Tibet

My friend’s name is Pasang

In Tibetan Pasang means `Friday`

His name is Pasang

Because he was born on Friday.

Tibet is big; Tibet is high

Tibetans are faithful, Tibetans are courageous,

Tibet is alone

Tibetans are lonely.

 

Each mountain supports one other

Tibetans are lonely among their mountains

Prayer flags and prayer wheels support monasteries

Tibetans are lonely among their monasteries.

Tibetans are all alone in the world…

The mountains are steep and dignified

As the Tibetans,

The mountains, the lakes are sacred

As the Tibetans.

The sun is so hot,

The shine is so bright,

The sky is so blue,

The clouds are so white,

These and Tibetans are all celestial.

It snowed last night,

The hair of the mountains is white

As the hair of the old Tibetans,

The snow covers the mountains

The mountains are no more alone

The clouds cover the sky

He sky is no more alone

The sun shines thru

Tibetans are no more lonely

Mountains are so high

Tibetans are faithful

Tibet is so high

Tibetans are courageous

Tibet is sacred

Tibetans are divine.

We are climbing the mountains

Even the machines suffer from the height

We started by 3.600 meters

For kilometers only shadow of the clouds is to be seen

The spirit of the legends

The feeling of the traditions

The traces of the devotees can only be felt

We are now at 4.000 meters

Climbing further up

Our bus is from a monastery

Our driver is a monk

We all are in safe hands

We reach 4.400 meters

And

And

We turn the next curve

And

Is this still the world I am born in?

Is this still the life I know?

The blue of the sky is another blue, freedom

The white of the clouds is another white, calmness

The color of the lake is indefinable, ethereal

Yamdrok, the sacred lake

The slopes are full of prayer flags

As many as the Tibetans

As many as the devotees

As many as the traditions

All five colors, all elements of life

Red, fire

Yellow, earth

Green, water

Blue, sky

White, ether

At the top there is a stupa, as expected

Covered with the prayer flags

Surrounded by the prayer wheels

I am under the prayer flags

I am all alone there

I kneel down and take a stone into my hand

My body starts to dissolve

My soul frees

There is absolute silence

There is absolute freedom

There is absolute calmness

I am happy

Tears running from my eyes

A happiness, never experienced before

Red, yellow, green, blue, white

Flying

Pasang standing next to me

Holding me in his arms

My tears and his mixed on our cheeks

The feeling is in my skin

The spirit is in my soul

Standing at the gate of the airport

Soon we will leave the “Roof of the World”

So happy that I have been here

So sad that I am leaving

So happy that I have a buddy in Tibet

So sad that they are so lonely

The last minute, Pasang come nearer

He hand me over three small stones

As the Papagoa native, many many years ago

In another corner of this world

Pasang looking into my eyes, whispers

The stones are from Himalaya Mountains and they are sacred

I hug Pasang
I hug Pasang
As I hug the whole Tibetans
I hug Pasang
As I hug Freedom, Happiness,
As I hug Faith, Courage

He touched my forehead with his forehead
He put his hands on my shoulder
He looked into my soul
He passed thru me

He turned away and
He walked to his Mountains

I turned away and
I will carry those mountains always with me

As I touched the stone at Yamdrok Lake
I knew that the stone is for You
As Pasang gave me the stones
I knew that two of them are for You

“Om Mani Padme Hum” will be spread with your energy
The love and faith will be spread with your eyes
The courage and freedom will be spread with your wisdom

4 October 2009,

Ortaköy- Istanbul