A few days of a Tibet travel adventure with my mother, 75

A few days of a Tibet travel adventure with my mother, 75

Hey there! I just had a wonderful three-day trip to Tibet with my mother. It all started with a call from my sister asking if we wanted to visit Woka Choelong Valley. Of course, I jumped at the chance to travel again. If you enjoyed this article, you might also be interested in my experience spending a few weeks at a mountain monastery in Tibet.

A few days of a Tibet travel adventure with my mother, 75

1. Tibet Travel with my mother

We started the family tour on the morning of September 1st, 2019, from Lhasa. We traveled by the Linlha highway until we reached Rutok town. From Rutok, we turned south into the Valley of Woka near the Woka Choelong monastery.

On the way, we visited a small Nyingma school monastery, namely Trintso. Near the monastery, there is a small lake, namely Trintso Lake.  After traveling for a few more hours, we arrived at the Zingqi monastery. The main shrine of the monastery is the statue of the future Buddha Maitreya.  From Zingqi town, it is only around 20km to the Woka Valley.

2. Woka Choelong Monastery

On a previous occasion, I encountered a Yogini wanderer. This time, as we approached the monastery, a monk shared all the beautiful details about the place. My mother and I were incredibly excited about the highlight of the tour—a hike to the meditation caves of the master Tsongkhapa.

Photo: Woka Choelong Monastery.

3. Hike to the meditation cave

During our three-day trip to Tibet, we were excited to explore Je Tsongkhapa’s two amazing meditation caves. While meditation is a beautiful gift, it can also be pretty challenging. Why is meditation challenging?

Here are some key highlights from the hike:

1. The precious place where Je Tsongkhapa shares the teachings on the Praise of Dependent Arising.  
2. The precious water of Manjushri Buddha makes the sound of the mantra Na Didi. (Mantra of Manjushri Buddha)
3. The monastery is at an altitude of 5000 meters. 
4. Meditation cave of great Je Tsongkhapa.

From Woka Choelong monastery, we must travel by a high pass at nearly 5000 meters into the Valley of Nomads. After a few minutes from the pass, we parked the car and hiked to the great Je Tsongkhapa meditation cave. The hiking duration is around one and a half hours one way at an elevation of nearly 5000 meters. 

Photo: Hiking route. It was raining, and we hiked slowly towards the meditation cave. The area is covered by greenery. Locals say that some wild bears' homes are along the way, so it is essential to have a local Guide show the route, since the meditation cave is hard to find.

4. My mother's pure dedication

Locals have said that my mother, who is seventy-one, is one of the healthiest Amalas they have seen. When I asked to hold her hand, she declined, stating that she wanted to walk by herself. Her happy smile shows how much she enjoys visiting this special place. Despite being the oldest member of the team, she was still quick.

5. Praise of dependent Arising

After realizing his emptiness, Je Tsongkhapa was so happy that he wanted to praise the Buddha Shakyamuni with a Praise of Dependent Arising. He was ecstatic to share that Buddha Shakyamuni Siddhartha Gautama was the one and only teacher who imparted the teachings on Dependent Arising. He expresses his deep gratitude to the Buddha for bringing this valuable gift to the world.

Photo: Footprint of Je Tsongkhapa.

6. The holy water of Manjushri

By listening to the sound of the water, we were able to consume the valuable wisdom of Manjushri Buddha. My mother claimed that the sound of the water was the mantra of Manjushri Buddha, and her clear perception allowed her to hear it as such. Unfortunately, I did not have the same level of merit as my mother and found it difficult to understand.

7. A stunning place to retreat

Our team is the first to enter the Great Je Tsongkhapa meditation cave, which only accommodates two or three people at a time. This cave is among the most exquisite meditation caves I have ever seen. It appears to be of divine origin rather than human-made. I believe a deity or demon in the area must have gifted it to Je Tsongkhapa as a sign of their respect and reverence for the great Buddha-like figure's presence.

After spending some time near the meditation cave, I finally detected the delightful aroma of incense wafting from the cave's entrance.

Photo: Gate of the meditation cave.

8. The second meditation cave

Pictures were taken, and a visit to another meditation spot where the renowned Je Tsongkhapa meditated on the deity Yamantaka (Manjushri Buddha in a fierce form), one of the most influential Tantra deities, was scheduled. However, due to excessive hiking and rainfall, the trip was postponed. Deity Yamantaka has a deep connection with the great Yogi Ra Lotsawa.

9. Tibet Travel to Tsetang

We decided to take a different route from the parking area to Sangri town, near Tsetang, which offered breathtaking views of waterfalls. Upon our arrival in Sangri town, we visited the impressive Jetsun Machik Lapdron monastery, dedicated to a female Yogi. Our journey continued as we made our way to the Samye monastery and the Chimpuk meditation caves, where we spent the night. The following day, we retraced our steps back to Lhasa using the Tsetang Lhasa highway.

10. My Trip to Dhakla Gampo

Jetsun Gampopa undertook the construction of Dhakla monastery, also known as Dhakpo Lhaji, which was the primary monastery of the Tibetan Yogi Milarepa.

The main relic of the Dhakpo Monastery is a statue resembling Je Dhakpo Lhaji. The monastery is located in the center of the mountain, facing southwest. To reach it from the main road, one must travel on a dusty and winding road for approximately 30km until reaching the entrance gate. Upon arriving at the monastery, I inquired of a monk about the primary relics housed within.

11. Gampopa Meditation Cave

During the hike to the meditation cave, I was greeted with a beautiful view. The monk informed me about a statue resembling Je Gampopa in the main chapel, as well as additional relics, including a meditation cave and the Golden Tomb of Jetsun Gampopa, situated even higher up the mountain towards the upper summit.

After hiking for nearly an hour, I arrived at the meditation cave. The area is primarily designated for meditation, and a few individuals meditate for three years, three months, and three days above the monastery near the mountain's summit.

Photo: Mother and I during the Tibetan New Year Gathering.

Conclusion

The conclusion of the three-day trek was beautiful. Should I have the opportunity to repeat it, I will strive to document it thoroughly. For additional information on Je Tsongkhapa, please refer to our article.

Currently, our nature spirit hike 10-day Tibet is an excellent option for those interested in hiking excursions. On our Instagram, we display breathtaking photos of our Tibet travel journey.

Thank you so much for reading this article! If you have any suggestions on how I can improve it, please feel free to leave a comment. Your input is greatly appreciated!