Kagyu Samye Dzong London News

January 2005

Contents

1. Auction on 20th March - good quality items needed in addition to Lama Yeshe Rinpoche's car
2. Tsunami appeal fund
3. Helping KSDL in a year of change
4. Green Tara Practice and Drawing the Deity, 28th-30th January
5. Forthcoming events

News in Brief

The Samye Ling Picture Calender for 2005 is available from the office at the reduced price of just £3.95, plus £1.50 p&p if you can't get down to the Centre to collect it personally. Contact the Centre on 020-7928 5447 to order yours now.

• The date of the Volunteer Day has been changed from 20th March to the 6th February.
• The Tibetan Language class which started in September last year is still going strong.  People with knowledge of the alphabet and basic spelling are welcome to join the class which takes place on Wednesdays at 7.00-8.30 pm.

1 - Auction on 20th March - good quality items needed

On the 19th and 20th March we have an event that many didn't expect to see - our 7th anniversary celebrations of the opening of Kagyu Samye Dzong London on our current site.  However the fundraising still continues as, with the price of property in London, we still have a way to go before having sufficient funds to buy, refurbish and equip a new Centre.

To have a successful auction of course requires good quality items to be auctioned - and so we have

Lama Yeshe Rinpoche's car to be auctioned in his presence

This is an unusual opportunity to acquire your very own, newly serviced, comfortable Karma Kagyu Car in which Lama Yeshe Rinpoche has travelled extensively.

However it would be a shame if it was the only fantastic item there.  Let us invite you to take the chance to donate some of the things you may no longer want or need in order to help us raise the funds we need for a new Centre. All donations gratefully received - and if you are really attached to some of your donations, feel free to come to the auction and put in huge bids to get them back again!

Back to contents

2 - Tsunami Appeal Fund

We have all been shocked and saddened by the recent tragedy following the tsunami in Asia.

Our main monastery in Scotland – Kagyu Samye Ling – has set up a Tsunami Appeal fund. This has been at the initiative of Lama Yeshe Rinpoche who made a pilgrimage in 1998 to many of the countries now affected and feels a strong bond with the many Buddhist communities there.

Samye Ling is sending the funds by bank draft to the Narada Centre in Sri Lanka, one of the monasteries Lama Yeshe Rinpoche visited, and monks there will use the money raised to buy essential supplies including educational materials to help children back to school. To date, £3000 has been sent out, an amount which is worth many times more in Sri Lankan terms. Lama Zangmo’s own brother is a monk at this monastery, and is very active in the support of the community there.

If you would like to donate money to the appeal, you may do so through the Samye Dzong office, or you can send directly to Samye Ling, writing ‘tsunami appeal’ on the reverse of cheques.

3 - Helping KSDL in a Year of Change

If you were thinking you might like to help Samye Dzong in some small (or big) way – 2005’s your chance! This year, we are even more than usually busy, as, what with property meetings, mailouts, auctions, and a myriad of other things, there’s hardly time to watch one’s breath!  Consequently, we thought it would be a good idea to let you know in this section of practical ways you can be of service to Samye Dzong throughout the year.You can be sure that any help you give is appropriate and really is ‘help where help is needed’. Also, as this is the year when we will most likely be moving, it is quite a historic time in the evolution of the Centre, so we are a part of something much bigger and there is much merit in helping now.

So please watch this space!

To get our house in order, we have a ‘Volunteer Day’ on Sunday February 6th to spring clean the building and garden. Please let us know if you can come and help on that day. Lunch will be provided as well as well as lots of tea and good company as usual.

Also, we have quite a few of our current programmes left, and we always need help with publicising the Centre. If you could place a few programmes regularly in a library or deli near you, that would be a great help to the centre, and you would be helping introduce people to the precious Dharma. Please pick up some programmes when you are next here, and let us know where you will be placing them. Thank you!

4 - Green Tara Practice and Drawing the Deity – with Angelika Schnabel

Friday 28th January, 7.00-8.30 pm
Saturday 29th - Sunday 30th, 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
£50

We meditate on Green Tara in order to overcome both outer and inner obstacles. On this weekend, Angelika will combine drawing the deity with meditation sessions. The course will give an excellent foundation for the Green Tara practice, and drawing the deity will help with visualisation as one familiarises oneself with Tara’s form.

It is not necessary to have received the Green Tara empowerment to attend the course. Please bring paper, pencils and ruler, and please book in advance.

Angelika has completed a 4 year retreat and a seven year training in traditional thanka painting at Samye Ling in Scotland.

Back to contents

5 - Forthcoming events

January 2005

Introduction to meditation
Thursday 13th January - Thursday 10th February,
7.00-8.30 pm.
£45

The Special Foundations - Prostrations and Dorje Sempa
with Lama Zangmo
Saturday 22nd - Sunday 23rd January, 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
£45
Saturday will focus on the prostrations only, but it is necessary to have received the Dorje Sempa empowerment to attend on the Sunday.  Bring text, pen and paper.

Green Tara Practice and drawing the deity
with Angelika Schnabel
Friday 28th January, 7.00-8.30 pm
Saturday 29th - Sunday 30th, 10.00 am - 5.00 pm
£50
This course must be booked in advance.  Please bring paper, pencils and a ruler.

February 2005

Volunteer Day
Sunday 6th February, 9.30 am - 5.00 pm
Please bring lots of energy and enthusiasm and we will provide good food and lots of tea.
Please let us know in advance if you would like to come.

Chen style Tai Chi
with John Henry
Sunday 13th February, 10.30 - 4.00 pm.
£25
A monthly class of Chen style Tai Chi.  Beginners welcome.

Intermediate mediation
with Lama Zangmo
Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th February, 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
£45

About the Newsletter

This newsletter goes out to those who have expressed an interest in Kagyu Samye Dzong London. It covers news of the efforts and progress towards finding and funding a new site for the centre, and other events taking place in the coming weeks

Being on this mailing list is not compulsory. If you do not want to receive this newsletter, or would like it to be sent to a different email address, please use the links at the bottom of the newsletter.

Back to contents