For Pisces 2022, I created an image called “The Blessings of Lord Maitreya“; it is also posted in the blog. The description says: “Maitreya received the wisdom under a ficus (fig) tree at the eastern entrance to a cave which is said to be at Sravasti, in a region north of Mount Kailash. It is today called Shigatse by the Tibetans. It is believed that the ficus tree is still there even today and that he continues to bless the entire planet and humanity during the morning and evening hours.”
When I recently visited friends of mine, the wife told me that she felt touched by the painting and shared an experience she had at Shigatse. I regive it here from my memory.
In the 1990s, they wanted to go to Tibet, but since at the time they had planned to travel, visitors from abroad were not allowed to go there, they decided to fly to China and see on site where to travel.
Together with a guide, they went to a travel agency. There, they were asked where they would like to go. They said, to Tibet but this would not be possible for foreigners. The person in the office said, why not? and told them that they can organize a journey and proposed to go to Shigatse. My friends did the trip.
When they arrived at Shigatse, the wife unexpectedly experienced the presence of Lord Maitreya and saw a vision in the sky. She immediately addressed him with the words: “Oh Lord, can you please help humanity which is undergoing so much problems and suffering!” Then, the words formed in her head: “We have given to humanity all we can but humanity does not apply. We cannot help unless they put to practice what has already been given…”
They later visited the monastery in Shigatse (Tashi Lhunpo) and they saw a huge statue of Maitreya (description) worshipped as the Buddha in charge of the future. There, the wife experienced again the presence she had felt on arrival in Shigatse.
I was deeply touched by her story bearing witness of the reality of the subtle worlds. And I told her about an experience which had expressed in a painting in March 2010.
On seeing the Pisces 2022 painting about the blessing of Lord Maitreya under a ficus tree, another friend told me about a huge sacred ficus tree she had seen in Yangshuo, China and shared some photos.
And still another friend shared a beautiful big old book (PDF, 22 MB) of Swami Pranavananda on “Kailas – Manasarovar” from 1949, where you also find old maps of Tibet / the area of Mt Kailash as well as various pilgrimage paths to the Mount. Here, you see the path from Lhasa via Shigartse (written this way) to Kailas / Manasarovar.
And she also added some beautiful pics from their journeys to the Mount full of spiritual magnetism.
Sapta Rishis Cave – the cave of the Seven Rishis Mount Kailash with a veil of clouds.