No. 95 November, December 2008

Upcoming Retreats with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

Photo: M. Farmer 2009 Argentina Tashigar Sur Jan. 5–8 SMS Base Exam Jan. 9–13 SMS I Level Training Chögyal Namkhai Norbu entering the teaching hall in Barcelona, Spain. Photo: H. Hansen New Zealand Jan. 23–25 Weekend Teaching Retreat Australia Kunzang Jaku – The Rainbow Sydney Jan. 30 –Feb. 1 Weekend Teaching Retreat www.dzogchen.org.au Dimension of Samantabhadra Namgyalgar, Tilba Tilba A Dzogchen Upadesha teaching of Powo Terton Duddul Dorje (1615–1672) Feb. 9–15 Retreat Barcelona Retreat, 14th–20th November 2008 Feb. 17–19 Santi Maha Sangha Base Exam Nina Robinson Feb. 20–26 Santi Maha Sangha I Level Training he Barcelona Dzogchen Com- and relaxed. Everyone felt welcomed and dul Dorje and his friends were playing at munity is well known all over the well looked after. consecrating the temple and throwing rice Caloundra T world for its effi ciency in organiz- at the walls. The rice that Duddul Dorje March 16–21 ing large retreats with Chögyal Namkhai Although Rinpoche was still recovering threw didn’t bounce off; it stayed on the Teaching Retreat Norbu. This time fewer people than usual from his recent illness and suffering pain wall. Some monks saw this and recog- Melbourne attended, probably because of the fi nan- in his back he taught with all his usual nized that he was no ordinary child. Later April 3–5 cial situation and also the easy availabil- clarity, vigour and compassion. He began he and his mother wanted to go to Cen- Weekend Teaching Retreat ity of web-cast teachings. The venue in a by explaining the origin and lineage of this tral Tibet and had to cross the Yangtse huge sports centre by the sea is spacious terma teaching of Terton Duddul Dorje and river. Since they were very poor they wait- Namgyalgar enough to accommodate about seven also the manner in which he received it. ed at the riverside for some kind person to April 10–15 dance mandalas as well as ample room offer them a passage on the ferry. While Retreat for all the participants to listen comfort- Powo Terton Duddul Dorje revealed this they were waiting Duddul Dorje wrote April 17–22 ably to the teachings and for the Shang and other termas in the 17th Century. He OM A HUM on a rock. The syllables sank Retreat Shung Institute and ASIA stalls, 2 bars showed signs of his extraordinary capac- deeper and deeper into the rock. Namkhai serving meals and drinks and several other ity from his earliest youth. When he was 10 Norbu Rinpoche has seen them and says Singapore stalls. The headache for the Spanish gaky- years old the building of the very large tem- they are like holes in the rock. May 1–3 il is heating. Such a huge space is diffi cult ple at Derge Ganchen monastery had just Weekend Teaching Retreat and costly to heat so late in the season. But been completed and monks came from sev- When Rinpoche was living in China he Japan the atmosphere of the retreat was warm en monasteries to the inauguration. Dud- sometimes visited his uncle in Tibet. On May 8–10 >> continued on page 10 Weekend Teaching Retreat Russian Federation Teaching Teaching Overview Moscow May 15–19 Retreat Chögyal Namkhai Yeshi Silvano Baja Mexico Germany Norbu Namkhai and the May 27–31 The Supreme The moment California Teaching Retreat Purifi cation of death and Community the moment of living

>> continued on page 2 » Page 2 » Page 4 » Pages 11–13 THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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oday we have instructions on the practice of shitro. In general we say wang, lung, tri. Wang means ini- T tiation and belongs mainly to the Vajrayana tradi- tion. Lung means giving the lung, transmission, so that you can at least read and follow the teaching. Tri are pre- cise instructions on how you should do the visualisation, etc. Of course if you are seriously interested in a teaching, you must receive instructions. Some people are more or less familiar with some Vajrayana teachings, they have re- ceived the lung of the instruction books and they have read them so then maybe they can also realize [that teaching]. But it is not always easy and we can make a lot of mistakes. For that reason, today we have these instructions. I told you that the principle of the shitro we are doing is based on the namchö shitro because the namchö shitro is easier; there are not a lot of complicated words for the vi- sualisation. We always need to have a bit of an idea about the different visualisations etc., when we follow any type of Anuyoga teaching. And you know that shitro is consid- ered to be a very powerful practice for purifi cation. Purifi cation very often exists in all the Buddhist tradi- tions even in Sutra teaching which says that we have our three existences of body, speech and mind. For purifying our body we should do prostrations, for purifying voice we chant mantras and for mind we do visualisations. This is purifi cation, but not purifi cation like the shitro. It is a very preliminary purifi cation. If there is a small child and you want to teach them how to do something, you can’t teach them something complicated because a small child won’t understand. That is an example. In the teaching there are different kinds of purifi ca- Photo: M. Farmer tion. When we start with Vajrayana teaching, even in all the lower tantras up to the higher tantras, Anuttaratantra, they all use purifi cation with Vajrasattva. In the tantra it ex- plains that when we chant the one hundred syllable mantra The Supreme Purifi cation only once, we can purify the negative karma accumulated for a bum of kalpas. A bum means a hundred thousands kal- From the Shitro Khorde Rangdrol Retreat pas and you know what kalpa means. It doesn’t mean only and Chang Chog Rite for the Dead a few years. It doesn’t mean centuries. A kalpa is the period of time from the moment a planet was created until it is Merigar West, November 2, 2008 destroyed. And we have transmigrated in that way. So when we do Vajrasattva practice, also in the shitro, rifi cation that has its value. This means being ignorant. thing concrete, real – by means of that potentiality, all your we transform and use the one hundred syllables. Why do In Vajrayana, when we talk about people who have no ca- obstacles, negativities, everything is consumed. we use that mantra, and why does it have one hundred syl- pacity, we are talking about those types of people, people So you see, that is the potentiality of the shitro. And even lables? Because the main manifestations of shitro called who go to the temple, bringing butter lamps, incense etc., though we are not in the bardo of dharmata, we are trans- ‘shitro tampa rigya’ (zhi khro dam pa rigs brgya) are one while others think that this is fantastic. But it is relative. It formed into Vajrasattva, we apply that method and enter hundred manifestations. Why are they limited to one hun- is not important at all. If you have the capacity to remain in our real condition, then that purifi cation is much more dred? Because they are mainly limited with the energy just a little in the state of guru yoga, it is much better. elevated than others. This is something that is very impor- functions of the individual. For example, we talk about So you see that when we are learning shitro, the shitro tant to understand.  