Dorje Chang Institute

Under the influence of rainbows, good fortunes and vivid thoughts on the way to Tongariro, I headed straight to Dorje Chang Institute in Auckland straight after not knowing what to expect. The feeling was right and so was the confidence that everything is going to work out. "Are you a woofer?" the nun asked me upon my arrival. "I don't know, you tell me". So basically they had a gap in the calendar where noone was coming to stay woofing. I had a room to stay and as a payment for accommodation I had to donate four hours of work in a day in the garden. "Tashi Delek" I said to a monk, Lobsang, who I spotted way before I met the American nun. 

It is a very special place in many aspects. They have an unbelievable Stupa, which Lobsang actually painted, they have beautiful Gompa (room for teachings, meditaion  decorated with beautiful paintings and statues), library and residents worth a million! Plus it's in the city but at the same time it is a way out of it and another plus is that you have chinese market near by.

Gardening in most beautiful gardens surrounded by golden statues, birds, huge stupa with enormous prayer wheel inside which contains five billion mantras is  very special.

Digging up the garden while Lobsang was making a throne for the statue, which translator Rinchen got somewhere in Indonesia, was unforgettable experience. Blisters on my hands kept reminding me about it for another week after.

Recording a chorus for my friend musician back in Riga. Neighbor knocked on my door and told me to lower my voice. Luckily I had a dozen takes on it. 

Being resourceful is something we are yet to learn from people that live simple lives, more simple that you can imagine. I mastered the use of flour and water back in India where everything pretty much was flour and water. These dumplings have spinach cheese fillings, with some herbs from an Institute garden. 

Little did I know that I will be able to record fourty five minutes of Lobsang chants plus hear his story of walking across Himalaya from Tibet into Nepal. Whenever I encounter hardships I think of what those guys had to experience. It's crazy and encouraging to tears.

This is Nicks room. Apart of knowing everything about digestion, diets and yoga, he also plays music! And has really incredible high pitched voice. We recorded a song with a title that he actually came up with when dropping me off at the airport: "You know how we should call it? You never know, because you never now."

He was the only one who knew I was leaving for sure on that day because I got tickets three hours prior my departure and he was very kind to take me to Qantas office and to the airport. Flight to LA was good, watched a couple films and couldn't sleep at all, as usual. My stomach  started behaving funny when we crossed the international date line and then equator right after. I arrived in San Francisco fifteen minutes before the time I left Auckland. Do you have to mention that it was the same date? Plus I went out skating same day too. Oh dear, it was a long long day. But I do love changes even if my stomach doesn't and San Francisco is a change I was longing for a while!