Volume 24, Number 3 / June 2024
Letter from the Editors
Seeing Through One's Stories
Dear Friends,
What is the nature of the many identities and stories that we've held onto and let go of throughout the years? And who is the I that is so enthralled by them? In the excerpt that follows, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche refreshes us on what's needed along the way toward resting in the wisdom of knowing yourself.
Ligmincha International is happy to announce details about this year's Fall Retreat to be held in Kathmandu, Nepal, October 9-14, 2024 and registration is now open! See all the details below.
More news and events at Ligmincha:
- Enjoy several of Rinpoche's recent Reflections of the Day.
- New CyberSangha offerings beginning May 29 plus learn more about the new CyberSangha Community App.
- See Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's upcoming teaching schedule.
- Register soon for the upcoming Summer Retreats on Tummo, Part 4, at Serenity Ridge and at Chamma Ling Poland.
- Ligmincha Learning online course on Meditation, Breath and Movement starts June 28.
- GlideWing's online course on Healing from the Source begins June 15.
- 3 Doors Academies, Compassion Project plus free online practice opportunities.
- Read the Spanish translation for the April VOCL.
In Bon,
Aline and Jeff Fisher
Coming to Rest in the Awareness Underlying All of Our Stories and Identities
An Excerpt from Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's Teachings in Mexico, March 2023
It's good to know that this notion of wisdom that I've been speaking of so much does not conflict with any other traditions. That's because wisdom is only one, whether it's your wisdom, my wisdom or our wisdom. And a very simple way of saying what wisdom is would be: self-realization, self-awareness, knowing yourself. Okay, so what does knowing yourself mean?
Over time, I have been sharing so many of my reflections on Facebook that you might be saying to yourself, he's talking about the same thing in so many different ways. Yes I am. And clearly it's not because there are so many wisdoms, but rather, it's because there are so many pains. All the reflections I've shared anchor this wisdom in different examples of the pains that we're familiar with. Yet, throughout all of these, the wisdom is the same.
I think that every human being, and probably even every sentient being, is on one single journey, which is searching for yourself. It's very interesting. No matter what your age group, you are still looking for yourself. However, it seems like that label is strongly applied to teenagers, as if teenagers are the only ones struggling for their identities. As if they have not found it, but the rest of the population has. That's not true. They may be more aggressive about it. And they are at the beginning of their search, so there is so much more energy and so much more confusion, along with so many more changes in their body and their mind and emotions and hormones, everything!
And as we get older, it may appear like we are tired of searching for ourselves, yet we are still looking. And many times in our lives, we've thought we've found it, but then we come to realize that none of these conclusions were right. Yet, even though all of our previous attempts at searching have failed to truly find ourself, we still keep going about our searches in the same way, and in the same places, and with the same stories. It's endless.
So, you need to get a little bit more committed on this journey of knowing yourself. You have to become very brave in order to search for this. Because it requires you to identify that everything that you have thought was you, is not you. Doing this will lead you to not continuing to search in the same way and in the same places that you've been searching up till now. You see, if you're interested in knowing yourself, then you have to begin somewhere, and this is the way to begin. You have to be detached from the identity that you have used in the past to identify yourself. And that detachment needs to progress healthfully in more and more ways as your strength allows you. Because there are so many ways that you can come to know yourself.
Looking around yourself and simply observing, have you noticed that every single person you know, particularly those that you know very closely, are all looking for happiness? And you'll notice too that everyone's labels for what brings them happiness are positioned in so many different places. Have you noticed that? And for some it could be food, or it could be alcohol, for some it could be a drug, or for others it could be sugar. And if you look at yourself and your happiness, you can see that you, too, have placed a happiness label on something. And once you have labeled any one thing this way, then naturally it would be hard to eliminate it, wouldn't it? If you have identified something as a happiness, then every time that you seek for happiness, you'd naturally pursue it by way of that thing which you've put the happiness label on. And when that cycle becomes extreme or very unhealthy, then it's called an addiction. It is not uncommon for it to be toward alcohol maybe, or a drug and things like that, but it can even be toward things like one's work, too.
