Lhabab Düchen, a day of celebration in the...

Wishing you a wonderful Lhabab Düchen - such a good start to an eventful astrological week! I thought you might like to know (if you didn't already) that today, Monday November 9th, is a special karma day; when the effect and merit of actions, thoughts and words are multiplied by 100,000,000! So best be mindful throughout the day, or at least try.

Following below is a note on some of the symbolism of this day.

Lhabab Düchen is one of the four most important days in the Buddhist calendar. The 15th day of the 9th Tibetan month sees the celebration of Buddha’s return to Earth after three months and seven days of dharma teaching to his mother in the realm of the 33, the sphere of the Deva’s. (Mystic numerologists will be interested to see this festival of the 33 is in the week of 11-11-11, adds up to 33!)

By all accounts Buddha left Earth and entered Deva Heaven at the age of 41. Astrologers will note a classic mid-life point of dramatic change, as shown by the transiting planet of change, Uranus, in opposition the natal Uranus, due to its’ 84-year cycle. Almost everyone goes through a revolutionary awakening around the age of 40-42 (with the possible exception of a triple Taurean – only kidding: Buddha was Taurus). Breaking away from someone or something, or bringing something to completion that allows the individual to move towards creating a second part of life in order to fulfil some kind of dream or ambition is common at this time of life. For the Buddha it was an act of repaying the kindness to his mother for bringing him into this world. That Buddha had such a mid-life turning point (not exactly the same crisis we lesser mortals may create) makes the teachings all the more human.

From the Bliss realms, Buddha returned to Earth via a triple ladder, which was made by Vishvakarma, the Hindu god of architecture and machines. Built from gold, crystal and lapis lazuli, the triple ladder stretched all the way from Mount Meru. At the appointed hour (on the last quarter moon) on the right-hand golden ladder appeared the all-powerful, all-seeing Bramha, with the fine form deities; on the left-hand crystal ladder came dorje wielding Indra, with the Lords of the sensual worlds; while Buddha descended via the central lapis lazuli ladder, representing the middle path and an intimate relation with the realms of meditation, infinite space and infinite consciousness; thus bringing heaven to earth and illustrating how to overcome the duality of form and formless, nothing and everything.

The festival is celebrated this year while the Sun is in Scorpio, signaling renewal.