A deep connection with America

His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Drodul Trinley Dorje, continues to melt the hearts of countless members of his audiences with expressions of unreserved and uncontrived love and affection for the United States of America and its people. His Holiness simply cannot seem to say enough times and in enough ways how happy he is to have finally received the opportunity to be here. "Now, with this visit to America actually happening," he said while giving a teaching at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra today, "I feel that 'freedom' is really beginning for me." The audience lit up with roars of celebration and applause.

But it is probably safe to say that no one had anticipated His Holiness's stories of the ways in which his longing to come to America over the years had expressed itself. Students today were treated to a rare and utterly endearing glimpse of His Holiness's childhood: as a young boy, he related, he would read many children's books about America. Now that he is here in the United States, His Holiness has had a kind of déjà vu experience: he shared, with a wry smile depicting perhaps more than a little humor, that he is seeing some of the characters in his children's books in the American faces he sees before him in person!

Today, His Holiness bestowed an empowerment of Guru Padmasambhava on the assembly of devoted members of the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra community. His Holiness also gave a teaching on the general meaning of the famed Seven-Line Supplication to Padmakara, sharing touching stories, again from his childhood, about how devoted his parents were to Padmasambhava and about how he remembers reciting the Seven-Line prayer from a very young age. (Absolutely) wonderful humor, warmth that speaks to the heart, and accessible practicality continue to mark each teaching His Holiness generously imparts.