Today, December 8th is the opening ceremony to commemorate 900 years of the Kagyu Lineage. As an offering in celebration of this momentous occasion, we are starting our series, Memories, Dreams, and Reflections of the 16th Karmapa. Most of these timeless stories took place when the 16th Karmapa was on the road, travelling from place to place, stopping where he wanted, and interacting with people spontaneously. We dedicate it to the freedom of the 17th Karmapa. May his buddha activity spread in all directions until the whole world is ablaze with the light of dharma.
Maia Saabye Christensen
I met the 16th Karmapa when I was 6 years old in Denmark on his first trip to the west. On my first meeting he gave the Black Crown ceremony. I remember every second of that ceremony crystal clear as if it was yesterday. There is a quality to that Black Crown Ceremony that makes it so fresh -it doesn’t fade. It’s like there have been no time layers since then. Now when I think about it in perspective I would say it was being as awake as you can be. I remember the Karmapa holding the Black Crown, every detail in the room, the sound, the smell, the way everything happened in order. When we arrived at the place there was a huge courtyard in front. The monks had been given bicycles and they were riding the bicycles in the yard. I showed them how to cycle. Then we went into a palatial hall with pillars. I remember the excitement in the voices of the people and a feeling of expectancy. There was a lot of incense in the air. The sun came in through the huge windows and made rays like angel hair. I remember how it came into the room and lit up the incense smoke. Then we went in and sat down in the midst of it all.
Kagyu Monlam Blog 