Volume 19, Number 3 / June 2019
Read the full issue
Letter from the Editors
From Confusion to Creativity
Dear Friends,
How often does our pain and confusion get the better of us? The teachings, though, point to another way. In this excerpt from Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's latest book, Spontaneous Creativity: Meditations for Manifesting Your Positive Qualities, he reminds us to simply leave it as it is when our emotions and unfinished business seem to carry us away. More
Letting Go and Letting Be
An Excerpt from Spontaneous Creativity by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Our emotional energy can derail us or be dynamic fuel for creative expression. Through meditation we can explore our emotions and give a spacious, luminous, warm hug to our emotional conflicts and unfinished business. More
His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin Teaching Tour Begins!
Sa Le Ö Musical Healing and Meditation Concerts Start Soon
The 34th Menri Trizin, His Holiness Lungtok Dawa Dargyal Rinpoche, has begun his tour of the West! For the first time since he was enthroned in 2018, His Holiness is traveling to the West for three months of teaching. The tour, organized by Ligmincha International, in collaboration with the Yungdrung Bön Monastic Center Society, other Bön and dharma centers, and Tibetan community centers, will cover more than 10 locations. More
Hot Off the Press – Two New Sacred Sky Books
The Journey of Tonpa Shenrap’s Daughter and His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin’s Dzogchen Teachings at Serenity Ridge
Two new books published by Sacred Sky Press, a division of Ligmincha International, will be available in June. Escape from Darkness: The Spiritual Journey of the Buddha’s Daughter, Shenza Nechung, is the translation by Sangmo Yangri, Ph.D., of part of an ancient text about Tonpa Shenrap. Living Wisdom: Dzogchen Teachings from the 33rd Menri Trizin, His Holiness Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche, contains excerpts from His His Holiness’s teachings at Serenity Ridge, Headquarters of Ligmincha International, over the years, beginning in 1999 and ending in 2013. More
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s Worldwide Teaching Schedule Through September 2019
Upcoming Retreats Available on Ligmincha Website
Here is a list of Rinpoche’s upcoming retreats through September 2019. It includes Rinpoche’s in-person teachings at Ligmincha International retreat centers or other locations throughout the world. It also includes his online teachings offered through Ligmincha Learning or GlideWing. More
2019 Ligmincha Symposium for Contemplative Sciences a Success!
First of Three Annual Conferences at Serenity Ridge
Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, cutting-edge presenters and participants came together April 14–16, immediately following the Spring Retreat at Serenity Ridge, for the first of three annual conferences on the intersection of scientific and experiential knowledge of how practices of body, speech and mind affect our biology, psychology, neurology and more. More
5-Minute Wisdom
New Facebook Live Series with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Beginning in early June, live on the Facebook page of Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche! A new cycle of short teachings and guided meditations by Rinpoche, each only 5 minutes or so in length, all part of his Pith Instructions series. More
Annual Fall Retreat at Serenity Ridge: October 22–27
'Guidance for Living and Dying: Commentary on the Bardo Teachings from the Bön Mother Tantra'
Registration is now open for the six-day Fall Retreat with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche on “Guidance for Living and Dying: Commentary on the Bardo Teachings from the Bön Mother Tantra.” More
Coming Soon: Audio Book of Spontaneous Creativity
New Book Narrated by Marcy Vaughn Available in Late July
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's second audio book, Spontaneous Creativity: Meditations for Manifesting Your Positive Qualities, is expected to be released in late July. The book, in unabridged audible format, is narrated by Marcy Vaughn, a senior teacher and student of Rinpoche and editor of the printed book, which was published in 2018. More
GlideWing 'Healing from the Source' Starts June 29
Three-Week Workshop with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
The next GlideWing online workshop with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, “Healing from the Source: Meditation as Medicine for Mind and Body” will be held June 29–July 21, 2019. Learn and practice from your own home, at your own schedule, with personal guidance from Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. More
Next Ligmincha Learning Online Course Begins July 10
Four-Week Course on 'Sherap Chamma' with Marcy Vaughn
Ligmincha Learning is pleased to offer an online course on "Sherap Chamma, Mother of Wisdom and Love" with Marcy Vaughn. This four-week online course runs July 10–August 7, 2019, and introduces the practices of Sherap Chamma. More
Power and Promise by Joan Duncan Oliver
The 3 Doors Compassion Project LIVE Online Starts in September
Joan Duncan Oliver has been a Buddhist practitioner for 40 years and is a graduate of The 3 Doors Academy and Compassion Project. She is is an award-winning journalist and author whose most recent book is Buddhism: An Introduction to the Buddha’s Life, Teachings, and Practices. In this article she offers an in-depth look at the Compassion Project, developed by Marcy Vaughn and Gabriel Rocco, with the support of Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. More
Student and Teacher
Together on the Path
As students on the Tibetan Bön Buddhist path, we offer our teachers a range of questions from the simple to the complex. Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has a wonderful ability to understand human nature, cut to the truth and share his wisdom in his responses to these questions. Here is a comment from a student attending the 2018 Winter Retreat at Serenity Ridge and an edited excerpt given in reply by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche.
Student: I'm in a whole different place now compared to before when there was so much exhaustion. More
Spanish Translation of VOCL
Link to April Issue Now Available
Look for the translations of Voice of Clear Light newsletters at the top of the Voice of Clear Light website.
Read VOCL in Spanish
Upcoming Retreats
Serenity Ridge Retreat Center
The events listed below will take place at Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Ligmincha International's headquarters, located in rural Nelson County, Virginia. To register or for more information, visit the Serenity Ridge events section on the website, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 434-263-6304.
June 17–23, 2019
Summer Service Retreat
June 22, 2019
Sa Le Ӧ Benefit Dinner and Concert for Tibetan Orphans
June 23–July 7, 2019
Summer Retreat—Tummo: Inner Fire of Realization, Part 2 of 3
with His Holiness Lungtok Dawa Dargyal Rinpoche and Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
July 7–10, 2019
Personal Practice Retreat
October 22–27, 2019
Fall Retreat—Guidance for Living and Dying: Commentary on the Bardo Teachings from the Bön Mother Tantra
with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
November 8–11, 2019
Trul Khor, Part 2 and Part 3
with Alejandro Chaoul-Reich and Rob Patzig
November 8–10, 2019
Special Retreat, Topic TBA
with His Eminence Menri Lopon Trinley Nyima Rinpoche
December 26, 2019–January 1, 2020
Winter Retreat—Dzogchen Silent Practice Retreat: Turning Inward
with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
To register for any of the above retreats, or for more information about teachings in the Bön Buddhist tradition of Tibet, please visit the Serenity Ridge website, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 434-263-6304.