The Buddha and the Butterfly
It was a dream come true and a searing hot day...
I was sweaty and beaming after pedalling for a glorious hour around Lumbini in Nepal on an old but sturdy bicycle.
A large complex was built here as this site has the unique honour of being the birthplace of the Buddha himself, Siddhartha Gautama. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the surrounding area hosts many temples as well as the main Mayadevi temple.
This entire place is permeated with an indescribable energy, a peace that I found to be profoundly moving.
I travelled up the central canal to the top most part of the complex, in order to check out the world peace stupa, then this butterfly appeared. In some cultures the Butterfly Spirit is said to represent transformation, supreme serenity and unconditional love.
In this moment, with the peace pagoda in the background and the butterfly in front of me, I recalled a version of the Serenity prayer, somehow tuning in to a universal vibration of Peace, Compassion and Love, beyond faiths, borders, countries and languages. A gentleness.
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference
I captured this moment whilst on a pilgrimage and VR filming trip last year to the 4 main holy sites of the Buddha, (I will share more details in future posts)
I am completely new here so any comments will greatly help me improve my content and focus on what I post going forward.
Peace x