Planetary Acupuncture

When you reach the immediate area of your pilgrimage place make the conscious effort to approach with the focussed intention that you are going to plug an electrical appliance into a wall socket. This metaphor is very helpful to embody; it actually predisposes you to a more intense connection with the sacred site. Be there with a free and open mind. Maybe you will wander around first and then meditate or maybe it will be the other way around. Maybe you will take a nap or pray or play. There are no rules. Simply let the spirit of the place and your own being come into come into relationship and then let go to however that flows.

The energy transference at the power place goes both ways; earth to human and human to earth. The wondrously magical living earth gives us tiny human beings subtle infusions of high octane soul food and as pilgrims we give the earth a sort of planetary acupuncture in return. True, the power places were mostly discovered in old times but they are still vital today, still charged and emanating a potent field of transformational energy. Open yourself to this power. Let it touch you and teach you while the planet is in turn graced by your own love.

[By Martin Gray - Sacred Sites]

Saka Dawa

The month of Saka Dawa (May 25-June 22, 2009) is the most sacred in the Tibetan calendar. It is said that it is said in the sutras, that all virtuous actions undertaken during this month are multiplied many millions of times. The full-moon day of this month is celebrated as the day of the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and parinirvana.


A big celebration takes place in Tarboche, on the south-west plain adjacent to Mt Kailash. This is a very good time to go on pilgrimage to all holy places.

Buddha's Enlightenment

[Thanks to William Forbes]

Ramana on Pradakshina

" . . If you do pradakshina the mind will remain one pointed even though the limbs and the body are moving. Doing japa or meditation with a one-pointed mind, while moving about, without having any thought other than the japa, is known as sanchara samadhi (absorption while moving). That is why in the olden days pilgrimage on foot, without using any other conveyance, had so much importance.

Giripradakshina is unique. As there are many types of herbs on the hill, the breeze that blows over them is good for the body. Even today there are many siddhas and great souls on the hill. They too go around the hill, but we cannot see them. Because of this, when we do pradakshina we should keep to the left of the road. If we do this, we do pradakshina without causing any inconvenience to them. We also get the merit of walking round these great souls, thereby receiving their blessings. As we do pradakshina, the body becomes healthy and the mind attains the peace of the Self. Because of all these things, pradakshina is an extraordinary sadhana."

[Ramana Maharshi]