THE VOICE OF CLEAR LIGHT
News and Inspiration from Ligmincha Institute
Volume 6, Number 5
May 6, 2006
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For easy reading, we recommend that you print out "The Voice of Clear
Light."
A printable PDF version of this month’s edition of VOCL, in readerfriendly
newsletter format complete with color photographs, will be
available online after May 10. Please check the link for VOCL on
Ligmincha Institute's home page at www.ligmincha.org. You can also
access an archive of previous issues at:
http://ligmincha.org/study/vocl.html
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IN THIS ISSUE:
2006 Summer Retreat will highlight the three doors to enlightenment -
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche talks with VOCL
“Bringing the view fully into one’s life” – an excerpt from “Healing
with Form, Energy and Light” by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
“Early-bird” date for registering for the summer retreat is May 21!
“The Ten Paramitas: The Keys to Awakening” – a series focusing on the
practice of each of the 10 paramitas or perfections, the means of
transcending the limits of one’s karmic tendencies
Upcoming Retreats
Sangha Sharing – “The Birth of a Stupa”
New items at Ligmincha’s Tibet Shop
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2006 SUMMER RETREAT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE THREE DOORS TO ENLIGHTENMENT –
TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE TALKS WITH VOCL
VOCL: Rinpoche, could you explain what you will be teaching about
during the 2006 summer retreat?
TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE: For a number of years I have thought that it
is very important, for both those who have been practicing a long time
as well as new practitioners, to have a fundamental understanding of
what spiritual practice can really mean in one's daily life. It is my
strong belief that spiritual practice should not remain in one's head
only as mental concepts. This summer, therefore, I want to offer a way
for students to explore the tremendous possibilities that arise when
they are able to practice through all three doors to enlightenment -
through their body, their speech and their mind.
In the teachings it is said that one's mind need not be a slave to the
pain in one's body, nor should one's body and speech be slaves to the
pain in one's mind. Rather, body and speech should be supports for the
mind, and the mind should support the body and speech. Through a
correct approach to spiritual practice one can learn to integrate all
three - and this state of integration is a very clear, powerful and
healthy way to live. I have found this approach to be personally
beneficial and so want to share this with my students.
In my new book, which will be published later this year, I have tried
to distill a very simple, direct, clear approach to integrating
spiritual practice through the three doors of body, speech and mind.
This new book will provide a basis for the teachings at this year's
summer retreat.
The text I will teach from is Ku Sum Rang Shar (Spontaneous Arising of
the Three Kayas) by Shardze Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, who achieved the
rainbow body (ja lus). Many of the practices we will do during the
retreat are drawn from the Ku Sum Rang Shar: for example, the practice
of tummo, which generates the inner heat to burn away subtle
obscurations of mind; and the practice of retrieving elemental essences
from nature and the elements. We will engage both mind and speech with
prayer, mantra and visualization and engage the body with the physical
yogas of tsa lung and trul khor as well as prostrations. My wish is
that each student will have the opportunity to gain a direct, personal
experience of the integration of these three doors.
(Note: More information about this retreat appears below.)
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“BRINGING THE VIEW FULLY INTO ONE’S LIFE” – an excerpt from “Healing
with Form, Energy and Light” by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
When I first began to teach in the West, I did so in a traditional way.
This usually meant explaining what was in a particular text and adding
my commentary. Then it was up to the student to understand or not.
But as I spent more time in the West I began to see that there was a
need to teach about the teaching, to explain how to develop experience
and how to apply the teachings and practices to the situations of daily
life. My main interest is in teaching what can be useful to people,
what can help them heal conflict, work through their unhappiness,
remove obstacles to meditation, and develop stability in the natural
state.
Sometimes this means applying a very profound teaching to the
psychological level of experience even though the view of the teaching
is beyond psychological or emotional concerns, as is the case with
dzogchen. The view of dzogchen is the highest view, the non-dual view,
but this doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t affect everyday situations.
For the real practitioner it affects everything – every relationship
and every situation.
The point of the practice is to stop being the person who has problems,
and instead to abide fully in the nature of mind where there are
neither problems nor a separate individual to struggle with them.
SOURCE:
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. “Healing With Form, Energy and Light.”
Edited by Mark Dahlby. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 2002.
Available at Ligmincha’s Bookstore. Visit: www.ligminchastore.org
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"EARLY-BIRD” DATE IS MAY 21 FOR REGISTERING FOR THE SUMMER RETREAT!
14th Annual Summer Retreat
July 2–22, 2006
“Tummo - Inner Fire of Realization”
with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
For 15 years Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has presented the dzogchen
teachings of the Bon Buddhist tradition in the West. His teachings and
commentaries convey a fundamental understanding of spiritual practice
in the context of modern Western life. His ability to make these oncehidden
teachings accessible, while maintaining the purity of their
transmission, has allowed his students to move beyond conceptual
understanding and bring authentic dzogchen experience into their
conventional lives.
In his soon-to-be-published book, Tenzin Rinpoche presents very simple,
clear and direct instructions for integrating spiritual practice
through the three doors of body, speech and mind. This summer, at
Ligmincha Institute's Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Tenzin Rinpoche
will combine material from his book with practice instructions from the
text Ku Sum Rang Shar (Spontaneous Arising of the Three Kayas). This
text is by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, a Bon master who achieved
the body of light, or rainbow body, in 1934.
At this year's annual summer retreat Rinpoche will instruct and guide
us in the practice of tummo (generating the inner heat) to burn away
subtle obscurations and cultivate bliss. He will also teach meditation
practices for retrieving healing essences from nature and the elements,
which will include light fasting combined with herbal drinks to purify
and rejuvenate the body and enhance meditative experience. We will
engage the mind and speech with prayer, healing sounds, mantra and
visualization; and we will incorporate the potent body movements of tsa
lung, trul khor and prostrations. Rinpoche is happy to announce that
both Geshe Nyima Kunchap and Geshe Tenzin Yeshe will join him at the
retreat to help lead these practices.
It is Tenzin Rinpoche's sincere wish that through the intensive study
and practice opportunity offered during this year's summer retreat,
each student will find his or her own door to a life that is more
physically healthy, energetically vital and spiritually fulfilling.
As always, you may come for one, two or all three weeks of the summer
retreat. If you are new to Serenity Ridge, or able to come for only one
week, Rinpoche recommends that you come to the first week, when an indepth
explanation of the practices will be offered. Of course all are
welcome no matter which week they attend. Each week is designed to be a
complete series of teachings, and a direct and powerful healing
experience with aspects of all of the practices presented each week.
