No. 88 September, October 2007

upcoming retreats with chögyal

Photo: Romain Piro

Spain Barcelona November 25–29 ’s Nyingtam Sumchu (Thirty Pieces of Advice from the Heart) Brazil Sao Paulo Photo: Romain Piro December 7–12 Paltrul ’s Shri Gyalpo’i Khyadchos (The Three Lines Which Strike the Essence, shitro retreat The Three Statements of Garab Dorje) purifying the karma november 1–4, 2007 Argentina merigar, italy Buenos Aires December 15–17 of the dead elio guarisco Weekend of Teaching Cordoba, Tashigar Sur December 27–January 3 lthough the temperature was retreats and many people are destined to The November retreat in a way was a Longchenpa’s Choszhi Rinchen Phrengwa crispy cold, clear sky and sunshine stay outdoors in the cold. Even if the out- unique event in that, to my knowledge, it (The Necklace of the Four Precious ) A blessed Rinpoche’s Shitro Retreat door tents were furnished with gas heat- was the fi rst time that the practice of the Open Webcast for the dead. This is not a small thing in ers, sitting in them is defi nitely not very Rite for the Purifi cation of the Dead was the rough environment of the Merigar comfortable. introduced to the Western world. This rite Mountain, because this time of year can In any case, all the three retreats is the central part of funerary rites in the 2008 be bone chillingly cold. I know that pierc- Rinpoche conducted this fall at Merigar parts of the world that are infl uenced by January 7–10 ing cold from the past years when I was witnessed a vast participation of people the Tibetan culture, such as many regions Santi Maha First Level Exam working at Merigar with a Tibetan doc- and a dedicated interest, obviously pleas- of the Himalaya. January 11–17 tor. I used to walk back to my quarters at ing the Master whose effort is thus not In our Western world death is a strange Santi Maha Sangha Second Level Training Merigar Due from the Yellow House in the spent in vain. The September retreat on event that nobody quite understands. In middle of the night. Bianco, the Marem- Paltrul Rinpoche’s Vision of Luminous Clar- fact, death is often a taboo topic for con- February 1– 6 man sheep dog that unfortunately is now ity was a typical and wonderful introduc- versation. Young people talk about life, Zhine and Lhagthong according to Atiyoga nowhere to be seen, always accompanied tion to the very core of the Dzogchen con- middle age people talk about business, Closed Webcast me. That dog was a kind of guardian of templative practice. It must have blessed early seniors talk about disease, but only February 15–20 Merigar. Strangely he would not bark at the understanding and practice of many very senior people talk about the possibil- Zhitro Khordas Rangdrol, a of Rigdzin the Community people, but at outside peo- students, new and old alike. The October ity of death. In our society death is gen- Janchub Dorje ple who came to do some work or deliver retreat on the Twenty-one Praises to , erally concealed, and even when it occurs something. So the weather in Merigar, es- which arose from Rinpoche’s dream vi- they apply make up, etc., to the deceased Peru pecially in this part of the year, can make sions, was a rare opportunity to approach body in a way that it still looks alive, beau- February 29 –March 5 a wonderful event such as a Rinpoche the practice of Tara from a Dzogchen point tiful and smelling nice. We do not know Zer-nga retreat a hard thing to endure because of of view and the chanting of the Praises in what goes on in the mind of the deceased, Venezuela cold and wind. Also, the beautiful Meri- . but we know that as relatives, father, Margarita Island, Tashigar Norte gar Gonpa is somewhat small for the big mother, children, wife, or husband of the March 21–26 >> continued on page 4 Dzogchen Teaching retreat Open Webcast Teaching USA Naples April 4–9 Santi Maha Sangha, Yantra Yoga & Vajra Dance Teachers Training Chögyal Namkhai Congressional Namdeling Norbu Medal of April 25–30 Honor for A Ling of Joy Dzogchen Teaching Retreat The nature of HH Dalai without End Open Webcast transmission May 9–14 Dzogchen Teaching Retreat Open Webcast >> continued on page 18 » Page 2 » Page 5 » Pages 10, 11 THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007

2 the nature of transmission tara retreat day 5 october 5–11, 2007 merigar west open webcast

ello everyone everywhere. We are continuing our teaching of Green Tara. Today, fi rstly, I want to Hgive the complete transmission of the of all these 21 lodes (praises) of Tara. I have checked the 21 lodes in the root text of the *. The Kangyur is considered authentic. All the words that we use in general are more or less the same, but there are a few words that are a little different. These words may be particularly dif- ferent if we are translating, because then their meaning has changed slightly. Therefore it is better to use what we Photo: Walter Camerloher fi nd in the Kangyur. In general, slowly the teaching is be- ing modifi ed and changed. The attitudes of people and ing the Tibetan alphabet and how to read, so sometimes I don’t receive transmission it is diffi cult to produce a real how words are used modify the teaching. That is normal. was reading a little, but many times I did not feel to read function. If you are seriously interested you can partici- All of us who follow and apply the teachings are human or study. My uncle was always doing meditation. Some- pate and learn and slowly you can receive transmission, beings. If there are ten people, ten people have ten differ- times, for periods, he was doing trulkhor and I would go because you have that interest. When there is no interest ent ideas. Even if the teacher explains and helps people behind him and disturb him because I had nothing to do. you have a problem. So you see for that reason sometimes understand one thing, then later many students have un- Sometimes he said, “Oh you do like this”, so I would try the teachings are a little limited for people who have no derstood the same thing differently. to do a little of what he was doing. transmission. Of course there is Upadesha and many For example, consider the original teaching of Buddha So the Yantra Yoga that we are learning, this main methods of Dzogchen Semde and Longde, so for exam- Shakyamuni. Buddha Shakyamuni taught the same way principle teaching and transmission, I received from my ple, some people say they have never received the trans- to all his students, but when his paranirvana or death uncle. Uncle Togden is the source of the Yantra Yoga that mission of Dzogchen Longde but are interested to do it. manifested, the students collected his teachings and one we apply. I had a dream of my Uncle Togden and I asked They ask me to please give them permission to do that said, “I understood this way” and another said, “I under- him if there would be any problem if I taught Yantra Yoga. practice. I can say yes, I can give you permission, but that stood this way.” So they did not agree among them. That He said no, there would be no problem, I could teach be- doesn’t work. It doesn’t work because permission means is how different schools and traditions start. Buddha cause the visualization in Yantra Yoga is not connected you must follow the teaching and receive transmission. never created different schools or traditions. For exam- with Tantrism, with transformation. That transmission is related to instruction and once you ple, after his paranirvana, there were eighteen different In , in the Kalachakra for example, we have a have received the transmission, you can learn how to schools and then later, more of the collected teachings trulkhor called jordrug (sbyor drug). We also have yantras work, one by one, and you can work with the transmis- became , and Tantrism teaching. All related to the Hevajra and Chakrasamvara ; there sion and instruction and produce some function. these different schools arose. It is only in Tibet that we are many of these kinds of yantras. All these yantras are Sometimes practitioners are like small babies. When have Sakayapa, Kagyupa, Gelugpa, etc. Everybody con- connected with transformation. Transformation is done, small babies go into a big shop, they see many different siders that these teachings are the teachings of Buddha and with these channels and chakras you do trulkhor. For things and they like this and that and want everything. and therefore Buddhist teachings. Slowly these teachings that reason these kinds of teachings are considered se- In the same way, a practitioner reads a book and thinks it were modifi ed and changed. cret and that is the reason they are kept secret. is interesting and then wants to do the practice. I always Aside from the origin of Buddhist teaching, when I In Yantra Yoga we do not have this kind of visualiza- ask people what kind of transmission they have received. fi rst arrived in Italy I taught Yantra Yoga. I taught Yantra tion and transformation because Yantra Yoga is con- If you remember that transmission, you try and do that Yoga because it is a more simple and easy teaching, but in nected with the Dzogchen teaching and the fi nal goal instead of doing something you did not receive the trans- Yantra Yoga there are many things, like the pranayamas, of Yantra Yoga is the knowledge of Dzogchen. We have mission for. Transmission and teaching always have that are linked with Tantra teaching and must be kept body, speech and mind, and in Yantra Yoga we are work- their perfect function. It is not always necessary to do secret. Many years ago when people asked me to teach ing more with body and speech. Of course it is not com- something like Dzogchen Longde. There are many ways Yantra Yoga I was a little worried. I remembered when I plete to only work with body and speech; we need also the of doing practice. So it is very important we are going in was a small boy in East Tibet and one of my uncles was mind level and then we need the teaching of Dzogchen. that way, in a more concrete way, and it is important to a monk in a Sakyapa monastery. He spoke of a kind of We also do not remain only in the mind level but go be- know that sometimes we must be careful and not change yantra of Hevajra. There was a lama there who was con- yond. For that reason, when do visualizations of chan- or modify the essence of the teaching. So that is the ex- sidered very good and important, and it was said that nels and chakras, we don’t need to do those transforma- ample of why I say with these 21 lodes (praises) there are he was a very good lama always doing yantra, trulkhor** tions, but we do a visualization called tongra. Tongra, different words.  and many people heard that he was doing trulkhor. I was tong means emptiness and ra means dimension, so tongra very surprised and I asked my uncle what the trulkhor means the dimension of emptiness, our dimension of the Transcribed and edited by Naomi Zeitz is like and he said that once I received the Lamdre (lam physical body. You can have a little idea of that by looking ‘bras) teaching of Hevajra, I could receive this trulkhor in- at . Samantabhadra manifests like the di- struction. Then I asked my uncle if he had received this mension of the human body; not as a transformation of Lamdre teaching and he said yes. I asked him to show me a particular fi gure. Samantabhadra shows the dimension * Collection of Buddha Shakyamuni’s teachings in 108 volumes, how to do this trulkhor. I think now that he said he could of human being, so we all know we are human, so tongra the Tripitaka translated into Tibetan (one of the two parts of not show me because he didn’t know how to do the move- is the dimension of our physical body in the human con- the , see also ). ments. I insisted he show me because I was interested to dition. That is suffi cient and developed in that way. ** Yantra, movement (of the body), yantra yoga. know. He said he could not show me because I had not So you see, with Yantra Yoga is there is not much prob- received the Lamdre. I asked him what would happen if I lem for those without transmission. For that reason we did the trulkhor. He told me I would become blind. Then I are teaching Yantra Yoga. Of course, if you go more into became afraid and didn’t ask again. the pranayamas, if you go a little deeper, then you need I know that all the traditions of Sakyapa, Nyingmapa, at least the base of knowledge of Dzogchen teaching. We and , keep these trulkhors very secret. I thought cannot teach pranayama publicly, but it doesn’t mean maybe I shouldn’t teach the trulkhor, that it was not good. that people need to have transmission. It means that they Maybe I would create some problem with my samaya, my need to have interest to follow and recognize that this is commitment. Three or four times people insisted that a teaching. This is the base in a teaching, something very I teach Yantra Yoga, but I did not accept. I was worried. important. Then one night, I had a dream of my Uncle Togden. I re- Some people ask if they can do practice if they have not member my Uncle Togden doing Yantra Yoga when I was received transmission. They ask if they can they partici- around three or four years old. In one period I spent al- pate and do practice with practitioners of the Dzogchen most three months with my uncle. He was living in a cave Community. If someone is interested and really has a in a very isolated place. I slept in a small wooden house serious interest, then they can participate, there is no inside the cave and my uncle slept in a bigger cave. In the problem, but doesn’t mean the practice will produce a daytime I had nothing to do. In that period I was learn- function. The function is related to transmission. If you THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 News

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Gars are still not seriously col- you have experience. It is very things that do not correspond laborating and that is why they important that we work and go to this situation and for that rea- the words of have economic problems. For ahead that way. Also for the new son problems arise. So then you example, they say they do not Gakyil, it is very important, and I relax that and free that tension have suffi cient memberships to told you since the beginning, not and then no problems exist. You chögyal namkhai maintain the Gar. Of course, if to create tensions. If you create do your best. That is what I want you are not following this pro- tensions, then the work is noth- to say. norbu gram [of Yeshi’s] how can you ing. This is very negative. That Other Gars and Lings should merigar west gonpa develop membership if you al- means respecting each other and take example from what we are november 5, 2007 ways maintain an old style? We collaborating with people. doing at Merigar. You should re- annual membership assembly must adapt to change in time. Another thing, in general, is member that Merigar is the fi rst For that reason, Yeshi and Luigi that between the Gakyil and the Gar. I have spent many, many the reorganization project: know how things should work in gekö there are always some little years here. We worked a lot from the project that aims to help the gars this period and in this situation, problems. At the beginning there the start of the fi rst Gakyil. That become self-sustaining and last in future therefore their collaboration is are no problems because you means at Merigar we have the very important for me and neces- have just chosen someone new accumulation of all of our expe- sary to continue this teaching in and you feel very good. But after riences and for that reason it is s you have heard from collaborating they were criticiz- a serious way. I think it [collabo- a little while, problems arise. So better you learn and apply this Yeshi’s report, Meri- ing. Some people would say, for ration with Yeshi and Luigi] is in order to not have these kinds and not always go in an egoistic “A gar has now more or example, that when we talked very, very important and that not of problems, the Gakyil needs to way. less no fi nancial problems and is about multiplying membership only Merigar, but also the Gars have a kind of rule or program of So then we will go ahead if not dependent on my retreats for that the Dzogchen Community and Lings all over the world, un- how to work with the gekö. Also we are still alive. Maybe most income. In general, though, all was becoming a business. I don’t derstand that and try to change the new gekö must learn with of you are younger than I am, the other Gars are waiting for me think that is the way to contin- their brains and ideas a little and the old gekö how things should and maybe you will live a little to come to keep them alive and ue the Dzogchen Community; not remain like gorgonzola. We be and what he/she should do. I longer. I also hope to live some help them continue. This is very continuing the Dzogchen Com- can’t really change and progress think this is very important for years and together we can do negative. I am not permanent or munity means continuing Gars, in this case. So please give that living in the Gar or continuing our best to continue and main- immortal. One day, for example, Lings, practitioners, practices, message to everyone interested the work of the Gar. tain the Dzogchen Community there will be no Namkhai Norbu. cause of the teachings, etc. How in the Dzogchen Community. I said already, particularly for and teaching. That means it is When Namkhai Norbu disap- can we do all this if there is no Regarding Merigar and the the gekö, and also for Gakyil, very important and useful that pears, then the all the Gars will base? For that reason, I am ask- Gakyil, the new Gakyil must col- that it is very important to have everybody collaborates. That is disappear, and that is not posi- ing people to please collaborate. laborate with the old Gakyil. The patience and not immediately what I want to say. Thank you tive. I am aware of that and for This is something very impor- old Gakyil needs to collaborate disagree with people and create very much to everyone who is that reason, I have asked my son tant. with the new Gakyil of the next problems, etc. Of course we are taking responsibility and dedi- Yeshi and Luigi to work on a pro- So now you have heard Yeshi’s year. The new Gakyil does not living in samsara and problems cating their time and effort to be gram [to help the Gars become report. For example, here at Mer- know how to do everything very always arise. Very serious and on the Gakyil and doing all these autonomous]. igar, we are already economi- well and which kind of programs, heavy problems do not really ex- things.”  Last year, you remember, we cally independent to continue. projects and courses they should ist. If there is a problem you must had many problems with people That does not mean that all Gars organize. When you have done think a little what the source of Transcribed and edited by not collaborating. Instead of are in the same condition. Many one or two years on the Gakyil, the problem is. There are some Naomi Zeitz

