Yesterday I landed in Paro, Bhutan in order to attend the advertised events with HH 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, his first publicly advertised event since 2017 since he left India.
This is my third trip to Bhutan, I went in 2019 as a guest of Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche, and then recently in November 2025 for the huge Kālacakra event, led by Je Khenpo in Thimpu. After which I met Dorje Phagmo Rinpoche for the first time, who gifted me her stunning Dorje Phagmo thangka artwork.
Previously, when I had flown into Paro, it had been blue, sunny skies, but this time it was very foggy with clouds, contonuous rain and very poor visibility. It was like that for almost twenty minutes on the approach and descent.
Paro is renowned as one of the most difficult airports to land at, and there are only 50 qualified pilots in the world who can do it. Knowing this I started to get nervous as the plane descended through fog seeing occasionally mountains on either side. Peaking above the clouds. I started reciting White Tara and Guru Rinpoche, not that I do not do those normally but I thought I should do them. In any case it was an expert landing, and the pilot was not forced to return and fly around again.
I then checked into the only vegetarian-only advertised hotel in Paro, Kham Sum Inn, my first time staying there and for the price it was actually very good. Wooden walls and doors, views of the mountains all around, and the magnificent Paro Chu river. Even though it was “chucking it down with rain” as we say in the UK, and much colder than the weather I had become acclimatised to after months in SE Asia, such as Thailand and Vietnam. I had brought warmer clothes in my carry on bag and so the difference in temperature was not too difficult to weather.
I had planned to go up to Paro Tagtsang the following day, as it had been announced that the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa was going after his arrival in Bhutan. However, as it was stilling raining heavily, and there had been floods of a glacier in Punakha, I knew he would not be ascending then. So decided to do some writing and have a nice cappuccino in one a veg only Mountain Cafe near the hotel.
Then a policewoman came into the cafe and I started chatting to her, she told me they were preparing the road for a VIP guest arrival, I asked her if it was Karmapa and she said it was. I was very excited to hear this, but it was a day later than the schedule. Nonethless this spontaneous conversation led to my being able to welcome the Karmapa on the main street as his car passed by and take a photo. There were a few other Bhutanese lining the street from the local shops and cafes, but no one else.
Just seeing his face again in person, after almost ten years since I had last met him physically in India at Gyuto Monastery, was precious indeed. He beamed a huge toothy grin, and I beamed one back. Our minds met, but also this time on the physical plane. A rare, and precious moment and one worth all the money in the world.
I had been sponsored to go to Bhutan by a kind and generous sponsor, and was reticent and weary too due to recent events in India and Delhi. However, I also knew that sometimes in life one has to take risks, as where there are riskes there are also the greatest gains to be had. for example, when I went to Bhutan last year, I had no idea I would meet HE Dorje Phagmo Rinpoche and end up with the most beautiful artwork thangka of Dorje Phagmo spontaneously given! Fearlessness is not in PR or social media labels and declarations, but in our actions, as a lone pilgrim woman, with no entourage, masses of material wealth or insitutional support.
As I walked back the the cafe to take my seat again there, I was beaming with a smile, but which quickly changed to tears. It was like being transported back in time, to the first time I met Karmapa in 2005 at a public audience, a brief moment in time too, but which was a pivotal turning point that changed the direction of this life in myriad ways, good, bad, ugly and beautiful…..
I wept again, at how challenging the past ten years or so had been not only for me, but for the 17th Karmapa, and how I had tried to do as much as I could to support and help him in the only way I knew how, to write, share, record and preserve his teachings. And then even to have that effort and devotion mocked, dismissed and degraded by those who have never met or know me. It was a hard pill to swallow, then and now, but I always kept the Karmapa close in my mind and heart. Especiallhy during his online teachings, during which we became inseparable body, speech and mind on so many occasions.
Afterwards I saw that Layjang had posted the Karmapa’s arrival at the airport here.
Music? Cry Me A River and Love Lifts us Up Where We Belong