the fi ve aggregations, the fi ve elements, six senses and teaching makes us understand that when we are dying, the objects related to them and the six consciousnesses of the moment of death is called the ‘bardo of the moment of Transcribed and edited by Liz Granger the senses. These are specifi c functions and when we put death’. It means that at that moment, the functions of our them all together there are one hundred main functions. senses, the elements, everything, dissolves internally, so This is the reason that ‘shitro tampa rigya’ has one hun- we can have very strong feelings and experiences of death >> Upcoming Retreats continued from previous page dred manifestations. at that moment. If you see someone who is dying, you can But of course we cannot always limit this to one hun- see how diffi cult it is. After this, there is death and there is Romania dred and even if you want to know the one hundred mani- no longer this kind of continuation. Then one passes into Merigar East festations one at a time, nobody can manage to have that the ‘bardo of dharmata’, just like in the evening when we fall June 12–21 presence. But you can have a little global knowledge and asleep. When you fall asleep, you cannot see or hear any- Teaching Retreat then the manifestations are infi nite, they say, just like a thing until you have some dream. In the teaching this is June 2–28 vase fi lled with sesame seeds, which means infi nite mani- called the ‘natural light’; ‘natural light’ if you have knowl- SMS Base Exam festations. But in the ‘shitro tampa rigya’ the most impor- edge or methods of practice. June 29–July 6 tant are one hundred in number and the one hundred syl- In the shitro it explains that when you arrive at the ‘bardo SMS I Level Training lables are also connected with these manifestations. For of dharmata’, it means that your real potentiality, your real that reason, when we transform and manifest as Vajrasat- nature is naked. And when your real nature is naked then Italy tva, then the shitro manifests in our internal mandala and your primordial potentiality of sound, light and rays man- Merigar West this becomes a very powerful purifi cation. Why is it a pow- ifests. So if, during your life, you received teaching like August 7–17 erful purifi cation? Because when we apply the shitro visu- shitro, did some practice and have that knowledge, you re- Rinpoche’s Personal Retreat alisation etc., we enter in our real nature and this is the member that your sound and light and rays are manifest- August 10–16 supreme purifi cation. ing in the ‘bardo of dharmata’ and can have that recognition Retreat I have told you many times how Buddha explained this which is called the ‘meeting of the mother wisdom and in the sutra teaching. Buddha said that if a person dedi- son wisdom’. ‘Mother wisdom’ is the real potentiality that Sept. 4–14 cates their whole life to doing good actions for accumu- you have. ‘Son wisdom’ is that which, in your lifetime, Vacation in Sardegna lating merits, that is fantastic. It is not bad. But compared the teacher introduced you to and explained, and that you Oct. 2–10 with a person who can get in the path of the accumulation learned and applied. Even if a son is with many people, he Retreat of wisdom, which means being in the state of contempla- recognises his mother as soon as he sees her. That is an tion, for just the short amount of time it takes a small ant example of the meeting between the mother wisdom and Oct. 23–30 to walk from the tip of the nose to the forehead – that is son wisdom. When you have that knowledge, that under- Shitro Khordas Rangdrol Retreat an example of a very short amount of time – this is much standing, in that moment you can immediately have total Spain more important for having realisation than sacrifi cing for realisation of sambhogakaya and will not have the contin- Nov. 13–17 a whole life. We can understand what that means and we uation of the bardo. Dzogchen Teaching Retreat should learn how we can get in our real nature. This is the Many Dzogchen methods are very concentrated on the supreme purifi cation. bardo of dharmata so you can have some kind of idea. We Venezuela Many people do not know that being in the state of guru can have infi nite accumulations of negative karma, but Dec. 4–11 yoga, being in the state of contemplation, is purifi cation. without purifying it, how can we have total realisation in Dzogchen Longsal Longde Teaching Retreat Some people say that they do contemplation very often but the bardo of dharmata? In the bardo of dharmata, when you Dec. 26–January 3 they feel that they need to do some purifi cation. But this recognise the meeting of the mother wisdom and the son Mandarava Tsedrub Chüdlen Retreat means that they want to do some miserable purifi cation, wisdom – not knowledge in an intellectual way but some- not knowing that they are doing a fantastic, powerful pu- THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 Yeshi Silvano Namkhai

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The moment of death and the moment of living

Grosseto October 27th, 2008

