Never Too Late

6 Sep 2023

The Tibetan Book of Living & Dying by Sogyal Rinpoche.

My first copy of “The Tibetan Book of Living & Dying,” came from Borders the Bookshop at Wheelock Place. I bought it out of curiosity.

I had what I called “reader’s block,” and gave the book away in 2012. My inability or refusal to accept then that life ends despite our best efforts probably kept me from receiving the guidance in the book.

Over the years, the passing of 10 cats and 1 dog in my care, and the gruesome deaths of cherished community cats from dog attacks have eroded my state of denial. Death is just round the corner.

And with Emmanuel & Oliver’s deteriorating health, I’ll be witnessing death for the 11th & 12th time.

They are my longest living cats. I need to be better prepared for their passing so as to do justice to their companionship of 18 years.

So last week I ordered a copy of “The Tibetan Book of Living & Dying,” after assessing my receptivity to it via Libby APP.

Today as First Tutee and Granduncle came to see Oliver and pray over him, the book also arrived. 🙏❤️😊

First Tutee sees Oliver as his First Cat. They met in 2017.

So every thing has its timing. What we cannot understand or refuse to understand will make sense at some point. And friends who live in our thoughts will appear at the right time when needed.

And I cannot ask for a better alignment of intention, needs and spiritual aid like the one I had today. 🙏🪔

Rabbits’ Gathering

31 May 2023

It was Buddha’s birthday. All the 12 zodiac animals were invited. Everyone was punctual, except Rabbit. It turned out that on his way to Buddha’s party, Rabbit stopped for someone who was sick and gave him medicine. Hence the delay.

For his deed, Rabbit now lives on the Moon where he assists the Moon Goddess to prepare medicines & elixirs of longevity.

The above is one of the stories that my dad told me on nights when we sat under the full moon.

Last Friday, a friend drove from the east to the west to help me carry medicated supplies to another party who would then hand the precious parcel to rescuers of street animals.

Seeking Medicine Buddha’s blessings on the medicated supplies for street animals.

After the handover was settled, we had the best charred bee hoon (fried vermicelli) among other dishes in a cafe by the Changi Beach

That vermicelli dish was extra special because it had to be consumed straight from the pan to the plate to savour its crispiness. And the sambal that went with it was like no other. It is a dish that truly demands that you be fully present.

Our meditative lunch was further augmented by the company of another friend who supports our medicine journeys for homeless animals.

3 friends born under the same zodiac animal sign.

While chatting over coffee, I realised the 3 of us were born in the Year of the Rabbit. And thus it is only befitting that we should take such an interest in medicine gathering. 😄

Posing with Sharonne in the Year of the Rabbit at her family’s cafe.

As we look to the Vesak Day public holiday and the Full Moon, may all gatherings hold potentials for goodwill, gratitude & grace. 🪔

Contemplative Tuesday: Losing & Gaining

9 May 2023

Of all the birds that catch my eyes, the flamingoes take first prize. Apart from their pinkish plummage, their straight legs are a thing of beauty as they strut confidently from one spot to another in the mud without losing momentum.

Birds taking flight from tree branches or from the arm of their handler, while their talons rip off barks or leave marks on the protective arm cover is a delight to me. And those perfect landings on flimsy laundry lines & bobbing along with the wind is ballet!

If I can make a personal wish in this life, it will probably be to know what it feels like to walk without limping and without swaying from side to side. Even if it is just for one day.

“Where are you going? Do you need a wheelchair?” asked the young staff with a look of concern mixed with hesitation. He was unsure of how I would react to his offer of help.

It was closing time at the newly opened Bird Paradise at Mandai Lake.

“I think I can manage. Cos that was how I got in.” I assured him brightly. My heart was already full from an afternoon of avian magic with friends and now this young man.

He would later tell me on our way to the taxi stand that his heart simply couldn’t take it to see me walking like this, while he was standing around with two strong legs. And no, he didn’t want me to think he was pitying me.

His parents have taught him to help others and not expect to be praised.

We went on to exchange views on decision making in life and the need for time to create emotional distance before we can accurately process an experience that has happened, especially if it is not aligned to our plans.

By the time we said goodbye, I realised we wouldn’t have this moment if I had two good legs.

Meanwhile my admiration for flamingoes and those who can move about with ease will never diminish.

Sage, Destroyer of Ego

13-3-23

My friend’s orange kitty, Sage, is selective about who gets to hang out with her, for how close and for how long.

My efforts to promote animal welfare do not impress her one bit.

My repertoire of animal knowledge is worth less a kibble to her.

But, if I know my place, Sage doesn’t mind eating a store bought treat from my hand. This means not trying to touch her when she’s trying to eat, or assuming that just because I have the means to buy things, I’m King.

Sage reminds me that I’m only a creature, just like her.

So whenever I need a dose of reality & liberation from egoistic tendencies, I make an appointment with Sage.

Gin Mei’s *Mantra

9-12-22

Gin Mei, the shelter cat, is on palliative care.