Week One: July 2-8 / Week Two: July 9-15 / Week Three: July 16-22
Retreat cost PER WEEK (includes meals):
$450 received by May 21; $500 received by June 15; $550 received after
June 15
Note: Those who participate in the summer work retreat will receive a
50% discount on one week of the summer retreat.
***
The Summer Work Retreat at Serenity Ridge takes place the week prior to
the summer retreat: June 27 – July 1. It is a wonderful time to share
with sangha and to be of joyful service.
Our work retreat includes vigorous work periods, daily meditation
practice, and ample time for a swim in the pool or a walk along the
Rockfish River. The work retreat is free of charge, and participants
are provided with free tenting sites and meals.
For more information or to register, contact Ligmincha Institute:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (434)977-6161.
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“THE TEN PARAMITAS: THE KEYS TO AWAKENING” – a series focusing on the
practice of each of the 10 paramitas or perfections, the means of
transcending the limits of one’s karmic tendencies.
Fully mastering these 10 virtues may take many lifetimes, but even the
act of turning one’s awareness toward practicing them can have a
transformative effect on one’s attitude and on one’s relations with
others.
This series was inspired by Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung’s beautiful and
concise heart advice on the 10 paramitas that he gave one day during a
ngondro retreat at Serenity Ridge, November 2005.
The Ten Perfections or Ten Paramitas
Generosity - jin pa (sbyin pa)
Moral discipline or ethical behavior - tsul trim
(tshul khrims)
Patience - zo pa (bzod pa)
Diligence or vigor - ton dru (btson ‘grus)
Meditation or concentration - sam ten (bsam gtan)
Strength, power, or capacity - tob (stobs)
Compassion - nying je (snying rje)
Aspiration - mon lam (smon lam)
Skillful means/dedication - ngo wa (bsngo ba)
Wisdom - she rab (shes rab)
“THE PERFECTION OF DILIGENCE OR VIGOR” – an edited excerpt from oral
teachings given by Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung Rinpoche, the abbot of Triten
Norbutse Monastery, Nepal:
The fourth paramita is tondru, the practice of diligence. Diligence
refers to the feeling of enthusiasm or joy that you have in your
practice, and the feeling of joy that you have in performing virtuous
or meritorious actions. As you develop this kind of enthusiasm, then
even if you experience major difficulties or disturbances, they cannot
destroy your practice. In fact, they will no longer even feel like
difficulties. However, without this enthusiasm, even a minor difficulty
will be a big problem for you.
***
“On Exertion” – an excerpt from “Indestructible Truth” by Reginald Ray:
Our dharma practice puts us in a situation where we must go ahead
rather than seeking our own personal comfort and security. The
paramita of exertion is needed to enable us to continue on. The way
is long, and there will be opportunities and temptations to give up.
Through the energy of exertion, we persevere. The way of the
bodhisattva is painful; exertion provides the strength to step into our
pain and take advantage of it rather than try to avoid it.
It is critical to realize that exertion is not manufactured like the
energy we sometimes feel from being a workaholic, being distraught or
taking stimulants. Exertion is not the mindless speed and aggression
that mark much of modern life. This may be illustrated by the
following example. In the dzokchen tradition, laziness is defined as
“being busy,” being constantly preoccupied with various activities.
This kind of laziness involves engaging in activity-based
preconceptions. We have a concept of something that we want to get or
achieve, and our desire, our hope and fear, provide the fuel to drive
us forward. It is as if our lust for a “result” provides the driving
force behind our relentless activity. This model of the person who is
constantly “on the run,” who never has a free minute, who goes from
dawn until dusk, is held up as the ideal in modern culture, the model
that everyone should emulate. Why, in dzokchen, is this regarded as
the ultimate form of laziness? Because for dzokchen, the ultimate
laziness is dwelling in ignorance, simply repeating one’s habitual
patterns over and over, and refusing to relate to the challenge of
reality beyond ego. It is lazy in the sense that it reflects a desire
to dwell in the morass and confusion of one’s own self-absorption
rather than step into the bright light and fresh air of reality, where
what we are and how we spend our time may be called into question.
***
SOURCE:
Ray, Reginald. “Indestructible Truth.” Boston: Shambhala
Publications Inc., 2000.
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UPCOMING RETREATS
June 16–18, 2006
SIX LOKAS PRACTICE RETREAT
Dissolving the Obstacles to Enlightenment
(Note: This retreat is open only to those who have received the
transmission of the Six Lokas practice.)
At one time or another each of us suffers strong emotions that throw us
off balance, cause us to act in ways we later regret, and make us lose
touch with our true nature. Centuries ago the masters of the Bon
lineage developed the meditations of the Six Lokas specifically to
purify the disturbing emotions and help us live our lives in a more
balanced and relaxed way.
These meditations focus on the root causes of our suffering: anger,
greed, ignorance, jealousy, pride and laziness. Through each meditation
we examine our habitual patterns so that we may recognize them and then
purify and transform them. The practices have a deep healing and
transformative power, and are traditionally practiced in retreat as a
preliminary to dzogchen contemplation.
This practice retreat is an opportunity to develop clear visualization,
energize mantra practice, enjoy the support of sangha, dissolve
emotional limitations, and simply and clearly be.
JOHN JACKSON has studied in Tibetan monasteries in India and Nepal and
practiced meditation for 25 years. For more than 10 of those years he
has studied with great masters of the Tibetan Bon Buddhist tradition.
Retreat cost (includes meals): $150
To register please contact Ligmincha Institute at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or
(434) 977-6161.
*****
AUGUST 16-20, 2006
“SHERAB CHAMMA – THE WISDOM LOVING MOTHER OF THE BON TRADITION”
with Geshe Nyima Kunchap and Geshe Tenzin Yeshe
The tantric cycle of Sherab Chamma (Wisdom Loving Mother) is one of the
most important in Bon. The practice of Sherab Chamma helps us to
deeply connect with the healing radiance of love and compassion and
with the innate wisdom through which all obstacles are cleared.
Sherab Chamma has been a main practice of Geshe Nyima Kunchap for many
years. He and Geshe Tenzin Yeshe will present teachings on Sherab
Chamma and her eight primary aspects, which manifest in order to heal
the eight forms of fear.
During this retreat we will learn about the power of Sherab Chamma to
dispel obstacles. We will also learn how to prepare the tormas (dough
offerings) that represent Sherab Chamma and her retinue, and how to
perform the mudras (symbolic hand gestures) of the main outer offerings
of flower, incense, light, water and food.
