind ran with blistering speed as it tried to understand all of what Karma Wangmo just said. He could feel the profoundness of what was being said, every word spoken about the Great Law landed in Kunkhen’s consciousness with a weight that was hard not to notice. Even the rotating column of darkness and the bright light that illuminated Kunkhen’s surroundings seemed to be bending and weaving as the Great Law was being mentioned.

     Of course, all of this could be in Kunkhen’s imagination but Kunkhen somehow knew that it wasn’t his imagination. Whatever the Great Law was, Kunkhen could feel its presence clouding around him. So something Karma Wangmo said flashed through his mind. ‘You find it everywhere and nowhere and you see it in everything and in nothing.’ 

    As soon as he repeated those words in his mind, a wave of realisation washed through him. The Great Law was around him, it had been there for all time and would be with him for posterity. But whether one sees it or not is a different matter. The order and chaos of existence is out there, in all existence, in all nooks and crannies of the universe. Thus the Great Law exists everywhere and one can see it in everything if one tries. But if one never understands the workings of Existence and the Universe, the Great Law exists nowhere and one sees it in nothing. Unconscious of his own actions and the reasons for them, Kunkhen quickly sat down on the ground with his legs folded in a lotus position. “ What…” Karma Wangmo was about to say something before she stopped herself and remained in silence. 

    Kunkhen closed his eyes and started to breathe in the Rlung energy. He slowly circulated it around his body as he had done earlier, separating the energy and recombining them later with his core. He kept Turning while his mind meditated on his realisation of the Great Law. He kept repeating the same phrase again and again to himself, like a mantra. ‘You find it everywhere and nowhere and you see it in everything and nothing.’ Kunkhen didn’t know why he was doing what he was doing, but something in him told him that he was on the right path and he should do that. Maybe it was the Great Law guiding him or maybe it was something that he was remembering, whatever he was, he listened to his inner voice.

    As Kunkhen turned, he could feel the energy of his surroundings enter his body and be absorbed into his core, his Khorlo. He could feel his dark core picking up its speed as it rotated faster and faster. Kunkhen felt pain surging through his vessels as he pumped his body with more and more Rlung energy His abdomen vibrated in pain as his core rotated, now with a speed of a fast top. Kunkhen felt his core about to crack and the pain was only increasing.

     “Don’t stop now. Kunkhen. You have to keep Turning, you can’t stop now.” A voice entered Kunkhen’s mind. This was Karma Wangmo’s voice. As her soft and melodious voice rang through his head, Kunkhen realised how grateful he was to have her guidance now. Ever since he was captured in this dark world, he was alone, ignorant, and suffering but now he had someone to help him, someone to talk to and learn from. He also realised how he hadn’t thanked her for saving him, and well for everything else. ‘I should really thank her after this!’ Kunkhen told himself as he committed to turning again. 

    Minutes that felt like hours passed by as Kunkhen kept meditating and turning, his entire body vibrating in pain, before Kunkhen felt his pain subsiding. He quickly surveyed his core and noticed a change right away. Now it was not the dark black core that he saw earlier, it was instead a much lighter colour of black, more grey with hints of dark red than black, with a strong glow of light around it. It had become a bit smaller but it rotated much faster than before. It also radiated a powerful and dense energy that was not present in its earlier form. 

    Kunkhen knew that he had made an advancement, he had changed his core for the better and realising that, he came out of his meditation and slowly ended turning. With a joy that was obvious, he opened his eyes and slowly stood up. He could still feel his core rotating in its power and that power circled through his body. He was stronger, he could feel it. He was a Turner now, maybe not a strong one or a great one, but he was a Turner now. This was the start of his journey.

    As Kunkhen bathed himself in this wonderful feeling, he heard a voice. 

    “Congratulations, you have officially entered the Dhang-rlung stage.”

    Karma Wangmo congratulated.

    Previous Chapter
    Next Chapter

  • Three Thoughts for Thursday(TTT) – Writing WHAWH, DALL-E, and Productivity for Mortals. (24/11/2022)

    Hello Friend,

    Following is this week’s dose of “Three Thoughts for Thursday”, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends or share it through the internet if you find it valuable.

