Boy Monk

Ghanti Gompa Monastery, Bhutan, Asia

Camera: Rolleiflex

What makes it special: Balance is self-defining.

The story:  "Bhutan is the lost Himalayan kingdom. It is a land of soaring, pristine peaks and peaceful Buddhists whose national dress is mandated by law. One of the few intact Buddhist cultures left in the world, until 2008 Bhutan was an absolute monarchy where political power was held by the high Lamas as it was in old Tibet. Today Bhutan is the happiest country in Asia and the only country in the world where happiness is measured by the government.

When I visit there are no radios or televisions, and video recorders are highly illegal. Entering monasteries is restricted and cameras are prohibited, yet, still, there is a powerful pulse to this land that draws me near. As little as I understand, I can't help but feel that these people possess a timeless peace and balance with their place in the universe.

At Ganti Gompa, a monastery of lesser importance, I learn that the head Lama is away on business. Dorje, a young, less conservative administrator, is left in charge. Excited to get to practice his English, he is warm and inviting and provides a grand tour with permission to take photographs. I'm awarded an intimate view of a frugal lifestyle of people who are at peace with themselves, each other and their surroundings.

I notice a solitary boy sitting centered on the steps to one of the temples. His purity makes me smile; it's as if he knows something he wants to share with me. He has found his place, and without self-awareness, he has defined his own balance.

I'm reminded that when we create sustainable balance in this world we do it unconsciously and naturally. When we are true to ourselves, we listen, breathe, and just be in a way that is right for us in that moment. It isn't premeditated thought. "