It was a long night of work yesterday. I ended up sleeping all afternoon and just waking up in time to work another shift. It was quiet here as both the housemates are away. The peaceful evening promoted a real deep restful sleep and a good dream.
The dream this time had me in Japan. It seems, I am on a long distance journey and I am on the run from some people who want to do me harm. I am visiting a friend there. He looks a lot like Dick Cavett the famous talk show host (I'm dating myself here). He is wearing a kimono and showing me around his apartment. He shows me an old black and white photo from the 1960's. The photo shows a woman talking with two men. There is nothing remarkable about the photo, but my friend tells me a long story about this woman. She was a promising actress who began her career as a Playboy Bunny waitress at a Playboy Club. It was the typical Hollywood tragic story of sex and death by a drug overdose.
My friend excuses himself, as he must leave for work, I quickly get bored and go for a walk in the city. I immediately come to a park. I see cherry blossom trees every where. It must be spring. Japan is known the world over for it's celebrations of the cherry blossoms. It is a tradition that dates back many centuries and cherry trees are planted in parks and outside public buildings all over Japan for the people to enjoy. The Japanese like to picnic amongst the blossoms.
I wander up a winding stone path to a building that looks like a monastery. I look back down at the foot of the hill and I see an Japanese man in his forties. I think the man is a monk or lay person working for the monastery. The man has been to a well or natural spring, and has filled a heavy black water can. He is carrying it up the hill with both hands and close to his chest. The thing is really heavy and he is clearly straining under the load. He sets it down with a heavy thud when he reaches me at the side doorway to an out building. The man says he has fetched the water for making tea and he invites me to join him for a cup. There is a brick hearth with hot coals nearby to heat the water. We enter the building as we wait for the water to boil. The building is a Japanese tea house. It is a stand alone structure apart from the monastery proper and was built specifically for tea ceremony. The simple wooden building has sliding doors and tatami mat floors. Tea houses and tea ceremony are another ancient tradition in Japan. The tradition was said to have began with Zen Buddhists monks seeking a space for quiet reflection and refuge from the violent wars being waged around the country by the Samurai. The custom was eventually embraced by different classes within Japanese society.
I look around the room and admire the architecture, and art works. I see what looks like a Wakizashi or short sword that a samurai used as his back-up blade. However, upon closer inspection it turns out to be a flute! It is totally shiny and black, and intricately craved. It is a one-of-a-kind instrument. Suddenly, an important monk comes walking into the room followed by his body guards. It is His Holiness, The Dalai Lama! The Dalai Lama has been secretly staying in the monastery during his visit to Japan. He has always thought of himself, humbly, as a simple Buddhist monk. He is staying true to this creed by living with the monks, as a monk, for his visit to Japan. The flute, that I have been admiring is intended to be a gift, to His Holiness, from the monastery. Oh, no!
The Dalai Lama is suppose to be a well protected dignitary. It is rather shocking that I should, by sheer chance, get this close to him. The Dalai Lama laughs it off. He is amused by the confused and panicked look I have on my face. It almost feels like he knew he was going to meet me and this encounter was planned. His Holiness tells me to keep the flute, as a gift, from him. True to his monk creed he generally has few possessions, and often, will decline gifts, or he gives them away when it suits him.
I spend several hours talking with the Dalai Lama. I share with him the story of how I got to Japan and why I am here. Toward the end of our conversation the Dalai Lama and I peek out a window, and watch the people of the city go about their business. His Holiness enjoys observing them and making deductions, like Sherlock Holmes, about who they are and what is going on in their lives. I know from reading his autobiography, that as the boy king in Lhasa, he was a keen observer of life, men and even animals.
His Holiness and I talk about all sorts of subjects for many hours and my time to leave, and his time to retire, for the evening finally arrives. I bow to him with hands together and he laughs, he is such a jolly man, he says we will meet again. I wake up. It is 7:55 pm. I need to hustle and get ready for work!
A glance at the Dalai Lama's online schedule today shows he will be in Japan next week! How is that for synchronicity? That is just spooky! Is this some kind of time traveling or astral encounter? The very first dream blog I did, a few years ago, was an amazing dream encounter starring his Holiness. I called that blog: "Die Hard and The Dalai Lama". I saw the Dalai Lama in April 2012 when he spoke at Loyola University in Chicago. That was an electric evening I can tell you! I was taking a course at Central Michigan University, at the time, and it was all about the Dalai Lama. It is like wow! There are some very strange synchronicities going on around here!
I have long had this psychic connection to Tibetan Buddhism and the Dalai Lama. All these experiences must add up to something. A past life connection? I do not understand it completely, but I feel, it all must have some larger meaning.
The flute, that looks like sword, is a key symbol in this dream. I have spent most of my adult life as a military man. I have never mastered music. It was always too tough to learn for me. I have long been a lover of music and an admirer of great musicians. How apt that I should get such a gift from a man of peace. It looks like a weapon, but is actually, an instrument of the fine arts. Perhaps, the universe is telling me to take up a new hobby? A new healing healthy hobby? I've been tricked! Ha, ha!!
I am going to think about this dream for a good long while, as I am sure, there is a whole lot more yet to be gleaned from all of this! For now the urgent affairs of the day press on me. I will be back! That's what the Dalai Lama says! Ha, ha!!
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