A Pregnant Moment Full of Light

After several days in Lhasa, Tibet, I decided to finally visit the temple I had already been circumambulating in prayer, fingering my beads, all week.  The Jokhang Temple (or Monastery), is located just a stone's throw from the small inn I called home in Lhasa, near Barkhor Square.  Constructed in 642AD, it's considered by many the most sacred temple in Tibet.

Once inside, and after meditating in many of the small, inner chapels full of burning yak butter candle pots and air thick with incense, I climbed up to the surrounding balcony which looked down on the monk's prayer area below.  There were no lights other than the sun streaming in from small windows above, cutting through the thick air casting diagonal beams of light.

An Open Palm

As I stood there, something told me to just hang in there and wait.  For what, I didn't know.  Until ... a visitor stuck his hand out and caught a palm full of light.  And THAT'S why I was waiting.  Unaware that I was photographing his arm, he just stayed there in this moment of hand, light and incense dust.  This has become one of my favorite photos and memories of that afternoon in Jokhang Temple.  The photo pulls me into a place of spirituality, prayer and wonder.  I'm curious where it takes you.