Retreat cost (includes meals):
$350 if received by July 5; $375 if received by July 25; $400 if
received after July 25
To register please contact Ligmincha Institute at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or
(434) 977-6161.
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SANGHA SHARING – “THE BIRTH OF A STUPA”
By Silvia Manzanilla in collaboration with Gaby and Carlos Madero,
Balbina Rey, Jackie Ruiz, Martha Perez and Lourdes Hinojosa
I will take you on a journey seldom traversed by practitioners even in
Tibet nowadays - it is a journey of light, of peace, of spiritual
development. It is the construction and consecration of the first major
Bonpo chorten, or stupa, in the Western world.
The Mexican sangha is filled with fiery people, and we have learned
that when we come together as one, anything can manifest, even a stupa.
This is what happened with the stupa in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico.
Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche had long dreamt of a stupa that would
be dedicated to the late Lopon Sange Tenzin Rinpoche and to world
peace; and around the year 2000 his dream began to manifest in
handwritten notes and drawings. At first there were many obstacles; but
in 2003 a group of dynamic people from Torreon attended their first
retreat in Valle de Bravo with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. They spoke
their minds, they were sincere of heart, and their presence energized
our sangha. Fortunately, they also made a very strong connection with
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and the Bon teachings, and they decided to
create a Bon sangha and meditation center in their city. Soon after,
with the support of this new sangha Carlos Madero and Gaby Madero
expressed their deep desire to build a stupa in Torreon. Tenzin
Rinpoche was very supportive of this initiative, which was clearly
rooted in serious intention and commitment.
From that day forward the planning and building process went forward
with great energy and focus. In February 2005 Tenzin Rinpoche invited
two geshes to Torreon under the sponsorship of the Madero family, and
very soon all the Mexican sangha was engaged.
In May 2005 the geshes arrived. Geshe Nyima Odzer, Geshe Nyima Kunkyab
and later Geshe Tenzin Yeshe worked very hard to initiate the building
process and encourage everyone in the Mexican sangha to work together
toward our great goal. The geshes seemed very happy here. Although they
only spoke Tibetan, communication from the heart flowed easily for
everyone right from the start. The earlier obstacles began to
dissipate, the process began to flow smoothly, and we could see that
the actual construction of the stupa for world peace at Chamma Ling, in
Torreon, would soon begin. E Ma Ho!
Blessing of the Land
The blessing of the land ritual was performed on May 16, 2005. The
geshes chose the site, and very soon afterward the laying of the
foundation began. Later, the red garuda ritual was performed to remove
any remaining obstacles and poisons.
In June 2005, while in Lhasa, Tibet, I saw a large rainbow around the
sun in broad daylight. The sky was so vast and clear; the sun was like
a naked pupil with a rainbow iris. Later that day I received an email
from Balbina Rey and Jackie Ruiz, who participated in the process of
building the stupa from its inception. They recounted their beautiful
experiences during the rituals for opening the land. They told me how
the sangha had taken turns doing kora (circumambulations) around the
future site of the stupa, and how during a midnight kora they had heard
the sounds of a conch shell being blown and a bell being rung in the
gompa. The geshes said these were two very auspicious signs.
Gaby and Carlos Madero write, “There was a time when we were thinking
of stopping the construction, but the protectors were always with us
and helped us overcome obstacles. Geshe Nyima and Geshe Tenzin made a
ritual and tormas for our home. The geshes as well as we had a lot of
dreams related to the stupa; we used to share them, and it was like
living in a magical dimension."
Tsa Tsas
During this time all of the sanghas of Mexico City and Torreon were
making tsa tsas - hundreds of tsa tsas with medicinal herbs blessed by
the geshes. A tsa tsa is a small, votive-like tablet, usually made of
clay, bearing the impression of a deity, stupa or other sacred symbol.
Tibetan people believe the act of making tsa tsas accumulates merit. As
holy objects, they can be found inside stupas, prayer wheel niches,
holy caves and monastery altars, as well as beside holy mountains, holy
lakes and other holy sites. Traditionally small tsa tsas have been
placed inside portable amulet shrines (called gau in Tibetan) and worn
by travelers as protection.
Before and during the making of the tsa tsas, many prayers and mantras
were said including guru yoga, refuge and bodhicitta, and participants
visualized the buddha Shenlha Okar purifying them and all beings. Later
the tsa tsas were painted gold and silver and stored in the meditation
center until their inclusion in the stupa's bumpa, or jewel.
Coronation
In October, many of us came to Torreon for the great occasion when the
stupa was to be crowned with the 13 rings and the yaru (two horns,
jewel and center flame). As I approached the center coming from the
airport, I could see the bumpa (jewel) for the first time from afar and
my heart started beating faster. When I entered the center courtyard
and saw the unfinished stupa, tears filled my eyes with reverence, joy
and gratitude. I made three prostrations.
That night, I was mesmerized by the stupa's presence. I did kora around
it and prayed. That night I dreamt I was still doing kora. Suddenly in
the dream I asked myself, Why are you dreaming when you can actually do
kora? So I awoke and went outside. The dawn air was crisp, the sky
clear, and I began the circumambulations. Other sangha members arrived
to join me, and with no exchange of words or greetings, we soon were
all doing kora in our pajamas and bare feet.
After a long tsa tsa day, Martha Perez, from our Monterrey sangha, went
to bed and dreamt of making tsa tsas while saying mantras continuously.
She awoke with a sore arm from the hard work! That morning I also had
the wonderful experience of making and painting tsa tsas with the
sangha. The sun was warm, the energy was high and loving, our clothes
were stained with paint, and our hearts were full of joy. Finally
11,000 tsa tsas were completed.
After breakfast we noticed an enormous crane parked outside to carry
the 13 rings and place them on the bumpa. The rings were made of
concrete, because metal rings would not last long in Torreon's climate.
As the crane did its work, Carlos and Gaby’s eldest sons directed and
Geshe Tenzin Yeshe oversaw the maneuvers from a ladder; while Amalia,
Paty and Efrain from Torreon, and I were inside the stupa looking out.
It was exhilarating to be inside a stupa, but later it would be more
exciting.
Long before this, the geshes had worked very hard preparing the tree
trunk that would go within the stupa as a sacred central channel. The
tree trunk was 10 meters long, carved octagonally, painted red, and
engraved in gold with mantras, sacred seed syllables and other sacred
markings. It had taken much effort for the sangha to locate the right
tree for this purpose.