diffi cult and we can understand lots of marvelous things, as long somebody is responsible for the chögyal namkhai norbu’s this well. One should have some as they manage not to create ten- Gakyil and receives some criti- good intention to participate sion and to work in a harmoni- cism from one or two or three advice before the election and really do something because ous way, I am happy. This is what people, that doesn’t matter. It’s it is important. I always say that I wanted to say so you should try much better not to discuss things of the new gakyil the Community is important for to understand this and work on with these people because if you merigar west, 14 october, 2007 keeping the teaching alive so in it. This is my wish. discuss with them, they are con- this case if somebody succeeds in Sometimes people say that vinced that you want to develop doing some service, this is also a they don’t want to do the Gakyil this type of argument. So you translated by cristiana de falco good action. So you shouldn’t because it’s diffi cult. Of course shouldn’t worry about people transcribed and edited by liz granger think, “Oh, I’m not really inter- when you do something in so- who are not happy with things. ested because there are so many ciety there is always some dif- Whether there is a Gakyil of e are more or less all person wants to fi nd work, it is confl icts among people”. If you fi culty. Even if it is like this you nine or six or three people, it is the practitioners who much better today in the modern don’t put your ego in fi rst place should move in the right way. You important that they agree with Wlive around Merigar. world to look for work in mod- there are usually not these kinds shouldn’t concentrate only on each other and communicate re- Our principle is the principle of ern society and you will probably of problems. If you put your ego doing things from a legal point ally well. We often have the prob- the teaching, so if we do some- earn more money. in fi rst place, there will never be of view even though this is nec- lem of people not receiving or thing for the Community it If you want to do something a lack of problems. So remember essary when you do something communicating information in should always have the prin- for the Community, the fi rst in- that we are practitioners and we in society; you should work with a perfect way. One reason is that ciple of knowledge or intention, tention you need to have is that it are doing a kind of practice. We the circumstances considering sometimes people are not very something of the practice. To do is a type of practice to provide a are doing our best. what we can do and what is bet- open, or sometimes people don’t service for the Community is a service to practitioners. At least For example, I like it when ter to do. If we go in this direc- make much commitment. Their practice, but many people do not I do like this all the time. So if somebody does something use- tion, there is no problem. intention is good, they say that have this kind of idea or inten- you are learning from me, try ful for the Community and Some people, for example, they want to serve on the Gakyil, tion. When there is something to to do things in the same way. doesn’t create tensions. If people work for the Gakyil, while oth- that they want to do their best to do for the Community they think Even when we have a meeting, it create tensions among them- ers don’t do anything, just watch give this service, but when there of the Community as a kind of is not just any type of meeting, selves, I don’t want to be the them and criticize and discour- is something to do they either company. They want to have a but it is about how we should do judge. I’m not interested in who age them a little. They say, “Oh, forget or they don’t communicate job and they think they can have things to serve the Community. is right and who is wrong be- that person doesn’t do anything within the Gakyil and in this way one with the Community and So we should do these things cause both are negative for me. but criticize!”. That doesn’t some problems arise. So it is very live and earn money this way. If with awareness because they are If they are practitioners, there is matter. For example, person- important to communicate and you want to do this, go and try something that is very impor- no need to create tensions. When ally I am quite convinced that I nowadays it is very easy. Everyone to fi nd something else, because tant. This is true not only for to- somebody says that they are do- am teaching people in the right has a mobile phone and some in this way you will also earn day, but in general. ing their best in a very harmoni- way and I am quite convinced people even have three! They more money and you won’t have Today, now, we have this ous way and something mani- that most people who follow me like to use them and talk when to risk the money that comes meeting during which we should fests, I am very happy about this. think that I am doing the right they are eating, walking, work- from the blood of all the faith- renew the Merigar West Gakyil. But if they start to accuse each thing. There are also people who ing, always. So if it is like this, ful people (in the Community). Sometimes it seems that people other saying, “Oh, I am doing write me very negative things why don’t you communicate well The truth is that all the money don’t want to make a commit- the right thing but he isn’t”, I get and criticize me saying that my within the Community? Even if we have here in the Community ment to the Gakyil. They have annoyed. So anybody who serves teaching is bad for them, rather there is the slightest thing, it is is the blood of the faithful. One their work, their family and their on the Gakyil or takes a commit- than good. But I really don’t care always good to communicate and of the greatest obstacles for the own commitments and it’s not ment for the Community should because I know very well that in establish something. In this way, practice is called ‘kordrib’ (dkor so easy. We know that serving on remember this. For me this is the society there are many different everything works well. So I also grib), the obstacle of the ‘kor’, the Gakyil is not something that fi rst important thing, not the sec- kinds of people and many points wanted to say this about commu- which means the riches of the you do to earn money, it’s a kind ond. Then if they manage to do of view. How ever, if most of the nication among the people of the Community and its faithful. It of autonomous service. In this something positive, that is fi ne. people thought this then I would Community and the Gakyil. It’s is absolutely not positive. If a case someone may fi nd it really Even if they don’t manage to do reconsider a bit. In this way if very important.  THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 News

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Photo: Naomi Zeitz happy birthday to rosa namkhai october 24, 2007

TO YOUR LONG LIFE AND GOOD HEALTH. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR OUR MASTER, Photo: Walter Camerloher THE TEACHINGS AND OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE DEEPLY GRATEFUL! es for the Dzogchen Community. The International Dzogchen Community buddha shakyamuni’s During the retreat he asked us to use this short but very important praise to the 21 taras invocation on all occasions in Emy is Born! enzo terzano which the eight fears and their congratulations On November 7, 2007, Yuchen translation: liz granger related sufferings appear and in FOR THE NEW ADDITION TO Namkhai, Luigi Ottaviani and all circumstances in which we FAMILY NAMKHAI, EMY! Maya welcomed a new baby girl feel we need Tara’s help. called Emy into the world. o be aware you have way. A series of events and a clear In 1965, the Master had anoth- Congratulations to all! to be present”. The dream he had showed him that er dream while he was in Rome, “T Master opened the his trip would have been ill fat- Italy, which led him to the twen- retreat with these words spoken ed. Not only would he not have ty-one praises to the twenty-one You know that in the Dzogchen Another dream that is essen- in Italian just before the begin- been able to help his family, but Taras. In the dream, he heard Teaching the most important tial for understanding the prac- ning of the webcast. As his voice he would have put his own life in the praises sung in Tibetan and practice is Guru Yoga … In tice of Tara in relationship to the was broadcast over the network danger as well. then, with the same melody, they Dzogchen the manifestation of Dzogchen Teaching is the dream and we started the retreat called The dream he had in Sikkim were sung in Sanskrit. A yogini Green Tara is the union of the the Master had in Singapore in “The twenty-one homages to was also precious from the point who was there revealed to him Three Vajras of all the masters of 1996. From a symbolic point of praise Tara and their benefi ts” of view of the Teaching. In fact, where he could fi nd the text in the and of all their trans- view, in this dream a Chinese (sGrol ma la phyag ‘tshal nyi shu during the dream, the Master re- Sanskrit: in the Tantra of differ- missions. The three potentiali- statue representing Avalokitesh- rtsa gcig gis bstod pa phan yon dang ceived an invocation in Tibetan, ent actions of Tara, Mother of all ties of the Base, essence, nature vara transformed into Green bcas pa), those words began to which more or less meant, “Tara, the Tathagatas (de Bzhin gshegs pa and energy, this is the real nature Tara. Something similar took take shape in our consciousness. save us through your compas- thams cad kyi yum sgrol ma las sna of Tara. For a practitioner she is place in the last dream the Mas- The Master explained at length sion”. The deeper meaning of the tshogs ‘byung ba zhes bya ba’i rgyud) the union of all the Dharmapalas ter spoke about which happened how he received knowledge of dream could be summed up as a contained in the Kangyur (Bka’ … Tara is the principle of knowl- in Peru in 2001 when he was this practice through a series of clear understanding of the value ‘Gyur). For two weeks in a row the edge. In the Buddha ex- coming back from a retreat in dreams he had over a period of of karma. The Master reminded Master searched in the Kangyur plained that Tara is Yum Chenmo, Chile that was held in a Catholic forty-two years, between 1959 us that sometimes when we have and in the end fi nally found the the Great Mother of all the Bud- monastery where: “Outside the and 2001. problems and there isn’t much praises. dhas. Great Mother doesn’t mean monastery there was a beauti- The Master had the fi rst we can do about them, but they Other similar dreams fol- mother in the ordinary sense of ful Madonna. I often went to see dream, he said, in 1959 at a par- can often be overcome especially lowed in 1982 and 1997, the lat- Buddha’s mother or father but that fantastic Madonna.” In the ticularly distressing moment thanks to reciting this invoca- ter in particular that he had in the source of Illumination… We dream in Peru: “I was in front of when his family was in Tibet, his tion. New Delhi was connected to the are in the state of Yum Chenmo of the statue of Madonna and it be- father and brother in prison. He From that moment, the Mas- Dzogchen Teaching. “When we the Prajnaparamita. This state came Green Tara and I thought himself was in exile in Sikkim ter has used the short invocation do the practice of Green Tara we represents the knowledge and it could be something very inter- and had tried to cross the border to Tara personally and has in- say Guru Arya Tara, which means understanding of Dzogchen”. esting”. into Tibet to help them in some cluded it in the collective practic- that this is the state of the Guru.

>> continued from page 1 the meaning or reality that un- ticular the byanchog. Byang means very simple yet complete practice line. Learning this rite we hope dead person, we feel a sense of derlies Birth, Life and Death. purifi cation, chog rite. There are for the purifi cation of the karma that in addition to reshaping our disbelief that a life has ended. Moreover, we know that at the many classes of this rite, mostly of the deceased. He explained the life with the Dzogchen Teach- We do not know how to explain it moment of death all our concepts connected to the Buddha Vai- details of the rite, which has as ing, we can shape our death and and we remain very much in pain cease and there manifests the rocana or Kunrig, which are its preliminary the Shitro of the our future destiny as well. Thus and helpless until we eventually natural state of the mind in all its elaborate, lengthy and complex. famous terton, Namchö Mingyur everybody took very seriously forget the event and continue nakedness and luminosity, called Unfortunately, in the East, these Dorje, and then practiced it with the retreat in an unprecedented with our life involvements. ‘mother clear light’. If during the kinds of rites are mostly for pro- us for three days. On the last day, manner. This was very touching In the world infl uenced by the life we had had the great oppor- fessionals, and when profession- at the fi nal momentum and apex and very moving! Tibetan culture and particularly tunity of being introduced to that als lose their professionalism and of the practice, Rinpoche burned This event also coincided with the practices associated with the state, which is called ‘son clear degenerate, the rite becomes an- many names and photos of dead the publication in Italian lan- treasure teachings of the Libera- light’, at the moment of death we other way of making money, and people. I imagine that at that guage of a book that Rinpoche tion through Hearing in the would recognize it and enter it in a a not nice one, as it uses the suf- time many of us were relieved cherishes very much, Birth, Living or intermediate state, death is defi nitive way and attain realiza- fering of others. Moreover, when of a big burden of the death of and Dying, that contains a total viewed as an important event, tion. Those that do not have such professionals become fewer, the some relative, envisioning the teaching on a healthy approach both for the deceased and for the fortune, or other methods, are practice also faces the danger of possibility that our beloved may, to life and beyond. The whole re- people who loved him or her, as bound to experience the illusory extinction. through this rite, have a better treat was thus a brilliant example well. It is a moment that, fi rst of vision of the bardo as real and So it is a great fortune and a destiny. of the way in which Rinpoche is all, reminds us of the transitory then be reborn in the six worlds great privilege for us to be able Moreover, we will all person- trying successfully to re-educate nature of our life on this planet; of samsara according to their dif- to learn this practice and apply ally face the moment of death. our Western conceptual and con- thus of the need to fully utilize ferent karmas. These are people it for our relatives and friends Many in the Dzogchen Commu- ditioned mind and to step into a the potentialities we have during who are dear to us, so for them as they leave us behind in this nity have already reached that more realistic and genuine ap- our life to capture the essence of we practice the Shitro and in par- world. Rinpoche has prepared a point and many others are in proach to Life and Death. THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 News

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peaceful energy lit up through his holiness the the Rotunda and in us gathered outside. receives the congressional medal of honor His Holiness emerged from in washington D.C., USA the Capitol Building with Speaker october 17, 2007 Pelosi and Richard Gere, among others. He gave an address to the crowd outside, fi rst speaking adam butros in Tibetan and then in English. Nancy Pelosi was gifted a minia- ture . She told His Holiness he sky was bright and Then the crowd hushed and that today he brought peace to the clear, as golden light pushed forward as the giant Capitol. His Holiness explained Tbathed the U.S. capitol in screen above us switched to show to her the stupa as a symbol of honor of the visit of His Holiness inside the Capitol Rotunda. The the Mind of Enlightenment. The the Dalai Lama. We arrived in honorary ceremony began. First fl ags of Tibet waved, and the gi- the city the previous night, after there were several introductory ant dungchen horns blared on the a ten hour ride from Tsegyalgar speakers. Then President Bush steps of the Capitol Building. I East down to Washington D.C. rose and gave his brief address. looked up and saw the tower- There were fi fteen Community He clearly stated his support for ing white dome of the nation’s members crammed into the van His Holiness and the rights of capitol, with the colors of the with several remarkably well- Tibetan people. Bush claimed three vajras fl ying high, and saw mannered kids. that the religious diversity in a giant stupa, surrounded by We jumped off the subway America is a source of strength, thousands of practitioners. The train, ran up the steps to the and that the Dalai Lama had won closing speaker, Namgyal Phun- street, and joined the jubilant the affection of the American gtsog, exclaimed his delight throngs of people streaming people. Bush closed his talk by that the wishes of six million towards the Capitol Building. lauding His Holiness as “a uni- Tibetans today were broadcast Smiling faces converged on the versal symbol of peace and toler- to the world on the “big screen” swelling queue through the se- ance, a shepherd for the faithful, of the U.S. government platform. curity gates. The West Lawn and a keeper of the fl ame for his Somehow, it did not seem so very spread out below the tall steps of people.” far-fetched when Richard Gere the Capitol Building. The crowd President Bush, Speaker of the closed his heartfelt address by grew large and buzzed with ex- House Nancy Pelosi, and Senator saying, “we will see you in Lhasa citement. People from all around Byrd together bestowed the in two years…”. the world gathered this day to honorary gold medal upon His witness the profound recogni- Holiness. The front of the medal tion of our precious Dalai Lama, is engraved with His Holiness’s his works and light in the world. likeness with the title “14th Dalai On September 27th, 2006 Lama of Tibet: Tenzin Gyatso. President Bush signed the Public Act of Congress 2006”. The other Law to present His Holiness the side is marked with a lotus fl ower with the high- and His Holiness’ quote: “World est civilian award our govern- peace must develop from inner ment can bestow: the Congres- peace. Peace is not the absence of sional Gold Medal of Honor. violence. Peace is the manifesta- The gold medal was fi rst given tion of human compassion.” to George Washington in 1776. Then His Holiness delivered In recent decades Congress has his acceptance speech. With conferred the award upon di- humble grace, His Holiness verse heroes and famous fi gures transformed the congressional from John Wayne to Mother rotunda into a giant Gonpa, and Teresa. Since 2001 the United began to give a powerful teach- States ratifi ed sixteen congres- ing to our Capitol government. sional resolutions in support of He spoke with relaxed ease, in the Tibetan people. Of those, his signature tone of wise and Photo: N. Nyinda this gold medal carries the most gentle mirth. He informed our monumental bearing on the congress that, although politi- world stage. It sends a clear mes- cians at times make “a little bit sage of support for Tibet, calls of lies”, he feels that their genu- for religious tolerance and free- ine efforts for freedom and peace dom, and acknowledges His Ho- will benefi t them in the future. liness’s great contribution to the He spoke to the current situation world. Like the auspicious tradi- in Tibet and with China, and tion called ser tram tar chas, offer- challenged the U.S., “As a cham- ing of the gold coin and kata, our pion of democracy and freedom, government chose to honor the you must continue to ensure Precious Lama, and invite his the success of those endeavors teaching to our great hall. aimed at safeguarding basic hu- It was a beautiful crowd at the man rights in the world”. He also Capitol Building. There were stu- called for U.S. leadership on en- dents, families, tourists, activ- vironmental issues, stating that, ists, journalists, practitioners, “… each one of us must, in what- and of course, hundreds of Tibet- ever way we can, use our talents ans wearing their fi nest festive and resources to make a differ- attire and grinning warmly. The ence so that we can pass on to Tibetan community had come our future generations a planet from far and wide. Performances that is at least safe to live on”. of Tibetan music and dance pre- His Holiness pointed out that ceded the ceremony. Elegant bro- many people present, important cade and bright sleeves whirled fi gures in our government, were across the stage. Rich melodic close friends of many years to voices rose over the sharp rhyth- him. His Holiness said that his mic strum of the dranyen strings. friendship with them was not The crowd cheered loudly for the based on money or politics, but contemporary Tibetan vocalist on their kindness and warm- who crooned praises for His Ho- heartedness. He said this while liness. pointing out to the crowd, and a powerful moment of clear Photo: N. Nyinda THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 Shang Shung Institute

