I briefly meet an enlightened master.

I met the 17th incarnation of the Karmapa today. It was very brief. We were waiting in line and gave an offer (piece of cloth). I was incredibly nervous, afraid, and anxiety ridden. I couldn't honesty tell you why, but I was. Perhaps too much anticipation combined with fear of ego loss. I walked up to him, intensely looking into his eyes with a sort of desperation I suppose, looking for truth and such.

And we made eye contact. He had a noticeable presence and depth to him. It felt as if he looked into my heart on a very deep level and I could feel it. A sensation of "ahh, I understand" sort of came over me. Nothing too overwhelming, it was very subtle but none the less a very clear connection to a deep internal place within myself had occurred. My anxiety and fear put up a strong wall between him and I. But if anyone asked me where truth lies I would tell them confidently from this experience its right inside your heart and when you catch a glimpse of it, its like oh, right, thats kind of obvious. I think its incredibly simple and obvious--this enlightenment business. But I guess that doesn't make it easy...

I don't know. I have a lot of work to do. It was a interesting experience and it made me look at myself so that was a positive. I wished Matt good luck and good bye as he goes back to Delhi and then the United States.

Sidenote that people other than my family won't find interesting: Yesterday I had real french toast at the "Be Happy Cafe" run by a Canadian woman and her Indian husband. The french toast had fresh banana slices on it along with honey and butter (no syrup here). I ate it and enjoyed it. I had that again today along with a large bowl of granola...and believe it or not...tons of fresh fruit, like 7-8 different kinds of fruit sliced into granola and milk. I ate all but a bite or two. I ate more fruit today than I have in the past...hmm...16-17 years maybe? Perhaps even longer than that? I've also consumed a massive assortment of various vegetables and other stuff I would never have touched in America since arriving in India...So, I'm getting somewhere and it seems to be positive.