As happenstance would have it, last Friday, April 25, 2008, I came upon a rally for Tibet that was held in Union Square in NYC. Sometimes, just putting one foot in front of the other, intuitively following one’s nose, will land one in the best place. I was walking to the subway after hearing a book talk at East West Books, followed by trip into the Guitar Center for a thumb pick, which led into sampling steel string acoustic guitars, then following my stomach to a recommendation for frozen yoghurt down the street.
It was the Tibetan monks chanting that drew me in. I’d heard it before in a fabulous and moving Gyuto Monks world tour when they performed in Berkeley, CA. Such a grounding eye-opener that keeps you riveted, feeling the depths and spans of culture in their throat and belly-sourced tones and robes. Moving in closer, this early Friday eve, I then saw the candles, hundreds and hundreds of them in simple clear plastic cups, spaced evenly to spell out FREE TIBET, with several large peace signs below. The monks sat cross legged in burgundy and saffron robes, encircled by hundreds of Tibetans in support. The rally to remember the ongoing and recent atrocities by the Chinese who have been persecuting this ancient wisdom religion, was occuring on the nineteen birthday of their exiled leader, The Panchen Lama.
I’m attempting without success to post some of the video I took with my little Canon 8mp digital camera, for now here are a couple of stills from the videos.
Lady Boomer NYC 