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ated to establish a new way of foundations of collaboration between the SSI and countries with a strong in- the shang shung terest in our programs. institute We kindly ask you to read the text on the Foundations very careful- Dear members, donors and friends of ly as it may clarify any questions the Shang Shung Institute, regarding the Shang Shung In- stitute that you may have. If there JOB ADVERTISEMENT: It is our great pleasure to pres- are still some unclear points, EDITOR FOR BOOKS IN ENGLISH ent to you a new document en- please feel free to contact the In- titled “Foundations of the Shang stitute or visit our website. The international Shang Shung Institute is looking for a qualifi ed English editor Shung Institute.” These guide- for future publications of Shang Shung Editions. The person we are looking for lines are a real milestone in the Thank you for your attention, should fulfi l the following requirements: history of the Institute as they Very best wishes, · The person should be an English or American native speaker. precisely clarify all aspects re- Luigi Ottaviani, Oliver Leick, · The person should be a senior practitioner with a sound knowledge of Rinpoche’s garding our work and the pos- Paola Zamperini teachings. sible ways to collaborate with the www.shangshunginstitute.org · The person should have a solid mastery of English/American language at a Institute. literary level. The foundation document can be · The person should have previous experience of working as a literary editor. This document includes a sec- downloaded from the website by · The person should be member of the Dzogchen Community and the international tion called “Guidelines for Local clicking on Mission: Shang Shung Institute. Branches of the Shang Shung http://www.shangshunginstitute. · The person should have studied the “Foundations of the Shang Shung Institute” Institute.” These guidelines de- org/media/Foundations_SSI.pdf well and be in accord with them. scribe a brand new initiative cre- · The person should be reliable and dedicated to the Master and the Teachings. · The person should be able to do this editorial work as a long term job. Staff Position Available · The person should have knowledge of use and access to the Internet. in the Multimedia/Archives Department of the Shang Shung Institute in Merigar, located in Arcidosso, Job description: Grosseto, Italy. Starting in October/November 2007 · The editor will edit Rinpoche’s books as well as translations from the Ka-ter (training on the job provided for 3 months). Translation Project which will afterwards be distributed to the public and also within the Dzogchen Community. Profi le: The candidate is a motivated person with · The editorial work may be done from any place in the world, but a stable broad- good education and at least a few years of experience band internet connection is defi nitely a must. working in offi ce environments where computers · At the beginning of the collaboration the editor will have to participate in a and other electronic equipment are routinely used. special training course in order to become qualifi ed. This training will last Previous exposure to professional Multimedia and between 3-4 weeks and will be held at Merigar. Video is a desirable plus, but a strong personal com- · The person must guarantee regular communication with the Project Manager of mitment (and capacity) to train on the job and acquire the Public Books Project and Shang Shung Editions through means such as Chat, required skills quickly may also be considered. Skype conference, etc. also on a daily basis.

Requirements: Financial aspects Member of the Dzogchen Community · In order to start collaboration the person will receive one book to edit as a kind of If not a EU citizen, the person must be eligible for a test of his/her qualifi cations. legal permit to live and work in Italy. · If the person passes this test and fulfi ls all requirements he/she will receive a Capacity for teamwork and relating with people, reli- limited regular monthly payment the same as the other staff of the Institute. A ability, dedication. bonus payment for excellent work is possible. Further details will be discussed Ready to fi nd an independent living accommodation and fi xed after the person has been approved. around Arcidosso. Good English both written and spoken, working All interested people are asked to send their CV including especially their working knowledge of Italian experience to the Institute at: [email protected] Skilled in the use of Computers, email, Internet. Thank you for your collaboration and best wishes, Working knowledge of PC architecture, Windows sys- The Board of Directors tems, Networks (or capacity/willingness to study and learn). Working knowledge of Multimedia: CD and DVD creation, audio-video compression and format con- version, Web streaming (or capacity/willingness to karma yoga for shang shung institute study and learn). phonya – international shang shung institute’s newsletter Working knowledge of Video editing (or capacity/will- ingness to study and learn). Working knowledge of Video recording/shooting and photography (or ca- The international Shang Shung This work is a “collaboration pacity/willingness to study and learn). Institute is looking for a capable based on Karmayoga”, which Working knowledge of multimedia archives (or ca- person who could work on the means that you will not get a pacity/willingness to study and learn quickly). next issue of our regular news- payment for your work, but you Capacity and willingness to study and learn new paper Phonya. The next issue will receive a certifi cate that you things and keep up-to-date. should be ready by the end of De- have worked a certain amount cember 2007 or the beginning of of hours for the Institute. Read Primary duties: Video editing, recording, shooting January 2008. more about such collaboration and duplicating. Creation of CDs and DVDs. The person will have to edit the with the Institute in the text Taking care of basic computers/networks mainte- texts, work on the pictures, add Foundations of the Shang Shung nance. them into the text and layout the Institute. Give collaboration and support to the Archives (data Phonya. entry and backup, fi le duplication, compression, con- You could use the layout of the If you are interested in such version). fi rst issue of the Phonya (http:// collaboration, please send your Webcast reception and transmission in/from Meri- www.shangshunginstitute.org/ applications to: karmayoga@ gar (audio and video). Webcast Users administration edia/download_gallery/phonya- shangshunginstitute.org (password processing etc.). 2007-1.pdf) Hours = 40/week, Wage = negotiable. Thank you and best wishes, Applicants must be willing to commit for a minimum Board of Directors of the Shang of 2 years. Shung Institute Interested people fi tting the job description are wel- www.shangshunginstitute.org come to send their resumes (in English or Italian) to [email protected]

Thank You, The Shang Shung Institute. THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 Shang Shung Institute; ASIA

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disease, but most are connected shang shung institute with the menstrual cycle. In this system they are divided in two: of america update trag tsab – early stage menstrua- tion problems and lung tsab – that includes chronic problems. Dr. ith the start of a new thankas, appliqué artwork, and Wangmo will be discussing the academic year at furniture. The cozy environ- view of gynecology and treat- W Shang Shung Insti- ment is an ‘added bonus’, as we ment of menopause according to tute’s Tibetan Medicine Program say in America, to what is already Tibetan Medicine in this course. comes the announcement for a rare opportunity to learn from the upcoming monthly talks. In a highly qualifi ed and inspiring Accepting Applications for a series previously known as “Ti- teacher. February 2008 betan Medicine for Everyone”, The suggested donation for We are now accepting appli- participants have the opportuni- the talks is $15. cation for the Spring 2008 ty of learning key topics in Tibet- semester. Applications can be an Medicine in an intimate and Upcoming Talks Include: found on-line. If you have any inspiring setting with Dr. Phunt- Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo. questions or clarifi cation on sog Wangmo. Starting in No- November 2nd, 7–9pm, The Seven the curriculum on the Tibetan vember 2007, Dr. Wangmo will Constitutional Types in Tibetan Tibetan medicine, and the useful such as karma and conscious- Medicine Program please con- be speaking on the fi rst Friday Medicine application of this knowledge in ness, and learn the biological tact Shang Shung Institute by of the month at Shang Shung’s During this course, Dr. Wangmo daily life. phases of development that the phone or email, 413.369.4928 or Healing Center in Northamp- will introduce the seven constitu- fetus goes through according to [email protected]. ton, Massachusetts. The Center tions in Tibetan Medicine. Every December 7th, 7–9pm, Conception Tibetan Medicine. hosts monthly talks, offers Ti- person is considered to be one of and Embryology betan Medicine Consultations, these seven constitutions, based Dr. Wangmo will introduce the February 1st, 7–9pm, Be on the watch for the release of the and Tibetan Kunye Massage. It on how the diet and behavior of basic theory in Tibetan Medicine Understanding & Treating new, updated will also be home to a display of one’s mother affected the fi ve el- of how conception is considered Menopause in Tibetan Medicine www.ShangShung.org website! Tibetan Medicine in the future. ements during the gestation pe- to take place, as well as how In the ancient texts of Tibetan The Healing Center is beauti- riod. This class will discuss how the body is formed inside of the Medicine menopause is included fully decorated in Tibetan style to recognize these seven consti- mother’s womb. You will be in- in the chapters on gynecology. with artisan pieces including tutions, their application in the troduced to Buddhist concepts, There are many types of female

di Siena S.p.a., IBAN: IT 27 M fax (06-44702620) or by regular become a member 01030 72160 000000389350, post. SWIFT BIC: PASC IT M1 G99 (or alternatively you can send us of asia! your details: name, surname, * by credit card (VISA, Master- address, telephone number and t this time of great trou- sources to carry our work ahead. of the minorities and the infi - card, American Express, Carta Si) email.) bles for the entire world For this reason we ask all those nite richness of the ethnic and through our website – www. Aand particularly for the who hold dear the same objec- cultural diversity of the Asian asia-onlus.org – or authorization You’ll receive: Asian continent, we feel the need tives as ourselves to join our as- peoples. by fax – 0039 06/44702620 · your membership card more than ever to devote our- sociation. Please indicate “Membership · our bi-monthly online news- selves even more strongly to the To become a member of ASIA you fee” with your payment. letter survival of the Tibetan people By becoming a MEMBER of simply need to: · information on our projects, and their values of non-violence, ASIA you could be our “ambas- · pay a membership fee of 55 € · send us your application form videos and publications. tolerance and peace which are a sador” and actively promote our a year in one of the following for membership which can be fundamental part of their Cul- projects, campaigns and initia- ways: downloaded from our web- ture. tives. Together we could create site www.asia-onlus.org to a network of people who would * by bank draft to account the following email address We need to develop ASIA and fi nd be aware and committed to no.3893.50 in the name “A.S.I.A. (l.fi [email protected]) or the economic and human re- safeguarading the human rights Onlus” – at the Monte dei Paschi

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J. Crow’s ® Mulling Spice Folk Medicine Tibetan Medicine SpicedCider.com fax or phone: 1 800 878 1965 603 878 1965 [email protected] THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 Vajra Dance

8 vajra dance teachers meet in merigar october 12–16, 2007 prima mai

utside, on our Earth, we tinuous and coordinated as- are always confronting sistance to the local Dzogchen Obattles of the elements, Community members wishing as if the elements themselves to learn the basic steps of the are in competition with each Vajra Dance. other and wish to show off their The Vajra Dance has been de- strength and force themselves veloping, changing and deepen- on each other. As well, our so- ing since its fi rst day. Adriana called modern life shows simi- and I have worked closely to- lar battles between nations and gether with Rinpoche, who has neighbors. There is hardly time been guiding us with much com- to deepen anything and we are passion, patience and correcting rushing to fi nd quick aids to di- us when necessary. Adriana and gest quickly and run for the new I also check with each other to thing to come, to update, to up- make sure we maintain the prin- grade and not be caught out of ciple of the Dance. time. In any case, we always run We have previously done out of time. at least two Teacher Training To fi nd a balance beyond re- courses of the same level with jecting and accepting is a chal- local instructors who have been lenge and we are the most fortu- authorized by Rinpoche and nate ones to have received what- asked for supervision course. succeed to integrate then we also cated time to create music for cial for memorizing the newly ever method needed for whatever The local instructor then leads have realization. Time is related each of the Three Vajra Dances, learned steps or changes to prac- capacity to fi nd inner peace, an a course where we assist and with our mind and with our en- based on his understanding and tice them intensively in the be- inner space beyond time, to be in check. We meet again at Teacher ergy. It is very important. study of Rinpoche’s description ginning. Otherwise, one forgets the real nature of what is and be Training given by Rinpoche to all Taking Rinpoche’s advice of instruments used for the Song very quickly or falls back in old in total integration beyond suf- Santi Maha Sangha, Yantra Yoga to heart, I tried to listen to the of Vajra that Rinpoche received habits of wrong movements and fering. and Vajra Dance candidates and rhythm and I observed that our in his dreams. Many of us have cannot develop. It is also impor- Refl ecting on the fact that to we present our “candidates” and rhythm does not always corre- already been able to listen and tant to communicate from the meet such fortune, to connect then Rinpoche approves or not spond very well and I also had dance to the fi rst versions and en- beginning when and where are with an authentic source, and to our choice for local instructor. to correct myself in a few places. joy the sensitive arrangement of the committed days of practic- be able to follow that path free- After that, we often do not see During courses I observed that sounds. Costantino is still fi nal- ing together or even a follow-up ly, is as rare today as in ancient each other again in courses. Most we had to develop a better un- izing his complex arrangements practice retreat weekend. The times. In ancient times Mas- local instructors dedicate their derstanding of the timing or the and hopefully it will be available Gakyil could also inform via ters would not reveal all their time to participate in Teacher beat. That it will be essential for soon through the Shang Shung Norbunet or the local network knowledge openly and seekers of Trainings or advanced courses to the next stage, to make sure we Institute and we can integrate regularly about these kinds of knowledge had to sacrifi ce and keep updated and check with us. have a concrete experience. If also with his precious work. activities. take on hardship to show their That is very good. At these times we dance together in correspon- Roberto Cacciapaglia also We discussed what to do worthiness and pure intention we often expressed the wish to dence with the beat, it is very offered music to Rinpoche to when someone who is not an for receiving introduction into meet with only instructors to easy to observe how eventually accompany the Vajra Dance. He authorized Vajra Dance practi- the heart of knowledge. Today work together more concretely. the movements change. created a simple and delightful tioner takes strong charge, even in the midst of all the confu- From our experience, Adriana In the small booklet that ac- arrangement on the Song of the teaches others or pushes to cor- sions, created by the “modern” and I are very aware of the need companies dance courses, I have Vajra, which is very helpful to rect them and creates tensions, life, in some ways nothing has to continuously check each oth- already integrated notes on the correct the beat. Roberto is also so that in the end dedicated changed. er and us to maintain a strong beat. And in the recent courses, I working on some music for the practitioners dislike coming to In ancient times sacred awareness in order to keep the started to count the beat of each Vajra Dance of Six Spaces and practice together. That is quite a images, symbols, music, Sacred Vajra Dance pure in its transmis- step loudly, delighting some and Three Vajras. We look forward to delicate situation, and also a very Dances and Yogas would commu- sion. This is also in relation to the despairing others. I think maybe integrate his compositions with negative condition that should nicate whole volumes of knowl- more technical parts, especially some dancers fi nd it disrespect- the Vajra Dance. It is enriching really be taken care of. The best, edge to awaken or enlighten and the timing. At this meeting, we ful to the sound of the to to have various types of music of course, is to observe oneself books were to accompany the not only worked on the technical exchange it with chanting “one to integrate with, as well the dif- and realize that through ones knowledge, to give add commen- parts of the Dance and checking and two and”, and I agree it is ferent experiences related to our behavior others are not com- tary. One of these methods is the the correspondence between us, a poor expression and one is in emotions. fortable and try to relax. If these Sacred Dance of the Vajra. but we also exchanged informa- need of a stable state of equa- We have all observed that mu- kinds of negativities develop, This year for the fi rst time, tion about the organization of nimity to be able to integrate. It sic with subtle but clear indica- the local instructor should feel all the Vajra Dance instructors courses and other issues related does help though, to fi nally un- tions of the rhythm has helped responsible and address this, in authorized by Rinpoche and the to the Vajra Dance. Here I would derstand. The best help is to be us a great deal to fi nd ourselves collaboration with a blue Gakyil candidates with whom we had like to communicate some ben- present with each step and syl- in the precise beat, to develop person, and talk to the involved done supervision courses with, efi cial aspects for everyone wish- lable. The next best help is the understanding of the importance practitioners to fi nd out the real came together at Merigar from ing to deepen in this practice. accompanying music of the Vajra of timing and to establish a con- cause. There may also be the October 12–16. Dance. If we still cannot fi nd crete experience that automati- need to organize differently for For all of us to meet at the Timing the correct correspondence with cally leads to the state of inte- courses or weekly instructions same time was a miracle, consid- A really important issue we our step and the sound, then we gration and realization the state or practice weekends with the ering that most traveled from far worked on was being in the should count the beat. of . This is how Rinpoche possibility to clear doubts with and made a sacrifi ce to be able to correct time. In 2004 Rinpoche, explains. In this course, most of the local instructor. The local in- come. For six days we dedicated after having done examination The Music the time we dedicated to work- structor should coordinate this mornings and afternoons to of a few candidates to become Under the guidance of our ing on our rhythm and the varia- together with the local Gakyil. come together in the Gonpa and instructors of the Vajra Dance in Master, Matteo Silva offered the tions in our movements. At the We do not have Vajra Dance work mainly on the Vajra Dance Tashigar Norte, he talked about fi rst Vajra Dance music. We used end of our sessions, we would sit instructors to create positions of Six Spaces and the Three Vajra the importance of being in pre- very simple electronic sounds down together around the Man- or because they are better practi- Dance. A bright October sunlight cise time. The experience of the and Rinpoche offered to record dala and talk about other issues tioners. Rinpoche needs to have traveled through the Gonpa all Dance becomes very harmoni- himself singing the to- or experiences related to the de- points of reference. If he sees the days and warmed our spirits. ous and has benefi ts by being gether accompanied by a choir of velopment of the Vajra Dance in or hears that something is de- Rinpoche appointed Adriana in precise time or beat, and the practitioners. We used this mu- our Community. veloping in a wrong way or sees dal Borgo and me in 1992 as the function will manifest automati- sic for many years and it helped changes in the movements, then two main international Vajra cally. us to develop the Vajra Dance. It Vajra Dance courses & the Role of he can ask, “Who is teaching in Dance teachers, and since then Rinpoche explained that fi rst is not so easy, dancing and sing- Instructors that part? You should check to- we have been teaching around we learn the steps, the arm ing at the same time. In general when organizing gether and correct.” Then there the globe. Later Rinpoche asked movements, etc. and once we For the past years, Costantino Vajra Dance courses, it is very is no problem. If one wishes to us to train more local Vajra Dance master that aspect we can have Albini, who is an excellent and good to add one or more days to learn the Vajra Dance and does it instructors, to offer a more con- experiences and integrate. If we professional musician, has dedi- only practice together. It is cru- in a correct way with clear com- THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 Merigar West