On the morning the tree trunk was to be installed, we tied khatas (silk
scarves) all over the trunk. On the count of three, we all carried it
toward the stupa amid cheers and shouts, singing and laughing with joy.
It reminded me of how my sister and I used to carry a gift to a
birthday party, each carrying a corner so that the birthday friend
would know it was from both of us. We all felt as though we were
merging with the tree trunk; as if our own essence was being embraced
by it.
The tree trunk was soon lifted by the crane and suspended in the air
with all the khatas flying like clouds in the wind. Then it was guided
to the center of the stupa. Eustaquio and I were waiting inside with
two strong workers, who were asking all kinds of questions about the
meaning of all this.
We watched the tree trunk descend into its base. Suddenly it became
clear to everyone that it was a little too long to fit - a challenge!
After deliberating with the geshes, it was decided to lift the trunk in
place and cut it at the base to the right length. All of this was
magical. We hadn’t eaten, we hadn’t rested, yet we had an electrifying
energy that kept us going with joy, commitment and hope.
Next the umbrella-shaped piece was placed atop the stupa. We plastered
and sealed the bumpa from within. I felt as if we were safeguarding our
own home, as if we all were caretaking the wellbeing of a loved one.
Eustaquio, Amalia, Juan Cordova, Gabriel Madero and I stayed inside the
stupa. As Geshe Tenzin Yeshe supervised, the sacred process began of
introducing the thangkas, texts, relics, other sacred objects, and the
thousands of tsa tsas to the bumpa. Everyone in the sangha participated
- carrying, lifting, chanting - and our hearts became one with the
heart of the stupa. We were literally in the heart of our hearts. We
could feel the divine presence, a nameless grandeur of some kind; we
could feel the awe and shelter that this was for all the formless
beings that we could not see but were present there with us.
During the process of introducing the relics, texts, and tsa tsas, many
sangha members from all over Mexico felt a magical, wonderful shift in
their lives. Martha Perez says that ever since that time she has seen
and felt the world as one. We have gained an insight that the world is
so lacking in love and compassion; and that through our active
connection to these sacred qualities, we have experienced a change
without effort.
During my pilgrimage to sacred Bonpo sites in Tibet in early 2005, in
Khyung Dzong (Garuda Castle) I met with two hermits, a Bonpo monk by
the name of Yeshe Nyingpo and a Bonpo nun named Sherab Wangmo. When I
told them about the stupa in Mexico, they were so joyful tears came to
their eyes. They both gave me sacred soil from their own pilgrimages to
other sacred Bonpo and Zhang Zhung places in Tibet so that I could
bring it to the stupa in Mexico. This soil, as well as other precious
gifts from them and from the monks of Triten Norbutse in Nepal, are now
in the heart of the Torreon stupa.
Consecration
The stupa was finished on October 16, 2005, and it was consecrated in
February of 2006. We were all looking forward to the consecration as
well as to receiving the sacred-syllable teachings from Tenzin Wangyal
Rinpoche. The Mexican sangha was very eager to greet our bold sisters
from the United States sangha who were to join us for this sacred
occasion. That the stupa creates this uplifted mental, emotional and
physical environment around it, I have no doubt!
My personal gift was to see Ponse Jigme Tenzin there (Jorge Rene, the
recognized reincarnation of Lopon Sangye Tenzin, to whom the stupa is
dedicated). I had not seen my dear tulku for so long. He greeted me so
warmly that my heart was full. He seemed happy to be there too. This
is also true for Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche who always is so caring and
warm to all of us who crowd around him.
According to Gaby and Carlos Madero, “We also experienced the
receptivity, cooperation and connection our workers had by the time the
stupa was finished. They were all very moved and some even cried when
Rinpoche consecrated the stupa. They might not have been very learned
in the meaning, but this shows that the energy of the stupa reaches
all, not through the intellect, but through all of our being.”
The consecration celebration was in perfect alignment with DZA, the
seed syllable of enlightened action. It was a true example of how, when
one's conviction is firm and mature and when minds and hearts come
together as one, a grand manifestation of enlightenment can arise from
a dream. Therefore, the Five Warrior Syllables practice was also the
best teaching for us at this sacred time.
The stupa was finally ready to be blessed, empowered and consecrated
for the benefit of all beings. On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 12, 2006,
Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Geshe Nyima Kunchap and Geshe Tenzin
Yeshe consecrated the stupa with prayers. Our beloved Alejandro Chaoul
sat like a guardian behind them. The vast blue sky with the luminous
sun was covering us and holding us. We held offerings of flower petals,
seeds, herbs and tsampa. We offered them to the sky, to the stupa, to
the divine, to our connection to our precious lineage, to our ancestral
teachers and those of the present, to all beings, and to the pure
essence of the four immeasurables — love, compassion, joy and
equanimity. We offered without limit, without bounds and with all of
our hearts!
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NEW ITEMS AT LIGMINCHA’S TIBET SHOP
To read descriptions and see photographs of the newest items at
Ligmincha Institute’s Bookstore and Tibet Shop and for order
information, please go to www.ligminchastore.org and click on "search
by category or description" and then click on "New items." Or, go
directly to:
http://www.ligminchastore.org/items.asp?CategoryID=16&SubCategory=0&Sub
mit=Search
***
BOOKS
Dictionary: “The New Tibetan-English Dictionary of Modern Tibetan”
Edited by Melvyn C. Goldstein. Oversized hardback, 1211 pages, $55
MEDITATION SUPPLIES:
1) Zafu, by Samadhi Cushions, $49.
2) Zabuton, by Samadhi Cushions, $50.
3) Omni Bench - in cherry wood ($98) and in hardwood ($68).
Handcrafted of premium wood, with unique rounded legs. This
design allows for individual adjustment and spinal alignment.
Hinges on the legs make travel easy.
4) Salubrion Seat, $49. Provides support for floor sitting,
assisting in proper back alignment and lumbar curve for superior
comfort. It is lightweight (2 pounds) which makes for easy
traveling. Dimensions: 15" (diameter) x 4.5" (height).
5) Tush-Cush, $39.95. Designed to relieve and prevent back pain and
other discomforts associated with sitting by suspending the
tailbone (coccyx) in the air, which reduces the pressure on and
within the lower spinal discs, tipping the pelvis forward to help
restore the spine’s natural lumbar curve. Dimensions: 14” x 18”
News and Inspiration from Ligmincha Institute
Volume 6, Number 5
May 6, 2006
**************************
For easy reading, we recommend that you print out "The Voice of Clear
Light."