    • Writing Where is Hell and Where is Heaven – It was in July when I first published a chapter titled ‘The Darkness Comes’ on my blog as the beginning chapter of “Where is Hell and Where is Heaven”- A High fantasy story that I had been wanting to write for a long time. I uploaded 3 more chapters to the story in the weeks after my first chapter; I wanted my story to be a web novel of sorts, with chapters serially coming by week. But other commitments required my attention so I had to take a break from writing my story. But about 2 weeks ago, I picked up my metaphorical pen and started writing again. The story called for me. It needed me to write it, and it needed me to continue working so that I could bring that world and that story into existence. That’s how I felt. Since then, I have written 4 chapters and uploaded one yesterday as the 5th chapter on my blog. It was both exciting and nerve wracking when I pressed the ‘post’ button. It made me reflect on the very nature of the thing that I was doing, reflect on why I wanted to write, and why I was creating this story even if no one may read it or no one may enjoy it. I came to one singular answer, that this story is my Passion Project. I don’t need to write this story so that I can one day become a professional writer, earn money, and become famous. I don’t need to write this story so that lots of people will read it and love it. People don’t necessarily play basketball, football or do the things they love to do, because they see a financial path or a professional path in it, but merely because they love to do it. And if it does become so, by luck or by grace, that you do manage to carve out a professional path in the thing/s you love to do, then it’s a happy bonus. And that’s how I am viewing my writing. If by chance, people read it and enjoy it, then I will be happy, smile a bit more maybe but essentially, this story I am writing is about characters and a world that I have in my mind that wants to come out and my personal struggle to learn the skills required to tell that story. I get to do the thing that I want to do. That’s all. Everything else is a happy bonus. 

    • Dall-E (from OpenAI) Art- I recently found out about this specific Art AI engine from OpenAI through reddit and I have been playing with this ever since. It’s fairly simple. You just have to make an account, the first 50 tries are free with recharges of 25 per month but if you want more tries than the free ones, you have to pay for it. But I think, unless you are overly obsessed with the AI for some other reason, the free credits work fine. I have been playing around, giving various prompts and descriptions from my story WHAWH and the resulting arts have been incredible. I posted some on my instagram for people to see but more so, for people to check out the AI engine. The technology for this is so cool and fun. It also improves your ability to describe things with economy as the AI produces various images based on your language and your description. So if you are reading this, be sure to check it out. 

    • Productivity for Mortals – I, like many others, am something of a productivity nerd myself. (Catch that reference?) Maybe it is true that I don’t follow the advice of time-management, system building, life-style engineering, and self-help methods and growth hacks. But trust me, I love to learn about it as much as the next person. But in the many books, lessons and experiments I have been doing to increase my productivity and getting things done, something felt strange, something felt incomplete, and I realised that something irked me about the endless and perfectionist nature of the pursuit for productivity. Only when I listened to the ‘Time Management for Mortals’ series by Oliver Burkeman from ‘Waking Up’ (A Meditation app from Sam Harris which I have been using for months, on which I hope to write in my later TTTs) did I find the right words to articulate my thoughts. Oliver argues that one of the fundamental problem and dissatisfaction of our life comes from-
      • a) Not being able to accept the finitude of our life and the infinitude of the things that we want to do and the things that really deserve our attention. I know that we have a distant view of finitude but that’s not how we act; we act in our life as if we have all the tomorrows that we want to do all the many things that we want to do. 
      • b) And thinking that if only we were a bit more productive, a bit more efficient in our time management and schedule making, we would be able to fit in our life everything that we wanted to do. But that is also missing the point and blinding ourselves from the truth. 

    Therefore Oliver explains that Productivity is good, and pursuit of Productivity is worthwhile but reminds us to never delude ourselves into thinking that Productivity is the cure out of the Finitude of our existence. Therefore he encourages us, an advice I am trying to heed, to list down all the possible things that we wanted to do in our lifetime and accept only the best 10 and focus all our attention on our life to these pursuits. After all, life is very short, much shorter than you can imagine, and Attention is the only currency that matters in that life, so devote that attention to the things that really matter. This is the productivity advice for Mortals. Something I am trying to apply into my life now.

    • Podcast of the Week: ‘The Ricky Gervais Show’  This series is not necessarily a podcast, it is more of the art-form that preceded the current Podcasting genre. This series is equal parts funny, equal parts relaxing and equal parts educational. It’s a treasure. I will leave it at that. If you get the time, check out the first episode on youtube with the link given. It’s animated as well, adding so much to the show. 