9

upcoming The Brazilian Dzogchen Community announces: Retreat with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche

“Patrul Shri Gyalpo’i Kyadchos” The Three Statements that reach the Essence December 7–12, 2007 in São Paulo, Brazil

Lhundrubling-information Tel: 55 11 32871324 or 55 11 32877362 Email: [email protected]

Payment After November 3: R$ 380,00 or U$ 190,00 No Reimbursement In Case Of Cancellation.

There will be a discount for member: 20% for ordinary membership 40% for sustaining membership 100% for meritorious membership A membership card is necessary to receive the discount.

More information: www.dzogchen.com.br

Tashi Delegs Lhundrubling - São Paulo, Brazil. José Maria Lisboa streeat, 860, 9 fl oor, cj. 93- Jardim Paulista mitment to learn and correct Dance, with little awareness of coordinate everyone’s schedules Tel: 55 11 32871324 or 55 11 32877362. with an authorized instructor, the dimension beyond and re- and distances in order to meet. then there is no problem and one maining in the idea and illusion For the future, we are also pre- can have the function of this pre- of an individual identity. paring for a new and more com- Welcome to cious method. If it is clear that a plex DVD on the Vajra Dance. The practitioner is not applying this Awareness on the wonderful news is that at the be- Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Barcelona retreat awareness, he or she should be To look from another angle, the ginning of next year, the transla- addressed by the local instructor Vajra Dance can be practiced tion of Rinpoche’s book about If you look at the DC in Spain web page www.dzogchen.es clicking on ‘ChNN 2007 and asked concretely to stop and “alone”, but also collectively. It is the Vajra Dance, THE PRECIOUS Retreat BCN’ (go past the Spanish and you will get the retreat info in English), at the continue in the correct direction. a Dance done together, but is be- LIGHT, by Adriano Clemente, will bottom of the new page opened, there is a ‘menu’ where you will fi nd every informa- Personally, I believe a good dose yond trying to “dance” with the fi nally start! tion needed regarding Barcelona retreat: of humor helps a lot. other, but it is also not about ig- With great gratitude we would noring the other. To create its full like to wish Long Life to our Retreat inscription · How to arrive to Barcelona · Barcelona city itself To Correct or not Correct function it is essential that the Master for being the source of Clicking again on ‘Accommodation’ you will fi nd a very wide price range of nice Another observation that came individual practitioner realizes us being most fortunate, for hav- accommodations. up at this course was that it their responsibility in the whole ing met these precious teachings seems unclear to all practitio- and not only for themselves. In and being guaranteed totally lib- Pre-inscription: If you plan to come is good to make pre-inscription as soon as you ners that the Vajra Dance is in my experience, if we try our best eration. have decided, this will make the real inscription faster for you the fi rst day of the itself a complete path/method to apply the movements, the May we be able to do our best retreat, because the form will be already fi lled when you arrive. Then you will have toward total realization. This rhythm and sounds in the best to bring benefi t to all sentient only to sign this form and pay the fi rst day of the retreat. observation came mainly from way, according to our capacities, beings in return. comments made by practitioners only then we can have experience Pre-inscription does not mean the retreat is already paid. not interested in correcting their and connect to the forces that go No need to pay in advance, you can pay in Barcelona the fi rst day of the retreat. movements or mistakes; defend- beyond our ordinary view of self To make the pre-inscription we need you send us: ing themselves with arguments and other and connect with our Name and Surname · Date of birth · Membership number and type or Non-member · Gar · Full that they just want to do the Vajra true nature of Body, Speech and address · Telephone · Email · Number of days attending the retreat Dance to relax and enjoy, move Mind. It’s not about being a per- the body and are not so interest- fect Dance practitioner, but do- Retreat fee: ed in knowing it better or doing ing one’s best to observe, to keep If you are not 2007 member of the Dzogchen Community but this will be the fi rst it precisely. For some practitio- presence of what is and develop time you attend a retreat with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, the price to attend the ners it seems suffi cient to know capacity, including the capacity whole retreat (fi ve days) will be 250 euros. the steps more or less well and to correct oneself. Then there is If you have already attended any retreat before this but you have not renewed your they have no intention to deepen a function and it is also respect- Dzogchen Community membership in 2007, is advisable you do before this retreat in their understanding. ful to the others and there is real order you enjoy the discounts on the retreat fee that will apply for members updated This really blocks not only the benefi t beyond. 2007. understanding of entering the If you wish to become member before the retreat, you can contact the local Gakyil knowledge to discover one’s real The Future in your country or you can contact Merigar: merigaroffi [email protected] (www. nature, but is also disrespectful In conclusion, this meeting of dzogchen.it ). toward other practitioners who Instructors of the Vajra Dance could not discover the full func- proved to be of much benefi t for Timetable: tion when done together this way a correct development of this Usually Rinpoche teaches from 10am to 12am. Before 10am an introductory course in a collective practice. precious practice. Thank you to into Vajra Dance practice will be held, in the afternoon you will have the chance to For example, Rinpoche stress- the Communities who helped to attend an introductory course into Yantra Yoga. The real timetable will be spread es the importance to pronounce sponsor their local instructors to with another information sheets the fi rst day when you pay the retreat fee. correctly the Mantras and in- come and participate. We hope After the retreat we will have some more courses: a Kumbhaka course will be vocations in order to have real to continue this way and also held from November 30th to December 1st with an international instructor of the function of the various methods prepare for Instructor Training Dzogchen Community, a Yantra Yoga for beginners course from December 2nd to we have. The same applies to the for the 2nd level, the Dance of 5th with an international instructor of the Dzogchen Community, and a 1st level Vajra Dance. It is a very complex the Song of Vajra. Yantra Yoga course with the same instructor from December 6th to 9th. method and defi nitely needs a lot A precious jewel can be ob- If you still need some help, clarifi cation or anything else, please feel free to ask as of dedication to learn well. But tained when secondary circum- much as you need to Yolanda: [email protected] or the function drives from exactly stances are in favor, when the Lella: [email protected] and spread this information to anybody interested. that intention. It is not the mis- karma is ripe, when efforts show takes that hinder our path of de- results, and when intentions are We are all pleased to help all of you with anything you need. Please, will you be so veloping capacity toward realiza- clear. The Vajra Dance is such a kind as to spread the retreat information as much as possible and let interested peo- tion. It is probably being indiffer- rare precious jewel. We all made ple know we expect everybody feel free to ask for any help or information needed. ent and ignorant of our mistakes sacrifi ces to be able to learn and We will try to help as much as possible with any doubt, problem, etc. We hope this or distractions that blocks our continue it. Especially in big cit- will help you. path. Then it seems that many ies and in our modern life, it is Thank you for your interest. We hope to meet you in Barcelona!! of us are doing our own Vajra not at all easy to fi nd a place and Very warm wishes from Spain, Yolanda (yellow gakyil) THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 Namdeling

10 namdeling, a ling of joy without end a place in the sun

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu inaugurated Rinpoche really encouraged the new center of Namdeling (Ling of us to fi nd a place saying that it Joy Without End) in Naples, Italy on was a favorable moment and that September 28th, 2007. Naples was when a city has a lot of practi- one of the fi rst places Rinpoche taught tioners, it is important for it to and some of his long-standing stu- become a Ling otherwise the dents come from this city. We spoke people become a bit like gypsies with Gino Vitiello, one of Rinpoche’s wandering here and there with- original students and a principal per- out stopping in one place. son active in setting up this new ling, The enthusiasm to fi nd a place at Merigar during the September Tara started when the woman who is retreat. the director of the place where I teach Yantra Yoga told me that The Mirror: Can you tell us why there was a large space that after more than 20 years you de- would be free shortly and that it Photo: Gino Vitiello cided to have a center in Naples? could become our center. I went Gino Vitiello: Actually we haven’t to see it and it seemed perfect be- but we went ahead and in the end The Mirror: Could you tell us Charlie Chaplin fi lm, preparing had a center in Naples for more cause our problem had been fi nd- we had this wonderful result. about the inauguration of the the throne, booking the hotel, than 30 years! The one we used ing a space big enough to house a center with Chögyal Namkhai fi xing this and that. And like to have closed at the end of the Mandala. We needed a place with The Mirror: So you rent the cen- Norbu? magic, everything was ready in 70’s for a number of reasons a surface area big enough for a ter? Gino: When we were ready, we about fi fteen days. and from that time on we’ve re- mandala and to accommodate Gino: Yes, we’ve rented it and I asked Rinpoche if he could give It was absolutely joyful when mained without a special place people for the webcasts, etc. must say that we’ve had a lot of a name to the center and come Rinpoche came to Naples be- where practitioners could meet. I immediately spoke to the collaboration from the people to inaugurate it. He said that cause he hadn’t been there for 7 In the meantime the Dzogchen Gakyil in Naples about it, showed we rent it from because the price if there is a Ling, there is, of or 8 years. When we asked him Community gradually grew but them photos and they were en- we pay is defi nitely lower than course, a name for it and that he to come he said that he would be it was diffi cult to have a point to thusiastic about it, too, and so the going price. We asked them would come on 28th October be- happy to see the center and the meet particularly for new people we entered into long negotia- to help us by starting with a low cause it was a very favorable date. city of Naples, too. because in the end people always tions because although the cost rent. At the moment we are rent- We had twenty days to prepare The night he arrived there was used to meet at the houses of the of the place was not excessive, it ing it for what we consider to be everything for his arrival which a tremendous storm and Nea- same people. So people really felt was still a big fi nancial commit- a reasonable amount. became a type of driving force politans know that when it rains there was a need for a common ment for our Community. We had and we spent the time rushing heavily some of the streets prac- place to meet. some insecurity at the beginning about like characters in an old tically sink and since part of the

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Bank transfer: ASIA Onlus– donations Monte dei Paschi di Siena c/c n. 3893.50 IBAN: IT 27 M 01030 72160 000000389350 SWIFT BIC: PASC IT M1G99 Credit card by: Website www.asia-onlus.org Authorization by fax 06/44702620 For orders you can send an email to l.fi [email protected], or by fax to the number 0039/06/44702620, Vajra Dance Clothes specifying: address where you want to Infos and orders at [email protected] receive calendars, telephone number, Mob. 0039.320.073 16 50 email address and number of calendars © Shang Shung Institute requested. THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 Namdeling

11

Rinpoche authenticates a held by Gino Vitiello. Photo: Gino Vitiello city was blocked we organized a well and now it is up to us to space for their activities in order little walk for Rinpoche in some continue the work that has been to support the Ling? of the most beautiful parts of the started so enthusiastically. Gino: At the moment, the center city. And we had a lot of luck, too. cannot cover the costs of the We knew that Rinpoche liked to The Mirror: What projects does place based on our activities alone watch an Italian serial called ‘Un Namdeling have for the future? because the Ling only has 40–50 Posto al Sole’ which is fi lmed in Gino: We have lots. Besides or- people and is a big commitment Naples, and in one of the places dinary projects there will be the for us. We will certainly share we visited they were actually webcasts that will be held at the center with other activities. fi lming one of the episodes! So the Ling, Dance of the Vajra and We are in touch with the Sangha Rinpoche was able to watch it Yantra Yoga courses. Recently Rime group who also follows live – we couldn’t have organized we re-elected the Gakyil and Rinpoche’s teachings and they things better if we had tried! doubled the number of members are interested in doing something Then in the afternoon Rin- because a single person for each with us so we could share the cen- poche was brought to the center color wasn’t able to manage ev- ter with them but not necessarily to which he gave the name ‘Nam- erything and at the moment, the other groups because this type deling’ which means the Ling blue Gakyil is considering how of thing has to be done with a lot of joy without end. He said that the Ling can be introduced into of care and attention. The center he had also given it that name the city with cultural activities at could become a place where cul- because the fi rst syllable of the a certain level. tural meetings are held. name is ‘na’, just like ‘Naples’. Then we asked him to do a ritual The Mirror: Are you going to let The Mirror: Thank you Gino for of sang and serkyem to empower similar minded groups rent the your time and all our best wishes the Ling. Everything went very for the future of Namdeling. Sang practice. Photo: Gino Vitiello THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007

12 west Merigar West merigar Arcidosso 58031 phone: 39 0564 966837 merigaroffi [email protected] GR Italy fax: 39 0564 968110 www.dzogchen.it

General Program November December December 27–January 3, 2008 In case of any changes to the current November 25–29, 2007 A December 8, 2007 Dance of the Song of the Vajra calendar calendar, we suggest you check our Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu’s course for beginners (Part 2) website – www.dzogchen.it – from Open webcast from Barcelona, Spain Birthday with Rita Renzi of events time to time for confi rmation of the Teaching retreat Start: Thursday December 27 at 10.00 courses. Longchenpa’s Nyingtam Sumchu (Thirty December 8–9, 2007 Cost: 200 € The Tibetan letter A in this program Pieces of Advice from the Heart) Green Tara practice retreat (with discounts for members) 2007 indicates events that are particularly (Sung Thorbu, vol. I, p. 354) suited to those who are approaching the Dec. 27–Jan. 3, 2008 A Dzogchen Teaching for the fi rst time. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu We would like to remind those who are Open Webcast from Tashigar South, genuinely interested that it is indispens- Argentina able to meet the Master. This can take Teaching Retreat place by following one of his Teaching Longchenpa’s Choszhi Rinchen Phrengwa Retreats or by participating in one of the (The Necklace of the Four Precious Dharmas) Worldwide Direct Transmission days. (Sung Thorbu, vol. I, p. 247)

New Merigar Gakyil & Gekös Gekös: Tom Greensmith Filip Stys

Yellow: Lella Guidotti Anna Prisco Luna Lattarulo

Blue: Giada Villaermosa Jenny Pritchard Franca Fubini

Red: Yvonne Richter Ivan Dosdrow Michela Moraglia

Santi Maha Sangha Level 3 Training Merigar West, September 18–24, 2007

Yantra Yoga Teachers Training give Fabio and Laura an opportunity to What I personally liked very much August 24–30, 2007 see them. was the strong emphasis on the com- Merigar West, Italy Because of the Mandarava initia- mon mistakes found in the positions. tion that Rinpoche gave on August the By repeating over and over (mainly by Marc van Westreenen 31st (the originally planned fi nal date Lungsang) this resulted, at least for me, for this retreat) we had to do with one in a training of the ‘eye’ to be able to his is a brief report on the fi rst day less. In spite of that, Fabio and see more clearly your own weak points level Yantra Yoga Teachers Train- Laura managed to go through all the in a position or movement and the weak T ing that took place in the Merigar preliminary exercises, the yantras and point of others. These courses are very Gonpa from the 24th till the 30th of the pranayamas of the fi rst and second important for deepening your own August, 2007. series. knowledge and, of course, even more A diverse group of practitioners A lot of time was spent on details so for practitioners aspiring to teach in participated in the retreat; for most and commonly found mistakes in the the future! people it was their fi rst Teachers Train- Tsigjong and Lungsang. Besides all of this, we laughed a lot ing, some followed for the second time Fabio and Laura complimented each and we were all happy to be there. Now and there were also a few certifi ed Yan- other nicely and put in a lot of effort in it is only a matter of taking back home tra Yoga instructors who participated correcting positions, the timing of the what was learned, integrate it in prac- to refresh their knowledge and also to breathing and the movements. tice and, of course: Practice!

