Ice melting at Lake Andossi during spring thaw, Chiavenna Valley, Spluga Valley, Sondrio province, Valtellina, Lombardy, Italy, Europe

Melting glacial ice, carved from the Vatnajokull icecap, on the beach at Jokulsarlon, on the south coast of Iceland, Polar Regions

Cusna Mountain with lush green grass and some melting snow zone, Emilia Romagna, Italy, Europe

Melting Snow in Front of a Mountain, Antartica

Melting ice at North Pole, Arctic

Ice melting at Lake Andossi during spring thaw, Chiavenna Valley, Spluga Valley, Sondrio province, Valtellina, Lombardy, Italy, Europe

Melt water pools in the 10/10ths pack ice in McClintock Channel, Northwest Passage, Nunavut, Canada, North America

A waterfall from melting icebergs from the Ilulissat Icefjord just outside the city of Ilulissat, Greenland, Denmark, Polar Regions

Bay Cala de Sa Calobra, Majorca (Mallorca), Balearic Islands (Islas Baleares), Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

The beautiful cove of Sa Tuna, near Begur, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Melting ice at North Pole, Arctic

View over bay, Sa Tuna, near Begur, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

A waterfall from melting icebergs from the Ilulissat Icefjord just outside the city of Ilulissat, Greenland, Denmark, Polar Regions

Melting ice at North Pole, Arctic

Icebergs from the Jokulsarlon glacial lagoon washed up on a nearby black volcanic sand beach from the North Atlantic Ocean, Iceland, Polar Regions

Melting glacial ice, carved from the Vatnajokull icecap, on the beach at Jokulsarlon, on the south coast of Iceland, Polar Regions

Glacial lake and Rhone Glacier partially protected by blankets to slow melting, Gletsch, Canton of Valais, Switzerland, Europe

Melt water pools in the 10/10ths pack ice in McClintock Channel, Northwest Passage, Nunavut, Canada, North America

Sunset over melt water pools in the heavy pack ice in McClintock Channel, Northwest Passage, Nunavut, Canada, North America

Melting ice at North Pole, Arctic

Twisting hairpin mountain road to Sa Calobra in northern Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Melting ice at North Pole, Arctic

Melting ice at North Pole, Arctic

Ice melting at Lake Andossi during thaw, Chiavenna Valley, Spluga Valley, Sondrio province, Valtellina, Lombardy, Italy, Europe

An iconic Icelandic landscape, an ice-filled lagoon fed by the Vatnajokull icecap, at Jokulsarlon, on the south coast of Iceland, Polar Regions

Bay Cala de Sa Calobra, Majorca (Mallorca), Balearic Islands (Islas Baleares), Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Lake-level view of blue ice at the glacier face and iceberg, Grey Glacier, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile, South America

Cove filled with pleasure boats, Sa Tuna, near Begur, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

View over the port to the lighthouses at Cap Gros and Punt de sa Creu, Port de Soller, Majorca (Mallorca), Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

The beautiful cove of Sa Tuna, near Begur, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Crystal clear water in Sa Calobra, Tramuntana mountains, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Sa Tuna, near Begur, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Sa-Paru Gaijatra Festival, Durbar Square, Bhaktapur, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Bagmati, Central Region, Nepal, Asia

View of Sa Plav?a - Mercat de proximitat de Mav=, food market, Mahv=n (Mao), Memorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Europe

Excursion boat at Far de sa Creu lighthouse at harbour entrance, Port de Soller, Majorca (Mallorca), Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Melting sea ice, Nunavut and Northwest Territories, Canada, North America

Sa Tuna, near Begur, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain, Europe

Melting sea ice, Nunavut and Northwest Territories, Canada, North America

View of Sa Plav?a - Mercat de proximitat de Mav=, food market, Mahv=n (Mao), Memorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Europe

View of Sa Plav?a - Mercat de proximitat de Mav=, food market, Mahv=n (Mao), Memorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Europe

The rugged coast near Sa Tuna, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

A view of the melting sea ice on the Arctic Ocean at 81 degrees, north of the Svalbard islands, Arctic, Norway, Europe

Aerial of the Gorge of Sa Calobra, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Stream from the melting of the Briksdal glacier, one of the best known arms of the Jostedalsbreen glacier, Vestland, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Aerial of the Gorge of Sa Calobra, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Melting sea ice, Nunavut and Northwest Territories, Canada, North America

