Kagyu Samye Dzong London NewsMarch 2005 |
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Contents |
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News in Brief
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1 - 7th anniversary celebration and auction on 19th-20th March This weekend we will celebrate 7 years spent at Carlisle Lane with feasts and Tsok Pujas of Guru Rinpoche and Milarepa, as well as Green Tara Puja. Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche will be joining us following his recent return from Nepal (see article below). On the evening of Saturday 19th the programme of celebrations will include:
Grand Auction on Sunday 20th starting at 1.00 pm. We are delighted that Lama Yeshe Rinpoche will be present throughout the auction. We hope that you will find it a joyout occasion and please feel free to let your bidding get out-of-hand! Lama Yeshe Rinpoche's Saab will be auctioned in a very special and exciting way: for this particular item there will be only one bid - the very first person to bid wins the car. Most auctions start at a low amount of money. That amount is increased with each bid until the auction has reached the maximum amount that the people present are prepared to pay for the item. In the case of Lama Yeshe Rinpoche's care it will be done the other way around. The auction will start at a very high but worthwhile price and the auctioneer will gradually reduce the amount, so the first bid is the maximum, and therefore winning bid. Other exciting items include:
Bids on lots can be made by email (london@samye.org), post or phone before the auction, so the bidder does not have to be present on the day. All commission bids must be received at Samye Dzong by Thursday 17th March, along with your name, address and telephone number (not mobile). |
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2 - Walking for and celebrating 25 years of Rokpa – A personal account by Teresa Randall Five months ago I signed up to do a sponsored Himalayan trek in Nepal raising money for Rokpa Overseas Projects, to support the restoration and preservation of Tibetan Culture. Actually it was called the ‘Rokpa Himalayan Challenge Trek’ but rather fortunately at the time I only read the words Rokpa and Himalayan, not seeing the challenge aspect. The challenge came in the preparation … getting the kit - I hadn’t even heard of the wicker layering system and platypus drinking bag all apparently needed for this trip, let alone the weekly hill walking training and physio exercises. My flatmates thought it very funny seeing me do the ‘can can’, standing on the edge of the fireplace practising knee bends! On 25th February twenty trekkers, one Scots trek leader, around eight Nepalese sherpas and twenty kitchen staff and porters – all united in aim through Community Action Treks (CAT) and Rokpa charitable trust – set off for a fantastic adventure and pilgrimage. Passing through stunning landscape with inspiring views of snow-capped mountains, orchids, stupas on hill tops, rhododendron forests, prayer flags covering whole hillsides warding off the hungry ghosts.. we walked and walked and walked .. 100 km in the sacred Helambu Valley of Nepal. We visited healthcare projects and schools set up to support villagers, made some knee trembling descents and for those fitter trekkers (including 7 year old Sam) climbed into the clouds of the sacred Yangri Peak. We were shown compassion and joy from our fellow sherpas who were our eyes and ears, so attentive and ready to help us when our bodies flagged against the great Himalayan foothills. |
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| We made a pilgrimage to Guru Rinpoche’s cave in the magical sherpa village of Malamchigoan, which is beautifully nestled beneath the mountain and forest, to the side of a waterfall – a feeling of coming home at last! The cave was still and peaceful, solid in the rockface, the prefect practice place. In the summer months people come and do retreats in this cave. |  |
| The next day we went on to Milerepa’s retreat cave, the Tiger Lion Fortress, all trying to imagine the great yogi’s existence in this sacred place and feeling humbled to be there. We walked past a waterfall where the rockface looked like ‘Mahakala’ and the water, his hair. Our imagination stretched, our horizons broadened, our hearts lighter - we all wondered what effect this place would have on us as we headed back towards the city of Kathmandu. | |
Then, to top it all after the trek we joined the celebration of 25 years of ‘Rokpa help.’ A huge marquee had been erected to accommodate around 400 guests at the grand opening of the newly built Rokpa Children’s Home in the Boudha area of Kathmandu. Dr Akong Tulku Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, Lea Wyler (vice president of Rokpa International), representatives of monasteries in Nepal, many VIPs, Samye Ling sangha and sponsors of Rokpa had come for the occasion. The afternoon’s program included Tibetan and Nepalese singing and dancing, performed by the 40 children from the new home, as well as people from the Tibetan community performing the beautiful and most sacred Gesar dance of offerings, blessings and wishes, originally performed in the Kham district of Tibet. After the talks and performance there was delicious food for everyone, and a chance to catch up with friends. |
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We also visited the other Rokpa projects in Boudha, Nepal: the woman’s workshop and crèche, purchasing the most beautiful bags, book covers and materials and, the soup kitchen, which opens in the winter months. I felt in awe of the work that has been done here and the happy faces of the Rokpa children. I learnt of the new project to establish an old people’s home near the Children’s Home and again felt the great compassion of Akong Rinpoche, Lama Yeshe and Lea Wyler in helping so many people and felt much gratitude for welcoming us all. For more information on Rokpa visit www.rokpa.org. |
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Celebrations with Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche April Green Tara instructions and practice Chen style Tai Chi Introduction to meditation Developing loving kindness and compassion Ritual instruments Setting up a shrine, and torma making |
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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. |
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Kagyu Samye Dzong London Tibetan Buddhist Centre Carlisle Lane, Lambeth, London, SE1 7LG Tel: 020 7928 5447 Fax: 020 7633 9339 Web-site: www.samye.org/london Newsletter editor: David Bates davidjbates@mac.com |
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