Accommodation Service at Merigar

Information for people who intend We cooperate with local hotels, fam- to come to Merigar for retreats or to ily pensions, residences, agriturismo, follow courses. Community members who have rooms If you are looking for accommodation, or houses to rent or sublet. Also we airport transfer, local car hire or only can advise on car rental (at airports or logistic assistance, you can contact the locally), on the best itinerary and time following information and reservation tables of trains and buses, and we have service: now a circuit of residents who offer various useful services like transfer Accommodation Service from the airports, local taxi service, (Information available in English, translations, baby sitting, etc. German, French and Italian) Information service and reservation of accommodation during retreats, local transport, & logistic solutions: Photo: N Zeitz Christina von Geispitzheim Email: [email protected] passages Phone: 0039 0564 957542 Mobile phone: 0039 339 1370739 Married: Adriano Clemente and Dina Priymak were married in Seggiano, Italy on October 19, 2007. THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007

13

east Merigar East 23 August 907005 phone: 0040 746 26 08 61 merigar Asociatia Culturala Comunitatea Dzog-Chen Constanta offi [email protected] Romania wwww.dzogchen.ro

The New Gakyil of Gabriella Schneider, blue Gakyil Their colors will be defi ned at the fi rst Moldavia: Hungary: Merigar East, Rumania Email: [email protected] Gakyil Meeting. Vitalie Bivol Sandor Vaszi Existing Gakyil of Three of Merigar East, Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Josef Imre, Gekö Bulgaria: confi rmed for a second year by Chögyal Email: [email protected] Vasil Dabov Czech Republic (and Slovakia): Namkhai Norbu in July 2007: Russian speaking Gakyil: Email: [email protected] Tereza Starkova, Yana Sokolova New: Six representatives to the Gakyil of Ida Pazman “Duci”, yellow Gakyil and Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Merigar East, proposed by their respec- Poland: secretary tive Gakyils and confi rmed by Chögyal Grzegorz Ladra Email: [email protected] Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, November Email: [email protected] Attila Frugyik, red Gakyil 2007. Email: [email protected]

Ku Nye at Karmaling Europe September 2007 by Elisa Copello

Denmark At Karmaling, in the picturesque set- upcoming ting of the ancient Abbey of St. Hugon, Introduction to Yantra Yoga surrounded by thick pine forests, the with Laura Evangelisti seat of a hardworking community of November 17– 21, 2007 Carthusian monks from the Middle Copenhagen Ages devoted to religious practices and ironwork, the fi rst part of the Contact: Christen Norre Bundgaard newly restructured Ku Nye course was Tel: + 0045 60 63 34 60 held at the beginning of September by Email: [email protected] Aldo Oneto, one of the instructors and teachers of Ku Nye from the Shang France Shung Institute. upcoming The course is the result of the agree- Yantra Yoga Courses ments reached between Karmaling and with Laura Evangelisti and the Shang Shung Institute, recently Tiziana Gottardi renewed and reinforced thanks to the November 10–18, 2007 in Paris spirit of full collaboration by the two institutions whose primary target is There will be 2 sessions : the spreading and preservation of the • Level 1 from November 15th to No- ancient heritage of Tibetan culture of vember 18th. This course is focused on which Tibetan Medicine and Ku Nye are the Yantra Yoga preliminary practice: an integral part. the eight movements. Level 1 course is A considerable number of students will very soon inaugurate a Tibetan open to all. Tiziana Gottardi leads this registered; seventeen people, mostly Medicine Center in Moscow where he course. women, followed with interest and will continue his teaching activity in col- • Level 2 from November 10th to No- enthusiasm both theory and practice laboration with the Institute. In Spain, vember 13th. This course is intended for sessions. Aldo was helped in his work by as well, in a few months, another course practitioners who have already follow a an excellent translator, Lama Randrol, is expected to take place with another Level 1 course and will be focused on the an Italian man who has completed the instructor. Consequently, we are happy fi rst and the second series of Yantras. traditional retreat of three years, three to say that the activity of the school is Laura Evangelisti leads this course. months, etc. very common and popular in full bloom and fast developing; our The cost of each session for ordinary among the Kagyupa practitioners of hope is that more and more courses members is 150 euros, 75 euros for low Karmaling. will be booked and organized all over income members and free for meritori- The second part of the course will the world to contribute to confer to ous members. take place at the end of November and this ancient healing art of great value students interested in becoming Ku Nye and tradition the fame and respect it The course will take place in: practitioners will have to take a fi nal deserves. Compagnie Blanca Li — Calentito examination and pass it. The course has * 7–9 rue des petites écuries been so successful that already agree- Six Spaces Course at Karmaling 75010 Paris ments have been made to organize an- with Cindy Faulkner Contact: other seminar in 2008. Arianna De Toni, Michele Corrado held other courses From October 5–7, 2007 at Karmaling [email protected] of Ku Nye before this seminar, both in in France, we had a very harmonious Tel: 0033678825951 Russia and Perugia, Italy. Michele Cor- course of the Dance of the Six Spaces. Elisabeth Dongm, rado, another instructor and teacher The whole group showed great energy Sangha and fi ve others visiting from thun practice here on the Mandala in [email protected] of the Ku Nye school founded by the and enthusiasm. The group was com- France and Germany. As a result, there the ‘Temple Vajra’. * Shang Shung Institute some years ago, posed of four members of the resident is now a fresh commitment to a daily You are welcome to join if you are passing!

Germany Price: € 104 Yellow: Irén Gedeon Red: Vincenzo Santonocito This course is open to those who are fa- Yantra Yoga for Beginners reduced: € 52/65, sustainer: € 20/26, [email protected] Chiara Tortorelli miliar with Yantra Yoga or have at least led by Elke Glander nonmembers: € 104/130 redgakyil@dzog chennapoli.org had one course in the base of Yantra Attilas November 30–December 2, 2007 Yoga and have received transmission Payment: www.dzogchen.hu www.dzogchennapoli.org Munich, Germany from Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Dzogchen Gemeinschaft Deutschland e.V. * Taught by authorized instructors. This course is open to all Stadtsparkasse Düsseldorf upcoming IBAN: DE40 3005 0110 0011 0478 91 Italy Introduction to Yantra Yoga Schedule: New Gakyil of Namdeling, Naples Yantra Yoga Courses for Beginners SWIFT-BIC: DUSSDEDDXXX for Beginners: The course starts Friday 7.30 pm, and Advanced Blue: Paolo Pappone November 10–11, 2007 last session Sunday 10.00 am 2007/2008 Gino Vitiello Milan, Italy Saturday, November 10 Location: Hungary [email protected] New Hungarian Gakyil from 10.30 until 16.30 Praxis für Physiotherapie Preuss Yellow: Lucia Di Tommaso Advanced Course: Sunday, November 11 at 10.30 Herzog-Spital-Str. 5 80331 München Blue: Elisabeth Kubát Antonella Carlevalis Time: Each Wednesday at 19.30 [email protected] Venue: Registration: Alexander Geier [email protected] beginning October 17, 2007 Terreno di Danza, via Nino Bixio 15, cit. 20 Email to: [email protected] Red: Monica Lakatos Venue: [email protected] Terreno di Danza, via Nino Bixio 15, cit. 20 Open to all >> continued on next page THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007

14

breathings, guided by Giovanna Conti, on raw concrete. Therefore we need to EUR account: Dance of Song of The Vajra – I Part Europe (continued) Gino Merlini and Clara Lovisetti. To close cover this foundation made of concrete 37 1050 1038 1000 0023 1298 9128 November 23–25 (intensive weekend) the meeting, the whole sequence of the with some gum-like material (like is USD account: Opening session: November 23 at 7 p.m. Beginners’ course: eight Lungsang was demonstrated to done for tennis courts), which can re- 64 1050 1038 1000 0022 4638 5047 Cost: 25 euro with usual discounts for Each Tuesday at 19.30 the public sist all the seasons for many years. We DC members. beginning on November 13, 2007 The participation in this event was think this is the best solution with the Russia Dance of Song 0f The Vajra – II Part thanks to the efforts of the whole circumstances we have in Paldenling. Venue: Two Yantra Yoga Retreats November 30–December 2 (intensive Dzogchen Community of Milano, while The estimated cost of this work project Sole Luna, via Pecchio 1, cit. Demages in St. Petersburg weekend) special thanks must be paid to the is about 4.000 EUR. with Victor Krachkovsky Opening session: November 30 at 7 p.m. Open to all. Gakyil of Merigar for paying the ex- Another thing to accomplish for the Cost: 25 euro with usual discounts for hibition fees, to the Milan Gakyil for The Dzogchen Community of St Peters- For information contact: project for the place of Mandala is to DC members. the organization; the setting up of the burg, Russia is happy to announce 2 Giovanna Conti, Tel: 334 1844897, make some roof over that platform. The stand and the printing costs of the retreats on Yantra Yoga with the experi- Note: November 25–29 (during web- Email: [email protected] easiest and quickest solution for time information material. In particular, to enced certifi ed instructor Victor Krach- cast from Barcelona) Luda also will stay being is to buy a big tent. It will enable * Alessandro Petrini, who offered at no kovsky from December 1–16, 2007. in Kunphenling, so it will be possible to An Initiative for promoting us to dance during all seasons (except cost, his graphics expertize for the real- practice the Dance with her. Yantra Yoga extreme winter). December 1–7 ization of leafl ets and posters, with the The Milano Yoga Festival, Milan Italy The estimated cost is about 5.500 EUR. 1st level of Yantra Yoga for beginners Dance of Song of The Vajra – III Part addition of a contribution to cover the October 19–20, 2007 December 28–January 3 (during web- printing costs. Of these two projects, the most impor- December 9–16 by Clara Lovisetti cast from Argentina) A positive balance we may say, in tant is the fi rst one, which means cover- Advanced course Cost: 75 euro with usual discounts for The second edition of the “Milano Yoga spite of some “commercial” aspects of ing foundation of the Mandala with the for those who already know the 1st level DC members. Festival” held last October, organised this event but, as our Precious Master gum-like material, which cost about of YY with a deepening of pranayamas by the Italian “Yoga Journal” magazine always says, one must work with cir- 4.000 EUR. and yantras. Pre-Registration is advisable so that consisted of three days of conferences, cumstances and use the opportunities we could have an idea of participant We are kindly asking everybody of the The participants are required to be workshops, concerts, and exhibitions. we are offered. numbers. To pre-register please mail to International Dzogchen Community members of Dzogchen Community and It was held at the Superstudiopiù exhi- [email protected] (your name, for a contribution for these projects. have transmission from Chögyal Nam- bition facilities of Milan. city and country, type of membership, Lithuania We also invite everybody from the khai Norbu. This was an event addressed to any- New Gakyil of the number of your membership card, Dzogchen Community to come to one interested in Oriental disciplines, Lithuanian Dzogchen Community: The cost of the retreat depends on the which dates you are going to partici- Paldenling to Poland. As a special offer, not only Hatha Yoga but also meditation, number of participants and will be pate, male or female part you need) Yellow: Normante Bajorunaite, every person who contributes for one of shiatsu, ayurvedic medicine as well. specifi ed later. As usual there will be [email protected] these projects with minimum 250 EUR Location: all three parts will take place This was an ideal occasion to in- discounts for DC members with paid can do one-week retreat for free in the in retreat centre troduce Yantra Yoga and the courses Red: Egle Indriunaite, membership and an additional discount Center. Kunphenling (ex-Kunsangar), near organized in Milan, Rome and Merigar [email protected] for those who participate in both re- Moscow. Accommodation is available by the Dzogchen Community to inter- People interested to contribute can send treats. Blue: Jurgita Misiunaite, from 5 euro a day and more, but please ested people. money to Polish Dzogchen Community [email protected] Early registration is welcome. For addi- make reservation in advance. For meals Besides an exhibition desk account (with note “for the Mandala in tional information and to register please there is a canteen, lunch costs 5-7 euro. DVDs, books and information mate- Paldenling”). contact Marina Orlova: Tel: +7(911)214- To ask for details and to reserve a place rial about Yantra Yoga and Rinpoche’s Poland Community address: 7422 (cel.), Email: [email protected] please mail to kunphenling@gmail. retreats, we presented also a short in- Mandala in Paldenling Wspolnota Dzogczen w Polsce com troductory lecture to which some thirty for Vajra Dance The Gakyil of Sangyeling, ul J. Bruna 2 m 86 With many Tashi Delegs, people came. Dear Vajra Brothers and Sisters! St Petersburg, Russia 02-594 Warszawa Gakyil of Moscow DC Rinchenling The task of introducing Yantra We are collecting money for fi nishing Poland * Yoga, as a method belonging to the the place for the Mandala of The Dance Dzogchen teaching and transmitted by Bank name and address: Vajra Dance Moscow of Vajra at the Polish Dzogchen Center, our Precious Master, Chögyal Namkhai Bank Slaski o/Warszawa November 2007– January 2008 Paldenling, on the top of the mountain Norbu, was kindly carried out by Elio ul. Nowowiejska 5/7 located in a beautiful mountainous re- Moscow Gakyil is happy to announce a Guarisco, who underlined that Yantra 00-643 Warszawa gion. (see www.dzogczen.pl) Vajra Dance course of Song of the Vajra Yoga is more than gymnastics, but it Poland for beginners with Lyuda Kislichenko, is a method for discovering our primor- Until now we have done the base – the iban: PL60 1050 1038 1000 0012 0001 5855 certifi ed 2nd level instructor. The dial state, which we all have since the foundation for the Mandala made of swift: INGBPLPW course will consist of three parts. For beginning. concrete (9 m/9 m). We have also al - participation membership in Dzogchen The talk was followed by a practical ready painted a Mandala on Tyvek Community is required. demonstration of the nine purifi cation material, but it is too delicate to put it

