[irrascaft]

Hi Jenny,

I had already considered myself to be a Buddhist and was investigating Tibetan Buddhism, (I hadn't realised that there were other Buddhist traditions too) when I was advised to take Refuge with the head of a Tibetan lineage/school.

The ceremony took place at a large crowded venue filled with lay people and many more Tibetan Buddhist monks than I had ever seen before. To be truthful, I was more overawed by the visuals and the sounds, and the sight of the head of lineage who was said to have special powers, than having much thought of what I was actually doing. It didn't feel very personal either, because there were so many of us taking Refuge at the same time, and it was all done in Tibetan.

So I think that my private recitations at my home shrine were probably more effective for me in the sense of being inspired and attuned to what I was actually saying and doing.

I now practice with the Theravada Forest tradition, but its still important to me to recite the Refuge every day .

with kind wishes,

Aloka-D-Aloka