onsidering that we are The moment of dying is very very near November I much connected with our under- Cthink it is good to talk standing of vision. We say that about death since in Italy and in everything is vision. We don’t many other Catholic countries have reality and non-reality, people remember the dead at the something real or unreal. When beginning of November on the we say that everything is unreal it fi rst and second of the month. means that everything is vision, For this reason every year at this it is not that everything doesn’t time we have a shitro teaching at exist. Most people have the idea Merigar and some common dedi- that something unreal is like cation to those who have died and something that doesn’t exist, but December 8, 2008 most of all a lot of people go to existing and not existing is just the cemetery and bring fl owers. concept. When we go a little bit To the Long Life of the Precious Vajra Master, During these holidays – because deeper into the understanding of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in Italy these days are public holi- the teaching, we discover that we days – people come to Merigar to have to overcome the idea of ex- The Mirror and the International Dzogchen Community wish you a hap- do practice together. So every year istence, of being born and dying, py and joyful 70th birthday on this day that brought to all beings the we have this kind of practice. all these ideas. And every time most marvelous of all good fortune and wish fulfi llment, the birth of the It is not my intention to ex- we do any kind of practice that is Jewel of the Sky!!! plain shitro teaching because connected with the understand- that is done at Merigar by our ing of our real nature, like con- Thank you Rinpoche for giving us your life and the transmission of the Teacher, but it is useful to un- templation, Song of the Vajra, most profound wisdom on this earth. derstand what we mean when we then we start with a sentence that talk about death, the moment of says ‘Unborn’, which means be- The International Dzogchen Community death and the moment of living. yond the idea of existence and Living and dying are two impor- non-existence. If we talk about tant moments not only in a Tibet- this, then we have to remember condition so as soon as we talk naked condition anything can we think at that moment imme- an perspective but in the general that this is our real condition. about something at the moment manifest so if, for example, your diately comes out as a projec- perception as well. Our real condition is connected of death, we immediately start worst nightmare is that you are tion, as a real thing, outside [of We need to understand how with the understanding of going to think about something just very much afraid of insects, then us] but without physical limits. they work so as to develop our un- beyond existence and non-exis- like in the living state. If we say, it is very easy that in that moment In the human condition we have derstanding of the teaching and tence. But since we are human, for example, that on the second you imagine something like an physical limits so we feel very our knowledge of our real condi- have this human body and some day [after death] the fi ve Dhyani insect. But that insect will not be certain, very safe in this condi- tion, our real nature, through the day have to die, we have a condi- Buddhas will manifest in front something small. Since you afraid tion because we know there are understanding of our state. tion of living and dying. of you, or Akshobya etc., straight of it, it will be a giant insect and limits and there can’t be anything If our state is living, it is differ- Living and dying means that away we think about something there will probably be thousands beyond them. We grasp this idea ent from a state of dying. But we since our birth we have been real just like in our ordinary con- of them. In that moment these in- and we are very happy but every don’t have a clear idea about dy- totally convinced that we have dition, in our everyday life. In- sects will start to eat you and you time we see something that goes ing. For sure we understand we two different conditions: one is stead we should think that there will be crunched and there will be beyond physical human limits have to die some day, that there being alive and the other is be- is no difference between being blood everywhere. And there will then we immediately feel very will be an end at a certain point. ing dead and death is like dark- dead and being alive. It is exactly not only be one of you, there will sick, very bad and we are afraid. We are totally sure about this. ness, something without any the same. The main point is that be many of you and thousands of We have the idea of something And we know that we will die in feeling. Then we arrive at the when we are alive, our concepts insects because you don’t have human and natural and some- a state of suffering. It could be Vajrayana tradition, like Tibetan seem more solid, like in a solid this dualistic vision any more in thing supernatural, ‘metaphysi- something sudden like a car ac- Buddhism, and we discover that state. When we are dead, there is this condition. It is beyond physi- cal’, beyond physical limits and cident and we pass away immedi- there is something very active in no solid state, it is not a solid tri- cal limits so you will probably see we don’t like whatever is beyond ately. And when we pass our suf- this state. And this state is full of dimensional condition – that’s thousands of insects eating your the physical level. We are very fering could be relative and more these fearful representations, for the main point – but it’s more body altogether and you will be afraid of it because it means we connected with fear. Having an example, from the famous terma, like a dream. If we fall asleep after spread everywhere and this will are very weak compared to some- accident means we are aware that ‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’. having a terrible day – for exam- make you totally afraid. In that thing bigger and greater than us. we are dying in that moment, and Most people think that this book ple at work our boss wasn’t hap- moment you will recognise that The main point is that when everything connected with our is like the Egyptian one but it has py with us, we are afraid of losing you no longer have a body and we are dying it is like dreaming. state of dying will be connected nothing to do with it. It’s a ter- our job, we have family, children will look for one. This is what is When we are dreaming we don’t with fear, with this sudden fear, ma, a discovered teaching from and we won’t have money to buy explained in the bardo about the have these limits. If we don’t not like something you have been Guru Rinpoche and it’s a very food for them – then immedi- idea of