If you saw Cralle Hall, in his polo shirt and chinos, you might guess he was raised Episcopalian. If you heard his soft drawl, you might peg him as a Tampa native. But there's one thing you'd never guess about him by just looking: He practices Buddhism and has operated a Buddhist meditation center for almost 20 years.
It's not just that he doesn't proselytize; it's that he is so self-effacing. He seems to regard his own spiritual path with a sense of detached amusement, as if he expects you to laugh at him — and he really doesn't mind. In fact, he'll join you. "I'm still neurotic," he says with a laugh.
There is no self-righteousness or smug beatitude about him, no desire to convert or convince. Just a certain humor around the eyes, a kindness of manner and gentleness of spirit.
Hall learned about Buddhism in the 1970s; the more he learned, the more he came to appreciate its message. "They teach that the mind has a limitless capacity to perceive," he says. "At our core, we're all full of wisdom and compassion."
He went to a monastery in Woodstock, N.Y., to learn more and began inviting teachers to Tampa to instruct a small group of practitioners here. He didn't set out to open a meditation center, but he was living on a 60-acre family estate on Lake Magdalene, with several buildings and an orange grove. "It was more like, 'Cralle's got a place; let's use his place.'" Karma Thegsum Choling Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center was officially recognized in 1985.
Some people, Hall says, come simply in search of peace. "They're not involved in the Buddhist trappings; they just want some calm."
There is a serenity about this piece of old Florida, with its moss-draped oaks walled off from the traffic and suburban sprawl that now surround it. The large, graceful wood frame house, built by Hall's grandparents in the 1920s, overlooks the lake that reflects the colors of the sky and draws an abundance of birds. Benches scattered around the property provide quiet places for meditation or just contemplation.
A modest shrine on the first floor shares the otherwise bare wood-panel living room with a large stone fireplace. This is where most of the public meditation classes take place. A much more ornate shrine room occupies the second floor. With its brilliantly colorful shrine, banners, offering bowls, statues and furnishings, this room can be distracting for inexperienced students, Hall says, so he uses it for more intimate gatherings of experienced practitioners.
The teachers who come here, says Hall, are authentic lamas. They bring the Buddha's practices of mental and spiritual development to awaken insight into the nature of reality and to foster compassion for all living beings.
The teacher Hall hopes to host one day is Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Born June 26, 1985, he is the 17th incarnation of the Karmapa, an enlightened being called a tulku who chooses to be reincarnated in order to help others on the path away from suffering. (The Dalai Lama, exiled leader of Tibet, is a tulku.) The Karmapa's lineage dates to the 12th century. Like his predecessor (the 16th Karmapa) and the Dalai Lama, the 17th Karmapa escaped from Tibet, where he was a virtual prisoner of the Chinese government. The Chinese wanted to use him to legitimize their occupation of Tibet and counteract the Dalai Lama's international campaign to free Tibet from Chinese rule. After the Karmapa's refusal to cooperate, an attempt was made on his life. The government did not investigate, nor did it increase security at the monastery.
His daring escape began on a cold December night in 1999, when he was only 14. Just to get out of the monastery, which was filled with spies and informers, he had to creep across the roof of the guardhouse, jump 10 feet to the ground and run to a waiting vehicle.
After a harrowing eight-day journey, he reached Dharamsala, India, where the Dalai Lama reportedly welcomed him with great emotion. The two have since developed a close relationship, and there is speculation that the Karmapa will succeed the Dalai Lama as exiled leader of Tibet.
Hall has traveled to India to meet both men. He becomes animated when he talks about it. "I don't want to sound like some star-struck person who just met Elvis," he says, laughing at himself again. "But it was very powerful. … The Karmapa has these piercing eyes; I was practically jumping out of my skin when he looked at me … The Dalai Lama was like this ancient, ageless fossil. … I had a brief moment of looking into his eyes — there's an understanding, mind to mind. You can only experience it, not describe it. It's too profound."
Due to India's fragile relations with China, the exiled Karmapa is not allowed to travel, so he is unlikely to visit Tampa any time soon. However, says Hall, similar restrictions were placed on the 16th Karmapa and the Dalai Lama during the first decade of their exile. He remains hopeful that the Karmapa will come to the United States.
In the meantime, Michele Martin, a translator and Buddhist practitioner, has written a fascinating book about the Karmapa's life and his escape from Tibet, called Music in the Sky. Hall is arranging a Florida tour for her, including a stay in Tampa from Feb. 23 through March 2. She'll speak at the Lotus Room on Feb. 26 and the meditation center on Feb. 29. Call 813-962-6665 for details on her book, her visit and the center.
Contributing Editor Susan F. Edwards can be reached at susan.edwards15@verizon.net.
This article appears in Feb 19-25, 2004.