Buddhist nuns meditating, La Defense, Hauts-de-Seine, France, Europe

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

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

Convento de los Carmelitas Descalzos (Convent of the Discalced Carmelites), Segovia, Castile and Leon, Spain

Metropolitan and Primatial Cathedral Basilica of Santa Thecla, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain

Interior, Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta, Ugento, Lecce, Salento, Apulia, Italy

Metropolitan and Primatial Cathedral Basilica of Santa Tecla (Tarragona Cathedral), Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain

Soccorpo Cathedral (Lamia dei Morti) (Cemeterio) (Church of S. Croce), Cathedral of S. Maria Assunta, Gravina, Bari, Alta Murgia, Apulia, Italy

Crypt, Cathedral, Trani, Barletta-Andria-Trani, Apulia, Italy

Sanctuary of St. Michael the Archangel, Monte Sant'Angelo, UNESCO, Foggia, Apulia, Italy

Hindu holy men at Pashupati Temple, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Buddhist novice schoolgirls conducting class meditation in the school classroom before lessons, Sagaing, Myanmar, Southeast Asia

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

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

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

Young monk in the shadows at a temple in Bagan, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Young monk praying and covered with light beams in a temple in Bagan, Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Portrait of sadhu meditating through hand yoga mudras on the ghats along the Ganges River, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Asia

Woman performing yoga Tree pose, Vrikshasanayoga, standing on decking by Atlantic Ocean, Mirleft, Morocco, North Africa, Africa

Buddhist prayer flags at Mulagandhakuti Vihara Temple at Sarnath near Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

Metropolitan and Primatial Cathedral Basilica of Santa Thecla, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain

Cathedral of San Salvatore, Aix-en-Provence, Bouches du Rhone, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France

A monk meditates at a Buddhist temple in Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri province, Cambodia, Indochina, Southeast Asia, Asia

Woman practises Tai chi as part of her morning exercise in the park by the City Wall of Xian, China

Main Altar, Basilica of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, Rome, Lazio, Italy, Europe

Crypt, Lecce Cathedral, Cathedral of Maria Santissima Assunta and Sant'Oronzo, Lecce, Salento, Apulia, Italy

Monk meditating at Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Young monks at prayer, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Painting from the Tanjavore school showing yoga positions and chakras, India, Asia

Meditation, Shangri La Boracay Resort and Spa in Boracay, Philippines, Southeast Asia, Asia

Hindu holy men at Pashupati Temple, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Woman performing yoga Tree pose, Vrikshasanayoga, Atlantic Ocean, Morocco, North Africa, Africa

Monk meditating at Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar (Burma), Asia

Cathedral of Santa Maria, Murcia, autonomous community of Murcia, Spain, Europe

Pranayama, Yoga Breathing at Nrityagram Dance School, Bangalore, Karnataka, India, Asia

Walking meditation led by Thich Nhat Hanh, Paris, France, Europe

Buddhist monk passes prayer flags at Mulagandhakuti Vihara Temple at Sarnath near Varanasi, Benares, Northern India

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

People stretching before practising Tai chi as part of their morning exercise, in the park by the City Wall, Xian, China

Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria, Rome, Lazio, Italy, Europe

Painting of a man meditating

Meditation at the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Tibetan monk, Paris, France, Europe

Group meditation at Kundalini Yoga festival, Mur-de-Sologne, Loir-et-Cher, France, Europe

Meditation posture depicted in Life of Buddha, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

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

Man praying in front of Mont Blanc, Megeve, Haute-Savoie, France, Europe

Pranayama, Vhastrika

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

Meditation at the pavilion at Ananda in the Himalayas, India, Asia

Zen meditation, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Forest meditation at Kundalini Yoga festival, Mur-de-Sologne, Loir-et-Cher, France, Europe

Group meditation at Kundalini Yoga festival, Mur-de-Sologne, Loir-et-Cher, France, Europe

Zen meditation, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

Zen meditation, Seoul, South Korea, Asia

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

H.h. 14th dalai lama. In early days most of individual tantric systems were kept separate from another, each regarded as a path to enlightment. here again passage of time brought about fusion cross-fertilization, a tradition of uniting various tantras emerged, at least on a simple level a daily meditation. India

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

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

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.

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

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

Chatral senge dorje rinpoche seated on a tiger skin, yonglesho, Nepal

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

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

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

Cell for meditation at the Pashupatinath Temple, a Hindu temple of Lord Shiva on the banks of the Bagmati River, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

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

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

Myanmar sunday mass in catholic church at myitkyina, a largely kachin, catholic, community in north burma near chinese border. Girls singing hymns

Myanmar nuns attending catholic wedding of tribal kachins at myitkyina, a largely kachin community in north burma near chinese border

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

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

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

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

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

Myanmar attending catholic wedding of tribal kachins at myitkyina, a largely kachin community in north burma near chinese border

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

Myanmar attending catholic wedding of tribal kachins at myitkyina, a largely kachin community in north burma near chinese border

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

Myanmar boys reciting gospel in candle light at catholic -seminary at myitkyina, a largely kachin community in north burma near chinese border

People meditating in Lumphini Park, Bangkok, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Myanmar catholic semnarians at catholic seminary of myitkyina, a largely kachin community in north burma near chinese border

Tourists feeding elephants, Mae Sa Elephant Camp, Chiang Mai, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Asia

Zen garden, Kyoto, Japan, Asia

Myanmar sunday mass in catholic church at myitkyina, a largely kachin, catholic, community in north burma near chinese border. Women singing hymns

Myanmar shwedagon paya (pagoda), yangon (rangoon), woman meditating

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

Group practicing Yoga at sunset on the beach, Goa, India

Young woman practicing Yoga at sunset on the beach, Goa, India

Water splashing on Black football player lifting helmet

Water splashing on Caucasian woman cooling off with water bottle

Water splashing on Black baseball player holding bat

Young woman relaxing on a chair

Young woman meditating at beach

Studio shot of African woman with eyes closed

Women meditating in park

Caucasian fisherman sitting in canoe on river