    If you have made it till here, Thank you. It was a long one, I know. 

    That’s it for this week’s ‘Three Thoughts for Thursday’, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends or share it through the internet if you find it valuable. And I will see you next week.

  • Chapter 5: The Yhu’s Mystery

    Hello everyone. Thank you for coming back to the 5th chapter of my story of WHAWH. I know that I have been a very long break( probably longer than I needed to take) but in the time I have been away, I have been thinking(consciously and unconsciously) of the world of High-Earth, the lore, the mythology, the folktales, and the power systems. So now, when I have started writing again, I am feeling very excited by where my story is taking me. New characters are being introduced, and the world building is going to slowly show itself. I hope you will be excited for it as much I am.

    Chapter 5 : The Yhu’s Mystery

    ***


    “Ama(Mother)!!” Kunkhen shouted as his eyes shot open; his hand reaching out to grab someone. But as he regained his senses, he realised that he was not in the white world anymore.  He looked around to see that he was covered by the warm glow of the turquoise pendant dangling from his neck. He quickly gripped his pendant, as he surveyed his surroundings once again. Further from the barrier of light, Kunkhen could hear a deep grinding sound as the black column formed by the dark liquid rotated. Kunkhen thought that the black column resembled a cylindrical wall. He slowly followed the black wall from ground upwards to realise that it extended up to heavens. He couldn’t see the end of it or rather the top of it. Kunkhen knew that this was a magnificent sight, but he quickly adjusted his thoughts. For him, there was something more important, something stranger to be pondered.  

    “Ama…what did you mean by those words?” Kunkhen said to himself as he tried to make sense of what he saw and heard in the white world. ‘High Earth, Great Law… Why do I feel so torn when I hear these words?….And yet, why do I feel so warm?…that little boy, that boy named Kunkhen of Tenzin…What happened? What happened to him?… What happened to me? Why don’t I remember anything?…Ama, Pala…What have you hidden from me? Why can’t I remember anything?…’ Thinking all these thoughts, Kunkhen slowly took a deep breath and calmed himself down. 

    He closed his eyes as he replayed his experience in the white world, again and again in his mind. Everything that he could remember, down to the last detail of his mother’s young features, his loss of control, and his mother’s concerning words,  Kunkhen burned them in his memory. Something told him that these memories would be important if he wanted to survive and learn. For some reason, Kunkhen felt that the white world was not a simple artefact of his mind or him just merely dreaming. 

    The white world seemed to be a magical place, Kunkhen could tell. A world of both past and future, two places in time that one can only imagine but never touch while they live in the present, that’s what Kunkhen felt like to be in the white world. Almost like he was being fed with Visions of some past and Premonitions of a future.  But he was not in the white world anymore, so he had to learn from his memories whatever he could. 

    Kunkhen guessed that everything that was happening to him, from his kidnapping to him being almost killed by the old man, seemed to be part of a much bigger picture, one that he wasn’t aware of. He felt like a puppet in a show, ignorant and powerless as divine forces dragged him around- dancing and suffering at their whims. It felt humiliating to be so helpless. And Kunkhen knew that whatever this was, it was far from over. He was still in the puppet show. So he had to find a way, this Kunkhen told himself, a way to fight and survive, before danger visits him again.  

    As Kunkhen rolled over these thoughts, he tightly curled his fingers into a fist. The nails of his fingers pierced through both his palms as he slowly opened his eyes. Fiery determination burned in those brown pupils as Kunkhen shouted in the void. “Whoever you are, and Wherever you are. You will regret not killing me when I am this weak and powerless! For if you think, I will forget this act of cruelty you did to me, then you are sorely mistaken. High Earth, Great Law, mysteries of the Tenzin Clan, and the magical power you used, I don’t know what they mean now and how they work but I will figure them out eventually. And the day I do, I will come look for you. And mark my words, I  WILL repay this debt.” 

    Both his fury and his hope flowed through Kunkhen’s voice, giving them life. His strong words echoed through the bright light of the pendant and the encircling black wall. For a brief moment, a moment that one could easily have imagined, the grinding sound of the black wall seemed to roar even louder in synchrony to Kunkhen’s Proclamation.