A printable PDF version of this month’s edition of VOCL, in readerfriendly
newsletter format complete with color photographs, will be
available online after May 10. Please check the link for VOCL on
Ligmincha Institute's home page at www.ligmincha.org. You can also
access an archive of previous issues at:
http://ligmincha.org/study/vocl.html
**************************
IN THIS ISSUE:
2006 Summer Retreat will highlight the three doors to enlightenment -
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche talks with VOCL
“Bringing the view fully into one’s life” – an excerpt from “Healing
with Form, Energy and Light” by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
“Early-bird” date for registering for the summer retreat is May 21!
“The Ten Paramitas: The Keys to Awakening” – a series focusing on the
practice of each of the 10 paramitas or perfections, the means of
transcending the limits of one’s karmic tendencies
Upcoming Retreats
Sangha Sharing – “The Birth of a Stupa”
New items at Ligmincha’s Tibet Shop
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2006 SUMMER RETREAT WILL HIGHLIGHT THE THREE DOORS TO ENLIGHTENMENT –
TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE TALKS WITH VOCL
VOCL: Rinpoche, could you explain what you will be teaching about
during the 2006 summer retreat?
TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE: For a number of years I have thought that it
is very important, for both those who have been practicing a long time
as well as new practitioners, to have a fundamental understanding of
what spiritual practice can really mean in one's daily life. It is my
strong belief that spiritual practice should not remain in one's head
only as mental concepts. This summer, therefore, I want to offer a way
for students to explore the tremendous possibilities that arise when
they are able to practice through all three doors to enlightenment -
through their body, their speech and their mind.
In the teachings it is said that one's mind need not be a slave to the
pain in one's body, nor should one's body and speech be slaves to the
pain in one's mind. Rather, body and speech should be supports for the
mind, and the mind should support the body and speech. Through a
correct approach to spiritual practice one can learn to integrate all
three - and this state of integration is a very clear, powerful and
healthy way to live. I have found this approach to be personally
beneficial and so want to share this with my students.
In my new book, which will be published later this year, I have tried
to distill a very simple, direct, clear approach to integrating
spiritual practice through the three doors of body, speech and mind.
This new book will provide a basis for the teachings at this year's
summer retreat.
The text I will teach from is Ku Sum Rang Shar (Spontaneous Arising of
the Three Kayas) by Shardze Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, who achieved the
rainbow body (ja lus). Many of the practices we will do during the
retreat are drawn from the Ku Sum Rang Shar: for example, the practice
of tummo, which generates the inner heat to burn away subtle
obscurations of mind; and the practice of retrieving elemental essences
from nature and the elements. We will engage both mind and speech with
prayer, mantra and visualization and engage the body with the physical
yogas of tsa lung and trul khor as well as prostrations. My wish is
that each student will have the opportunity to gain a direct, personal
experience of the integration of these three doors.
(Note: More information about this retreat appears below.)
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“BRINGING THE VIEW FULLY INTO ONE’S LIFE” – an excerpt from “Healing
with Form, Energy and Light” by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
When I first began to teach in the West, I did so in a traditional way.
This usually meant explaining what was in a particular text and adding
my commentary. Then it was up to the student to understand or not.
But as I spent more time in the West I began to see that there was a
need to teach about the teaching, to explain how to develop experience
and how to apply the teachings and practices to the situations of daily
life. My main interest is in teaching what can be useful to people,
what can help them heal conflict, work through their unhappiness,
remove obstacles to meditation, and develop stability in the natural
state.
Sometimes this means applying a very profound teaching to the
psychological level of experience even though the view of the teaching
is beyond psychological or emotional concerns, as is the case with
dzogchen. The view of dzogchen is the highest view, the non-dual view,
but this doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t affect everyday situations.
For the real practitioner it affects everything – every relationship
and every situation.
The point of the practice is to stop being the person who has problems,
and instead to abide fully in the nature of mind where there are
neither problems nor a separate individual to struggle with them.
SOURCE:
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. “Healing With Form, Energy and Light.”
Edited by Mark Dahlby. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 2002.
Available at Ligmincha’s Bookstore. Visit: www.ligminchastore.org
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"EARLY-BIRD” DATE IS MAY 21 FOR REGISTERING FOR THE SUMMER RETREAT!
14th Annual Summer Retreat
July 2–22, 2006
“Tummo - Inner Fire of Realization”
with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
For 15 years Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has presented the dzogchen
teachings of the Bon Buddhist tradition in the West. His teachings and
commentaries convey a fundamental understanding of spiritual practice
in the context of modern Western life. His ability to make these oncehidden
teachings accessible, while maintaining the purity of their
transmission, has allowed his students to move beyond conceptual
understanding and bring authentic dzogchen experience into their
conventional lives.
In his soon-to-be-published book, Tenzin Rinpoche presents very simple,
clear and direct instructions for integrating spiritual practice
through the three doors of body, speech and mind. This summer, at
Ligmincha Institute's Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Tenzin Rinpoche
will combine material from his book with practice instructions from the
text Ku Sum Rang Shar (Spontaneous Arising of the Three Kayas). This
text is by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, a Bon master who achieved
the body of light, or rainbow body, in 1934.
At this year's annual summer retreat Rinpoche will instruct and guide
us in the practice of tummo (generating the inner heat) to burn away
subtle obscurations and cultivate bliss. He will also teach meditation
practices for retrieving healing essences from nature and the elements,
which will include light fasting combined with herbal drinks to purify
and rejuvenate the body and enhance meditative experience. We will
engage the mind and speech with prayer, healing sounds, mantra and
visualization; and we will incorporate the potent body movements of tsa
lung, trul khor and prostrations. Rinpoche is happy to announce that
both Geshe Nyima Kunchap and Geshe Tenzin Yeshe will join him at the
retreat to help lead these practices.
It is Tenzin Rinpoche's sincere wish that through the intensive study
and practice opportunity offered during this year's summer retreat,
each student will find his or her own door to a life that is more
physically healthy, energetically vital and spiritually fulfilling.
As always, you may come for one, two or all three weeks of the summer
retreat. If you are new to Serenity Ridge, or able to come for only one
week, Rinpoche recommends that you come to the first week, when an indepth
explanation of the practices will be offered. Of course all are
welcome no matter which week they attend. Each week is designed to be a
complete series of teachings, and a direct and powerful healing
experience with aspects of all of the practices presented each week.
