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Herds that hold the lotus
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:04 am
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~~~
The Padmapani herd was started as a family, led by Avalokiteshvara, or Vara as she is known to most. She was their mother, grandmother, or greatgrandmother and finally she was their Alpha and leader.
The first Protector was Vara's mate, Scythe. He stood by her side since they first began to grow close and then protected not only her but the herd itself. Together they formed a haven for their family... and for those seeking family.
When Hayagriva's daughter, the skinwalker Samsara, attacked the herd, everything changed. Vara and Scythe died in the attack along with several others of the Padmapani family. Torn by grief, Haya became the new herd Protector and Shrivatsa was the new herd Alpha. Remembering the values that Vara and Scythe upheld, Haya and Shrivatsa seek to continue the tradition of the Padmapani herd being a place of compassion and forgiving.
They happily accept others into their herd so long as they vow to uphold the values of those that hold the lotus.
Welcome to the Padmapani herd.~~~
Quote: Note from Roniel Targaryen: Please quote or PM if you want to talk about the Padmapani herd! I'd be happy to add your soquili to the herd member list or discuss plots! biggrin
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:09 am
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Herds that hold the lotus
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:11 am
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The Padmapani herd has a rich culture of traditions and holidays stemming from the former alpha Avalokiteshvara's homeland in Asia. The more simpler aspects of these traditions include simple meditation and the obeying of the Bodhisattva vows. Some of the holidays they celebrate are described below!
New year: The Padmapani herd celebrates the new year on the day of the first full moon in January. They go all out in celebrating! They spend the week beforehand gathering all of the tasty edibles they can find so they can feast on New Year's day. The more appearance-conscious members will go to the kawani village prior to New Year to get new accessories to show off during the celebration. There is dancing and singing, and everyone has a great time!
Avalokiteshvara's birthday: This is a day meant to be a day of offering prayers and seeking blessings from the Bodhisattva. However, members of Padmapani have misinterpreted this celebration as being the birthday celebration for the herd alpha, not for the Bodhisattva for which she is named. They still offer prayer and respect the dead but they also throw Vara a bit of a party and give the old mare "birthday presents." Vara is slightly chagrined that the holy day has been co-opted like that, but at this point it's too established to stop!
Festival of the floating bowls: Though most of the herd soquili don't know the origin of this holiday, it is a favorite in the herd. Once a year the herd gathers by a river and each member makes a bowls out of leaves and flowers. Within the middle of these bowls they place some kindling. One member of the herd will then venture into the kawani village to carry fire back to the herd. The fire bearer will light the kindling in each of the bowls and then each herd member will push their bowl into the river. As the bowls float downstream, it is thought that bad luck and negative feelings float away with them. This is accompanied with great celebration!
Religious Beliefs: The Padmapani herd follow a loose version of Mahayana Buddhism. Their favorite deity is Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva that the alpha mare is named for. They believe that by living their lives according to the Bodhisattva vows and seeking enlightenment that they may be able to release themselves from the cycle of death, rebirth, and suffering. They believe in Karma and that actions have results, which feeds in to their belief in fate and destiny. They are not generally very showy about expressing their beliefs. Most often, they might meditate in silence or chant "om mani padme hum" to invoke Avalokiteshvara in a moment of stress or need.
~~~
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Herds that hold the lotus
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Herds that hold the lotus
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:18 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:21 am
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Herds that hold the lotus
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Herds that hold the lotus
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:25 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:35 am
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Herds that hold the lotus
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Herds that hold the lotus
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:36 am
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:40 am
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Herds that hold the lotus
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Herds that hold the lotus
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Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 10:43 am
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