I've noticed for myself that I love to hang out in cafes to work. And every time I go to the cafe, I order a coffee. Yet, I've known that I really don't need coffee. And nowadays I don't even want coffee, except maybe one cup in the morning, but that's it. The reason for my always ordering coffee at the cafe is partly a lack of awareness and partly the habit of, Okay you're in a cafe. What do you want in the cafe? Okay, coffee. I have a choice to order something else, but I identify that place as a coffee place, so that identification is subconsciously impacting me to say coffee. What do you want? Coffee. So in situations like this, it's clear that you have to change your habit, reminding yourself that you have a choice, and you instead can just order a water.
Now, if we look at ourselves, and I want everybody to look, what does it mean, knowing yourself. Lately, I have been giving one example, and that example involves diapers. Okay, no one here is a baby, right? Is anyone a baby? No. If there are no babies here, then that also means that everyone's free of any baby diapers. Or, do you still keep your old baby diaper with you now for sentimental reasons? No? Then there's no doubt that we are not holding on to any diapers anymore. However, maybe one day when we've gotten old enough, like maybe 85 or 90 years old, we may once again need a diaper. But nevertheless, are you that elderly diapered person, now? Definitely not.
It's clear then that you are not that diapered baby, nor are you a diapered elderly person. In the same way though, right now in your life, how can you say that you are clearly this person who you are identifying with at present? How can you say that? And why would you even be interested in that kind of questioning? Because actually, the identity that you have now is the source of your suffering. You're obviously not carrying your baby diapers anymore, but you have carried with you up till now a lot of the emotions of that baby, the wounds and traumas.
So whoever this is that you identify yourself as right now, this is not you. The key, though, is to first simply contemplate on that a little bit. If you look, you can see that every moment in your life up to now, you've been very serious about something, whatever that happens to be at the time. You've been saying repeatedly, I am very serious about this. I am very serious about that. I am very serious about whatever it is. I am, I am, I am, I, I, I.
So, who is this I that seems very serious? This I is not the diapered baby, nor is this I that diapered elderly person. But if you observe, you'll see that presently there is something, an identity, that's here right now that is also not the I, such that when you happen to finally get to the stage of having an elderly-person diaper, and then you look back on this time in your life, you'll see, Oh my god, that was not me. Why did I have a lot of problems with that? You'll look back on it in that way.
So each time you have to be aware of that, be conscious of that. What's necessary in this process is the idea of saying goodbye to the past. Goodbye to that baby, and to all of the diapers that baby used. Do you want to suffer about those diapers now? Do you want to suffer the other stories about your past, now? Okay so you may say, definitely not the diapers, but some of the other stories? Yes, there are some stories that I'm presently holding onto.
Okay, but now you have to say goodbye to all of the stories as equally as you say goodbye to those diapers. No matter how much you think that those other stories are important, the truth is that all of those stories are no more special than the story of your diapers. Imagine if you had been saving each one of those diapers all in one room. Well, if you're saving each one of those stories in your heart, it's the same thing. Just imagine! It's too much. So you say to yourself, Yes, I can say goodbye to all of the diapers, along with all of their contents [laughter]. And equally, I can say goodbye to all of the other stories too.
In letting go, you clear the past. Goodbye. Goodbye. And it's okay that it feels hard to say goodbye to some of the stories, that's normal. But definitely don't give yourself an award for being able to hold onto this or that story for forty-five years up until now! [laughter] Would you give a gold medal to someone who was able to hold onto all of those diapers till now? No. So, goodbye! Which also means to simply find peace with it all. Just look back in the past and see: That was not me. That was not me. I'm interested to know myself. And that's not me there, that is some experience that I've had. I don't want to be so serious about it that I'm holding onto it. So goodbye. I'm so happy that I can say goodbye, that I'm allowed to say goodbye, that I'm able to say goodbye, and that I'm able to have peace with my past.