     Kunkhen collected his breath, which he lost in his shouting, as he eased his tight fist. But fire still burned in his eyes. Kunkhen knew that these words were important. Like the first arrow of a war sprung from a bow, these were his words to signal his entry into his destiny and the battles of his life. He knew he couldn’t take his words back. No one else may have witnessed his words but Kunkhen himself did. These words were his promise, his will solidified, his proclamation, to understand and face his destiny, whatever trials and tribulations it may bring. These words would stand by him and watch over him. They would guide him, and remind him that the only way for him now is the way forward. These words would accompany him and bear witness to his resolve. Kunkhen knew there was no turning back. He had been a puppet for far too long. It was time to start cutting his strings and point his blade towards the puppeteer’s neck. Kunkhen resolved that he would be a puppet, no longer.  

    “But I guess I need to find a way to leave this place first. Everything can come after that.” Kunkhen said to himself as he surveyed the black wall that encircled him. He had too many questions that needed answering and for that, he had to talk to his parents. His parents definitely knew more than they let on. Talking to them might bring some sense to all of this. At least, that’s what Kunkhen thought. “ Ama, Pala…I hope you guys will give me answers, answers to what all of this means? Honest ones…” As these words passed away from his mouth, Kunkhen clutched his pendant in a stronger grip. 

    He slowly brings the pendant towards his face, directly facing the turquoise stone. The Yhu was still glowing strong golden through his fingers, the brightness not dimmed. Kunkhen said  “I don’t know if you can hear me or understand me. I don’t know what you are and how you did what you did but I know you did this. You sucked all the black liquid that you could and the many you could not, you made them into this black wall. I cannot begin to understand why. But I need to leave this place. And for that, I need your help. Therefore, I ask you, as your owner and your partner, to help me escape this place. I don’t know why my mother gave you to me, but it must be for protection, not imprisonment. So please, help me.” 

    As Kunkhen talked, he noticed the pendant flickering in its brightness. Almost like the changing facial expressions of people listening to speeches. For some reason, Kunkhen felt that the pendant was not entirely happy with what he said. ‘I must be imagining,’ Kunkhen told himself.  But other than the flickering, the pendant showed no more changes. 

    It stood still in its brightness, unmoved even after Kunkhen’s plea. Kunkhen continued to hold the pendant in his hand and kept his gaze still on the stone – the grinding sound of the rotating black wall and the darkness as Ambience. Kunkhen took a deep breath and spoke again. “ I know you saved me from that old man and for that, you have my sincerest thanks. But there are things I must do. And there are things I must know. I can’t stay here any longer and if you won’t help me, then so be it. I will leave you to it. ” 

    Kunkhen slowly took the pendant off his neck. He knew that this Yhu was a magical one, with profound mysteries that he couldn’t comprehend now, so he couldn’t forcibly take it with him if this Yhu wanted to remain her. So Kunkhen decided to leave the Yhu here at this place where it wanted to stay. As the red thread came over his head, he looked at the pendant once again, glowing so majestically. Then he slowly kneeled as he put the pendant on an elevated dark ground. “ Thank you.” Kunkhen said as his last words as he turned around and started walking through the light and towards the black wall. Sounds of walking could be heard now, mixed in the grinding sound of the black wall.

    Kunkhen walked, slowly but surely towards the black wall. The wall was not far, a few seconds walking distance from how it looked, a fairly simple distance, one might be led to think. Kunkhen was determined to leave now. So he walked. But as soon as Kunkhen took a few steps, he realised that it was not as simple as he imagined. How could it be? It never is simple. Kunkhen cursed his luck as he realised his predicament. As Kunkhen drew closer, his body began to reverberate and his heart started racing. And with each step closer, Kunkhen felt himself being pulled towards the rotating black wall, the force growing stronger by the step. Kunkhen stopped and thought over this again. Whatever would happen upon contact or near contact to the black wall, he had no idea. He might really die this time. He looked back, just for a moment, in the direction of the pendant before bringing his sight, forcefully, forward to the black wall. Kunkhen shook his head, clearing his many thoughts away, and strengthened his will again. “No, I need to do this. I can’t turn back. The only way for me is the way forward. The only way for me is the way forward…The only way for me… is the way… forward!”  

