Question asked by Lee
Dear Venerable Pastors,
First of all, I would like to thank you for this remarkable website and the wealth of information and wisdom contained within. This website has been a wonderful blessing for me and I am grateful that my good karma has brought me to it.
Since discovery of your website, I have gained much knowledge and insight from it. It has acted a beacon for my life's journey and because of it, I believe I have been steadily climbing in my state of consciousness and enlightment. I feel that there is still much in the way for me to gain, but I look forward to taking each step forward with much greater appreciation, compassion and humility.
I approach you today because I have a love interest overseas in my native country. We have never met, but I feel that we could be destined for each other. We have both approached monks for their personal readings, if I may call it that, and have received mixed messaged.
There are difficulties in our relationship because of the clash of cultures between where we live. As I try to approach our relationship from a Western stand point, where I would like to make the trip overseas to meet her and her parents, but save the engagement/wedding for subsequent trips, my mother has urged me to have the wedding on the first trip.
Another difficulty lies in the communication between us, in part due to the cultures of our geographic, but also in part due to our difference in age/experience. I had expressed to her that I only wanted 2 or 3 children, and suggested the years that I wanted them. She became confused and may not quite understand my position clearly.
Lastly, I wanted to know why it is so difficult for me to save money for the trip, even though I want nothing more in the world than to make the trip to see her. In my lifetime, I feel that I am submerged and just when I am about to get ahead or catch up financially, the situation or my energy level changes and I am not able to get ahead. Is this because of bad karma? What can I do to help me save for the trip and marriage? I would also like to know how to get ahead and stop feeling submerged, and whether you have any books to recommend.
Your feedback is much appreciated.
Dear Lee,
Thank you for your question, I am glad that through His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche’s knowledge and wisdom that you are able to benefit from this website.
Whatever happens in our lives is due to karma created from either previous lives or actions from earlier on in this life. As such whatever you are facing at the moment is indeed due to karma. In this case your karma, and that of the your wife-to-be. However karma can be changed, through our own efforts, therefore it is only the cause. How we deal with the situation and overcome any difficulties is the key.
Within Buddhist practices, there are many methods in which one can engage in to achieve something in life, as a means to achieve the necessary conditions to progress in our spiritual path as well as to make our lives smoother.
In this case, I would like to suggest that you engage in the practices of Lama Tsongkhapa and Dorje Shugden. These two practices have a very beneficial impact in our lives when practiced sincerely and wholehearted, you will definitely see an improvement.
You can follow this link to see the prayers I suggest you engage in, and should be done daily: http://www.dorjeshugden.org/practice/diamond-path-a-daily-sadhana-of-dorje-shugden
The practice for Lama Tsongkhapa is excellent for calming the mind, allowing us to function better and more logically, as such it is great for people who have a lot of stress in their lives. In fact this practice is a core practice within the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Secondly, the practice of Dorje Shugden is great for removing obstacles for both our secular and spiritual lives, and it also allows invokes the enlightened energies to create the conducive conditions that we require in life.
Engaging in both this practice will help you tremendously. I hope this helps.
Thank you.