So you see, that's not you. It's clear, isn't it? What is here in this moment? Or in every given moment? All the gifts are in this present moment: you are alive; you're breathing; you're seeing; you're hearing. This ability to embrace life fully in the present moment! If you are able to be in this present moment, then you have some access to this wisdom. Remember in the teachings it says, don't follow the past, don't chase the future, don't change the present, and then if you stay with that long enough, then at some point you're there.
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's Worldwide Teaching Schedule
Upcoming Retreats
Here is Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's upcoming teaching schedule. Rinpoche continues to travel and teach in Virginia, England, Poland, Germany, France, Hungary and Nepal in the upcoming months.
You can find the latest listings and any changes in the Events section of the Ligmincha website or the Serenity Ridge website. Please register for these online retreats through the specific Events box on the website. Updates will be provided on the website as they become available.
- May 31-June 2, 2024. Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Six Lamps, Part 3
- June 22-July 6, 2024. Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Shipman, Virginia. Summer Retreat: Tummo, Part 4
- July 19-21, 2024. London, England. Dream Yoga
- August 13-18, 2024. Wilga, Poland. Tummo, Part 4
- August 19-25, 2024. Buchenau, Germany. Discover Your Inner Light, Part 2
- August 30-September 1, 2024. Bourg-en-Bresse, France. Dream Yoga
- September 6-8, 2024. Budapest, Hungary. Healing Practice of Sherap Chamma
- October 9-14, 2024. Kathmandu, Nepal. Fall Retreat: Chod: Awakening Confidence by Taking Fear as a Path
- November 16-17, 2024. Online: 3 Doors Retreat. TBA
- December 27, 2024-January 4, 2025. Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Shipman, Virginia. Winter Retreat
New Details on Ligmincha's Fall Retreat in Kathmandu, Nepal
October 9-14 with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Join Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche in Nepal! For the first time in 25 years, Rinpoche returns to offer a retreat in Kathmandu, a city steeped in many ancient spiritual traditions and cultures, including Yungdrung Bon. This retreat will include 5 days of teachings on the practice of Chod and a one-day pilgrimage to the great Bon monastery, Triten Norbutse.
Chod is a skillful method for transforming the fear, aversion and attachment that obscure our true nature, and with it the qualities of love, compassion, joy and equanimity that exist in all sentient beings. These afflictions give rise to illness, depression, anxiety, addiction, self-recrimination and become our "demons" driving us toward suffering after suffering. When we nurture the sources of our pain with compassion, we discover the empty nature of our inner enemies and transform them into wisdom. Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will teach us to meet our challenging emotions and experiences, not with anger and judgment, but with a warm embrace, and reconnect to the natural state: open, awake, and fearless.
The retreat will present the chod text composed by the famous Bonpo dzogchen master Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, who attained the rainbow body in 1934 at the age of 75. Traditionally, parts of the text are sung by the practitioner and accompanied by the chod drum and bell. Tenzin Rinpoche will emphasize the core understanding of the principles and practice.
Along with his wonderful sense of humor, Rinpoche has a gift for making ancient wisdom accessible and relevant today. This retreat is open to everyone and has no prerequisites.
The Cycle of Light & Dark, Free Online Course, More
New CyberSangha Offerings Beginning May 29
Don't miss the next online CyberSangha broadcasts! They are free and open to all - see below. On the same topic, have you visited our new CyberSangha community app? It's a great tool for receiving teachings and support in your practice and helping you stay notified about upcoming events of interest. The app now hosts a new "Community Activities" space where you can coordinate with others in the cyber sangha to bring worthwhile projects into reality and where you can inform the entire community about upcoming events of interest. Learn about this new space and many other wonderful aspects of the app here.
Wednesday, May 29, 2024, 12 noon New York time
The Cycle of Light & Dark: A Scientific & Spiritual Exploration of Sleep, Part 2
How do the light of day and darkness of night impact our experience as human beings, including the quality of our sleep? What is light, from the perspectives of both modern science and ancient Tibetan wisdom? Ed O'Malley, integrative sleep medicine specialist, joins Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche in an in-depth online discussion.
