Re: Sleeping Dogs Buddha Dll File Download
Fanny Lococo
There was even a small lake with a tiny rowboat a few hundred yards from my house. I sat on the front porch most nights and weekends looking out over the cornfields, watching my dogs chase butterflies during the day and fireflies at night.
When I came out of my stupor, I ran to the house and promptly did everything I had ever been told not to do in a fire. I ran to the front door, grabbed the red-hot knob, and flung the door open, screaming for my animals that I knew were trapped inside.
It was at this time that I noticed three of my dogs, who had been left outside to play and sun themselves on the front porch, had followed me into my burning house. I rounded them up and piled them in the jeep, and called the volunteer fire department on my cell phone between screams and sobs.
Thanks to the American Red Cross and my sister, Tiffany, and brother-in-law, Gregg, I was able to stay for a week in an inexpensive motel with my Rottweiler, Nikko; Pit Bull, Chloe; and my fourteen-year-old Chihuahua, Solomon.
This helped me to learn that not everyone that comes into your life is meant to be there throughout your journey. People will come and go, and sometimes it will break your heart. But you may find sanctuary in the most unexpected places.
The kindness shown to me by these individuals allowed me to start the long healing process. I came to realize that if I was going to survive this, I was going to have to find meaning in the experience and become determined to grow wiser and stronger as a result.
What did it really matter if I was having a bad hair day or someone in front of me left their turn signal on for three miles? What if I lost my job? My car blew up? These things were small potatoes in the grand scheme of things.
My income was cut in half, but I had so much free time to spend going to the park with my dogs, sleeping in, staying up late, and just being out in the sunshine instead of being cooped up indoors. And I was doing something I loved for the first time in my life.
Ultimately, what I learned is that any human tragedy is survivable if one chooses to find meaning in the experience. And if you choose to become stronger, wiser, and more compassionate as a result, then no experience, no matter how painful, is ever solely negative.
Kelli Fultz is an adjunct professor at Lindenwood University in St. Louis teaching Psychology and Sociology, and in private practice as a clinical therapist at Sanctuary Within counseling in Edwardsville, Illinois. In addition, she is a lover of sunshine, good books, cheesy movies and all critters great and small.
This site is not intended to provide and does not constitute medical, legal, or other professional advice. The content on Tiny Buddha is designed to support, not replace, medical or psychiatric treatment. Please seek professional care if you believe you may have a condition.
Prince Siddhartha attained Buddhahood (full enlightenment) in the year 623 B.C. while sitting under the Peepul tree (Fiscus religiosa or Bodhi tree) during the Vasakha full moon day. The Vajrasana or the Diamond Throne, which is under this Bodhi tree, is the central place of worship.
Waking at sunrise I pick my way through muddy streets, stepping over sleeping dogs and skirting around various livestock to reach the Mahabodhi Temple, the holiest location for the Buddhist faith. Pilgrimage is the name of the game, and I aim to beat most of the pilgrims to the temple while the light is still soft and the grounds are still quiet. The temple complex radiates a hallowed tone, glistening in the last drips of a night shower. The crimson sandstone walkways cut across the well-tended grass plots, leading the pious to the ancient temple.
Each time I raise my camera and take a photograph, the normally quiet sound of the shutter seems to grow in volume a thousand fold, filling the empty space and broadcasting the presence of a foreign man with his foreign device. One of the greatest challenges as a photographer is documenting a scene without altering it.
The temple complex is nearly empty, and as I approach the temple the Buddhist mantras chanted by the devout reach my ears. Early rising pilgrims are making their way to the interior to offer their prayers and small plates covered in an assortment of flowers. Before the Buddha, the offerings stack higher and higher and the number of pilgrims begin to increase. The environment is changing from tranquil to tense as these pious people vie for a plot of tile to render their prayers. The once vacant offering room swells with boisterous crowd after crowd which means it is time for me to leave. I must say that I am surprised at the behavior of many of these visitors, and loathe their blatant disrespect for the very thing to which they offer their prayers.
They are barely breathing. They are incredibly still. Their expression is at times of peace, at times pensive, and always serious. Prayer flags flap in the wind, surrounding a pair of monks swathed in sanguine. Within the gentle breeze that stirs the prayer flags comes the chirping of birds and the occasional chanting of a mantra.