Gin Mei is medicated & syringe fed to keep her as comfortable as possible. (Metta Cats & Dogs Sanctuary 7/12/22)

She has an enclosure to herself with food, water, litter box and a bed for her comfort. She is medicated and syringe fed to keep her as comfortable as possible.

When I prayed outside her enclosure a couple of days ago, she stopped pacing about and came towards me as if drawn to the recitation of the Medicine Buddha Mantra.

She pressed her face against the wire mesh, let me hold her paws as she stood on her hindlegs for quite some time while I bent as low as my joints would allow me to recite the mantra in her ears.

Extending her face beyond the enclosure.

Throughout this session there was no pity and no dread, but peace between the cat and me.

Because of Gin Mei’s willingness to come to me despite not being familiar with me, I was also able to place my *mala bracelet on the top of her head to bless her further.

The cat’s response to the mantra offering to ease her difficulty is open to interpretation. But for me it shows that animals are not only sentient, but they might be as spiritual as we are.

I held her little paws as Gin Mei stood up on her hind legs to receive the Medicine Buddha Mantra.

So even in the most desperate of situations where all medical resources have been exhausted, we must remember we still have the one medicine that goes beyond life & death, and that is our mantras & prayers. ❤️🙏

*mantra – sanskrit word meaning “sacred words”, “chants”, etc that are repeated to aid focus and create beneficial outcomes.

*mala bracelet – prayer beads. This particular one was lovingly made by a friend who meditates regularly & does charity work in Cambodia.

Instinctive Draw

14-11-22

Of all the manifestations or portrayals of the Buddha, I feel drawn to the one with curls on his head.

This manifestation of the Buddha which I’m drawn to is located at Tkechen Choling Temple in Beatty Lane, Singapore.

Somehow he felt Nepali to me. In 2011, before my first trip to Nepal I made a trip to the Tkechen Choling temple in Beatty Lane. I told him that I was going to visit his country & asked for his blessings on the medicines & veterinary supplies that we were bringing for the street dogs.

I’m old school in the sense that if I’m visiting a country for the first time, especially one with known spiritual traditions, I have a compelling urge to declare my intentions.

Today we were at the temple to light butter lamps. I lit a lamp for a beloved shelter cat that is lost and the people who are searching for him. May the Light guide him to safety. If he has left his physical form, may the Light embrace his soul & neutralise all negative imprints & comfort the people who love him.

Whether it is just by the window of my home, or in the presence of a sacred figure of reverence, dedicating a light is one of the ways of expressing respect, support and affection.

May Tam Tam the Cat be well. May his finders be guided and comforted.

And today I also learnt for the first time that the Nepali Buddha I’ve been speaking to for the past 11 years regarding my medicine journeys for animals is none other than the Medicine Buddha himself.

May we be guided as we seek to improve our own lives and the lives of others.

Gifts from an Unknown Horse

16 Nov 2022 (World Horse Day)

The refugee horse I saw in 2001 on the news would lead me to this book in Annapurna Bookshop in Pokara, Nepal in 2011.

In 2001 while following news on the aftermath of 911, the footage of a horse straining under the load strapped tightly to his/ her back while making the mountainous crossing between Afghanistan & Pakistan would forever be soldered onto my brain. It was one of those “once you see it, you cannot unsee it” moment for me.

Taoist prayer papers featuring horses of the Gods. I love the graceful lines by which horses are depicted, almost childlike in their simplicity while deeply evocative.

That TV encounter would lead me to learn more about the suffering of packed animals & support efforts devoted to improving their conditions. In my attempts to raise funds for them, I read up as much as I could. Soon my affinity with writings & artworks that featured horses, donkeys & mules also grew. A trip to Morocco to visit the Society for the Protection of Working Animals Abroad (SPANA) opened up.

And all the above had been bestowed upon me by a nameless horse shivering in the winter cold of armed human conflicts.

Recently a former student was heading to Nepal. By way of wishing her a trip filled with pleasant encounters & learning ease, I gave her a handmade card featuring a mythical horse.

Handmade card using Lokta paper. These are the remaining 3 in my collection after giving 1 to my former student heading to Nepal.

Mythical horses or Windhorses (Lungta) are carriers of auspiciousness in Tibetan and Mongolian cultures.

One of the things the young lady did when she reached the Boudha Stupa was to take out her windhorse card and take pictures of it with the prayer flags.

My former student, Cheryl Lee, and her windhorse card at Boudha Stupa in November 2022.

I have this belief that even if we cannot change the fate of working animals directly, treating representations of them or thoughts associated with them kindly has power.

May the gesture of a girl circumabulating the Stupa with the windhorse card under her jacket, bring better treatment to all working horses and animals.

Cheryl holding her card to the prayer flags.

May our aspirations for better days for ourselves and others never cease regardless of outcomes. 🙏

Dog sleeping underneath the prayer flags at Boudha Stupa, Nepal. Photo credit: Cheryl Lee.

Delightful Deepavali

24 Oct 2022

Over pineapple tarts from a Hindu parent, rempeyek fried by a Muslim friend, and store bought Massala Tea, two Chinese women who have known each other for more than 40 years caught up during this Deepavali public holiday.

