“I had taken time off to visit a local museum that had a large collection of statues of Buddha. In this collection, one particularly large statue caught my attention. When I looked at the plaque that described it, I found that it wasn’t Buddha after all— it was a statue of Kuan Yin. As I looked into the compassionate eyes of the statue, everything seemed to slow down. Although she was made of carved wood and paint, her eyes seemed to be a hallowed entrance point into other dimensions. It was as if I could hear her say, “You don’t need to suffer to grow, Denise. The path to the light can be filled with joy and bliss.” This was an awakening for me. Although I loved my time in the Zen monastery, I had been suffering from knee and back pain for two years, hoping to become enlightened. Suddenly, I realized that I no longer needed to adhere to the “no pain, no gain” belief about spiritual advancement. The goddess spoke to me through the statue of Kuan Yin, showing me a different way.
Shortly afterward I moved out of the zendo to pursue growth in more sumptuous and joyous ways. This is the feminine way. This is the path of Kuan Yin. She speaks to us from a depth of compassion. And she isn’t just a metaphor, but a real, viable force that you can call upon for protection and healing. She also activates love of self, love of others, and love of god . . . for she is the feminine embodiment of love. As we sat in the rosemary-scented water, we softly invoked the holy energy of this divine being. “Kuan Yin, goddess of compassion, overseer of healing and liberation, we call upon you to bring forth this child easily and joyously.”
As I looked into Amber’s eyes, it seemed that her face transformed for a minute— that the spirit of Kuan Yin, the divine feminine, descended upon her. The goddess was present. It was a splendid moment. Right after we got out of the tub, Amber’s water broke. And, like the ocean surging, gently yet powerfully, the first true contraction flowed through her body and labor began . . . and later culminated in a beautiful baby girl named Leela. It could have been a coincidence that the labor started right after invoking the spirit of Kuan Yin, or it could have been that the warm water brought on the first big surge . . . but the synchronicity was remarkable. I believe that the divine feminine spirit (embodied in Kuan Yin) is available to anyone at any time. Whenever you need compassion, understanding, or grace in your life, call upon her…
May Kuan Yin bring you immense joy, fluidity, and compassion. May you receive her protection and grace.”
~ DENISE LINN
Photo ~ Guanyin of the Southern Sea, Chinese, 11th/12th century, Liao (907-1125) or Jin Dynasty (1115-1234),
The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City
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