Begins Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Free interactive online course, Exploring Inner Refuge in Community
Four consecutive Wednesdays with Phil Tonne, via Zoom; designed to accompany the May and June Full Moon Practices. Class size is limited.
Learn more & register now.
Friday, June 21, 2024, 10 a.m. New York time
24-Hour Full Moon Practice: Finding Refuge Within
You're welcome to join our monthly online gathering at any time during the 24-hour period. In this sacred space we acknowledge personal pain and societal challenges while abiding within the open, clear, warmth of presence - who we truly are. The practice begins with a guided meditation led by Alejandro Chaoul-Reich and continues with 24 hours of silent contemplation alternating with periods of guided meditation. Attendance is free and open to all.
We hope to see you online soon!
Reflections of the Day
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
We are inspired to share several of Rinpoche's Reflections of the Day from April. Here's what he said about them on Facebook:
As many of you know, I often share my daily reflections. These are not lessons for others, but rather insights derived from my observations of the world around me. Through deep self-reflection, I articulate my thoughts and feelings, both to guide myself and to support others on similar journeys. I hope these reflections inspire you to find better paths, just as they do for me.
Recognize your ability to support those who challenge you and your ability to love those who struggle with anger. Embrace the freedom and joy that comes with this self-awareness.
Pain is not intrinsic to our true nature; rather, it stems from being disconnected from the natural state.
When our pain identity is triggered, it is essential to connect with stillness in our body, silence in our speech, and spaciousness in our heart and mind. This mindful awareness guides us and protects those around us.
True communication happens when we touch each other's hearts. In this way, whether in moments of harmony or discord, we find peace.
Enduring relationships are not built on temporary conditions such as beauty, wealth, power, or fame. What endures is the connection with the essence of another.
Lashing out at others does not alleviate your pain; it only intensifies it. Instead, give yourself the space to feel and understand your pain. Addressing your own needs with respect and kindness can help resolve conflict and facilitate healing.
Register Soon: Tummo Part 4 Summer Retreats
At Serenity Ridge June 22-July 6 and in Poland August 13-18
It's almost time for the summer retreat at Serenity Ridge, June 22-July 2, and the summer retreat at Chamma Ling Poland, August 13-18. These retreats will focus on the culmination of a four-year cycle of Tummo teachings with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and will be in-person only and will not be available on Zoom. The retreats are open only to students who have had prior experience with the practice of Tummo.
Tummo refers to inner heat, and its teachings are designed to burn away subtle obscurations and cultivate bliss. Rinpoche will teaching from the text Ku Sum Rang Shar (Spontaneous Arising of the Three Kayas), written by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche, a bon master who attained the body of light (rainbow body) in 1934.
See Ligmincha's website for more information.
Upcoming Ligmincha Learning Course
Tsa Lung: Meditation, Breath and Movement with Alejandro Chaoul
Ligmincha Learning's online course on Meditation, Breath and Movement with Alejandro Chaoul will be offered June 28-July 28, 2024 (with Spanish & Portuguese subtitles available). Tsa lung is a series of ancient yogic practices that brings balance and harmony to our physical body, energy and mind. The term tsa lung can be translated as the energy-winds (Tibetan lung, Skt. prana, Chinese qi) in the channels, for these practices are designed to open the subtle channels, guiding the healthy flow of the energy-winds so that we can enjoy good health and reconnect with more calmness to a quiet, peaceful mind. These exercises are easy to perform and are beneficial for everyone.
Ngondro, The Foundational Practices
March 1-December 15, 2024 (you can join through the end of May)
The ngondro teachings are a set of nine practices that offer complete instructions for taming, purifying and perfecting the suffering mind. Although these practices are considered the foundation for entrance into the five-part cycle of Tibetan Bon dzogchen teachings, the highest teachings on the nature of mind, many practitioners adopt the ngondro as their main meditation and complete the nine sets of 100,000 repetitions over the course of a lifetime. Within each is contained the entire path to liberation. They are considered to be the foundational practices for the entire tradition.