    He repeated that phrase again and again as he took his steps. The phrase gave him courage and will and the phrase gave him strength to fight the growing pull. It focused his mind and allowed no distraction. But as Kunkhen drew close to the wall, almost in touching distance, he felt a growing agony inside his body. Every part of his body tingled with irritation and he had no choice but to let off a shilling scream of suffering. 

    He felt like his body was infested with squirming worms gnawing his body inside and out. Burning Lava flowed through his veins and vessels, and his air passage was being suffocated by some liquid. That was what Kunkhen felt.  Something seemed to be solidifying near his navel region. Kunkhen felt like he was holding an iron ball inside his abdomen. Kunkhen was on the ground painfully screaming and maniacally moving his body as pain commanded him. As Kunkhen screamed, slowly, the pain penetrated into his head and a splitting headache struck. 

    Kunkhen felt his head being repeatedly cut into pieces and grounded into dust. Then reconstructed again and then repeated. Something was happening to his mind but Kunkhen couldn’t entirely understand everything that he was experiencing. He was too focused on his pain. But in midst of everything, the pain, the screaming and the head-ache, Kunkhen felt something burst in his consciousness; like a bomb had been set off or like a locked door of his mind being forcefully opened. And just as it was with Pandora’s box being opened, countless scenes, images, and emotions flashed in Kunkhen’s mind. Kunkhen couldn’t tolerate the incredible amount of information that was being force fed to him so rapidly. So he dropped on the ground on his back, unconscious. 

    As Kunkhen remained in his unconscious state, an entity slowly made its way towards his body. A green stone, still shining mighty golden, slowly flew towards Kunkhen’s silent body. It was the turquoise pendant that Kunkhen had left earlier, the Yhu. Kunkhen had made many pleas of help to this mysterious stone, but it had not relented even once. But now it made its move. As the turquoise floated over Kunkhen’s body, it started to speak. “ I guess patience is not your strongest trait. Well, that’s fine. This is still good! ” It was a woman’s voice, with softness and serenity like that of a gentle rain.

    Kunkhen’s unconscious body shivered ever so slightly, as the Yhu’s voice covered him. Then the Yhu slowly descended on Kunkhen’s forehead and eventually made a soft landing. Then the turquoise stone spoke again. “Boy! Wake up. If you want to leave, you have to wake up! You won’t be repaying any debts while you stay like this!” When nothing happened, the Yhu started jumping around Kunkhen’s forehead trying to wake him up. The Yhu picked up her voice and said with some force. “ Boy!! Wake up now! Or you may not like what I do next!” 

    When Kunkhen still showed no signs of waking up, even after the warning, the green stone flew upwards and fired a small, barely noticeable, beam of light which hit Kunkhen right in the centre of his forehead. Immediately, “Ahh!!”  screamed Kunkhen as he jolted back wide awake. He reflexively rubbed his hurting forehead where a small burn mark had appeared. “What the..” As Kunkhen looked around in anger to understand what happened, he saw the turquoise pendant floating in front of him. 

    “ So it was you! Why? Why did you do it?” Kunkhen said in anger. And without missing a beat, the Yhu spoke. “Well, you wouldn’t wake up. So I had no choice.” “But that’s no reason for shooting me in the head. First of all, why are you only hurting me instead of helping me? ” Kunkhen reflexively fired back, but then his anger quickly subsided as he realised something. “Wait, you can speak?!” Kunkhen said. He had spoken to the Yhu out of pure reflex and anger. But he didn’t expect any reply. He thought the Yhu would remain stoic and silent as it always did. So it shocked him to see the Yhu talking. 

    “ Yes! Speaking is one of the many things I can do. But yes, to your point, I had been unable to speak in this form for a long time but I am healing now so it’s better. I can speak.” The Yhu firmly replied. “ But… then… how?…why?…” Still in a daze, Kunkhen stumbled through his words. The Yhu took a deep sigh before it spoke. “ Well, it’s a long story. But to make that brief, many things happened, circumstances and people; you know. I was protecting someone, and ended up being hurt badly and when I was in danger, I had to take refuge in this Yhu and bide my time to recuperate. Many more things happened and I ended up in your mother’s hand and then in your hands. And well, here we are.” As Kunkhen listened, he grew increasingly aware of the many conclusions he could draw. This sobered him up from his initial shock. But the sombre tone in the stone’s speech was not missed by Kunkhen.