looking for a body, and have these limits then whatever expecting for years and years important teaching. It is con- ately everything that is connected you will go into the vision of the is projected from our mind be- but it immediately manifests as nected with the power of hearing with this fear will manifest in our fi rst one that you see. So if it is comes ‘real’, and this ‘reality’ has something full of fear. You don’t and it goes through sound, and dreams. But, as usual, it is a sym- insects, it is very easy that you go its own life and starts to live by it- have much suffering but more sound, as we know, is a symbol. bolic manifestation so our boss into this condition, that you fi nd self. Then if we go after this as we fear. When we do a practice based on will not manifest but probably we rebirth in this condition because have done normally in our lives On the other hand we may the idea of transforming impure will have a symbolic dream that of your fear. Since these insects – we have thoughts, concepts, we have our own wish to die, to com- vision into pure vision, then we is connected with this. Our psy- don’t really exist in anything be- follow them and we enter into ac- mit suicide or depressed actions have liberation through symbols chologists like very much to talk cause everything is unreal – these tion – in the same way there will of that kind. But most people die and the symbol is always a seed about these types of things. The are Buddha’s words – then what be action but without any physi- in a more natural way. At a certain syllable. A seed syllable means a main point is that since we have happens? Your fear becomes real cal limits to the actions. Normal- point, they get very ill, they are in sound through whose function this potentiality of manifesting and you wake up from this condi- ly we are limited in our activity hospital and at the end maybe they we liberate from karmic vision. In everything, then immediately it tion of dying into the living con- and we create very small actions, go back home and die there with this terma it is basically the same comes out like this. dition as an insect, for example. very small ideas because we are their relatives. This is a more tra- principle. Only hearing this man- When we are dying, it is ex- Basically, this is how it works. small. We are very limited physi- ditional or common way of dying tra, which is the full text, then you actly the same but we have even This is a very simple expla- cally and because of this we have and it is very important to under- may have this kind of liberation if more capacity because we really nation but if we go into it more limited thoughts, we have limit- stand that as Dzogchen practitio- you know how to apply it. It is a don’t have any connection with deeply we discover that even in ed activity. But when we are dead, ners, we should be ready for this long and very complicated text. the physical body. Then at that our normal life, in our living we are totally beyond these limits moment. When we do this shitro The main point is not really moment everything can mani- state, we do exactly the same. and therefore our actions are infi - practice together, it is not only going into an analysis of the text fest, not only what happened that When we look at these thangkas nite, without limitation. So if we about caring for the dead from and trying to imagine that every- day but more what happened dur- with fearful images, we don’t re- are afraid of something or if we the past, but it is more about be- thing that is around us in this ing your whole life. After some ally understand that these imag- have strong ego and attachment, ing aware of fi nding ourselves in special moment of dying is real. time, your life starts to be very es are just a projection from our then everything manifests by it- this condition and having to face We have the idea of being in the far from you and you are totally mind. In the state of dying this self. This means that probably we this moment. living condition and the dying naked in this condition. In that becomes very clear and whatever >> continued on the following page THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 Yeshi Silvano Namkhai

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>> continued from previous page will not witness a single action as in our normal state, but there will be thousands of actions happen- ing because we don’t have these limits. And these thousands of actions are connected with our qualities. If our qualities in that moment are wrong, are physi- cal human qualities, very limited qualities like attachment, then all possible attachments mani- fest, not only one. That is why we have the creation of very strong karmic causes and we may enter a very diffi cult life, have a rebirth that is terrible. This is the main human understanding about that explained in a very simple way. On the other hand we need to understand that we have not only the physical level but we [also] have the energy level which is voice, then since we are Dzogchen practitioners and we do guru yoga all our life, we should use this. When we do guru yoga, we can use our capacity for transform- ing – we are not limited to the Yeshi Silvano Namkhai in Kalmykia. Photo: I. Shakhov path of renunciation but we work on the path of transformation so community, and we will ask to be completely different. Just look at we recognise immediately that in this state, in this understand- yourself. What happened, for ex- The donation for the calendar this is our mind projection. For ing, and it will be easier to have ample, the fi rst time you under- Help ASIA get is 8 euro. Mailing costs to be add- example, we see terrible insects. a human rebirth with the same stood something about the ex- ed depending on the country and It is useless to say we will see Teacher. This is why we say at the perience of emptiness? Probably closer to Tibet number of calendars. some demons because we don’t end we all come and we recog- you felt afraid. Why? Because this To order the ASIA 2009 calen- live in the condition of demons. nise our Teacher, we are always is our real condition and there is ur 2009 calendar is dedi- dar, please contact our offi ce in They are not something from our on the same path. This is, more no difference between death and cated to Tibetan women, Rome at 0039 06 44340034 or by everyday life so it is very diffi cult or less, how it works. our real condition, between