Voice of Clear Light
Volume 14, Number 6 / December 2014
Manifesting Tenzin Rinpoche’s Vision
A Letter from the Chair of Ligmincha International Board
Dear Sangha,
As you read in Rinpoche’s letter to us, this has been a year full of growth and transformation for Ligmincha. The most significant of our activities and plans Rinpoche has already written about. I would like to take this opportunity to describe a few other things that are going on, and to describe ways in which you can help.
First, the Ligmincha International Board has proven itself to be a wonderful group of people with diverse skills and backgrounds. It is a pleasure to come together to work on behalf of the community and Rinpoche. We open our meetings with guru yoga and a brief period of abiding, and we close with the dedication of merit. Within that space we do our best to consider all points of view regarding the items on the agenda and to come to a group consensus.
The primary activities of the board to date have been conceptual. We have adopted bylaws for the international organization, which are available on the website. And we are developing a template for bylaws and a charter for all Ligmincha organizations worldwide. We also are looking at ways of organizing different sets of activities with a goal of providing more practice materials and publications, more access to the teachings online and more collaboration internationally. Our work should become more concrete over time.
Of great importance, the Mandala Council, a group of sangha representatives from around the world, met this past October during the retreat with Rinpoche in Maria Alm, Austria, in person and by telephone. This is the group tasked with identifying areas in which we can work and help one another worldwide. From this first meeting, four activities are under way.
First of all, Rinpoche and the resident lamas are planning how we can share the same practices and activities for the coming celebration of Losar. The Mandala Council awaits their instructions and will communicate them to the rest of us.
The Council also is creating two surveys. One will go to each regional council’s board or governing committee and is intended to provide a profile of each sangha in terms of size, frequency of meetings, practices, etc. The second survey will be sent out to practitioners and is intended to help us better understand our demographics, how we connect to the practices and what kinds of support we have or would like to have.
Finally, the Council is asking each sangha to create a catalog of all of Rinpoche’s teachings, translations, transcripts, etc. that they have. We will use this to begin creating a library of all of Rinpoche’s work to date for future study and distribution. This study, along with the surveys, will also help us to understand what sorts of materials we should work to provide next.
There are four ways in which everyone is able to help manifest Rinpoche’s vision for us and Ligmincha.
- Commit to your practice. Our ultimate goal is to benefit sentient beings. This only happens through our dedication and effort. Practice, study, come to retreat and listen to the cyber-teachings. Our commitment is the ultimate measure of our success.
- Pray for the successful manifestation of Rinpoche’s vision.
- Donate your time and skills to your local sangha. Everyone has the ability to be of service. Sweep the floor, bring food or tea for after a practice, join a committee, become the treasurer. The opportunities are nearly endless. If you don’t know how you can help, just ask someone on your leadership committee or council.
- Provide financial support. Serenity Ridge only covers about 65 to 70 percent of its operating costs through retreats, accommodations and rentals. And Ligmincha International is 100 percent dependent on charitable gifts for its activities as of today. We cannot function without the financial support of practitioners. Please consider making a year-end gift, especially an unrestricted gift to our general operating fund. A brochure will be coming out soon with details on how you can contribute financially to Ligmincha and Serenity Ridge.
Respectfully,
Rob Patzig
Ligmincha International Board Chair
