Ligmincha Learning Past, Present and Future

New Programs, Other Changes to This Online Learning Platform

Ligmincha Learning began in 2009 as a way for Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche to share detailed instruction on Bon practices with students outside of a retreat setting. Over the years, many new programs and features have been added to this online learning platform, and plans for further expansion are under way.

In 2009 Rinpoche wanted a way that students could deepen their understanding and experience with certain practices outside of his regular retreats, and with more support than could be provided by a book. Always an innovator with technology, he saw an opportunity to create online courses. These courses would combine prerecorded videos, audio files, print materials and a moderated discussion forum where students could discuss the practices, share experiences and ask questions.

Back then (a long, long time ago in internet time!), very few dharma organizations had online learning platforms of their own. John Jackson, a longtime student of Rinpoche's, had been successfully building and supporting an online learning platform for the University of Virginia College of Medicine, and he saw an opportunity to use his technology and videography skills to create a platform and fulfill Rinpoche's wish. Because Ligmincha had far fewer resources than it has today, Ligmincha Learning was started as a separate business. John identified the technology needed, built the site, planned the initial courses with Rinpoche, shot the video footage and edited the videos into courses. He also served as the guide (what Ligmincha called a student supporting Rinpoche's or another geshe's courses) for all the courses as they went online.

For years Ligmincha Learning ran happily along, offering instruction in the Three Heart Mantras, Five Elements and the Six Lokas. Then, beginning in 2014, as Ligmincha began to expand in scope the opportunities for Ligmincha Learning grew, too. To take advantage of those opportunities and to better integrate Ligmincha Learning with Ligmincha International's other programs, Ligmincha acquired the online learning platform from John in 2015.

Ligmincha began to think of how to expand its use, not only for new courses, but with more teachers and for new purposes. A course on the practice of Sherap Chamma with Marcy Vaughn was added in 2017. The first training program, the "Host" program, was added to train and support students who want to share Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's teachings with others. Ligmincha Learning began to offer free courses in 2017, introducing the Nine Breaths of Purification, the External Tsa Lung and basic meditation instruction. A nine-month program for the Ngondro from the Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyu taught by Rinpoche was launched in 2018, and a course on the Treasures of Bon co-taught by Geshe Denma Gyaltsen and John Jackson came about in 2019. In the same year, a second training program was developed to support Ligmincha's umdzes, or practice leaders, helping deepen their knowledge of Ligmincha's core practices and providing advice on how to support a practice group. In 2020 two new online courses began, Sleep Yoga with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and Meditation, Breath & Movement with Alejandro Chaoul-Reich. Beginning In 2021, Lourdes Hinojosa also stepped forward and began to serve as a guide for the Three Heart Mantras course.

With covid, no new courses were produced in 2021, but many other changes took place during this year. The entire Ligmincha Learning website was rebuilt to make it not only mobile friendly, but accessible by a mobile app now that gives all of the desktop functionality to mobile phone users.

A truly important update to the platform was made with the inclusion of subtitles in languages other than English. The Sherap Chamma course was the first to offer a second language option (French) beginning in 2018, and non-English versions of courses have become available in Italian, Polish, Portuguese and Spanish as well. The intention is to make more courses available in these and other languages as soon as possible. This work is supported by volunteer native speakers in the different countries.

A major change for Ligmincha Learning in 2021 is that John Jackson began to step back from involvement with the platform. He has relinquished the technical support of the platform to Sean Quinn-Parziale, Ligmincha International's new tech support person, and to internet hosts at Xubium in Peru. All registration is now overseen by Johanna-Mae Mariano. John continues to serve as guide for The Five Elements: Healing with Form, Energy & Light, Treasures of Bon: History, Lineage & Practices, and some of the Transforming Our Emotions Through the Six Lokas courses. Ligmincha is deeply grateful for all that John has done over these many years to bring online education to the western Bon community, and for his continued involvement in certain courses.

The year 2022 will see further expansion of Ligmincha Learning! Soon a Spanish language version of the Three Heart Mantras course will be available, and it will be the first course to be dubbed rather than subtitled. A new self-paced and self-guided course (done without a discussion board) will be offered by Rinpoche's wife, Khandro Tsering Wangmo Khymsar, this spring. Her course will teach participants how to raise lung-ta, or prosperity and luck, with prayer flags and through ritual.

Online learning offers many advantages for Ligmincha's globally dispersed community. With Ligmincha Learning, we can access teachings on our own schedule and according to our own interests. We can take more time to deepen our knowledge and integrate the practices. Certainly, prerecorded content does not replace the profound experience of a live teaching, either in person or online, but it is a powerful support, nonetheless.

Please take a look at the many course offerings on ligminchalearning.com. We have a full calendar in 2022 and hope you will join us there!