liv- Othe mainstay of their email [email protected] for us to see demons like those in During our life, we train very ing and dying. The state of liv- society and guarantors of safe- thangkas. We will see something much in devotion, this under- ing and the state of dying, being guarding their traditions. ASIA Onlus that we are really afraid of. If we standing of devotion. Devotion alive or being dead are exactly the By buying a calendar, you con- Via San Martino della Battaglia, 31 are afraid of insects – and a lot of means that we really believe that same because it is always about tribute to ASIA’s projects in fa- 00185 Rome, Italy people are – we will see terrible at the end there is a meaning, we our real condition. It is just a vour of the Tibetan people. www.asia-ngo.org insects like those we see in bad are confi dent that this will save different perspective and we are Help Tibet with a small ges- dreams which disturb us. Why us and will give us a human re- in two different dimensions but ture of solidarity! are we disturbed? If we observe birth following the same Teach- our real state is always the same. very well, in dreams insects are er. At this point, however, we are It doesn’t change when we die. not small, they are very big and limited again because we have a There is nothing that changes. we are really afraid of something human rebirth. Why? Because Since this is true then at the end that is very big because we are we transform our projections we are in a pre-defi ned dimen- afraid of something that gives us – not something in front of us or sion and to overcome this vision a sensation, not because it is real. around us, but something that we need to understand that there Even if it is a very small insect, if should be inside of us but which are different kinds of dimensions our feeling about this insect is we still see outside – and we proj- and it is not very important if di- like a giant then of course our ect this and recognise it as our mension A is in a certain way and dream will be like this because Teacher. We transform it. Trans- dimension B in another. In the our mind is free in dreams and forming, we do not go beyond end it is always about vision. it will immediately manifest this the relationship of subject and So the main point when we way. In the same way in the con- object, we still believe that some- approach the Dzogchen teach- dition of dying there will be the thing is real outside of us and ing is that we always consider same effect. Then if we have the immediately we have a human that everything is vision. Since capacity of transforming, then rebirth. If instead, in that mo- everything is vision so our devel- immediately we recognise that ment, we do something like the opment of teaching shows itself this is our projection because ev- Song of the Vajra – we not only as vision. We have these famous erything comes from our mind. recognise and transform, but we ‘nyams’ which are vision. If we When our mind projects, we transform into space, for exam- get attached to them then at the recognise [that this is a projec- ple, into something void, with- moment of really developing, go- tion] and we recognise that this out any meaning, knowing that ing beyond, for example, using is our mind. When we recognise the nature of everything is not methods connected with con- that this is our mind we imme- only unreal but void, empty and templation, then at that moment, diately remember that we have this emptiness has the potential- our attachment will be revealed. a teacher, a teaching and a com- ity of manifesting everything and We will discover our attachment munity. So we are not connected this is our real condition – then immediately, even to the teaching with the attachment of our body at this point you may have libera- itself and that would be the worst but we are more connected with tion. This is the path of self-liber- obstacle possible because we understanding. ation, but it is quite complicated give it a lot of importance. At the Eventually we are attached to because at that moment you have moment we die, this will come our Three Jewels and when we a very strong feeling. It is not like again. Then we will choose, for are attached to them it is easier the human condition in which example, to have a human rebirth to have a human rebirth. Why? we are afraid of an insect and we because at the end there is always Because we will immediately have very limited feeling. In that the relationship of the Teacher transform these insects into our condition fear is a lot stronger. and myself. If we go beyond this, Teacher as we recognise the na- It is ridiculous when I hear it will be possible for us to have ture of this manifestation, which someone say that they are not total realisation. is our mind. In our mind every- afraid of death. It’s stupid simply thing is unreal; then the only because of course you can’t say Transcribed and edited by thing we will be attached to is our that you are afraid or not today, L. Granger & M. Mingotti Teacher, our Teaching and our now, because in condition fear is THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

ASIA, Shang Shung Institute

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Since 1994 we have managed I put my trust in the friendship to give more than 1500 children of you all for Tibet and for ASIA. the possibility to study, with an I ask you to renew your support, increase in the rate of education once again, this year, and to help and a signifi cant impact for local us promote distance adoption communities. for a child or a monk as much as As well as this, since 2005, possible. thanks to distance adoption, Speak to your friends, relatives more than 200 monks have been and colleagues about it. Give a able to stay at the Colleges of friend a distance adoption for Buddhist studies and practice and Christmas. In a moment of eco- devote themselves to deepening nomic recession like the present Dear friends, and dramatic moments in history ensures us a functional presence their knowledge and to the trans- one in which people are renounc- The dramatic events of this year for Tibet since 1959. and assured results is distance mission of the precious spiritual ing every form of wastefulness, have brought about profound and So there will be no festivities, adoption. and cultural patrimony of Tibet. giving a child hope for a better radical changes in all the regions but just enormous attempts to Through distance adoption Many of you already partici- future is a valuable and respon- in China inhabited by Tibetans continue to guarantee support you can give a Tibetan child the pate in the life of a child or a sible gesture. and even within the diaspora. and solidarity for the Tibetan possibility to study his or her monk and have the experience of 25 euro a month is suffi cient In 2008 ASIA would have liked people. own culture, to continue to know meeting such a rich and diverse to distance support a child. 