I'm at a monastery in Tibet, upsetting the monks. You see, I'm a woman and a foreigner and not even Buddhist, but when I walked into the main hall I sensed the gods guiding me. I felt possessed--not in a bad way, just forceful--the strangest feeling. The spirits steered me straight over to some obscure little objects in a corner. I picked them up. Turns out they were sacred regalia, signs the Boddhisattvas really are talking to me. That really bothered some of the older, more conservative monks.

And they're cautious because they've been having trouble with demons up here, which is unusual, I guess. You see, cellphone reception isn't great in Tibet with all those mountains blocking the signals, but this monastery was built in a sweet spot where, now and then, the gods can get through and call you. So pilgrims with cellphones come from all over Tibet hoping the gods and Bodhisattvas will phone with a message.

But the calls are never for you. They're always messages for others--help and advice for people down in the world where the gods can't get coverage. That's how it works. You never benefit directly, except the sheer pleasure of helping transform people's lives. You can work miracles--for others.

Well, there's one exception. If you try hard and are patient but never pick up any useful messages, the Boddhisattvas manifest a stack of ancient gold coins as a consolation prize for failing to be an effective saint. Give the gold to the monks, and they'll change it into modern currency which you can take home to help your family.

They instituted that custom because people here are poor; it helps motivate ordinary folks to make the pilgrimage. The journey may be hard, but even honest failures get rewarded. And success can be... miraculous.

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