GRATITUDE & HEARTFELT APPRECIATION ARE THE KEYS TO THE DIVINE PATH......

I have never shared this spiritual experience before, except with a few close friends and some family members.

I hope by doing so on this forum, I can pass a positive message and some personal experience, which can assist and inspire others in their self search journey and path of spiritual evolution.

My views on religions and preference is to maintain a unique approach of selecting only the best of the best of jewels, discarding any clearly rotten, distorted or parts which fail my test of heart and mind compass.

Even though I have read enough about Tibetan Buddhism I would not consider myself an adept or strict follower. In early summer of 2006, I felt a strong call to take part in a spiritual retreat, organized by Lama Yeshe, at the Holy Island, in Scotland. It was an intensive 10 day Tibetan Drupchen retreat, during which 20 high rank Lamas from Tibet and India, along with many Samye link monks, nuns and lay people from across the world would meet there and take part in 24 hour meditations and Tibetan prayers. This powerful practice, was dedicated to removing obstacles to world peace and transforming negativity to positive energy. After the event, I heard that many of the Lamas had seen an imminent world war, which would have destroyed our planet and decided to take spiritual action by organizing and participating in this Drupchen event.

Even though everything was organized for all participants to be present during the long daily sessions, morning and afternoon, in the big hall like in a traditional Tibetan monastery, there were shifts of monks and lay people to ensure that the prayers would not cease even during the night. We still had free time to socialize, meet each other and explore the beautiful and pure environment of this hyper-dimensional place. The island is open to people of all faiths, providing they respect the rules of conduct (no harm to any life, no drugs, smoking, other intoxicants, strictly vegetarian food, proper conduct ie no stealing, lying, sexual misconduct). The food was wholesome vegan and vegetarian, from locally grown produce or brought to the island by boat from good suppliers and prepared with intensive care and love from volunteers and resident monks and nuns. There was an infectious atmosphere of warmth, spontaneous laughter and bliss all the time in this big dining area and as the days progressed I found myself, eating less but feeling so full and content because I was charging my body on a different kind of nourishment....

During the first day of the retreat, the Lamas, consecrated the buildings and surrounding land and we followed them during this procession. We woke up to the most spectacular full rainbow exactly over the island, even though there was no rain!! I have never experienced any similar phenomenon in my life.

In the big hall, where we would meet for the long Tibetan singing, mediation and prayers, the atmosphere was imposing and the traditional Tibetan musical organs and deep throat singing of the monks was an instant transformation of the environment. It was amazing to see those Masters sitting for hours on end, without any physical needs for water, adjustment of their position, toilet, without feeling the chilly mornings or evenings on their expose bare arms, while the lay people required all of the above and millions of other insignificant needs and wants of the ordinary body and mind.....

The biggest obstacle for me was my seasonal grass pollen hay fever, which seemed to have become worst on the island. I was so embarrassed as I would be sneezing like crazy, breaking the silence of the meditation all the time and had to carry a whole box of tissues next to my meditation pillow! (Luckily, covid had not been planned and spread then, so no one seemed to be concerned!).

The big personal experience for me started after the day we were given some dried, grass type plant, which had been blessed by the Lamas during the day's prayers. The western nuns explained that if we wanted, we could place it under our pillows as the dreams we would have would be very significant on a personal level.

I had booked myself in the dormitory, which was shared with many other ladies. On that night, I could feel something was happening or changing on my chakras and woke up a few times. It was not in any way negative or painful and I say that with full conviction, as I know what it means to be visited or have attempted attacks from the dark side.....

On that night, I had a powerful dream about a very close and loved person in my life, which revealed to me a painful future but worst of all, the pain, sadness, regrets and all negativity which was going to be experienced by this person after death. I was made to completely experience myself all those painful feelings and I was shocked to the core of my being to such an extend that I started sobbing uncontrollably in my sleep, until everyone in the dormitory woke up!

They did not try to intervene or say anything but I felt the negativity of one lady, so I got up, still crying, got dressed and sought refuge to the meditation room, where the night shift was carrying on with their prayers. I collapsed on my knees in front of the Buddha statue and continued to cry for hours. One of my two closest spiritual friends I had met there, a kind vet nurse, was on the night prayer shift and made sure she was supporting and taking care of me.

It was probably soon after this incident that I had the most powerful realization experience during our evening prayers and meditation in this hall. The prayers of the Tibetan Lamas were always in their language, which as a Westerner, I did not understand and was reluctant to follow the Western nuns protocol of reciting a lot of "chi tzo tzan chi" mumble, meaning nothing to me, even though I could appreciate they meant a lot to the Lamas and those nuns with years of studies on the subject! I wanted to follow my own heart and intuition and contribute to this important spiritual event by my own sincere and heartfelt way.

I had my crystal quartz and mala and my prayers were limited to the main mantra of my favorite Buddha /Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, the Buddha of compassion. OM MANI PADME HUM. All those days, this was my practice and my heart was overwhelmed with immense gratitude and appreciation for having such an honour to be part of a once in a lifetime event of world changing significance. I would look at those unshakable Lamas and my heart felt ready to burst from gratitude towards them and the Divine! I shed rivers of tears during those hours of contemplation and appreciation.

