“Peaceful!”
In the Guest Book at KPC in Poolesville, Maryland, this is the most common visitor comment—even on days when the temple is crowded and noisy!
Where does this impression of peace come from? Once you walk into the Prayer Room (or the adjacent Dharma Room), you will probably have an idea. Both rooms are home to extensive collections of crystals: numerous, large, and beautiful. You might pause to experience them as a concert of harmonious energy.
And you might think to yourself, “Nice! But why here, in a Buddhist temple?”
Crystals and Vajrayana Buddhism
While the number of crystals displayed and used makes KPC unique among Buddhist Centers, crystals are integral to the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition. Indeed, in Vajrayana Buddhist empowerment, the Lama will confer a special “nature of mind” transmission, holding up a perfectly clear quartz crystal, symbolic of our Primordial Wisdom Nature, for participants to contemplate. A crystal “tighle,” or “drop,” also symbolizing the Primordial Wisdom Nature, is the finishing touch atop a stupa. And prayer beads (or malas) are often made of semi-precious stones, such as quartz, lapis lazuli, and amethyst. A mala is blessed and empowered by the practitioner’s teacher, and serves as an aid to spiritual practice.
Crystals, whether in the form of individual stones or prayer beads, in conjunction with a tried and true spiritual path, may act as catalysts – bringing forth and ripening latent karmic potentials within your mind. They may facilitate meditation and the breaking up of basic delusion. But ultimately no mineral can give us anything that we don’t already possess. They are supports to the spiritual path, not objects of refuge themselves. On the path to enlightenment, we have to find a way to catalyze the things that are most helpful to us, and crystals are useful in this way. They should be an aid in our remembering – a support to realizing our true nature.
The Mineral Kingdom on a Mission
The world is filled with uncountable minerals – crystals, ores, and gems. Not only are they beautiful to behold, but they actually serve a vital function in maintaining the vibratory structure of the universe. Originally brought into manifestation by rays of tone and color and vibration originating from the Primordial State of Awareness (the Absolute), they assure true communication and transmission of divine energies. Crystals function to transmit peace, love, absolute oneness, absolute awakened consciousness. They help to remind human kind of our own true nature, which is not unlike the clearest crystal and the most beautiful and radiant gems.
Each mineral or family of minerals has a specific attunement with different aspects of the Primordial Wisdom State that is the nature of all things. If they were not present on our planet, many divine qualities would be lost to our memory. But no mineral creates energy of its own. They are transmitters, attuned to the cosmos. They tend to refract universal energies into specific qualities. If it seems that a crystal creates energy, it is because it has touched the Infinite and speaks of it, as though it had heard a song and continued to sing.
It is with this understanding that the crystals at KPC are utilized and upheld. Walking through the Temple you will see magnificent specimens of all types: clear and smokey quartz, rose quartz, amethyst, citrine, tourmaline, apophyllite, elestials, and so on. Each type of mineral has a specific atunement to the Primordial State of Awareness. Together they work to absorb and amplify prayer energy and the presence of this primordial awareness (Buddha-nature or God-consciousness) into the world. For over twenty-five years, KPC has maintained a 24 Hour Prayer Vigil for the planet and all beings, and the crystals are considered a vital part of our efforts.
Something Truly Special
KPC’s crystals were chosen for their unique energies and strategically placed in order to facilitate the anchoring and transmission of prayer energy into the world. Our spiritual director, Jetsunma worked to merge the energy of the crystals with one another and with the compassionate Buddha Nature. Through 25 years of continuous, unbroken prayer, the crystals have supported the mission of KPC and Jetsunma’s vision to bring benefit to countless sentient beings.
The temple crystals have absorbed over 25 years of Dharma teachings and empowerments by extraordinary Lamas. The crystals have also absorbed ceaseless prayer by the KPC Sangha, whose intention is to benefit all beings.
Dedicate a Crystal
Each crystal is continuously broadcasting the primordial message of oneness, of love and compassion for all beings, in a unique way. Would you like to create a special connection with one of these crystals?
In these turbulent times, sponsorship enables you to add your intention to the radiating spiritual energy of the crystal network in order to stabilize the planet.
To allow that potential to come forth, KPC is featuring particular crystals for sponsorship. You may choose any crystal that you feel a connection with. You may dedicate your sponsorship with a plaque that will be displayed near your chosen crystal.
For more information about dedicating a crystal, contact us at kpc@tara.org or call 301-710-6259.