    After a moment of silent thought, Kunkhen began to speak. “ I am sorry. It must have been tough. Everything I mean. And I am sorry, you know, if I have ever been insensitive in handling you. You see, I am not the best caretaker of pendants or belongings in general. So I hope you forgive me for any of my past transgressions.” Kunkhen ended his apology with a short bow towards the pendant. He could have asked more questions but this felt more appropriate, considering how negligent he was of his Yhu. 

    “ Haha, you are a funny boy. Well, you don’t need to apologise to me, kid. I hold no ill will. And you don’t need to speak so formally to me. Even if you don’t know me, I know you well.” The pendant said. Kunkhen swiftly raised himself from the bow, with an embarrassed smile and said “ Thank you very much and as you wish, I will try to avoid formal speech as much as I can. But if I may ask, who are you? Are you a human or some divine force? And where do you come from? ” 

    “It’s alright. You can ask those questions and I can answer them. Maybe they might help you understand some of your own fate.” The pendant said. 

    “ My name is Karma Wangmo; Karma for the law of Cause and Effect and Wangmo for the sovereign queen. I come from the land of ‘Sky-seeing river’ from High-Earth. Although I may not look like it now, I am a human or at least, I was born one. You see, the line gets blurry when you are a Turner in the Great Law.”

  • Three Thoughts for Thursday(TTT) – Journaling, Jazz, and Tool

    TTT Newsletter for 11/17/2022

    Hello Friend,

    Following is the first one of (hopefully) many batches of “Three Thoughts for Thursday”, a list of 3 longer and shorter thoughts that I am pondering and exploring. Please feel free to forward this to your friends or share it through the internet if you find it valuable.

    • Journaling –  Journaling is one of those things that I knew was a profound thing to do but never got around to do it consistently. I kept a few journals when I was younger but I lost the habit when I got to high-school and later in college. I have tried getting back into it a few times but the habit never stuck around. But in the last month, after reading a lot about Marcus Aurelius and his Meditations, I decided that I will start keeping a journal once again. So in the morning, after I am done with my morning run and food, I sit on my bed and the table near it and start writing my journal, with paper and pen. Then it will be minutes or pages of just recording my unsupervised stream of consciousness. It has helped a lot, I have noticed, in being more aware of everything going inside my thoughts. It is essentially mindfulness meditation recorded on Paper and that is how I like to think of it. As Anne Frank noted in her diary, “Paper is more patient than paper” and there are things that should be written only for you yourself to read and hear. 
    • Coltrane’s Jazz and Tool’s Metal- The last two weeks, I have been down a rabbit hole and discovered wondrous pieces of music that I had never heard of, or only heard as distant whisperings. This journey started as I was researching the music that the great writers and thinkers have listened to while working or not, or broadly the types of music best for Focus related Work. That led me to Murakami who listened to an enormous amount of music, especially jazz and classical. I discovered Coltrane through one of his playlists and listened to Coltrane’s  ‘A love Supreme’ and it was a magical moment. Then as the youtube algorithm does, it showed me Tool’s music. Tool is a metal band and as I listened to ‘The Pot’ from Tool’s 10,000 days album, I just kept listening, mesmerised. Some of the songs from their albums have lyrics that hit like a brick and more. I am still gorging through both the artists’ prolific discography as I write this and I hope you guys do as well.   
    • Quote I am pondering: “Routine in an intelligent Man is a sign of Ambition.” – W.H Auden
    • Book/s I am reading: ‘Deep Work’ – Cal Newport, ‘Daily Rituals’- Mason Currey, ‘Steve Jobs’- Walter Isaacson

    That it’s for this Week’s “Three Thoughts for Thursday” and if you made it to the end, Congratulations. I hope you found something of value. If you did, let me know and if the force moves you, please share it onwards.  See you next week.

    -Tenzin Jampa

    Nov 17, 2022 (Thursday) 

  • “We will Meet again”-A Queen’s message for me

    I wrote this piece in the wake of watching the Queen's message in April of 2020. In the heat of storm that was the beginning of covid lockdowns and rising death tolls, things seemed uncertain, dark and scary even. But there it was, an old woman in her nineties still speaking in the ever so gentle voice that we have learnt to recognise, reminding us to stay strong and thanking profusely the frontline workers, the NHS, the medic, the doctors, the nurses and the people who stayed at home and many more. While watching that video, I felt strangely comforted and emotional, a change which baffled me. Therefore, I wrote this piece just to analyse my thoughts and wonder on paper my internal changes. I read it again a few days ago and I felt it strangely timely. With the death of the Queen and Covid lockdown ceasing, this piece felt more like an homage to the graceful majesty of Britain. May you rest in peace and power. 