dinated way about this complete help to fi nd a little base for the rization courses. Right now for interview with fabio andrico breathing, I structured it in a way application of kumbhaka. such a course I can have fi ve to that it could be taught openly for six people maximum. I will do about breathing courses anyone, not necessarily to people A: It was said that you also have one in Argentina, which is al- september 27th, 2007 from the Community. Therefore started the system of teachers ready booked. crimea, ukraine. anyone could benefi t from hav- for the breathing courses. Is this There I can really be with peo- ing more harmonious, complete true? ple and watch them to be sure andrei besedin and coordinated breathing. This F: No, that is not true, that was that by the end of the course they is the origin of the breathing a misunderstanding. Maybe the really know what they are doing Andrei: There are courses on necessarily Yantra Yoga and he courses and this is not Yantra way it was presented was not cor- and how to explain it. So that breathing and kumbhaka started gave me the permission to do Yoga. We can consider this a kind rect. In some places people are when people would be asked to in recent years. What is the story that. of warm-up for the breathing - asking if there is someone who do such courses, they could do it, of their creation and how are I tried with my knowledge of like we have a warm-up for the could lead these courses. Since I and to make sure that they have they connected to Yantra Yoga? Yantra Yoga to create some exer- body. That’s the way I consider started to give these courses and some concrete understanding, Fabio: I originated these courses cises and sequences that could it from the view of Yantra Yoga. I cannot go to all the places where that’s all. because I tried to fi nd a way to help people to get a little under- From the view of normal people, they ask me because I don’t have make people understand how standing of how to do kumb- anyone who wants to try and fi nd time, I need to have some abil- A: Some people say that yantras to do the kumbhaka. When we haka. In my experience, and a way to have a more conscious ity to properly supervise people are complicated and fi rst they were in Margarita, Rinpoche also I discussed this a little with breathing, regardless what you who use these methods. I asked should do some hatha yoga to get was giving some teachings us- Rinpoche when I had the oppor- call it, if it works, it works. Rinpoche how should I do that in good shape for the yantras. Is ing kumbhaka. There were also tunity, one of the core problems The courses on kumbhaka and he said: “Since you started, it a good way to do practice? new people there, as well as is that people don’t know how are a different thing. Obviously, you have to control it a little bit.” F: I don’t think that is really nec- those who couldn’t do or didn’t to do a complete breathing, es- it’s only for inside the Commu- I don’t have the authority of essary. If you feel the practice want to do Yantra Yoga. Yantra pecially in practice, they simply nity. It’s true, if people could and blocking or not blocking any- of the yantras and tsigjong and Yoga is not so easy for everybody. don’t have that experience. would practice Yantra consistent- body, but since I coordinated tsandul - if you practice them All the people were very inter- So I thought that it was im- ly, they wouldn’t need anything these sequences, before people steadily and feel that you have ested and they asked me to ex- portant to create a base with else, but in reality not everybody go around and teach that, I would some problem - you can do a plain how to do the kumbhaka. which people could correctly do does that. A lot of people would like to be able to see them and to warm up. Warm ups, if they help I went to Rinpoche and asked if the breathing in and breathing like to try, if they have the pos- give the most possible precision you, can be used to overcome I could explain it, and Rinpoche out. And slowly it came to be a sibility, to apply the kumbhaka to people, so that they would certain limits you might have or said, “Yes”. For that reason I told course on the breathing. Also, as and have some experience, so know what and how to do. problems that might arise with Rinpoche that maybe I could try I saw that there are not so many these courses try to give not an So it’s not teachers’ training. your suppleness and fl exibility. to do something which is not courses around, taught in a coor- alternative to Yantra Yoga, but a What I am doing is called autho- We have that in the warm ups, THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007

15 you can practice and do what A: Do you have some general to have some real result, no? You you like. Obviously I have seen advice to the participants of the need to apply and to continue to that people who have practiced training here and people who dedicate to this if you want to get other forms of yoga naturally participate in Teacher Trainings some results and some under- have their body trained and they in general? standing. can get easily into position, but F: It’s always the same, in the sometimes if it is too much, then sense that if you want to under- can become a little bit of confl ict, stand Yantra a little bit, you have because sometimes you are not to practice it. And if you decide able to let go what you’ve learned that you want to teach, teach- before and you keep comparing ing becomes somehow a means yantra with that and mixing it. which, if you have a little sense So in some cases it can be very of responsibility, can lead you Spain diffi cult to let go the old practice when you try to practice more Vajra Dance Course in Barcelona and really take a new one. But a and in a better way and get more from June 20–24, 2007 little base, if somebody already understanding. You can help with Adriana Dal Borgo (3rd part of has it, obviously is helpful, be- somebody only if you know what Dance of the Song of the Vajra). cause you your body may be a you are doing. Of course if you little more fl exible and probably understand something, you can the understanding of breathing help people understand that as - that is good. If some people well. It is important that you fi nd Yantra a little diffi cult at the have a good base yourself – and beginning and want also to prac- you can have that only if you tice some hatha yoga, why not, practice, not just do yantra once they can. But if you go slowly and in fi fteen days. The reason a lot Ukraine steadily, maybe using warm ups of people are interested in these Yantra Yoga to help you overcome diffi cul- courses on kumbhaka, is be- Advanced and Teacher Training ties, then there is no reason why cause actually they don’t practice With Laura Evangelisti you should do something other Yantra very well. And unless you and Fabio Andrico than Yantra Yoga. practice constantly, it is diffi cult September 23–30, 2007

east DCA Tsegyalgar East tsegyalgar PO Box 479 Phone: 413 369 4153 [email protected] Conway, MA 01341 USA Fax & Bookstore: 413 369 4473 www.tsegyalgar.org

November December December 8 December 27–Jan 3 November 25–29 December 5–10 Rinpoche’s Birthday Open Webcast with Chögyal Namkhai retreats Open Webcast with Chögyal Namkhai Advanced Song of Vajra Mandarava Long life Practice Norbu Rinpoche Norbu Rinpoche Dance Course with Adriana Del Borgo Retreat of Teaching on Longchenpa’s Teachings on Longchenpa’s 30 Nyingtams December 9 Choszhi Rinchen Phrengwa [Sung Thorbu and [Sung Thorbu vol. I P. 354] December 8–9 Ganapuja and Birthday Party vol. P. 247] Bagchen Practice Weekend in honor courses of the birthday of Chögyal Namkhai Weekly Practices Norbu. Collective Practices: Sundays at 9:30 am Vajra Dance: Sundays at 11 am; Thursdays at 7 pm; Fridays at 9 am Yantra Yoga: Tuesdays at 6 pm

guidance of our master, Chögyal Nam- • Offi ce co-ordination / leadership • Familiar with offi ce organization To apply please send your resume and open position khai Norbu Rinpoche. (with other staff) • Able to multi-task cover letter to Deepak Ramachan- We offer a competitive salary for 30–35 • Compiling and editing the Commu- • Good communicators dran, Yellow Gakyil, at Dear Sangha, hours per week. Applicants must pro- nity Newsletter • Attentive to details [email protected] Tsegyalgar East, the Dzogchen Com- vide their own lodging and be able to • Sound, video, multi-media set-up • Familiar with basic PC operation or fax to 413-369-4473 by November munity in America, is offering you work legally in the United States. • Use of Quick Books for basic account- (e-mail, Microsoft Offi ce etc.) 1st, 2007. In your cover letter please a unique opportunity to serve our ing • Familiar with the Dzogchen refer to your date of availability and The position will include the follow- Dzogchen Community. • Maintaining databases Community and its practices your pertinent skills. ing tasks: • Collecting and sorting mail • Self directed and able to follow Tsegyalgar Gakyil announces an open • Public Relations (phones and emails) Thank you, through with projects position for a Secretary/Administrative • Activity Scheduling for the Gar Applicants should be: Tsegyalgar East Gakyil • Able to work well with others Assistant starting November 15, 2007. • Acting as a liaison between the • A current member of the Dzogchen • Willing to learn. * This position is available to all members Gakyil and the Community Community. of the Dzogchen Community, under the • Calm, helpful, and welcoming

STILL PHOTOS NEEDED FOR DOCUMENTARY ABOUT CHÖGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU RINPOCHE by Filmmaker Jennifer Fox

Dharma sister and documentary fi lmmaker, another Vajra-sister – Soledad Suarez – who during his earlier years – before 1988. Jennifer Fox, is asking for kind assistance spent many months managing a small team All photos will be given proper credit and on her long-term biographical fi lm about Chö- to log and digitize the footage. those who contribute will also be given credit gyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche for the Bud- in the fi nal fi lm. dhist Television Channel of the Netherlands Editing of Learning to Swim began this (BOS). month with an esteemed documentary editor, For more information about the fi lm and sub- Mary Lampston (Harlan County USA, Lion In missions please contact us at: Tentatively entitled, Learning to Swim: the House, Rain in a Dry Land to name just shelly@zohefi lms.com Travels with a Dzogchen Master, the fi lm a few). will be a portrait, fi lmed over many years, As the editing progresses, Jennifer is looking of our Teacher’s life as he travels around the to fi ll in some important gaps in the footage. world. Primarily shot, the fi lm has been in Particularly, she is searching for still photo- post-production in New York with the help of graphs or fi lm or video footage of our Master THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007

16 tsegyalgareast

or in the Mountain or Pacifi c time zones The following webcast retreat Mp3’s New Online Bookstore the 1% campaign of the US or Canada, we suggest you al- are now available at the Tsegyalgar We wanted to remind everybody that and new membership plan locate your 1% donation to Tsegyalgar Bookstore: we have a new online bookstore. Along West. We will collect the money at Tseg- with bookstore items you can also get Longsal Ati’i Gongpa Ngotrod, yalgar East as always, and forward it to Mirror subscriptions, renew your mem- tsegyalgar east, conway Barcelona: Oct. 26th–30th, 2006 the Baja Gar every quarter. If you live in bership and make donations through #10119 $25.00 Eastern or Central time zones, we sug- this new site: Dear Sangha, bership rate. One impact of the new gest you contribute to Tsegyalgar East. Ati’i Gongpa Ngotrod, Tashigar South http://tsegyalgareast.org/bookstore/ This has been a great year at Tsegyalgar rates may be a reduction in our total This system of support will allow Dec. 26th–January 1st, 2007 Please use this link only as the old site East in Conway! income and an increase in our annual us to manage our annual budget #10120 $25.00 no longer works properly. Thank you! We’ve taken seriously Chögyal Nam- defi cit. better than one-off, miscellaneous Shine and Lagthong in Dzogchen Way, *** khai Norbu Rinpoche’s call for us to col- donations. It will help build the fabric Peru, January 19th–23rd, 2007 laborate better as a unifi ed internation- To offset this risk, we ask you this of our Vajra Community. As an expres- #10121 $25.00 al Community. We’ve co-coordinated year to join our “1% Campaign”. In sion of support, our Gakyil has voted to with the new International Gakyil, led the 1% Campaign, we suggest that kick-start this campaign with their own Dzogchen Man Ngag ‘Odsal Nangcha by Yeshi Namkhai. We have increased you donate 1% of your gross income donations. of , our activity at the Schoolhouse and on to Tsegyalgar in the form of a recur- To join this campaign, please call Merigar, Sept. 7th–13th, 2007 the sacred land at Khandroling. We ring monthly withdrawal from your our secretary Oni McKinstry at #10122 $25.00 have a lot of exciting work ahead of us checking account or credit card. This is (413) 369-4153. SMS Base Retreat, Tashigar Norte Mar. in the coming year to continue realizing just a suggested amount; you are free, We look forward to the coming year 30th–Apr. 5th, 2007 the vision of Rinpoche and to serve our of course, to donate more or less. We of the Earth Rat and sharing it with you #10123 $25.00 Community. suggest this as a guideline because it in the practice. Normally, at this time of year, we means that every Sangha member can Please remember that in order to receive With much love and respect, run a Fall Campaign to raise money donate according to his or her fi nancial the Mp3 you should have participated in Tsegyalgar Gakyil and Staff for building repairs that will take us capacity. the webcast retreat or received the spe- through the winter. This year, we’d like For instance, if you earn $3,000 cifi c transmissions or have permission to shift the focus – to building our in- per month before taxes, you would from the Master. tangible infrastructure, the membership donate $30 monthly to Tsegyalgar. Your To place an order please contact: passages that holds us all together. donation, as always, will be tax- Matthew Schmookler Born: Our baby boy, Dariel, was born As part of integrating our ac- deductible. You don’t need to tell us Tsegyalgar Bookstore on October 7th, 2007 in the early morn- tivities more closely with the worldwide how much you earn; just tell us what [email protected] ing. He truly is our bundle of joy. Dzogchen Community, we are propos- monthly withdrawal you would like. 413-369-4473 (Ph/Fax) ing to align our membership fees with This year, we are also suggesting Kisses to everyone, PO Box 479, Conway, MA 01341 those of Merigar. This will mean close that people develop a relationship with Maya Stolkiner and Orlando Cardenas to a 50% reduction in the Basic Mem- their “local” gar. If you live in Mexico, New York City upcoming Daily Schedule: Join us on the Mandala at Kundrolling This training is a method to integrate Advanced Dance 10am–1pm Instruction and Practice New York The Dance of the the three existences of body, voice and of the Song of the 7–9pm Unsupervised Practice upcoming Six Spaces of mind into the knowledge of the state of Yantra Yoga contemplation. ALL those interested in Vajra with Naomi Zeitz Samanta bhadra the Dzogchen Teachings or Vajra Dance Practice Retreat Training are Welcome. Neither transmission Intermediate: with Adriana dal Borgo with Kyu and supervised by from Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, nor Thursday evenings 7–9 pm December 5th–10th at Tsegyalgar East Adriana Dal Borgo membership in the Dzogchen Commu- Nov 22–Dec 20 nity is required for this retreat. This advanced course is open to cur- One session tba 151 West 30th St. 4th fl oor, New York, rent Dzogchen Community members (to make a total of 6 classes) NY 10001 Cost: $ 120, less 10 % for Kundrolling already familiar with the Dance of the Donors, or $ 30 per session. Beginner’s Weekend: December 14, 15, 16 (Fri, Sat, Sun), 2007 Song of the Vajra. Retreat fees will November 30 –December 2 Friday, 6.45 pm for a 7 pm start–9.30 pm To Register please contact: be announced soon. Please confi rm Friday evening Nov 30, 7–9pm Saturday & Sunday, 10 am–Noon & your attendance as soon as possible Edward Goldberg, 718-690-1962, Sat and Sun, Dec 1 & 2, 10 am to noon, 2 pm–5 pm with Tsegyalgar East secretary, Oni [email protected] 2–4 pm McKinstry at 413-36-4153 or Bring white socks to dance on the [email protected] as soon as Location: Kundrolling 151 West 30th St. Mandala possible. 4th Floor, New York, 10001 *** Limited dorm space is available on site. Contact: [email protected] For more information, please contact * Gekö, Joey Mella, at 413-695-0044 or [email protected]

west Tsegyalgar West/Baja Mexico 755 Euclid Ave. [email protected] tsegyalgar Dzogchen Community West Coast Berkeley, CA 94708 carolfi [email protected] www.bahasangha.org

Major tasks are as follows: 3. Conduct correspondence with other 6. Conduct publicity activities (submit 3. Have good verbal skills and enjoy open position 1. Email reminders regarding Gakyil sites of the Community and elsewhere ads and notices) as needed on Commu- communicating with a wide variety of meetings; collect agenda items for as instructed by the Gakyil. nity listservs and elsewhere. people. (Strongly preferred: be com- Tsegyalgar West/Jardin de los Naranjos Gakyil meetings; distribute agenda be- fortable communicating in both Span- Baja Gar (Winter Gar for North America) fore Gakyil meetings; take minutes at 4. Act as a phone and e-mail contact Qualifi cations: ish and English.) seeks a part-time secretary to assist the the meetings; distribute minutes after for the Gar and help with retreat inqui- 1. Be a member of the Dzogchen Com- Gakyil, approximately 5 hours/week. the meetings. ries and registration. munity and have good familiarity with Hours: approximately 5 hours per week, the Community’s structures and values. 20 hours per month. Pay negotiable. This is a job that can be done at home 2. Handle Gar membership, includ- 5. Communicate planned Gar activities if the person has computer and phone ing updating spreadsheet, sending out to other sites of the Community and 2. Have basic computer skills including Contact: Julia Deisler (costs will be reimbursed) or at a North membership cards and stickers, han- work with Webmaster to make sure use of word processing, spreadsheets, [email protected] or American Community site having the dling payments, and informing the Mir- that the website is up-to-date with and e-mail software and have access [email protected] same. ror of new members who qualify to have Rinpoche’s teaching schedule and other to a personal computer and high-speed a subscription paid for by the Gar. Coor- information. internet connection. dinate with Webcast team (re. member passwords for restricted Webcasts). THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007