Week One: July 2-8 / Week Two: July 9-15 / Week Three: July 16-22
Retreat cost PER WEEK (includes meals):
$450 received by May 21; $500 received by June 15; $550 received after
June 15
Note: Those who participate in the summer work retreat will receive a
50% discount on one week of the summer retreat.
***
The Summer Work Retreat at Serenity Ridge takes place the week prior to
the summer retreat: June 27 – July 1. It is a wonderful time to share
with sangha and to be of joyful service.
Our work retreat includes vigorous work periods, daily meditation
practice, and ample time for a swim in the pool or a walk along the
Rockfish River. The work retreat is free of charge, and participants
are provided with free tenting sites and meals.
For more information or to register, contact Ligmincha Institute:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (434)977-6161.
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“THE TEN PARAMITAS: THE KEYS TO AWAKENING” – a series focusing on the
practice of each of the 10 paramitas or perfections, the means of
transcending the limits of one’s karmic tendencies.
Fully mastering these 10 virtues may take many lifetimes, but even the
act of turning one’s awareness toward practicing them can have a
transformative effect on one’s attitude and on one’s relations with
others.
This series was inspired by Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung’s beautiful and
concise heart advice on the 10 paramitas that he gave one day during a
ngondro retreat at Serenity Ridge, November 2005.
The Ten Perfections or Ten Paramitas
Generosity - jin pa (sbyin pa)
Moral discipline or ethical behavior - tsul trim
(tshul khrims)
Patience - zo pa (bzod pa)
Diligence or vigor - ton dru (btson ‘grus)
Meditation or concentration - sam ten (bsam gtan)
Strength, power, or capacity - tob (stobs)
Compassion - nying je (snying rje)
Aspiration - mon lam (smon lam)
Skillful means/dedication - ngo wa (bsngo ba)
Wisdom - she rab (shes rab)
“THE PERFECTION OF DILIGENCE OR VIGOR” – an edited excerpt from oral
teachings given by Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung Rinpoche, the abbot of Triten
Norbutse Monastery, Nepal:
The fourth paramita is tondru, the practice of diligence. Diligence
refers to the feeling of enthusiasm or joy that you have in your
practice, and the feeling of joy that you have in performing virtuous
or meritorious actions. As you develop this kind of enthusiasm, then
even if you experience major difficulties or disturbances, they cannot
destroy your practice. In fact, they will no longer even feel like
difficulties. However, without this enthusiasm, even a minor difficulty
will be a big problem for you.
***
“On Exertion” – an excerpt from “Indestructible Truth” by Reginald Ray:
Our dharma practice puts us in a situation where we must go ahead
rather than seeking our own personal comfort and security. The
paramita of exertion is needed to enable us to continue on. The way
is long, and there will be opportunities and temptations to give up.
Through the energy of exertion, we persevere. The way of the
bodhisattva is painful; exertion provides the strength to step into our
pain and take advantage of it rather than try to avoid it.
It is critical to realize that exertion is not manufactured like the
energy we sometimes feel from being a workaholic, being distraught or
taking stimulants. Exertion is not the mindless speed and aggression
that mark much of modern life. This may be illustrated by the
following example. In the dzokchen tradition, laziness is defined as
“being busy,” being constantly preoccupied with various activities.
This kind of laziness involves engaging in activity-based
preconceptions. We have a concept of something that we want to get or
achieve, and our desire, our hope and fear, provide the fuel to drive
us forward. It is as if our lust for a “result” provides the driving
force behind our relentless activity. This model of the person who is
constantly “on the run,” who never has a free minute, who goes from
dawn until dusk, is held up as the ideal in modern culture, the model
that everyone should emulate. Why, in dzokchen, is this regarded as
the ultimate form of laziness? Because for dzokchen, the ultimate
laziness is dwelling in ignorance, simply repeating one’s habitual
patterns over and over, and refusing to relate to the challenge of
reality beyond ego. It is lazy in the sense that it reflects a desire
to dwell in the morass and confusion of one’s own self-absorption
rather than step into the bright light and fresh air of reality, where
what we are and how we spend our time may be called into question.
***
SOURCE:
Ray, Reginald. “Indestructible Truth.” Boston: Shambhala
Publications Inc., 2000.
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UPCOMING RETREATS
June 16–18, 2006
SIX LOKAS PRACTICE RETREAT
Dissolving the Obstacles to Enlightenment
(Note: This retreat is open only to those who have received the
transmission of the Six Lokas practice.)
At one time or another each of us suffers strong emotions that throw us
off balance, cause us to act in ways we later regret, and make us lose
touch with our true nature. Centuries ago the masters of the Bon
lineage developed the meditations of the Six Lokas specifically to
purify the disturbing emotions and help us live our lives in a more
balanced and relaxed way.
These meditations focus on the root causes of our suffering: anger,
greed, ignorance, jealousy, pride and laziness. Through each meditation
we examine our habitual patterns so that we may recognize them and then
purify and transform them. The practices have a deep healing and
transformative power, and are traditionally practiced in retreat as a
preliminary to dzogchen contemplation.
This practice retreat is an opportunity to develop clear visualization,
energize mantra practice, enjoy the support of sangha, dissolve
emotional limitations, and simply and clearly be.
JOHN JACKSON has studied in Tibetan monasteries in India and Nepal and
practiced meditation for 25 years. For more than 10 of those years he
has studied with great masters of the Tibetan Bon Buddhist tradition.
Retreat cost (includes meals): $150
To register please contact Ligmincha Institute at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or
(434) 977-6161.
*****
AUGUST 16-20, 2006
“SHERAB CHAMMA – THE WISDOM LOVING MOTHER OF THE BON TRADITION”
with Geshe Nyima Kunchap and Geshe Tenzin Yeshe
The tantric cycle of Sherab Chamma (Wisdom Loving Mother) is one of the
most important in Bon. The practice of Sherab Chamma helps us to
deeply connect with the healing radiance of love and compassion and
with the innate wisdom through which all obstacles are cleared.
Sherab Chamma has been a main practice of Geshe Nyima Kunchap for many
years. He and Geshe Tenzin Yeshe will present teachings on Sherab
Chamma and her eight primary aspects, which manifest in order to heal
the eight forms of fear.
During this retreat we will learn about the power of Sherab Chamma to
dispel obstacles. We will also learn how to prepare the tormas (dough
offerings) that represent Sherab Chamma and her retinue, and how to
perform the mudras (symbolic hand gestures) of the main outer offerings
of flower, incense, light, water and food.