The Gorge of Sa Calobra, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Ice melting on a mountain pass, Strandir, West Fjords, Iceland, Polar Regions

Aerial of the Gorge of Sa Calobra, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Melting sea ice

Pia Glacier, Beagle Channel, Darwin National Park, Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, Chile, South America

Melt water and glacial rock terrain at glacier terminus, Waiho River, Franz Joseph Glacier, Westland National Park, South Island, New Zealand, Pacific

Briksdal glacier, Sogn and Fjordane, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Elephant show for tourist, Mae Sa, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Water cascading off Rob Roy Glacier, Mount Aspiring National Park, Otago, South Island, New Zealand, Pacific

Pohyon-sa, a Korean Buddhist temple located in Hyangsan county in North Pyongan Province, Myohyang Mountains area, North Korea, Asia

Small child stroking a statue during the Buddha's Birthday at Chogye Sa, near Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Sitting room, White Palace, the last Shah's Summer Palace, Sa'ad Abad, Tehran, Iran, Middle East

Dining room, White Palace, the last Shah's Summer Palace, Sa'ad Abad, Tehran, Iran, Middle East

Pohyon-sa, a Korean Buddhist temple located in Hyangsan county in North Pyongan Province, Myohyang Mountains area, North Korea, Asia

Married identical twins, White Palace, the last Shah's Summer Palace, Sa'ad Abad, Tehran, Iran, Middle East

Beagle Channel, Darwin National Park, Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, Chile, South America

Painting on a door of a temple at Haein-Sa, Korea, Asia

Headquarters of Telenor, Oslo, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Waters from snow melting and mountains in background, on road between Tabo and Kaza, Spiti River, Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

Sa Punta beach, near Begur, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Sa Tuna, near Begur, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain, Mediterranean, Europe

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Humla, shamans. shamans central to ceremonial life, with their spirit possession high point of every collective ritual. Their white wool tufted turnans match description of zhangzhung’s priests

Bodhgaya, kalachakra, india. holiness 14th dalai lama conferring giving kalachakra initiation in sarnath, india. Because of profundity, kalachakra initiation be bestowed only by most realized of tibets lamas. Rays of lightÀÜat heart of lama-inseparable from kalachakra-draw in. Entering mouth pass through center of body, through vajra path enter mothers lotus, melting into a luminous drop which dissolves into emptiness. From within emptiness arises a jewel from which arise as a deity embraced by consort mamaki.

Wearing tree bark cloth masks and skirts, dancers representing fish spirits are invited during the season of the peach palm harvest to drink the juice. it is a feast and ritual exchange: the host group offers the spirits large quantities of peach palm juice, smoked meat and fish, and shaman-blessed coca and snuff. the visitors are the costumed dancers impersonating animal spirits. people eat the meat and fish, animal spirits receive the fruits of peach palm, which are cultivated, harvested, and processed by humans. this exchange expresses the idea that people and animals depend on each other for survival and reproduction. vaupes basin, eastern colombia amazon, population: 600

Nepal. Ritual, sonam/boom. Lobsangs cremation. Humla. traveler reached of journey! In freedom of infinite he is free from sorrow, fetters that bound thrown away, burning fever of life is no more,oesays dharmapada. Lobsang having spent whole life preparing moment of death, finds liberation on february 14, 1986. Extensive ritual follows cremation-traditionally a forty nine period, sonam lama rattles damaru. A small ritual drum to have origin in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bone dreid human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. Boom lama blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers. On makeshift altar rest chhome, votive lamps filled with butter, cups of water, grains, tormas, holy food made of barley meal decorated with medallions of butter offered to gods. Alone, boom lama continues prayers of deceased

Trulshig rinpoche, blesses. Tulshig rinpoche blesses. Tulshig rimpoche s followers believe that he, like many other lamas, reassumes a human body after death in order to return to disciples. previous incarnation of tulshig rimpoche spent several years at dzarongpu monastery (highest monastery in world located at 16,500’ within sight of northern side of mt everest) served as of ngawong tenzin teachers. He promised to return in next life, so at tulshig s death ngawong tenzin norbu sought found reincarnation. current tulshig rimpoche then came to monastery studied with ngawong tenzin norbu. relationship between teacher student, in which a teacher returns to study from former student, maintains lineage over generations. Bhutan

Melting ice and snow at on Joinville Island just off the Antarctic Peninsular. The peninsular is one of the fastest warming places on the planet.