16 to celebrate with you 20 years of ASIA is one of the few interna- how to read and write his own culture through correspondence euro a month for a monk. work and wholehearted commit- tional NGOs – and the only Ital- language, to know about the tra- and information received from ments in favour of the Tibetan ian one – that is still present in ditions and the wisdom of his the school and our local repre- My sincere thanks to you all and people and their ancient culture. the Tibetan territory. thousand year old culture. And, sentatives. happy Christmas from all the staff of Instead, we have found ourselves We believe that in this tragic at the same time, how to compete ASIA! facing one of the most diffi cult moment the only instrument that in modern society. Andrea Dell’Angelo

book in its own language, either entrance examination and was directly or indirectly through a selected to attend a fi ve years’ Shang Shung Institute local publisher, they are invited course of Traditional Tibetan to contact the Shang Shung Insti- Medicine at the Tibetan Medi- translations and tute as soon as possible. cal and Astrological College of publications 2008 Dharamsala from 1998 to 2003. Igor Legati After a year of internship at Men- 008 is coming to its end Shang Shung Institute/Edizioni tsee-khang branch clinics in Del- and I would like to give you hi and Bylakuppe, she attained 2a short report on the activi- a Bachelor’s Degree in Tibetan ties related to translations and Medicine (Menpa Kachupa) in publications. Courses 2009 2004. Then she worked as con- · In 2008 we published two sultant Doctor in Bangalore and books for the public, the book lished by Snowlion Publications the statues of Changchub Dorje, Geriatrics, menopause and neighbouring places for about “Birth, Life and Death” in Eng- in November. Adzam Drugpa, Jigmed Lingpa, osteoporosis in Tibetan medicine 4 years until she was recruited lish and in Italian. The third · At the beginning of 2008 Nancy Longchenpa, Vajrapani, Dorje Merigar West, April 24th–26th by the “Medical Text (Gyud shi) book “Longchenpa’s advice from Simmons became the new editor Yudronma and Yutog Gonpa. We Translation Department” of the heart” is going to press this for the Public Books Project and have the wonderful and huge stat- Programme: Dharamsala in May 2008, where week and should be available in is working editing the books. ue of Semantabhadra Yabyum in 1st Day: Geriatric care in Tibet- she is currently working together the next few days. The international Shang Shung stock again. Or you might like to an Medicine with fi ve other doctors. · In summer 2008 we held the our Institute has spent about 45,000 receive one of our unique statues 2nd Day: Menopause and its care fourth Training for Translators Euro for the Ka-ter Translation as a present for your donation. in Tibetan Medicine Please register by April 15th to: from Tibetan in Merigar. We of- Project, and about 20,000 Euro Please have a look, check it out 3rd Day: Osteoporosis and its courses@ fered two classes, one for begin- for the Public Books Project. and enjoy. care in Tibetan Medicine shangshunginstitute.org ners and one for more advanced In 2008 the international Shang You may fi nd a really exquisite Registration fee: 150 Euros phone: +39 05 64-96 69 40 student, Prof. Fabian Sanders led Shung Institute spent a huge gift for a friend or for yourself. * both classes. amount of money for the trans- Thank you very much for your Introduction to the three humors, · In autumn 2008 the latest book lation, the editing, the produc- attention and for all your support the seven types of personalities from the Longsal series, “Long- tion and the publication of books and Merry Christmas to everybody or natures and their diet and Yantra Yoga and sal Vol. 8”, was published. for the public and the Dzogchen and a very happy new year. behavior · Our main translators – Elio Community. We were only able to Merigar West, May 1st–3rd Vajra Dance Guarisco, Adriano Clemente and make these activities happen with Oliver Leick Dear members of Jim Valby – met several times and the support of everybody. Shang Shung Institute Programme: Dzogchen Community, continued their translation work In order to be able to contin- 1st Day: Understanding of three on the Mejung Tantra. This text ue our work we need your sup- principle energies or The worldwide Yantra Yoga and should be published in the sec- port. The Shang Shung Institute humors (nye-pas) and Vajra Dance Courses schedule for ond half of 2009. is working on many different Yantra Yoga Book their etiology 2008–2009 is now available. · Elio Guarisco completed his projects and we are active for the 2nd Day: Seven unique psycho- work on Rinpoche’s new book preservation of Tibetan culture in Rights physical natures (7 rang- Below you can fi nd the link to about Moxa; this book is sup- various fi elds. Dear Friends, bzhin) and introduction download the pdf fi les: posed to be published in the fi rst Please join our activities in the Regarding the Yantra Yoga book to pulse examination half of 2009. future, too, by offering donations that was recently published by 3rd Day: Practice on determin- Worldwide Yantra Yoga Courses · Donatella Rossi has worked in or by becoming a member of the Snow Lion, we would like to clar- ing your unique per- Schedule a very concentrated way on the Shang Shung Institute. ify that Snow Lion owns the ex- sonality and diet and http://www.dzogchen.it/index. translation of the book “Light of We also would like to offer clusive rights only for the English behavior php?section=15 Kailash, Vol. I”. Now the text is in you some really wonderful and edition. For all other languages Registration fee: 150 Euros the process of editing and hope- unique items. On the website of Snow Lion owns non-exclusive Worldwide Vajra Dance Courses fully will be published by spring the Shang Shung Institute Aus- rights. This means that the con- Both courses will be given by the Schedule 2009. tria you can fi nd several Donation tract for the publication in other lady doctor, Namdol Lhamo http://www.dzogchen.it/index. · This year work on the book Packages with marvelous and ex- languages can be signed with php?section=17 “Yantra Yoga – the Tibetan Yoga traordinary statues. We offer stat- Shang Shung Institute. There- After getting a Bachelor of Sci- of Movement” was completed ues which have not been seen or fore if any Dzogchen Community ence degree at Delhi University, Best wishes and the book was fi nally pub- available in the West before, like is interested in publishing this Doctor Namdol Lhamo sat for an Shang Shung Institute THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 Shang Shung Institute