Retreat cost (includes meals):
$350 if received by July 5; $375 if received by July 25; $400 if
received after July 25
To register please contact Ligmincha Institute at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or
(434) 977-6161.
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SANGHA SHARING – “THE BIRTH OF A STUPA”
By Silvia Manzanilla in collaboration with Gaby and Carlos Madero,
Balbina Rey, Jackie Ruiz, Martha Perez and Lourdes Hinojosa
I will take you on a journey seldom traversed by practitioners even in
Tibet nowadays - it is a journey of light, of peace, of spiritual
development. It is the construction and consecration of the first major
Bonpo chorten, or stupa, in the Western world.
The Mexican sangha is filled with fiery people, and we have learned
that when we come together as one, anything can manifest, even a stupa.
This is what happened with the stupa in Torreon, Coahuila, Mexico.
Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche had long dreamt of a stupa that would
be dedicated to the late Lopon Sange Tenzin Rinpoche and to world
peace; and around the year 2000 his dream began to manifest in
handwritten notes and drawings. At first there were many obstacles; but
in 2003 a group of dynamic people from Torreon attended their first
retreat in Valle de Bravo with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. They spoke
their minds, they were sincere of heart, and their presence energized
our sangha. Fortunately, they also made a very strong connection with
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and the Bon teachings, and they decided to
create a Bon sangha and meditation center in their city. Soon after,
with the support of this new sangha Carlos Madero and Gaby Madero
expressed their deep desire to build a stupa in Torreon. Tenzin
Rinpoche was very supportive of this initiative, which was clearly
rooted in serious intention and commitment.
From that day forward the planning and building process went forward
with great energy and focus. In February 2005 Tenzin Rinpoche invited
two geshes to Torreon under the sponsorship of the Madero family, and
very soon all the Mexican sangha was engaged.
In May 2005 the geshes arrived. Geshe Nyima Odzer, Geshe Nyima Kunkyab
and later Geshe Tenzin Yeshe worked very hard to initiate the building
process and encourage everyone in the Mexican sangha to work together
toward our great goal. The geshes seemed very happy here. Although they
only spoke Tibetan, communication from the heart flowed easily for
everyone right from the start. The earlier obstacles began to
dissipate, the process began to flow smoothly, and we could see that
the actual construction of the stupa for world peace at Chamma Ling, in
Torreon, would soon begin. E Ma Ho!
Blessing of the Land
The blessing of the land ritual was performed on May 16, 2005. The
geshes chose the site, and very soon afterward the laying of the
foundation began. Later, the red garuda ritual was performed to remove
any remaining obstacles and poisons.
In June 2005, while in Lhasa, Tibet, I saw a large rainbow around the
sun in broad daylight. The sky was so vast and clear; the sun was like
a naked pupil with a rainbow iris. Later that day I received an email
from Balbina Rey and Jackie Ruiz, who participated in the process of
building the stupa from its inception. They recounted their beautiful
experiences during the rituals for opening the land. They told me how
the sangha had taken turns doing kora (circumambulations) around the
future site of the stupa, and how during a midnight kora they had heard
the sounds of a conch shell being blown and a bell being rung in the
gompa. The geshes said these were two very auspicious signs.
Gaby and Carlos Madero write, “There was a time when we were thinking
of stopping the construction, but the protectors were always with us
and helped us overcome obstacles. Geshe Nyima and Geshe Tenzin made a
ritual and tormas for our home. The geshes as well as we had a lot of
dreams related to the stupa; we used to share them, and it was like
living in a magical dimension."
Tsa Tsas
During this time all of the sanghas of Mexico City and Torreon were
making tsa tsas - hundreds of tsa tsas with medicinal herbs blessed by
the geshes. A tsa tsa is a small, votive-like tablet, usually made of
clay, bearing the impression of a deity, stupa or other sacred symbol.
Tibetan people believe the act of making tsa tsas accumulates merit. As
holy objects, they can be found inside stupas, prayer wheel niches,
holy caves and monastery altars, as well as beside holy mountains, holy
lakes and other holy sites. Traditionally small tsa tsas have been
placed inside portable amulet shrines (called gau in Tibetan) and worn
by travelers as protection.
Before and during the making of the tsa tsas, many prayers and mantras
were said including guru yoga, refuge and bodhicitta, and participants
visualized the buddha Shenlha Okar purifying them and all beings. Later
the tsa tsas were painted gold and silver and stored in the meditation
center until their inclusion in the stupa's bumpa, or jewel.
Coronation
In October, many of us came to Torreon for the great occasion when the
stupa was to be crowned with the 13 rings and the yaru (two horns,
jewel and center flame). As I approached the center coming from the
airport, I could see the bumpa (jewel) for the first time from afar and
my heart started beating faster. When I entered the center courtyard
and saw the unfinished stupa, tears filled my eyes with reverence, joy
and gratitude. I made three prostrations.
That night, I was mesmerized by the stupa's presence. I did kora around
it and prayed. That night I dreamt I was still doing kora. Suddenly in
the dream I asked myself, Why are you dreaming when you can actually do
kora? So I awoke and went outside. The dawn air was crisp, the sky
clear, and I began the circumambulations. Other sangha members arrived
to join me, and with no exchange of words or greetings, we soon were
all doing kora in our pajamas and bare feet.
After a long tsa tsa day, Martha Perez, from our Monterrey sangha, went
to bed and dreamt of making tsa tsas while saying mantras continuously.
She awoke with a sore arm from the hard work! That morning I also had
the wonderful experience of making and painting tsa tsas with the
sangha. The sun was warm, the energy was high and loving, our clothes
were stained with paint, and our hearts were full of joy. Finally
11,000 tsa tsas were completed.
After breakfast we noticed an enormous crane parked outside to carry
the 13 rings and place them on the bumpa. The rings were made of
concrete, because metal rings would not last long in Torreon's climate.
As the crane did its work, Carlos and Gaby’s eldest sons directed and
Geshe Tenzin Yeshe oversaw the maneuvers from a ladder; while Amalia,
Paty and Efrain from Torreon, and I were inside the stupa looking out.
It was exhilarating to be inside a stupa, but later it would be more
exciting.
Long before this, the geshes had worked very hard preparing the tree
trunk that would go within the stupa as a sacred central channel. The
tree trunk was 10 meters long, carved octagonally, painted red, and
engraved in gold with mantras, sacred seed syllables and other sacred
markings. It had taken much effort for the sangha to locate the right
tree for this purpose.