An iceberg melting in Suspiros Bay off Joinville Island just off the Antarctic Peninsular. The peninsular is one of the fastest warming places on the planet.

Reflection. Tibetan peoples home, rajpur, india. India. I remember this body when it a childs as it gradually took form of a youth. very limb is twisted worn. It is my body, it delights even my eyes.,seventh dalai lama, meditations on ways of impermanence. tradition regards meditation on death impermanence only as a useful technique keeping mind intensely focused. It also sees it as a method unlocking deepest secrets of life

Kalchakra initiation. holiness 14th dalai lama conferring giving kalachakra initiation in bodgaya, india. Because of profundity, kalachakra initiation be bestowed only by most realized of tibets lamas. Rays of light at heart of lama-inseparable from kalachakra-draw in. Entering mouth pass through center of body, through vajra path enter mothers lotus, melting into a luminous drop which dissolves into emptiness. From within emptiness arises a jewel from which arise as a deity embraced by consort mamaki. -instructions visualization in kalachakra tantra

Xavante race. race is really a race at, it’s a ceremony, an aesthetic event. Xavante nonplused by notions of winning losing. logs carried by team, representing oppositions that xavante believe go to make up universe. running of logs expresses dynamic tension between opposing principles. purpose of ceremonies to stress that these antithesis need tear world apart. Opposing be controlled to complement each other create equilibrium harmony. Brazil

The Mer De Glace which has thinned 150 meters since 1820, and retreated by 2300 Metres, with a balcony cafe overlooking the rapidly shrinking glacier.

These reindeer peoples' entire existence is based around their herds of reindeer, which provide milk, skins for clothes, horn for carving and medicine, transport and occasionally, meat. the tsaatan are part of the tuvan ethnic group, which inhabits the tuvan republic of russia. there are only about 200 tsaatan in total, spread over 100,000 sq km of northern mongolia. they are nomadic, often moving their small encampments every three to four weeks, searching for special types of grass and moss loved by the reindeer. the tsaatan are strong practitioners of shamanism. west taiga, northern mongolia

Dammastock, 3630m, Goescheneralp, Uri, Switzerland

At tnorbutse,monks at triten norbutse vigorously debate philosophy, melting away incorrect views like butter in. Bonpo monks debate at triten norbutse monastery. Nepal

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddhas enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Monks offer butter lamps. Kalachakra initiation, bodhgaya. India. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddhas enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Aletsch Glacier, Swiss Alps, Switzerland

Algae in melting snow on Joinville Island just off the Antarctic Peninsular which is one the the fastest warming places on the planet.

The deck of the Akademik Sergey Vavilov, an ice strengthened ship on an expedition cruise to Antarctica, off the Antarctic Peninsular at the Gerlache Strait. The Antarctic Peninsular is one of the most rapidly warming places on the planet.

Monks offer butter lamps prayer, kalachakra initiation, bodhgaya. India. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Dammastock, 3630m, Goescheneralp, Uri, Switzerland

Briksdalsbreen Glacier, Western Fjord, Norway, Scandinavia, Europe

Budhist lamas in prayer, bodhgaya, india. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Bonpo conch shell, t. Norbutse. young monks, wearing ceremonial hats, blow on conch shells to call monks to prayer. yellow cylindrical object behind them is a victory banner, symbolizing monasteries defeat of negativity evil intention on premises

Melting snow results in water rising and threat of floods, Stowe, Vermont, New England, United States of America, North America

Elephant painting with its trunk, Mae Sa Elephant Camp, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Nomad birth. Today i born into family of buddhas; a child of buddhas i’ve become today. -santideva. Tibet

Elephant painting with its trunk, Mae Sa Elephant Camp, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Reflections, child care center, dharamsalla, india. Achieving a human rebirth is as rare precious as finding a wishfulfilling .,seventh dalai lama, meditations on ways of impermanenc

Swiss Alps, Rhoneglacier, Furka Pass, Oberwallis, Wallis, Switzerland

Dammastock, 3630m, Goescheneralp, Uri, Switzerland

Tourist feeding elephant, Mae Sa Elephant Camp, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia