'Whispers From The Thunder Dragon'

by Caitlin Wieja (Canada)

I didn't expect to find Bhutan

Can you feel the Thunder Dragon calling you, it's powerful voice being carried from the howling winds of the Himalayan mountains, passing through the crystal blue rivers that flow with the wind horse, tiger, and dragon on it's back to deliver you a message. Weaving in between acres of gradient yellow and green rice fields through the morning fog covering the waking villages, traveling past the spiritual Buddhist temples to reach beyond the kingdom of Bhutan to where you are right now? Seeing the colours of spirituality in the folded squares, known as prayer flags, dancing in the wind gently flows through you as you take an inhale through your nose, allowing your breathe to fill your body with the prayer flags intentions and blessings. You won't see the colourful prayer flags in the villages however originating from Tibet you will see them gathered up in the mountains, where the wind will carry the intended prayers from high up in sky to be delivered upon earth. After being blessed in this country with it's beautiful temples adorned with Buddist paintings that unfold the stories of Buddha, you feel the gift Buddhism fills your mind with openness and your heart with light. My spiritual journey in the kingdom of Bhutan was only seven days, but I still hold with me a piece of the Bhuddist teachings and spirituality which will last me a lifetime in exchange leaving a piece of myself, my spiritual intention, to reach the country of Bhutan and beyond it's walls to you. You are pulled by the ephemeral beauty of a country whose king uses Gross National Happiness to measures what it means to live an overall balanced and happy life, while gazing at cows walking down the side of the street, lush green forests and prayer flags singing their mantras in the wind. The people who live in Bhutan, 'the land of the Thunder Dragon' are mostly poor, however are kind, grateful and the happiest people I have ever seen in my life. I felt so immersed with the people, their culture and way of living, from the 'chili cheese' their national dish, to praying in each temple to their way of life that I wanted to be part of it. I decided the day before my two day hiking journey, called the 'Bumdra Trek' up the Himalayan Mountains that leads a temple called 'The Tiger's Nest', to purchase a prayer flag that I felt so connected to leave, so that I can heal and bless the country of Bhutan by leaving my blessed prayer flag in the wind, up in the mountains on an auspicious day (as told to do in the morning before 10:30am by a monk) so that you can feel the Thunder Dragon's whisper across the world. The blur of blue representing the sky, white representing air, red representing fire, green representing water, and yellow representing earth. All five prayer flags are balanced elements and seeing the different shades of colour, some torn overtime and some faded from the sun, are floating being held together by only a small string tied from tree to tree. The scriptures and the images printed on each prayer flag is a sutra or mantra captivates your soul and turns you upside down to look inward. I did not realize when I first arrived into the country of Bhutan, with a population around 750,000, that I would decide to leave a spiritual mark that will carry the mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum', which carries the soul of enlightenment through the whispers of the winds across the world. Can you feel your powerful voice calling you, your ever-changing purpose, your dreams, your fears, your heart and soul's pure intentions: to bless, heal and share your gift with the world. Now is the time to listen to the whispers of the Thunder Dragon and the whisper of your soul.