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Update from Starting in November, the Shang Shung Institute sponsored the The Shang Shung Institute, trip of two important Tibetan American Branch Medical scholars to the USA. The fi rst, Dr. Lusham Gyal, is cur- he American branch of therapies as taught in our school rently Dean and Associate Pro- the Shang Shung Institute of Traditional Tibetan Medicine. fessor of the Qinghai Universi- T is pleased to announce ty’s Tibetan Medical College. The some exciting new develop- Late this summer we saw the suc- second, Dr. Palchen Sangdag, is ments. First of all, we would like cessful completion of the Basic a PhD student at Qinghai Univer- to welcome our new board of di- Level of our fi rst California Ku- sity’s Tibetan Medical College, rectors. Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo nye Therapy Program, which where Dr. Gyal is his main doc- and Anna Bartenstein are the two was offered at Dondrub Ling, toral advisor. Palchen Sangdak new directors of the American the International Dzogchen traveled to the United States with Branch. Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo Commu nity Center in Berkeley, Dr. Gyal, and he will be remain- is the new Cultural Director, as California. We are currently pre- ing here for six months in order well as the Director of the four- paring for the continuation of to share his knowledge and ex- From left to right: Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo, Dr. Lusham Gyal, Will Shea and Anna Bartenstein at year School of Tibetan Medicine. this course in January-February, pertise in Tibetan medicine at the SSI celebratory dinner. Photo: M. Schmookler Ms. Bartenstein was chosen as 2009. This advanced course will UCLA in California. He will also the new Administrative Director allow the students from the Sum- be joining us as a visiting profes- collaboration that will take place cal practice, pharmaceutical re- in order to bring new energy to mer, 2008 Basic Level course to sor at the Shang Shung Institute between the International Shang search, and public health care. projects in the US. Will Shea will complete Kunye Therapy certifi - School of Tibetan Medicine in Shung Institute and the Qing- Experts on Tibetan medicine remain on the board as the Trea- cation requirements, as well as January and February 2009. hai University Tibetan Medical from all over the world, about 12 surer. requirements for state massage College (QUTMC). Starting this countries, will attend this confer- licenses. In December, the Shang Shung summer, there will be an ex- ence. All people who are inter- In 2008, two new classes began Institute presented a series of change program created between ested in attending this event are undertaking the rigorous cur- Additionally, this year we offered free public lectures and week- the two schools. Each year, the invited. Please contact our secre- riculum of the four-year School a wide range of Tibetan Medical end workshops with Dr. Lhush- senior class of the SSI School of tary for more information on this of Tibetan Medicine, designed by Intensive courses, as well as In- am Gyal on the East Coast of the Tibetan Medicine will attend the amazing opportunity. Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo. With the termediate and Advanced Tibetan USA. This series followed the QUTMC for a few months, while addition of these classes came Language Intensives in Conway, topic “Foods and Gems: Tibet’s faculty members of Qinghai Uni- For up-to-date information about the need for another professor MA, which were attended by both Wealth of Practical Prevention for versity will be invited to teach at the exciting courses and events of- for our 28 full-time students. students and local residents. Modern Daily Life.” The events the SSI School. The two organi- fered by the International Shang This position was fi lled by the took place at Amherst College zations will also work together to Shung Institute in the United very qualifi ed Dr. Tenzing Dakpa, In October 2008 we received a in Amherst, MA, at Kundrolling generally maintain and develop States, please visit our website at who in 1991 graduated fi rst in his visit from Luigi Ottaviani, one of -- the Dzogchen Community cen- Tibetan Medicine and to foster www.ShangShung.org. class from the Men-Tse-Khang the Directors of the International ter in New York City, Kurukulla cultural exchange between East Institute in Dharamsala. Shang Shung Institute. We spent Center in Medford, MA, and Har- and West. Possible future pro- At www.ShangShung.org, you a week in intensive meetings, to vard University in Cambridge, grams may include join courses, can register for intensives and Additionally, thanks to the help understand how to best shape MA. Dr. Gyal and Dr. Sangdak’s workshops, and conferences on programs, pay for memberships, of Mrs. Bernadette Della Bitta, the future of the Shang Shung visit to the USA is a rare opportu- the International level. give donations, and order items who sits on the Massachusetts Institute’s American branch. As nity for students to learn practi- from our web store, including a board of Massage Therapy Licen- a result of these meetings, we cal Tibetan medical knowledge In addition, the International full selection of Chögyal Nam- sure, our four-year medical pro- have many ambitious new proj- from these highly skilled schol- Shang Shung Institute has agreed khai Norbu’s books, CDs, and gram was recently approved as ects planned for 2009, including ars of Tibetan medicine. to be a sponsor and a participant DVDs. valid massage therapy training in the creation of a new text book in the 2009 Conference on Ti- the