17

norte Tashigar North /Finca Tashigar Prolongación de la Calle Bolivar Tel: 0058 0295 2580332 tashigar Valle de Pedro González [email protected] Isla de Margarita www.dzogchenvenezuela.org

are very close to giving a full coat of ets can be bought very cheaply here, so tashigar north paint with traditional Tibetan designs. we are waiting for your response. We We will start the painting precisely on have dedicated money that was kindly update January 25, 2007. Airline tickets have donated during the auction at the margarita island been purchased for our friend Migmar, Drubchen Retreat recently held here the manager of the infrastructure and would like to give great thanks to by Robin Bennett – Red Gakyil and construction at Merigar. We look all those donors for their generosity. forward to receiving him, along with Our next projects will be the road for On Monday mornings at Tashigar North Community member Michele Salvatore Rinpoche’s house, and the accommoda- we are like a swarm of busy bees in the from Rimini, who will be the project co- tion complex with library. Then there is offi ce – the Gakyil, the secretaries, coordinator. the sport’s park and parking areas. We solicitors and the gekö. It’s a bit like We are seeking further help with welcome any donations or collaboration downtown New York with voices calling painting through karma yoga, so if for these projects. Again, for any infor- out for more sweet coffee please. there are any bees out there with some mation please contact our secretary All this productivity is slowly giving painting experience who would like to Rosa at [email protected] way to a concrete reality for the vision participate, please contact the Secre- and direction of the many projects that tary of Tashigar North. This wonderful Many, many thanks!!! our Master has asked us to implement at project will take six weeks and we will Tashigar Norte Gakyil and Community the Gar. try to fi nd accommodation and provide One of these projects is the painting one meal to those willing to join us here of the Community’s largest Gonpa. We on the Island of Margarita. Airline tick- A lunch break during Karma Yoga at Tashigar Norte.

sur Tashigar South Tanti 5155 Phone & Fax: 0054 - 3541 - 498 356 tashigar Comunidad Dzogchen Tashigar Pcia. de Córdoba [email protected] Calle pública S/N Argentina

Tashigar Mandala V – Total Payment: Once the right of that will work in the construction, protect it from the resin that falls from tashigar mandala Tashigar South, Argentina usufruct has been confi rmed by the including: name, last name, ID, and ad- the pine trees and the organic waste Gakyil, the payment of the remaining dress with the corresponding accident falling from the birds. Proceedings for the application and argentina U$s 800 should be agreed with the Yel- insurance. He/she should also comply adjudgment of lots, presentation of Two years ago the fi rst step was taken, low Gakyil, as it is stated in the usufruct with the fi xed conditions with respect projects and beginning of construc- when we built a concrete base. For that ashigar Mandala is the name of contract. This payment should be done to the staff and/or vehicles and all the tion works. project we relied upon the economic a piece of land for practitioners within the following twelve months af- modifi cations that the Gakyil or the ad- collaboration of various practitioners, belonging to the “Dzogchen I – Choice of Vacant Lot: The choice of ter the adjudgment of the lot. The total ministrator could establish in the future T who we thank once again with all our Community” that is part of the Tashi- the lot is personal, with the assistance amount of money fi xed for the usufruct regarding these aspects. hearts. gar South Gar. These approximately 40 of the Administrator or person respon- (U$s 1000) should be completely paid IX – Services Supply: The water and This next step includes the completion hectares were chosen by our Master, sible appointed by the Administrator, before the construction starts. electricity supply will have to be paid of the fl oor, consisting of a new concrete who went over them and offered them after checking Tashigar Mandala’s map VI – SIGNING OF THE CONTRACT: by the usufructuary. He/she cannot base over which the Mandala will be for building houses and retreat cabins. of vacant lots. A written statement has The usufruct contract will be signed in claim the Community for any of these painted, followed by a fi nal protective His generosity has permitted us to en- to be done stating the provisory choice the presence of a public notary by the services. layer for better maintenance. joy this beautiful place at the feet of the that has been made waiting for the fi nal usufructuary and the legal representa- In regards to the roof, it will be a wood- mountain range called “Los Gigantes”, confi rmation and adjudgment. When X – It is to be understood that every- tives (President and Secretary) of the en roof, supported by wooden pillars, at El Durazno, Tanti, and Cordoba, only two or more persons are interested in thing stated beforehand is part and Dzogchen Community. and over this base a layer of insulation 55 km from Cordoba City. the same lot, the priority in the time of subject of the internal rules and admin- will be added. The completion of the application will decide the choice. VII – PROJECTS: Before the construc- istration of Tashigar Mandala, as well This land has a lower part crossed by roof will be with French style shingles, tion starts, a copy of the architectural as the usufruct contract. small streams, and a higher part with II – Application: After choosing the lot covering an area of 144 m2. plans of the retreat house should be a view of the Punilla valley, San Roque and checking if it is vacant, a written The Administrator All of this has a budget of u$s 13,900, presented to the administrator who, Lake and the city of Carlos Paz. application should be done for its fi nal which is u$s 1,354 for the fl oor and u$s in turn, will present it to the Gakyil for * adjudgment to the Administrator who, 12,546 for the roof. its approval. They should be done and In this dreamland we can build our in turn, will present it to the Gakyil. In Good News!!! signed by a responsible professional Because of the program of activities we retreat cabins or houses to live perma- this application, all the personal infor- Reconstruction of the Tashigar South registered in Córdoba. They should be will have here during the summer and nently, thanks to a law of land use called mation that shows the applicant fulfi ls Mandala!!! made following the security and city with Rinpoche´s presence, we would Life Usufruct, a legal statute put into the conditions asked to be an usufruc- planning rules included in the usufruct The Mandala like the Mandala to be active once place by the Argentinean government. tuary, should be included. contract and in the present legislation The external Mandala of Tashigar again, just like our Master saw it in his On this piece of land, a division into III – Presentation Letter: If the person of the City Planning Code. South, surrounded by beautiful pine dreams. parcels of approximately 1500 square is not a member of Tashigar South, trees next to the main house of the VII – Beginning of Construction: If In order for this dream to become real- meters each has been done. From this he/she should present a letter from Gar, was built in the end of 1990 and all the conditions have been fulfi lled in ity and so that all of us can enjoy the private division 47 lots resulted and at the Gakyil of the Gar he/she belongs to the beg inning of 1991, with the aim of time and form, the usufructuary should Dance in this auspicious place, we need the moment 17 of them have houses, 8 informing: fulfi lling the dream our Master had comply with the following requisites in the help of everyone. Alone we cannot have been booked, and 22 are free. a. He/she has been an active member of upon receiving the Dance of the Three a written form: fund this because we have other ex- the Community he/she belongs to for at Vajras. Rinpoche himself donated the Those who already enjoy this benefi t a. He/she should ask for permission penses and investments to make for the least 3 years. wood that was used for the fl oor of also collaborate concretely to support to start the construction of the retreat preparation of the Gar and the Webcast b. He/she has attended at least 3 re- the Mandala and participated in the the Gar. We wish that many more house to the administrator. transmissions for the summer 2008 treats with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu construction, sanding, and painting of people would fulfi ll the dream of liv- b. Once the construction has been retreats. c. His/her membership fees have been it. Then he personally gave us the fi rst ing in Tashigar Mandala. We invite you started, he/she will have two years to paid up to that date. classes of this Dance, and that is how we Therefore we are asking the Interna- to communicate with the Secretary to fi nish the construction so that the build- showcased our fi rst Mandala!!! These tional Community for their generous receive more information. * If he /she wants to make an usufruct ing is in conditions to be inhabited. events give it a unique value and that is support to make this important project of a lot he/she should become a sus- c. He/she should appoint someone Best wishes for everybody! how we feel those of us who make up possible that with no doubts will be a taining member of Tashigar South. responsible for the construction ‘in this Dzogchen Community. great benefi t for everyone and will give IV – Payment 0f the Reservation : If situ’ and let it be known to the admin- us happiness. he /she has fulfi lled the four points istrator, accepting his/her instructions Time and weather conditions have mentioned beforehand, he/she should regarding the way of proceeding within deteriorated the wood fl oor of the Long Live our Master!!! pay the amount of U$s 200 as right of Tashigar Mandala, and respecting the Mandala and even though we have fi xed How to send us your donation: reservation (equivalent to 20 % of the rules of the Community. it in various opportunities, today we Those who can collaborate with dona- total amount of the lot, which is U$s d. He/she should present to the ad- have reached the point of needing to tions can do so in the following ways. 1000). ministrator the complete list of people take on a reconstruction project, to also For information, questions and noti- THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007

18 tashigarsur

>> continued from last page During the Barcelona retreat: If the deposit are coming from outside Make sure to communicate with the We are already infi nitely thankful to fi cation of delivery, always consult the Adriana Battisti [email protected] of Italy you need to include these num- secretary so you know where and you for answering our request and for secretary of Tashigar South: bers: IBAN IT 44 how to send the checks. what you can do to help. System Moneygram: [email protected] www.moneygram.com Please communicate your deposit to Attention! Everyone that collaborates Best wishes for everyone, we await your Contact People: Valter Bianchini will be given a piece of the wooden arrival this summer to share once again International Deposit: Baja California, Carolyn Bass, email: [email protected] and Mandala that was used in the fi rst with everyone together. Name of the Bank. BANCOPOSTA [email protected] [email protected] construction of the Mandala with Tashi Delegs! Name of the account owner: New York, Soledad Suarez, Rinpoche. Please contact the Secre- Valter Bianchini From the USA and Europe you can send [email protected] [email protected] and tary and Adriana Battisti Account number : 41553462 personal checks directly to Tashigar. www.tashigar-sur.com.ar Naomi Zeitz, [email protected] [email protected] so we know A B I: 07601 Tel: 03541-498356/ 885 Italy, Elisa Copello, who to give it to. C A B: 01600 [email protected]

Namgyalgar PO Box 214 Central Tilba [email protected] namgyalgar Dzogchen Community in NSW 2546 www.dzogchen.org.au Australia Phone/Fax: 61 02 4473 7668 and pacifi c rim

snake – right at the entrance to Zealand bush). It is perfect for swim- spring retreat at Gawaling. The Gar’s famous 6- ming at high tide and relatively private. namgyalgar foot Goanna was on view too as Please go to http://www.bnb.co.nz/ it clung to a tree near the kitch- kaiauaseasidelodge.html to view the en area. By night possums were facility. The lodge has been offered to written in collective effort also seen in the trees and a wom- the Dzogchen community at a reduced bat was sighted grazing on the rate. The total cost of the retreat will pringtime in southern grassy saddle. be $ 325 (NZ), with special rate for Australia heralds warm campers and sustaining members. This Ssunny days and cool starry On the last evening of the retreat includes accommodation and food. nights. The sea glistens and the we did a Ganapuja celebrating A few of the experienced members of rolling hills are green despite the day of the Dakinis. the Community will lead the sessions. the tough drought conditions. The only qualifi cation for attending What a perfect time for a retreat It was bliss to experience the nat- the retreat is that one must have had at Namgyalgar, situated on the ural beauty of Namgyalgar, the Guru Yoga transmission from Rinpoche slopes of Mount Gulaga – a place harmony and presence from the (In person or via webcast). This will that symbolizes the mother and Photo: Lea Joyce instructions and practice, and be a very good opportunity to put into provides a basis for Aboriginal Mornings started with the pre- we were reminded that the area the oneness with our Master. practice Rinpoche’s teaching and thus spiritual identity. liminary practices of the Base of is near the town of ‘Tilba Tilba’ develop presence and clarity. The New Santi Maha Sangha and a teach- – an Aboriginal name meaning * Zealand Community welcomes the Participants for the retreat ing and contemplation each day “windy windy”. It was so power- The New Zealand Dzogchen Community is international Community to attend the traveled from Brisbane, Mel- on one of the fi rst six Lojongs. ful that we took to spreading oil pleased to announce retreat should they have the resources bourne, regional Victoria and Training in Yantra Yoga and on our skin to prevent excessive and time to do so. Please register for A Longde and Semzin 5 day Retreat Sydney to participate in a pro- rhythmic breathing, suitable for ‘lung’. the retreat by 15th December with NZ to be held at Kaiaua Seaside lodge gram of the Seven Lojongs, beginners and experienced prac- Gakyil: [email protected], so the (Approximately 1 hours drive from Rhythmic Breathing and the titioners, followed this. The long break after lunch en- Gakyil may prepare what is required for Auckland.) Kumbhaka. SMS Base Level abled people to do some Karma retreat participants. teacher Elise Stutchbury and in- A group of advanced practitio- Yoga – either organizing the li- The Lodge is situated on the water’s termediate Yantra Yoga teacher ners studied the practices of the brary, preparing lunch and din- edge of The Seabird Coast, famous for Homage to the Master – may he live long! Emily Coleing led the weeklong 7th Lojong with Elise at Gawal- ner, gardening or tending to the its bird-watching, Miranda Hot Springs, retreat. Daily sessions were held ing, then later in the week every- Gonpa. There was also time to regional parks and fi sh ‘n chips. Four NZ Dzogchen Community in the Gonpa but some smaller one gathered in the Gonpa for take walks around the Gar, see km north of Kaiaua Township, the Lodge Email: [email protected] groups convened in Gawaling – 7th Lojong practices including the spring blossoms and observe features attractive beach gardens and P.O Box 18183 “Place of Happiness” Rinpoche’s the powerful Kumbhaka. the fauna, as well as view the fa- panoramic views of the Coromandel. Glen Innes house – with its majestic views cilities available for people to do It is ideally positioned for leisurely Auckland, NZ over the Gar and to the ocean. As the wind picked up strength personal retreats. On the fi rst seashore strolls or more active tramps around the middle of each day day of the retreat we saw our fi rst in the Hunua Ranges (Native New upcoming retreats July 21–24 October 31–November 3 with Santi Maha Sangha Base Level Exam Practice and Teaching dedicated chögyal namkhai norbu July 25–31 to those who have died >> continued from page 1 Santi Maha Sangha Level I Training Spain Italy November 14-20 USA Barcelona Retreat New York City Merigar West May 23–25 August 11–18 Brazil Weekend Teaching Teaching Retreat November 26–30 Open Webcast Brazil Retreat Tsegyalgar East May 30 –June 6 Kalmykia Argentina Retreat September 8–15 December 5–8 Dzogchen Teaching Retreat Buenos Aires Weekend Retreat June 27–29 Open Webcast Santi Maha Sangha III Level Exams Tashigar Sur June 30–July 7 Italy December 26–January 1 Santi Maha Sangha IV Level Training Merigar West Dzogchen Teaching Retreat September 26–October 3 Open Webcast House For Sale Romania Dzogchen Teaching Retreat Merigar East Charming house for sale, 20 minutes from Merigar. July 14–20 October 6–9 Stone house, 95 sqm, facing Southwest, completely Teaching Retreat Santi Maha Sangha III Level Exam restored with traditional materials and biological Open Webcast October 10–17 products + methods. Ready to live in. More info at Santi Maha Sangha IV Level Training [email protected] THE MIRROR · No. 88 · September, October 2007 Stories of the Masters

