JUST finished editing this, I apologize if some of the timing is off...
But, In time for the New Year, part 7 of my interview with the Karmapa

"What does the word hope mean to you?"

This wasn't really addressed before, but I'm more than happy to explain why.
Several years ago, when I was in a day course for meditation on emptiness, I had a realization. However, it was so physically intense, that I began sweating profusely, shaking, getting dizzy, and finally had to lurch to the restroom to get sick.

Since that day, I have literally been afraid of having that reaction again, it was so profound. Howerver, it did not 'scare' me in a way that I didn't want to learn more, it instead made me see how I personally could learn best -- not everyone learns in the same way.

However, I seriously enjoy lam rim, i just find that for me, i prefer the meditation break time, and tend to want to put the lessons learned into action. I find prostrations at temple, or thangka painting is good time for me to reflect.

Hey Elly! Yes, it was a strange one to come to terms with, especially since meditation is the backbone for so many of the dharma classes I have seen in the West. But at the end of the day, it comes down to this: right view, right mindfulness, right livelihood, right concentration...