Embracing Kuan-Yin By Kathy Bowden Her Archetype Widely worshipped in China and Chinese households around the world, Kuan-Yin is represented dressed in flowing robes or a white veil. A dragon-girl, Lung Nu, and the male child Shan Ts’ai accompany her. She holds willow branches to sweep sickness away; jewels of wish -fulfilment or a vase in which the waters of compassion, "sweet dew", are stored. She may be shown carrying a lotus flower, the symbol of purity and grace. Other emblems associated with Kuan-Yin are a rope to bind harm, a mirror of wisdom, an axe to kill oppressors and an arrow of friendship. She is strongly associated with water, and many stories tell of her interest in sailors and fisher folk. The sign of Kuan-Yin’s compassion is a shower of unearthly water, and shrines to her were situated by running water. Her Story Kuan-Yin is a Chinese folk Goddess~ a bodhisattva, one who stands at the threshold of enlightenment. Her birth name is Miao Shan. She was born an only child. Her father, a cruel and wealthy man, planned to further his prosperity by having her marry into a wealthy family to enhance his own status. Miao Shan had already chosen her path, which was to become a Buddhist nun. Believing she would grow out of this what he regarded as childish aberration, he went ahead and planned her marriage despite her disinterest and her silent prayers. Irritated by her prayers, he locked her alone in a tower with a diet of rice. She continued her prayers until he became so enraged at her intransigence that he ordered his soldiers to kill her, deep in the forest. At the fatal blow, a tiger carried Miao Shan to a cave which dissolved beneath her, leaving her floating with grey ghosts and a man of fire; Yen Lo Wang, the king of the dead who held souls captive, not permitting them to return in rebirth and thus continue the cycle of soul growth and enlightenment. As he roared curses at her, she began to pray and he watched powerless as the drifting souls passed back to the earth to be reborn. Returned back to the cave, Miao Shan began to pray, until the Buddha stepped from a cloud of light and handed her a peach to sustain her on her journey to the island of P’u T’o Shan. She did so, and reached the island safely. About to enter enlightenment, she stopped as none had done before her. Remembering those who were still suffering and unable to find their path clear on their journey to enlightenment, she vowed to remain on earth until every living thing was holy. She remained on the island, and prayers dedicated to her assured salvation from physical and emotional harm. Her worshippers ate no flesh and abstained from physical violence to any living being. Embracing Kuan-Yin Kuan-Yin reminds us of our dreams, hopes, ambitions, and of focussing our thoughts upon our goals. For young women with a clear defined path they wish to tread, this may, like Kuan-Yin, be opposed to the goals their parents have set for them. She reminds us to pursue our goals as we live, plan and fulfil our own life journey; and to remember that our parents may be misguidedly dealing with their own wish fulfilment through us. For older women, we may see where our own career or life aspirations diverged from our desired path, and we may seek ways to find those paths again. She teaches us to think how we have reacted to people or events that have opposed our own desires and what happened after that. This may be way for us to consider how we may deal with possible future opposition. We may also consider how and why we may have spent so long fulfilling other’s needs rather than our own. Kuan-Yin reminds us the peace that meditation can bring to our souls and those around us. Kuan-Yin Affirmations - I focus my thoughts on my personal goals - I recognise that there will be times when I will encounter opposition to my goals - I realise that others may be well intentioned or misguided in their wishes for myself, perhaps due to their own loss of goals - I consider how to react to opposition without causing harm to myself or others - I know what is important in my life and my attitude and behaviour are in alignment with that.

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