@travyling Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum šš¼š§š¼āāļø #travyling #tattoo #ommanipadmehum #nepal #tibetan #buddhism ā¬ Om Mani Padme Hum (A Joia no CoraĆ§Ć£o) - Gurusevananda Das
My morning began momentous as I mustered movement of yoga and seated meditation. Then I met a few friends for lunch. Pradip, the manager of Wilderness Excursion Trekking Agency, and his nephew Yuhan, my porter from the trek, joined me. We shared a few different plates of Nepali dishes while I shared some feedback about my experience with the trek and we discussed Buddhism. I had an incredible experience trekking and summiting Yala Peak, and wouldnāt hesitate to use Pradip and Wilderness Excursion in the future. Especially now, since as of April 1st, 2023, Nepali government requires trekkers to hire guides through trekking companies. Travelers are no longer able to visit the Himalayas and trek without a guide. While Iām typically for limited government involvement, I see the benefit of this law improving trekkerās safety and helping stimulate the economy for local Nepali ran businesses. After lunch, Yuhan and I went to Funky Buddha tattoo shop, where I had made an appointment yesterday for a bamboo stick and poke tattoo.
From the very start of the trekking experience, I observed these colored flags lining every village, trail, bridge, lookout, communal space, and peak. There were 5 colored flags, each correlating to a different Buddhist symbol and combining to make the mantra Om Mani Padme Hum. Villagers mentioned the flags were used as a means for good fortune and protection to trekkers. Along the trail, my guide Tes, Yuhan, and I would recite this Buddhist mantra cheerfully, and I would recite it to myself during more difficult parts of the trek when I felt weak. The mantra became something symbolic and personal of my trekking experience, and something I want to carry forward with me. While on the trek, the idea of getting the Tibetan symbols tattooed banded around my ankle came into my mind. The more I thought about it, the more I desired it. The placement on my ankle has meaning for each step taken on the trek (approximately 167,000 steps), while also carrying the meaning of āgood luck with every stepā and a reminder that when things get challenging, like they did on the trail, to just put one foot in front of the other and focus on one step at a time.
Importantly, there is also significant Buddhist meaning of this mantra as well. While I donāt identify with any religion and if I had to put a label on myself I would consider myself spiritual, I have found many useful lessons and nuggets of wisdom from Buddhism. My interest in Buddhism started around 10 years ago, when I took a Buddhism course at college and began practicing through readings, yoga, and seated meditation. For the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra, the English translation of āMani Padmeā is ājewel in the lotusā. In Buddhism, the lotus is symbolic of wisdom. Lotuses grow through mud, and similarly humans rise above and grow through their own suffering. To me, I think itās an important lesson and reminder that the true treasure (jewel) of life is found inward, within oneās own lotus-like journey of rising above the mud that is suffering through spiritual growth and gaining wisdom. I strive to continue walking my spiritual path while learning and applying Buddhism lessons and practices. Additionally, each of the six syllables correlates to one of the six perfections of Buddhism, therein the collective mantra covers all six perfections. Recitation of the mantra helps achieve perfection in each of these six perfections. The first syllable Om is blessed to help achieve perfection in the practice of generosity, Ma helps perfect the practice of pure ethics, Ni helps achieve perfection in the practice of tolerance and patience, Pa helps to achieve perfection of perseverance, Me helps achieve perfection in the practice of concentration, and the final sixth syllable Hum helps achieve perfection in the practice of wisdom.
It is from the personal meaning from my trekking experience in addition to the deeper Buddhism significance empowering this mantra that gives me the desire and confidence to take this permanent spiritual souvenir with me. I would get the 6 symbols (Pad+Me separate) in the traditional Tibetan characters banded around my ankle. After having a positive (yet painful) experience with my Sak Yant tattoo in Chiang Mai, Thailand, having the traditional stick and poke method as opposed to a needle gun machine felt like the route to go for this job. During the tattoo, I had one AirPod in my ear playing monks recitation of the mantra while I put my intention and energy into the tattoo with every needle jab. It was significantly less painful than the Sak Yant tattoo because this was a needle that was a flat line (similar to flathead screwdriver) as opposed to the sharp single point needle used by Ajarn Rung in Thailand. Yuhan had never seen a tattoo being done before, so he wanted to keep me company and watch. After two hours, the deed was done! Iām very happy with how it turned out and love my new Tibetan trekking and Buddhist tattoo.
After the tattoo, Yuhan and I took a cab to Bough Stupa, a temple site popular for Kathmandu locals and tourists, Hindi and Buddhists alike. Itās common to do three laps walking around the large Stupa, and so Yuhan and I did our three laps. At this point, day was turning into evening, and Yuhan had to return home. After our visit to Stupa, we cabbed back to Thamel, where Yuhan and I said our farewells. It was incredibly helpful and enjoyable having Yuhan as my porter on the trek. Iām grateful for the extra time we got to spend together hanging in Kathmandu before I left Nepal.
I strolled around Thamel looking for a suitable restaurant for dinner until my ears brought me outside Kathmandu Grill. I could hear a Nepali band inside performing āResham Firiri,ā the same song I heard performed on the bus to the Himalayas and that Tes, Yuhan, and I sang along during the trek. I told the host I was a party of 1, and he sat me at a table where another solo traveler was sitting. It didnāt take long for us to begin chatting. Iāve found that most other solo travelers are also sociable and easy to converse with. Also, solo travelers are typically adventurous, curious, and open-minded individuals. People with these qualities are very interesting and have great stories to tell. My new friend Perry from Poland and I had throughly enjoyable conversation while we shared a table. Unlike most Nepal travelers, he wasnāt visiting to trek. Perry was visiting for an ayahuasca retreat, and it wasnāt his first rodeo. We spent a good amount of time discussing his experiences with ayahuasca. I wished him the best with his retreat, then we parted ways.