Until all of a sudden, everything around me became immersed in a golden Light of unsurpassed beauty, never seen before with my everyday eyes! The space was no longer full of normal air. All objects, the people, the shrine were engulfed by this golden Light and rays! My body was no longer made out of flesh and was transformed to an atomic structure of light particles, which felt like a powerful nuclear explosion without the negative effects. I felt the need to stand up and instinctively use my heart as a transformer in order to cope with the beyond my limited mass level of transmitted energy. This would be the only way to remain alive and not to burn out my mortal body. I kept allowing this Light explosion to pass through my heart and be spread to the people around me, then the island, the country, the planet and beyond to the Universe...

The prayers had finished and most people had gone, even though I was not aware how long ago. My second closest spiritual friend, a black London Biochemist, had stayed behind, waiting for me, without interfering, but was knocked out to a deep sleep!

The intensity had decreased but my body was still on fire and my head felt at least 3 times its normal size. It was a cold evening but I felt no cold temperature. I felt the need to walk to the sea and keep my feet in the water, walking along the seaside. I still do not know for how long. I visited the Buddhist stupas and prayed there. I felt someone of our group, silently following my steps and praying, exactly on the spots I had touched.

My Biochemist friend was looking for me and at some point I saw both of my friends together, sent by Divine instructions, rushing and doing their best to take care of me. They said I looked different and I explained briefly what happened. They knew my previous experience with the sobbing dream and as both had private rooms, they started arguing, who was going to take me in their room for the night! I had no say, they had to sort it out between themselves. I spent the night in the room of the Biochemist and she would not take a word, as she would sleep on the floor and I had to sleep on her bed.

Next day, she could not believe, as she also suffered from hay fever, that I had stopped sneezing and never needed another tissue again. I could literally bury my head in the long grass but it would cause no sneezing, skin irritation or running nose. My experience had instantly cleared my lifelong allergy and it has never become as severe, even in the years that followed.

People had started behaving differently. Even a young trainee monk, who spoke some English, would place his hands together and bow to me in respect. The next evening, after the prayers, he said to me and a friend, as I was coming down the steps: Did you see that? She turned the lights on as she stepped out of the hall! The young monk started referring to me as a Dakini (female sacred deity), when talking to his friends.

In the dining room, the lay people would eat on some tables and the Lamas and monks on different ones. There was a Lama I felt an immediate and unexplained connection from the moment I saw him. Lama Tsering Dakpa.

On the day after my experience, he got up from his chair at the table and he offered me his seat, to the puzzled looks of everyone. I was invited to the Lama's table every time since that day.

Lama Tsering did not know any English and I do not speak Hindi or Tibetan. We communicated briefly via the young monk, who spoke some English, but there was no need for words. Up to the end of the retreat, he would come and sit near me during breaks and on the day before his departure, he arrived in the dining room and laid a Tibetan silk scarf, Khata, around my neck. He then placed his hands on my head, touched and held his head to my head for quite some time to the surprised looks of all people in the room. During his departure and in spite of the Tibetan monk protocol, he spent the last minutes while waiting for the small boat, wiping my eyes with his hands from the uncontrollable tears of emotions and holding me in his arms with my head resting on his heart....

Through the young translator, he invited me to his monastery, wanted to arrange private teachings with the Head of his monastery, who speaks English and take me personally to Dharamshala to meet the Dalai Lama. Even though, I have maintained contact by emails via an English speaking niece of him, I have not accepted his offer yet.

Once the small boat departed the Island for mainland, my vet nurse friend and I, still in tears, started walking along the beach and a group of seagulls, circling above our heads, started laughing in a human laughter, instantly, transforming our emotions of sadness for the separation to an euphoria and blissful feeling, as if the Lama had returned and was now with us! This was his parting gift to us and our heavy heart! We looked at each other and made sure it was not just a personal experience but we had actually both witnessed the same surreal moment! For many days, every time we were walking on the island, we could hear a constant background syllabus, HUM, which was clearly audible in our ears. This is the third syllabus of the main Buddha manta, OM, AH, HUM.

Another strange phenomenon, on that island, especially after my experience, was the perception of time. Time seemed to pass without registering on our mind. On one occasion, I remember saying to my vet nurse friend, after the prayers in the hall that we are going for lunch to find ourselves shocked at the realization that they were serving dinner! We had literally lost half a day. Both of us!

This was one of the greatest and most precious experiences in my life. I also consider that Scottish island, beyond the dimension of our current Earth and well sheltered by the Divine Hierarchy.

Do these powerful and hyper-dimensional experiences, change and improve your life, perception, Divine connection and guidance? The answer is undoubtedly, yes.

Do they turn you into a God, Guru, Love and Light Master and Controller of elements, who needs nothing and none other than yourself as per usual Luciferian disinformation? The answer, is absolutely, not!

In fact, I can confirm from my experience that no person would be able to function again on this mundane level with an ordinary body, if this level of existence was going to be sustained and maintained constantly.

Which explains, why those on the true spiritual path of liberation, evolution and enlightenment, aim for total isolation and detachment from all material levels and interactions, in remote caves and mountains.

In closing, I would like to wish to all living beings across the Universe, profound and transformative experiences through the heart center, by anchoring yourselves to the Highest Vibration of Gratitude and Appreciation, towards the Divine and its manifested Creation.

With Heartfelt Blessings from this special island to all

Maria

P.S: First published on G-force forum.

I am the founder of the animal rescue charity, Shiva Tara Aroha Sanctuary and I would request any tips or donations to go to the above charity for the benefit of the animals. Thank you.

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