Bhutan Pilgrimage: Reflections by Lama Döndrup
Pilgrimage in Bhutan was an extraordinary blessing. Though this was my first visit, I felt a deep sense of coming home as the plane descended into Paro. Having spent time on pilgrimage in India and Tibet, I was struck by how the dharma manifests uniquely in each of these lands, where spirituality is inextricably woven into every aspect of life. What stood out to me in Bhutan was the ease and gentleness with which the dharma flowed, like a continuously bubbling stream—much like the sacred springs cascading down the mountains that we encountered along the way, freely offering their pure waters.
Our journey affirmed how pilgrimage unfolds on many levels, the most profound being the inner journey to our true nature—the secret pilgrimage at the heart of all spiritual practice. Visiting holy places infused with awakened energy inspired and propelled us forward on this inner path. The power of this transmission was palpable throughout the journey. We felt it through circumambulations, meditation, and resting in open, receptive presence, taking in the exquisite beauty of sacred art and deeply meaningful shrines. The land itself seemed imbued with timeless presence and wisdom, reflected in the reverence the Bhutanese people offer to it.
While every sacred site we visited was profound, the pinnacle of the journey for me was the pilgrimage to Taktsang, where we spent time practicing in caves in which both Guru Rinpoche and Yeshe Tsogyal meditated. We then climbed further up the mountain to in Machig Labdrön’s cave and beyond that to a lhakhang at the mountain's peak. The journey to these sacred caves felt like a pilgrimage in itself—a vivid reminder that pilgrimage is far more than simply traveling to a sacred place. It is embracing the challenges, obstacles, and joys of the journey while holding them in the context of practice, bodhicitta, and devotion to the lineage, awakened mind, and our true nature. Many of us inwardly chanted mantras with each step, cultivating a heartfelt connection with Guru Rinpoche, Yeshe Tsogyal, and Machig Labdrön. By the time we reached the caves, we were ripe to receive their blessings, and the experience was exquisite and deeply meaningful.
It was both moving and exhilarating to sing dedication prayers from the lhakhang at the mountain’s peak, overlooking Machig’s cave, Taktsang, and the vast valley below. As our voices rose into the open sky, it felt as though the prayers were carried on the wind, offering the blessings, merit, and benefit of our entire pilgrimage freely to all beings, seen and unseen, near and far, before we began our descent. Though we have returned, the blessings of the pilgrimage continue to unfold within us, deepening our practice and guiding us toward greater compassion, wisdom, and devotion.
With aspirations for future pilgrimages,
Lama Döndrup