Catching up over store bought massala tea, pineapple tarts & rempeyek on Deepavali / Diwali 2022.

They had met in their teens. One was from St Margaret’s Secondary School and the other from Crescent Girls’ School. And even when one left to study & work overseas for a number of years, there is no sense of separation or gaps in their communication. They speak in a mixture of English, Singlish & their home dialect like many Singaporean siblings do.

Today in Nepal, dogs are honoured in a festival called Kukur Tihar. Marigold flowers, incense, tikka & food are offered to street dogs & house dogs in many neighbourhoods to thank the canines. My dog, Shoya, earned his angel wings in 2014. But his qualities of loyalty and non-judgement for human frailties continue in his two cat buddies, Oliver & Emmanuel.

Flowers, incense & tikka blessings for shelter & community dogs prepared by Street Dog Care e.v. in Nepal on Kukur Tihar.

Emmanuel accepts his rudrasha necklace to mark this occasion, and Oliver struts about proudly in his choker from Shivapuri Hills.

Emmanuel & Oliver spotting rudraksha seeds to mark Kukur Tihar.

May I take this chance to wish all sentient beings a delightful Deepavali regardless of the forms we take and the differences in our cultural & spiritual heritage. May all enlightened gestures made today multiply manifold, so that Light may come through us in a continuous flow. 🙏🪔

“I thought she said Kukur Tuna.” – Oliver

Mustangi Magic

20-10-22

In 2011, at the Annapurna Bookshop by Lake Phewa in Pokara, Ron pointed out a book sitting on the top shelf to me & I bought it.

“Horses Like Lightning,” by Sienna Craig documented an American veterinarian’s journey & spiritual growth as she cared for horses in Mustang.

The making of a Juniper smoke offering by local Mustangi people to complete each animal treatment struck a chord in me. I think that was the specific moment that sealed my understanding of medicines & healing having a spiritual dimension.

When we got back to Kathmandu, I couldn’t put the book down. Each night by the window of Hotel Harati in Thamel I would read the words slowly, dreading the time when I would arrive at the last page. I also started wondering what Juniper incense smell like since it was mentioned frequently in the book.

Finally at Boudha Stupa, I came face to face with Juniper in its raw & incense powder form. When lit, it released a scent that was both foreign and yet strangely familiar to me.

The aroma of Juniper incense permeates the air at Boudha Stupa at all times of the day.

While some find Juniper incense smoke dense & yeasty smelling, I find it comforting. It always reminds me of forest & yogurt. (Ikr, I’m never far from food. 😄)

It’s been 10 years since my fascination with Juniper started. Last month my friend, Sharonne and her husband, Khorn, visited Nepal to begin her 60th birthday celebration.

My friend of 40 years, Sharonne, & her spouse, Khorn, kickstarting her Super Sixty Birthday celebration in Nepal.

In the midst of visiting sacred sites and shelter & street animals of the Himalayas, the couple found time to replenish my Juniper incense supply from the same shop facing the Stupa.

Sharonne & Khorn arrived in Nepal on new moon of the 9th Lunar Month and brought much needed medical supplies for street and shelter dogs.

Moving onto higher grounds, Sharonne picked a sprig of Juniper from a tree that grew in the temple compound of Muktinath in Mustang, a faraway location that is difficult for me to reach but has benevolently decided to visit me. 🙏

The temple where the sprig of Juniper berries came from. (Muktinath, Mustang)

“I got us some wild flowers from this monastery! Breathtakingly beautiful views. I could sit here all day breathing it all in!” says my friend of 40 years as she approaches her superb 60th year. ❤️😊

In a few days’ time the Juniper’s green will go, but her history of having travelled from Mustang at 3800m above sea level, and flying 3800km to reach Singapore will always remain. 🙏

World Animal Day

4 Oct 2022

Today is the Feast Day of St Francis of Assisi. He was known for living in peace with all beings, including animals and birds. So when ecologists in 1989 deciding on a date celebrate animal lives, 4 Oct was a natural choice.

This morning as I was wondering what would be a good picture to carry aspirations for peace for all beings, a friend sent me this picture from Nepal.

Peaceful Dog contemplating the world from an ancient window in Bakhtapur in Nepal on 4 Oct 2022. Photo courtesy of Sharonne Tan.

She & her husband had arrived last night in Kathmandu, from Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha.

And this morning she had to step out of their guest house just in time to snap a picture of a dog contemplating the world from his/ her window in the ancient city of Bhaktapur.

Underneath the canine’s intricately carved window and against the terracotta brickworks, was “PEACEFUL.” 🙏

May this precious shot taken on such an auspicious day & timing bestow peace on all animals and humans past and present.

The photographer of “Peaceful Dog” with her own dog, Luna, at the Terrace of Elephant in Cambodia. Luna passed on this July. She was buried in their garden at home and had prayers chanted to facilitate her soul’s ascension. 🙏

May we keep wishing and visualising Peace no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, for our own benefit, and for the benefit of all sentient beings.

Happy World Animal Day!