Moving along through the temple complex I find another form of meditation. Monks pay their respects through prostrations. They perform hundreds of them, kneeling down and sliding along a wooden board towards a lotus flower. The boards are smooth and worn, no doubt from thousands of these prostrations. They perspire and they purify. They prepare for meditation.
I cautiously photograph the monks. I move slowly, silently, and respectfully. I survey the scene before taking a photograph. I make each photograph count, and depend on my previous experiences to know that I will lock in a great image rather than depending on sheer numbers of images in hopes of producing a single quality one.
Moving around and towards the front of the temple area I come across one pilgrim isolated from the rest. Clad in a deep orange and against a yellow undergarment, he sits in repose with a book and a bright blue sack. He appears scholarly and wise. He is old, with short grey whiskers and a shiny bald head, yet he seems powerful. His gaze is strong-willed and his arms are sinewy. I gesture towards my camera and he nods, placing his hands together in a display of reverence for this holy place. I then lift the camera to my eye and create the image.
Photography writer, educator, and workshop leader Jim Austin Jimages shares seven core tips in a toolkit for slow photography. Slow Photography is the experience of an intentional, attentive, mindful, timeless [read more]
Sandakphu is a relatively known and well laid out trek. It is one of the only treks in the world where one can get grand views of some of the tallest mountains in the world, including Mt. Everest, Mt. Kanchenjunga, Mt. Pandim, Lhotse, Nuptse and others alike. In fact the mountain range that is there on the back of the Rs. 100 note can be easily spotted here. Also known as the Sleeping Buddha, the Kanchendzonga range resembles a person reclining. The mountains that form this range are Janno, Koktang, Ratong, Kabru north and south, Mt kanchendzonga, Simvo, Japuno, and Pandim from left to right.There are 2 ways of completing the trek; the easier way is to get down to Gurdum from Sandakphu. The other one is the longer and more difficult terrain that takes you further till Phalut before getting down at Gorkhey. Indiahikes conducts the Phalut trail, which also offers closer views of the Kanchenjunga and Everest range, albeit with more efforts (and walking).
I took a 2.30pm flight to Kolkata with Jet Airways. It was a festive season so needless to say Bengaluru airport was swarming with people going to their respective holiday destinations. On board, and I will be in Kolkata in less than 2.5 hours. The flight was houseful.
I reached Esplanade no sooner and located the bus. To my surprise I met some college friends in the bus who were also on their way to NJP. Talking of fate. Oh well, at least I will have some company from the otherwise boring 12 hour bus ride.
Bagdogra is a quaint little town with the only airport in north Bengal and a good presence of defense personnel. The airport is nestled amidst tea gardens. Quickly rang up Bhaskar, and in no time he showed up. The 1st trekker of the group that I met. Quick rounds of introduction, past treks, and alike before the IH pickup cab picked us up to the airport. One by one all showed up, and we headed our way to Jaubhari in 2 cabs.
Mornings in the mountains happens early. Much early, in fact. You have to complete all the daily chores and be trek ready by 8 am. A few of us had trouble sleeping at night. No surprises here as the body is not used to this altitude, plus the cold effect. Me had a grand sleep though; maybe even snored a bit!
And what a lovely morning! We had an amazing landscape right in front of us, apart from breakfast. We also met our trek guides today; Sange daju, who will be leading from the front, Subhash daju in the middle, and Gopal daju sweeping at the back. Tsering was responsible for luggage and other trekking stuff like tents and utensils. As is the case with me I always prefer to stay at the back, which means Gopal daju will see more of me than anyone else.
All ready to take off we hit the trail in no time, after a group pic. The 1st day on a trek is always a difficult one, mainly due to our body not used to the rigor and altitude. The initial climb took us through some nice, dense pine forest before opening up to the motor-able road that goes straight up to Sandakphu.
SNOWWWWWWW!!! Small flakes of snow started falling on us. Even before we realized it was a hailstorm. We quickly took refuge in a home-stay where we were served one of the best lunches I ever had. Special mention to the chili pickle which literally made me cry and my nose watery.
After winding up with dinner we were told to be ready early morning, for if the sky cleared we can see the sun lighting up the Kanchendzonga range. We just cocooned ourselves inside the blanket for some eternal sleep. Damn, it felt nice and cozy!
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