The Jukai ceremony which I’m assuming is what you did is a whole process with prostrations, etc, and even someone elses who was a Tibetan ceremony was a day long ordeal with lots of stuff involved.

For me the actual ceremony really wasn’t much of that at all and it was very quick, no prostrations, just reciting some prayers basically and then she cut some hair from the crown of our heads and presented us with a Dharma name.  I don’t have a teacher/student relationship with this lama so the name wasn’t anything really personal as I’m told they can be when there is a close relationship.

Maybe the Drikung Kagyu lineage just does things a little different, and there’s less involved…I don’t know.  Maybe I’ll ask my teacher now that we’ve officially asked her to be the guiding lama for our sangha.

I was pretty intimidated,  as I got closer to the ceremony I seriously almost jumped.  I am glad I did it.   There are times when I recognize I am not keeping the vows and times when I can see that I have.   Good luck Wayne “Jo Kai” 

Pete.

From Shunryu Suzuki, founder of the San Francisco Zen Center:

In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s there are few.

blessings.

Now notice.

As I evolve in life, I find myself looking for what’s good (the Mormon years), and what works (the Buddhist years?), and see how much zen-blending I can do! Making commitments  along the way has been so helpful, regardless of the title. It sounds like this weekend was a great way to cement your commitment and propel you forward.

Congratulations.