A few months back I sought Dzogchen Protector practices for no
specific reason. Then unexpectedly one of my two tsawai lamas
Venerable Lho Ontul Rinpoche came to New Orleans and gave Protector
empowerments which were awesome.
I practiced them and always felt a current of fear which I figured
was just my attachments and self cherishing coming to the surface.
So it was quite amazing when I went to Vermont to see Kyabje Kunzang
Dechen Lingpa for the Green Mountain Dharma Festival and it
coincided with Hurricane Katrina.
My wife and I had placed our beautiful parrots in the best possible
place for them for the duration of our trip, at the bird boarding
with the owners of the place from where we got them. A place that's
like summer camp for them once or twice a year.
We have not been able to contact them since the storm, but right
before the storm we talked to them and they said they would die
before letting any harm come to the birds. So we feel they are
probably as OK as the pet shop owners.
My wife's parents and brother skipped town the Friday before Katrina
and so were safe in Baton Rouge.
Altogether, my wife and I have personally only had to be concerned
with whether our house still existed or not. It does, though we have
no idea of the extent of the damage. That and whether we still have
jobs or cars and all that basic stuff.
Directly from Vermont we flew to my sister's in California and
watched New Orleans go down the tubes.
We will move back ASAP. There's nowhere else we would really want
to live. Sorry Tom, we love New Orleans, blacks and all, and we're
especially sorry for you that you act like a jilted lover who then
thinks beautiful women should all be burned alive on stakes.
The irony for me is that you pay blacks to do Vedic ceremonies for
your soul and you hate blacks.
On to reality. We had no success whatsoever with FEMA. They only
come into play when your insurance doesn't, and so what do you do
when adjusters cannot even view your home for two months.
Anyway, Erin and I are extremely lucky. I get time to play with my
nephew who is four, and basically just hang out.
Oddly, Kunzang Dechen Lingpa is teaching at the end of the month
here in LA so I get even more of his supreme treasure teachings. I
am blessed, and protected through Dzogchen.
Others have not been so lucky.
I'll up a photo of a friends house for Tom to laugh at. Imagine
yourself there.Remember that the land of the KKK also bit the dust
along with their chosen food for lynching. (To imagine a 60 year old
nerd proclaiming to be Aryan Brother. They wouldn't have you Tom,
you old nut!)
Erin and I aren't thrilled to be refugees. But we're thrilled to be
alive and basically sound, and with our families intact. I can only
imagine the true heart rending hell that thousands upon thousands
endured.
What do we feel losing so much of New Orleans like this? We feel
lucky that we weren't there. We foresaw the Superdome turning into
hell from day one. We feel sorry for ignorance, and poor planing,
and superficial Federal response, and basic lack of sense of urgency
of disaster teams. We don't point fingures but if you were the CEO
in charge of Ford and their recall of 3.8 million autos through
deficient cruise control switches then I would suspect that your
shareholders would question your choices. I need not say more.
What the hell was Bush smiling about when he was in Baton Rouge? I
don't get it. FEMA's director's online bio has false info in it.
He's a liar. Of course, who cares right? Just one more insubstancial
factoid in a huge disaster of epic proportions.
For sheer numbers the exodus of Jews from Egypt probably amounted to
less bodies. Personally the glib politicising on TV and here at this
group shows a superficial connection with life. If any response
comes to mind when viewing the tragedy besides awe then one is just
afriad to feel.
Frankly, I'm not really well. I haven't slept in my own bed for
going on a month and see no end in sight. I feel like Odesseus
coming back from Troy. All the music on the radio is about not being
able to find the way home. I feel sorry for the blacks and the poor,
and I feel most sorry for those who use this to their political
advantage.
Because this isn't the last disaster to confront the US by any
means. It's just the first. If people aren't studying this and
trying to learn then history will merely repeat itself.
Those of you who think it's funny. I guarentee to you that you will
get yours, and you won't laugh then. Karma is a bitch. If you don't
have compassion right now then you have nothing.
I really can't bare to read the messages here right now. They are
too glib. See you guys some other day. To the kind amongst you, be
easy and take good care. To the unkind, you are already in the hell
of your own making. Either way, enjoy it.
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