P.S: I know that Britain and the royal family have a lot to answer for but this essay is not for that.

    Written on April 5, 2020

    “We will Meet again”-A Queen’s message for me

    I just listened to the Queen’s speech regarding COVID 19 titled ‘We will meet again’ broadcasted by BBC and the strangest of feelings just swept me away. I was teary, but I didn’t know why. What did I feel from the speech, so strongly, that water started to leak from the gates of my vision? And why?

    Was it sadness? Was it pain? Was it happiness? What was it?

    Sadness was not the one for there was too much hope mixed in it. The optimism of normalcy, the fellowship of our kind, and the illumination of our mind: All of these hopeful thoughts were lucidly coursing through my mind. Yes, there was too much hope mixed in it for it to be just sadness.

    Happiness was also not the one for there was too much despair tainted with it. Thousands dead, battered economy, Civil liberties disbanded, Broken homes, Isolated relationships, A civilisation not prepared for something small to be so big: All of these grim visuals kept on playing in the movie of my mind for the fear to be deeply instilled in me. Yes, there was too much despair for it to be just joy.

    So then what was it? What marvellous colouring of emotions is this that possesses me now? And who is the painter?

    Maybe it is the Queen herself whose words I listened to that made me feel this way?

    But why the Queen? Why did her words that would normally be only of literary interest spark so much in me now? I know that it is not just the flowery voice she still maintains in her nineties and the calm demeanour she has been so trained in. For if it was so, I would have cried every Christmas. Have I changed? Have I grown weaker or more feeble for the words of her majesty to be able to reach my soul? Maybe.

    Or is it the time that we are in, that is ornamenting her words? Maybe it is.

    Or maybe it is just my buried emotions bursting in the backdrop of the queen’s speech? That also can be the case.

    Or is it me finding solace in a person who has seen more than most people I know. Through the wars, economic turmoils, family dramas, the modernization, growth and fall of countries, She has sat through it all. Maybe this is why her words find me amidst the spread of this spectral Illness.

    But is it her that I am seeing when I look and listen to her? Maybe it is not her that I am seeing but the structure she personifies that speaks out to me: A structure so old, yet so fragile, that withstood so much. Maybe I am finding comfort in the fact that a historical force is speaking out to me. Maybe I am believing that we will see a better day when an ancient being tells me so.

    Is it just me that feels that way?

    Hopefully no. The comment section on the video, if any indication, demonstrates a clear uplifting of many souls.

    Is it just now that we have begun to feel like this?

    Definitely no.

    For how would you square the fact of very many spirits lifted in the war against Nazi Germany when the princess gave a speech?

    How would you explain the cries and tears of the many hardened warriors in response to a 14-year-old girl’s voice?

    So the question is: Was it the princess that the citizens of Britain heard? Was it just her young and innocent voice that calmed their nerves?

    Or was it something more than that? Was there something more in this phenomena of this princess and queen speaking?

    I stand with the belief that much more than just the princess speaking was seen and heard by the many listening.

    Everyone, young and old, knew at that time that it was not just the princess whose words they were hearing but history itself talking to them: The British structure that has lived for centuries, for better and for worse. You can almost feel the primordial force at play. For we all have our instincts to seek comfort in an ancient force in times of despair. To the extent, we rely on our parents, and they rely on social structures, We have always been doing that.

    And maybe this is why celebrities don’t speak too much to us when they talk about COVID-19. For the historical father and the historical mother don’t have their two hands supporting the celebrities who even dare to philosophise from the comforts of their domain. One sees it in the despairing public reaction to the Gal Gadot’s Covid ‘Imagine’ Song. Maybe that’s why we despise their virtue signalling in this time of crisis.

    Maybe that is what I felt and learned today. Maybe I found the painting of our collective mind. Maybe the tears that came out of my eyes were not mine alone and not for me alone. Maybe I felt history speak to me. Maybe I felt something so different that made me write this. And now I wish I had enough talent to articulate the sheer wonder of this experience.