Free courses; enroll at any time. Starting a Meditation Practice; The True Source of Healing; Living with Joy, Dying in Peace
Learn more at ligminchalearning.com
Healing from the Source
GlideWing Online Workshop Begins June 15
GlideWing is pleased to offer Healing from the Source, a three-week online workshop with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche from June 15-July 7, 2024. Participants will practice from their own homes, at their own schedule, with guidance from Rinpoche.
In this workshop, Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche focuses on cultivating loving-kindness as a means for preventing and healing both physical and emotional pain. Based on ancient teachings of dzogchen from the Tibetan Bon Buddhist tradition, the workshop helps one discover the "great healer within." The core teachings of dzogchen introduce us to the nature of mind, to our own inner refuge, the true source of healing. Everyone has access to this source through the "three doors" of body, speech and mind, Rinpoche has explained. He describes stillness of the body, silence of speech, and spaciousness of the mind as the three precious pills, a powerful medicine you can take at any time, with no side effects, to help divert you from your self-punishing tendencies, clear pain and negativity, cultivate awareness, and ultimately access the healing qualities that spontaneously arise in that space.
Upcoming: Tibetan Meditation: The Nature of Mind - Achieving Great Bliss Through Pure Awareness:July 20-August 11, 2024.
Ongoing: Focusing and Calming Your Mind, The Tibetan Practice of Zhine, a free two-week self-guided online workshop.
Learn more at glidewing.com
3 Doors Academies Begin in Europe & Latin America in 2024
Compassion Project Plus Free Practice Opportunities
The 3 Doors is delighted to offer its signature program, the Academy, in Europe and Latin America. The 3 Doors Academy is an immersive 2.5-year program that provides participants the opportunity to engage deeply in the process of self-discovery. Participation involves both online and in-person components, including monthly group Zoom sessions, individual mentor sessions with the teachers, personal retreats, and weeklong, in-person, group retreats.
The 3 Doors is an international nonprofit organization founded in 2010 by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche with the mission of transforming lives through meditation practices from the Tibetan Bon tradition grounded in wisdom and compassion. The 3 Doors offerings include immersive programs to deepen your learning, global online gatherings to experience the vitality of community, and ongoing drop-in practice groups to receive the benefits of steady support.
The 3rd European Academy
The first retreat of the training begins November 1, 2024 at Chateau Frandeux in Mont-Gauthier, Belgium. Presenters will be senior teacher Raven Lee and teachers Nicolas Gounaropoulos, Walter Hofmann and Tonny Maas. Applications are due by June 30, 2024.
Learn more
The 2nd Latin American Academy
The first retreat of the training begins September 9, 2024 in Brazil. More information will be announced soon.
SAVE THE DATE: October 23, 2024 - June 11, 2025
Compassion Project
Online via Zoom. Open to all.
This October the Compassion Project will begin its ninth year. This nine-month program was originally developed by 3 Doors Senior Teachers Gabriel Rocco and Marcy Vaughn for those in caregiving roles. It now supports anyone interested in compassion and embodying the practices and teachings of The 3 Doors in everyday life. Participants will be supported to discover how to open to their inner wisdom to make real personal transformations, enabling greater compassion for self and the lives of others.
FREE PRACTICE OPPORTUNITIES
A Thursday Evening Meditation Practice of Body, Speech and Mind
Online via Zoom. Every Thursday, 8:00-8:45 p.m. New York time. Teachers: 3 Doors Presenters of North America. Open to all.
Thursday Practice Group with practitioners and teachers from Latin America
Online via Zoom. Every second Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Brazil time. Teachers: Alejandro Chaoul, Rosario Arellano, Lourdes Hinojosa, Patricia Vigil, Carlos Villarreal. Open to all.
Discovering Inner Strength in Uncertain Times: A series of meditations with the European Academy Teachers
Online via Zoom. 2:00-3:15 p.m. New York time. Tuesday, June 4 with Teacher Walter Hofmann. Monday, July 1 with Teacher Tonny Maas. Open to all.
Spanish Translation of VOCL
Link to April 2024 Issue Now Available
Look for the translations of Voice of Clear Light newsletters at the top of the VOCL website.
