This is a small story of the blessings in my life.

I am a hobby photographer and have taken many many photos of Rinpoche and these are a few of my favorites.

I was brought to Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Monastery in Woodstock, NY by the visit of His Holiness Gyalwang Karmapa in May 2008. When I first sat in the Shrine Room two huge waves of energy came down across me and my heart said “I am Home.” Then the Traleg Rinpoche teaching on Mahamudra began.

I had first taken refuge vows in 1989, but had never been consistent with practice. But Lord Buddha’s words stayed in my heart. As the weekend was enjoyed by many, I was introduced to many Lamas. I kept hearing from people. “You look so familiar.” During lunch I spoke to a Lama who recommended me to begin the Ngondro practice. Well, how do i do that?

This brought me to my first meeting at Karme Ling Retreat Center in Delhi, NY with Venerable Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. As I drove there I was so so happy. I had not been in Andes NY since I was 17, yet I remembered it fondly.

Then as I pulled up to the Lama House at Karme Ling, I was greeted by Lama Karma Drodhul. He said, “Oh, I like your car.” I minimized it because it was a “Mom car” – just four wheels to get me around. In I went, to sit at the feet of Rinpoche as he gave me the full reading transmission of Ngondro. I felt the blessings flow down on my head as i looked at his little plump, red-socked feet. In the impulse of the moment, I wanted to touch them, but self-awareness kept me in check.

When the transmission was finished he bopped me on the top of the head in blessing and I thanked him and said goodbye. When i got in the car and turned the key, nothing happened. My car was dead.

I began to worry. I was up on this mountain, my husband was out of the country, and i was alone far away from any solution i could think of. Then Rinpoche came tottering out toward the car and said, “Come inside and have tea, and we will do car meditation.” So I was sitting there. Then I was invited to lunch. Then Rinpoche winked at me – and I knew this was the time to try my car.

It started – yahoo! – and I drove to KTD, picked up the Ngondro text I needed, and the rest is history.

Lama Karma became very close to our family through staying and traveling with us. And I became a volunteer at KTD, so I began to see Khenpo Rinpoche quite often. I began to fundraise for KTD and gradually became even closer to him.

I traveled to Tibet in 2011 with Lama Karma and a small group. I visited many places where Khenpo Rinpoche had lived and traveled. I even saw a large rock into which Khenpo Rinpoche’s father had carved the entire Heart Sutra – 108 times! (see photo above)

It was around 2014 I went to an audience with Khenpo Rinpoche, and I asked him to help me. Either a business of my husband’s needed to grow, or I thought we would need to sell our house. Rinpoche said “ I am not clairvoyant, but I will pray for you.” Well, in three months on His Holiness Karmapa’s birthday, the 98th richest person in the world wanted to buy our house – even though it was not for sale! Not long after, we learned that the wealthy person had purchased the 45 acres next to our home, so they would not see our house or us! And that is the biggest miracle of my life….

Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche means so much to me. He taught me so much and made it possible for me to grow in the most profound spiritual path of this life. And still bestows blessing to me.

Photos by Amy McCracken

Landscape photo above: This is the land where Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche was born!