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understands the mind of his dis- the mahasiddhas ciple and proposes a precise and immediate psychological solu- tion to his problems. elio guarisco By revealing himself to the desperate man, the siddha shows reprinted with permission from himself as the incarnate symbol the merigar letter, no. 5 year II, october 2006 of the highest possibility of be- ing, leading the ordinary man to he tantric mystics of an- Even though there were great understand that this potentiality cient India were called Mahayana scholars such as Na- is also present in him. T mahasiddhas or those garjuna, Aryadeva, Santideva, At the end of their lives, in- whose search for knowledge , Santipa, etc., among stead of dying the siddhas van- through yoga has been crowned the siddhas, I think that among ish taking with them their bod- with success (). Maha at- Tantric practitioners there was ies that have been so radically tached to the term siddha gener- a tendency to disassociate from transformed by the alchemy of ally denotes greatness or com- the excessive scholasticism and the tantra in order to enter that pleteness. There are mainly two intellectualism that was charac- pure dimension called ‘the land types of siddhi: ordinary or mun- teristic of monastic studies. of the women of knowledge’. In dane and the supreme siddhi or said to his disciple, this land the siddhas who have total realisation of one’s own “Naropa, books are only words not reached total realization primordial condition. that are like watered-down milk during their lives on earth will Ordinary are magi- that you buy at the market”. A lot fi nd all the conditions that will cal powers that are described in of siddhas were ordinary people, help them the complete this part various ways although one of the completely lacking in philo- of the path. most well-known classifi cation sophical studies yet strongly de- In conclusion, the anti-con- lists eight: the siddhi of celestial termined to realize the ultimate edge and revealed an enormous They aroused respect and ven- formist character of the siddhas, dimensions or the power to dwell experience. inner richness and complete eration but also perplexity and, free from any type of conven- and move around as one pleases Within Buddhism we fi nd two freedom from any type of condi- at times, fear because they car- tionality whether moral or reli- in the celestial worlds; the sid- main currents of thought: the tioning. ried out acts that were common- gious, cannot have other than a dhi of the sword or the power to Hinayana, which is widespread The siddha was a pure being, ly considered to be deplorable, great appeal. They appeared at conquer a multitude of enemies in the countries of south East without blemish or name, with- like drinking wine excessively or the time of the great spread of in war; the siddhi of the pill or Asia and the Mahayana that is out beginning or end, without enjoying the company of prosti- Buddhism in India, between the the power to make oneself invis- widespread in the countries of limits, like the sky; his mind tutes or women from the lower 9th and the 11th century when ible using medicinal substances: north Asia. The ideal of the Hi- was radically founded on an al- castes, all of which were means the monasteries enjoyed great the siddhi of the fast foot or the nayana path is the monk who is truistic view: he did not distin- of inner growth. prosperity and were completely power to walk for long distances calm and disciplined, respectful guish profi t from loss, praise Although in Buddhist thought established within the social in a very short time; the siddhi of of the monastic rules that he fol- from insult, misery from rich- the social structure of the castes structure, even though they tend- the vase or the power to enjoy in- lows until he becomes an ness, eulogy from reproach. He in condemned, on a concrete ed to remain behind the times fi nite riches; the siddhi of subju- – a saint who has conquered his saw everything with the same level it was not possible to stamp with their intellectualistic forms gating powerful spirits and using passions. In the Mahayana, the view. Secretly compassionate, it out. The siddhas, however, of formal study of doctrine and them for one’s own projects; the ideal model is the altruistic lay he obtained illumination in the showed no prejudice, were im- philosophy. siddhi of the vital essence which person, always devoted to oth- embrace of the yogini and, often partial to people of all castes The great monastic universi- lengthens life; the siddhi of the ers and also with the calm and wearing only bone ornaments, and in fact usually favored those ties educated hundreds of schol- elixir for the eyes which permits equilibrated behavior of the wandered in the wild forests, from the lowest classes who ars but the spirit of the Buddha’s one to discover treasures that by whose ethics he drank wine, ate meat and en- were generally ignored by the of- teaching was drying up behind have been hidden underground. strictly abides. joyed the company of women. fi cial religion. The lowest class- the institutionalized scholastic Ordinary powers are acquired The tantric practitioner, how- To those who asked them, es’ problems of survival, physi- formalism. For this reason the by the yogi with the aim of act- ever, shatters the pre-established “Where do you come from?” cal pain and misery were more siddhas came on the scene to re- ing for the benefi t of others in an image of how a religious person they would reply, “I come from obvious and able to induce that vitalize the Buddha’s teaching effective way. These siddhis give should be; the tantric practi- ignorance!” meaning that they existential desperation that of- outside the monasteries, choos- the yogi the faculty to modify tioner is the siddha who gener- had transcended the state of be- ten acts as a spark to undertake ing places for their exploits like the ordinary laws of nature and ally lives outside the monastic ing linked to lack of awareness the inner path, making one more cemeteries, caves, the areas of to display miracles even though community, in solitary and in- of the reality of things. determined to discover the real the outcastes, but also royal pal- in the eyes of the yogi these ex- hospitable places or amongst We often fi nd siddhas as ordi- condition. aces. In the suburbs of the city traordinary actions are nothing the crowds in the markets of nary people who are engaged in The masters of the future sid- lived the beggars, prostitutes and other than part of the reality that India accompanied by low caste normal activities such as weavers, dhas were profound psycholo- butchers and the siddhas showed he is experiencing. women. He is free from social ironsmiths, shoe-makers, paint- gists and did not suggest that that even the “lowest’ could en- The eighty-four mahasiddhas conventions, roams about and ers, farmers, tailors, fi shermen, their disciples enter into confl ict ter the path of awakening. In the are the symbol of all those who, does what he pleases, makes hunters, washer-men etc., who, with their social and mental con- palaces of the nobles and royalty, over the centuries, have real- no distinction between friends while dedicating themselves to ditions. On the contrary, they the monasticism that renounced ized their authentic condition and enemies, between beauti- their work, obtained the highest taught them to attain realiza- the world and its pleasures could in a direct way. Moreover, it was ful and ugly, dirty or clean. For knowledge, thus showing that tion using the means that they not take hold while the siddhas, the mahasiddhas who propagated him there is no good or bad, no the profound mystical experi- possessed and which permitted who presented an inner research Tantra in Tibet either directly or pure or impure, the circle of out- ence and the ordinary aspect of them to continue to lead the life without having to renounce the through their disciples thus en- castes is more conventional and existence are not incompatible. that they had always led. It was pleasures of life, found fertile abling it to be preserved outside for this reason it really is among Once they had obtained these not important to change the so- ground for their “revolution India. the outcastes, whether for birth powerful realizations, the sid- cial condition in which we live within Buddhism”. Basing themselves on the phil- or for vocation, that the practice dhas began to do great miracles but rather to renounce clinging The siddhas were those who osophical thought of the Madhya- of Tantra started to spread. and showed their extraordinary to concepts of it. brought the last wave of vitality mika and the Yogacara and often The siddhas’ behavior was powers, hence creating an irre- The story of Darika who sees into the history of Indian Bud- integrating the two, the siddhas often outrageous in the face of sistible fascination both among his pride destroyed by a prosti- dhism before its defi nitive de- applied numerous yogic tech- common morality, but it was the the people and their rulers. Vir- tute shows that belonging to a cline. Through them the teach- niques both physical and mental, spontaneous product of their upa said, caste, one’s job and external edu- ing of the Buddha arrived in a sung mantras and were absorbed crazy wisdom and, in spite of “If I hadn’t done these miracles cation have no value whatsoever. fresh creative way in Tibet where in contemplation with the aim of their indecent way of presenting how could the people have faith The only thing that is important it penetrated deeply and was arriving at the experience of the themselves, they showed that in a doctrine that is only ideas?” is one’s own psychological con- conserved intact for more than a natural state of being. they had obtained inner knowl- dition and the master who fully thousand years up to our time.

Main Offi ce: PO Box 479, Conway, MA 01341, USA * Tel: 413 369 4208 * Fax: 413 369 44 73 * [email protected] * * European Offi ce: The Mirror, Merigar, Arcidosso, 58031 GR, Italy * Tel: 39 32 98 86 52 92 * Fax: 39 05 64-96 81 10 * [email protected] * * Editorial Staff: Naomi Zeitz, Tsegyalgar, Conway, MA, USA * Liz Granger, Merigar, Arcidosso, Italy * * Literary Editor: John Shane * * Advisors: Des Barry, Adriano Clemente, Anna Eid, Barbara Paparazzo, Jim Valby * * International Blue Gakyil Advisor: Fabio Andrico, International Publications Committee * * English Language Advisor: Liz Granger * * Layout & Design: Thomas Eifl er * * Web Site Managers: Thomas Eifl er, Malcolm Smith * * Printer: Turley Publications, Palmer, MA, USA * * Distribution: Tsegyalgar at Conway, MA, USA * * Subscription Rate/6 Issues: $35 US available through Tsegyalgar; 35 € through Merigar * * Visa and Master card welcome * * Online Mirror: www.melong.com * * All material © 2007 by The Mirror * * Reprint by permission only * * We reserve the right to edit all submissions. 20

the times that followed, Rinpoche and our small group of less than twenty students, how i met started the fi rst Dzogchen Community in Naples, as a non-profi t organization and later on Rinpoche, after having auspicious chögyal namkhai norbu dreams, decided to transmit offi cially the Dzogchen Teachings to us. eugenio amico We used to meet with Rinpoche once a week to receive the Teachings in Napoli, including Yantra Yoga that Rinpoche him- must say that the circumstances that more than an hour about the potentiality self would perform! What a treat it was to led me to meet Rinpoche were inter- and power of the human mind, answering learn the yantras directly from Rinpoche, Iesting and auspicious at the same all kind of curious question from guests watching him performing all the move- time! It was the year 1974 and I was 18 in the audience. ments and the asanas wearing his shorts years old living in Naples, Italy. In that pe- After the conference some of us went to and t-shirt! I actually became a very good riod I had met a healer, a loving and very have pizza with Rinpoche at a restaurant student of Yantra Yoga to the point that interesting man in his 70’s whom we used down the street and I was very intrigued Rinpoche, at the beginning, authorized to call “il maestro”(the teacher). He was by Rinpoche’s personality – as we were me to teach Yantra Yoga in his absence, a retired self-taught pranic healer and we sitting at the table waiting for the pizza, which I did for several years. used to go to his house to learn about the I remember watching Rinpoche making ancient volcanic vent emitting vapors of I have so many wonderful memories potentiality of mind-power, paranormal, little huts out of folded paper napkins sulphur and where people can experience and stories to tell about those precious yoga and pranic healing. and placing them playfully on beer bot- the effect of Naples’s volcanic soil, includ- times with Rinpoche in Napoli and I can One day “il maestro” informed us tle tops! I loved his free, joyful spirit and ing boiling sands, steamy caves and color- only feel very fortunate, privileged and about an upcoming conference with a somehow I felt he was not just an ordinary ful sulfuric ground formations. Rinpoche grateful for having received so much and Tibetan Teacher in Napoli and I couldn’t man! When we left the restaurant I asked used to enjoy that strong smell of sulphur for having been part of all that! Long life have asked for a better opportunity to feed Rinpoche about the possibility to meet because it reminded him of a special loca- to our precious master and blessings to my soul in search for spiritual guidance! him again to learn more about yoga and tion in Tibet. everyone! Rinpoche was then university professor of meditation and, with his simplicity and In that period we were a small group Your brother of the Vajra, Tibetan and Mongolian language in Na- compassion, he made himself available, of fortunate people that used to visit Eugenio Amico poli, and on that occasion he was invited allowing me to call him to arrange for a with Rinpoche’s and his family on the to a small conference to give a general in- visit at his house. weekends. I remember how relaxing, Eugenio is a massage therapist and instructor troduction about , Yoga In that period Rinpoche lived with his playful and nurturing those evenings at who, after having traveled around the world, and meditation. That evening I remember sweet family in a very unique location of Rinpoche’s house were, sipping on deli- has settled back in Naples. feeling fascinated by the presence and Naples, in fact his apartment building was cious teas with his wife Rosa and the kids His contact information is: Cell: 339.6441984 wisdom of this young, simple, sweet and located right above a major tourist attrac- while talking about the , playing Email: [email protected] joyful Tibetan man who spoke softly for tion site called “Solfatara”, which is an games or having some dinner together. In

so that winnings and losses could be dou- the origins of the game bled or tripled, but only for those who ac- cepted the bet. “calaco” While playing we also came to under- stand that it was necessary to have two riccardo moraglia packs of “Main” cards and one of “Luck” translated by nina robinson cards. You can imagine how, when we went to n September 1995 Rinpoche, together bed at night our vision was full of red, yel- with Rosa and Phuntsog Wangmo, his low and blue numbers and coloured zeros! I niece, did us the honor of visiting us Rinpoche was very happy that the game in Sardinia to spend a holiday by the sea. worked and was great fun. It was also very The holiday place is called “Calacorallina” amusing to see how the zeros could sud- and in fact many small pieces of coral can denly reverse winnings and losses. be found on the beach. What should we call the game? One afternoon Rinpoche was resting There are two types of cards: the ample, the bank has a yellow card every- Rinpoche decided that, since we were when all of a sudden he woke up and asked “Main” ones, which are all the numbered one pays except those who have a yellow in Calacorallina, it should be named us to fi nd some white card, a pair of scis- cards; and the “Luck” cards – those with zero or a three-coloured zero or a Joker. “ CALACO”. sors and blue, yellow and red coloured felt- the Zeros and the Jokers. Thus, also for the payments, if the bank Before his departure Rinpoche asked tip pens. Then he started to cut up the card Every player is assigned a place num- has a red card he pays everyone except us to write down the rules and we offered while we watched silently, full of curiosity. ber from 1 to 9, just the way the cards are those who have a yellow or a three-co- to get the cards printed so that everyone With great patience and precision numbered. One player holds the bank and loured zero or a Joker; likewise if he has could buy them and play. Rinpoche cut 42 equal-sized pieces of deals out the whole pack of cards. In the a blue card. This is the brief history of the birth of card, the size of playing cards. On nine following round the bank passes to the After having settled accounts with the a game that sprang forth entirely from of the cards he wrote the numbers 1 to 9 next player in a clockwise direction and bank, one continues with regard to the re- the Mind of Rinpoche. In all these years with the blue felt-tip; on another nine he also the numbers assigned to the players lationship of each player’s card to that of it hasn’t become very widespread but it wrote the numbers in yellow and on the changes: number 1 is always the player on the other players. If, for example, a player would be good if more practitioners were last nine he wrote them in red. There were the left of the bank. has a yellow four he wins four points from to get to know it. 15 cards left. On three of them he wrote a After having arranged ourselves around the person in place number four, still fol- With these same cards one can play blue zero; on another three he wrote a yel- the table in this way Rinpoche explained lowing the rules of the Zeros and Jokers. many other games from solitaire to a low zero and on three a red zero. Then he how to decide the value of a “point” and If the player has a red four he pays four game similar to poker. Those who are wrote a zero with all three colors on three how to choose the fi rst player to hold the points to the player in place number four interested in “Reading the Cards” would cards and on each of the last three cards bank. Then, without yet knowing how, we and if he has a blue card he pays the corre- have plenty of food for their imagination: he drew a Joker. began to play! sponding value to the bank, always keep- it’s enough to think of the meaning of the At this point Rinpoche told us how Rinpoche held the pack of cards and ing to the rules for the Zeros and Jokers. three colors, the function of Zero and the much he enjoys games and that while he dealt one card to each of us, starting with What happens if a player who is in place fortune of the Joker, then all you need is was resting this game had come into his the person on His left (clockwise). Then number four has a yellow or red four? He … clarity. mind. Then he began to explain to us how we turned them face up on the table. can’t beat or pay himself. In this case he is The cards are on sale in Merigar it worked. The yellow cards win. If the bank has either paid by the player on his left or he together with Rinpoche’s instructions The three colors correspond to three a yellow card all the players have to pay has to pay the player on his right, not for- and some proposals for other games that levels: yellow is the highest level and beats him the number of points indicated on getting the rule of the Zeros and Jokers. came into our minds. We think that there the blue and red; blue is medium level and the card (which can be from 1 to 9); if the If a player or the bank has a Joker he are many, many possible combinations beats red, which is the lowest level of all. bank has a red card he looses and has to never pays and if he is paid he receives and it’s up to all of us to fi nd them and He told us that the zeros are used to lib- pay all the players the number of points double. broaden the possibilities of playing. erate and the Jokers liberate from negative indicted on his card; if the bank has a blue We were all very much taken up with We hope these few lines will inspire situations and double the positive ones. card he gives the number of points indi- the game. Rinpoche encouraged us to play you to approach this fantastic game. It was all beginning to be very attrac- cated on his card to the player with the very quickly and we made a lot of muddles Thank you Rinpoche!!! tive!!!!! corresponding place number. which made him laugh with pleasure. Then Rinpoche asked us all to sit But watch out! Now the zeros and the After a couple of days of trying out the Calaco is available at Merishop, around the table to try to play, and here Jokers come into play. Zero annuls any game it was refi ned: a player could Gam- Merigar West, Italy are the rules he explained to us. winnings and payments and so if, for ex- ble on it, doubling or tripling the points,