On the morning the tree trunk was to be installed, we tied khatas (silk
scarves) all over the trunk. On the count of three, we all carried it
toward the stupa amid cheers and shouts, singing and laughing with joy.
It reminded me of how my sister and I used to carry a gift to a
birthday party, each carrying a corner so that the birthday friend
would know it was from both of us. We all felt as though we were
merging with the tree trunk; as if our own essence was being embraced
by it.
The tree trunk was soon lifted by the crane and suspended in the air
with all the khatas flying like clouds in the wind. Then it was guided
to the center of the stupa. Eustaquio and I were waiting inside with
two strong workers, who were asking all kinds of questions about the
meaning of all this.
We watched the tree trunk descend into its base. Suddenly it became
clear to everyone that it was a little too long to fit - a challenge!
After deliberating with the geshes, it was decided to lift the trunk in
place and cut it at the base to the right length. All of this was
magical. We hadn’t eaten, we hadn’t rested, yet we had an electrifying
energy that kept us going with joy, commitment and hope.
Next the umbrella-shaped piece was placed atop the stupa. We plastered
and sealed the bumpa from within. I felt as if we were safeguarding our
own home, as if we all were caretaking the wellbeing of a loved one.
Eustaquio, Amalia, Juan Cordova, Gabriel Madero and I stayed inside the
stupa. As Geshe Tenzin Yeshe supervised, the sacred process began of
introducing the thangkas, texts, relics, other sacred objects, and the
thousands of tsa tsas to the bumpa. Everyone in the sangha participated
- carrying, lifting, chanting - and our hearts became one with the
heart of the stupa. We were literally in the heart of our hearts. We
could feel the divine presence, a nameless grandeur of some kind; we
could feel the awe and shelter that this was for all the formless
beings that we could not see but were present there with us.
During the process of introducing the relics, texts, and tsa tsas, many
sangha members from all over Mexico felt a magical, wonderful shift in
their lives. Martha Perez says that ever since that time she has seen
and felt the world as one. We have gained an insight that the world is
so lacking in love and compassion; and that through our active
connection to these sacred qualities, we have experienced a change
without effort.
During my pilgrimage to sacred Bonpo sites in Tibet in early 2005, in
Khyung Dzong (Garuda Castle) I met with two hermits, a Bonpo monk by
the name of Yeshe Nyingpo and a Bonpo nun named Sherab Wangmo. When I
told them about the stupa in Mexico, they were so joyful tears came to
their eyes. They both gave me sacred soil from their own pilgrimages to
other sacred Bonpo and Zhang Zhung places in Tibet so that I could
bring it to the stupa in Mexico. This soil, as well as other precious
gifts from them and from the monks of Triten Norbutse in Nepal, are now
in the heart of the Torreon stupa.
Consecration
The stupa was finished on October 16, 2005, and it was consecrated in
February of 2006. We were all looking forward to the consecration as
well as to receiving the sacred-syllable teachings from Tenzin Wangyal
Rinpoche. The Mexican sangha was very eager to greet our bold sisters
from the United States sangha who were to join us for this sacred
occasion. That the stupa creates this uplifted mental, emotional and
physical environment around it, I have no doubt!
My personal gift was to see Ponse Jigme Tenzin there (Jorge Rene, the
recognized reincarnation of Lopon Sangye Tenzin, to whom the stupa is
dedicated). I had not seen my dear tulku for so long. He greeted me so
warmly that my heart was full. He seemed happy to be there too. This
is also true for Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche who always is so caring and
warm to all of us who crowd around him.
According to Gaby and Carlos Madero, “We also experienced the
receptivity, cooperation and connection our workers had by the time the
stupa was finished. They were all very moved and some even cried when
Rinpoche consecrated the stupa. They might not have been very learned
in the meaning, but this shows that the energy of the stupa reaches
all, not through the intellect, but through all of our being.”
The consecration celebration was in perfect alignment with DZA, the
seed syllable of enlightened action. It was a true example of how, when
one's conviction is firm and mature and when minds and hearts come
together as one, a grand manifestation of enlightenment can arise from
a dream. Therefore, the Five Warrior Syllables practice was also the
best teaching for us at this sacred time.
The stupa was finally ready to be blessed, empowered and consecrated
for the benefit of all beings. On Sunday afternoon, Feb. 12, 2006,
Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Geshe Nyima Kunchap and Geshe Tenzin
Yeshe consecrated the stupa with prayers. Our beloved Alejandro Chaoul
sat like a guardian behind them. The vast blue sky with the luminous
sun was covering us and holding us. We held offerings of flower petals,
seeds, herbs and tsampa. We offered them to the sky, to the stupa, to
the divine, to our connection to our precious lineage, to our ancestral
teachers and those of the present, to all beings, and to the pure
essence of the four immeasurables — love, compassion, joy and
equanimity. We offered without limit, without bounds and with all of
our hearts!
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NEW ITEMS AT LIGMINCHA’S TIBET SHOP
To read descriptions and see photographs of the newest items at
Ligmincha Institute’s Bookstore and Tibet Shop and for order
information, please go to www.ligminchastore.org and click on "search
by category or description" and then click on "New items." Or, go
directly to:
http://www.ligminchastore.org/items.asp?CategoryID=16&SubCategory=0&Sub
mit=Search
***
BOOKS
Dictionary: “The New Tibetan-English Dictionary of Modern Tibetan”
Edited by Melvyn C. Goldstein. Oversized hardback, 1211 pages, $55
MEDITATION SUPPLIES:
1) Zafu, by Samadhi Cushions, $49.
2) Zabuton, by Samadhi Cushions, $50.
3) Omni Bench - in cherry wood ($98) and in hardwood ($68).
Handcrafted of premium wood, with unique rounded legs. This
design allows for individual adjustment and spinal alignment.
Hinges on the legs make travel easy.
4) Salubrion Seat, $49. Provides support for floor sitting,
assisting in proper back alignment and lumbar curve for superior
comfort. It is lightweight (2 pounds) which makes for easy
traveling. Dimensions: 15" (diameter) x 4.5" (height).
5) Tush-Cush, $39.95. Designed to relieve and prevent back pain and
other discomforts associated with sitting by suspending the
tailbone (coccyx) in the air, which reduces the pressure on and
within the lower spinal discs, tipping the pelvis forward to help
restore the spine’s natural lumbar curve. Dimensions: 14” x 18”