state of Massachusetts. Thus, series for the four-year Tibetan Dr. Gyal’s visit to the United betan Medicine, which will be You can also contact the secre- our students who fulfi ll the re- Medical School, the expansion States culminated in a festive din- held in Xining, Qinghai Province, tary of the American branch of quired courses may now submit our Northampton Tibetan Heal- ner party in the Gonpa of Tsegyal- China, between August 8th and the Shang Shung Institute at applications for MA state mas- ing center, and the organization gar East, which was attended by August 10th, 2009. This confer- [email protected] or sage licenses. This is a big step of a North American tour of Ku- all the staff, students, and teach- ence will be focused on “Inheri- by phone at +1 (413) 369-4928 for our program, as it enables nye massage courses, which will ers of the Shang Shung Institute tance, Invention, Development” for more information or to regis- a legal license to practice Ku- follow on the trail of the recent School of Tibetan Medicine. This in terms of medical theories, an- ter for any of our events. nye Massage and gentle external Yantra Yoga Book Tour. dinner was to celebrate the new cient medical documents, clini-

ary 10, 2009. It will be held at In the Fall of 2005, the Ameri- The Shang Shung Institute Coming in Winter Dondrubling in Berkeley, Cali- 4-Year Course in can branch of the Shang Shung School of Tibetan Medicine takes fornia in collaboration with the Institute initiated the four-year place over seven consecutive se- 2009 Dzogchen Community West Tibetan Medicine program in Tibetan Medicine un- mesters consisting of 16 weeks he Shang Shung In- Coast Gakyil. Now Accepting Applications for der the direction of Dr. Phuntsog each. Each week, students will stitute presents the Advanced Level 500 Hour Training the Fall, 2009 Semester Wangmo. This program closely participate in approximately 25 T advanced level of January 5–February 10, 2009 parallels the training of a tradi- hours of classes: 16 hours of our two-part 500-hour Tibetan Dondrubling he American branch of tional Tibetan physician culmi- lectures, 6 hours of Tibetan lan- Kunye Therapy training with 2748 #D Adeline St the International Shang nating in a supervised internship guage and culture studies, and 3 Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo and Dr. Berkeley, CA 94703 T Shung Institute is now and fi nal exams. hours of clinical practicum. There Yangdron Kalsang at Dondrub- USA accepting applicants for the Each semester of the four-year are no electives or part/time study ling in Berkeley, California. Fall, 2009 class of our four-year curriculum combines a tripar- options in the Tibetan Medicine This advanced intensive will Please contact the secretary School of Tibetan Medicine. tite approach to the study of the four-year program and students complete the Kunye Therapy cer- of the American branch of With a history going back Tibetan medical tradition that are expected to participate in all tifi cation requirements for stu- the Shang Shung Institute at over 2,500 years, traditional Ti- includes foundation core stud- aspects covering each semester’s dents who attended the summer [email protected] or betan medicine is one of the old- ies based on the topics of the topics. Classes currently meet for 2008 Basic Level course. by phone at +1 (413) 369-4928 est continuously practiced heal- Four Tantras, complimentary two and a half consecutive days for more information or to regis- ing systems on Earth. Regarded studies in Tibetan language and per week. This way, students The 500-hour Kunye Therapy ter for this event. as science, art and philosophy, culture, and clinical practicum. have time during the week for certifi cation course constitutes it is an ancient form of holistic Students in the Shang Shung In- study, work, and time for other the Shang Shung Institute’s most heath care indigenous to the Ti- stitute School of Tibetan medi- obligations. extensive Tibetan Medical teach- betan people that integrates the cine can expect to receive train- More details, and an online ings yet offered in the West Coast core Buddhist principles of al- ing that thoroughly covers all the application are available on our region of the United States of truism, karma and ethics. Over traditional topics, presented in website at www.shangshung.org. America. The course presents ex- thousands of years, Traditional English. For those students who The secretary of the American tensive hands-on training in the Tibetan medicine evolved from complete the fi rst seven semes- branch of the Shang Shung In- methods of Tibetan Kunye mas- accumulated empirical knowl- ters onsite, an optional intern- stitute can also be contacted at sage and gentle external thera- edge from China, Persia, India, ship at the Northeast Tradition- [email protected] or pies, as well as an in-depth study and Greece. It has been practiced al Tibetan Hospital in Qinghai, by phone at +1 (413) 369-49 28. of Tibetan medicine theory and continuously in Tibet and is still China will be available at the con- principles. The course runs from practiced today wherever Tibet- clusion of their studies. January 5, 2009 through Febru- ans live in exile. THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 Review

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Lama. It needs to be seen wheth- Investigating the cult of Shugden er Tibetans will accept him or Interview with Raimondo Bultrini, not. It is not by chance that for author of “Il Demone e Il Dalai Lama” some time the Dalai Lama has been talking about democratical- ly electing his next reincarnation, Raimondo Bultrini is a professional fl esh and blood people, not mys- no longer choosing a child found journalist and a long-standing stu- tical intangible entities. in a village on the basis of certain dent of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. His Then I asked Rinpoche what signs. We will certainly see a split recently published book, “Il Demone e type of protection would be use- once again and in this we will il Dalai Lama”, reviewed in this issue ful and he suggested practising see that His Holiness was right of The Mirror and currently published Guru Dragphur in his ferocious to indicate the danger. We will in Italian, evolves around the murders form, one of the manifestations see a split between those Tibet- of an important Gelugpa lama and of Padmasambhava. I was afraid ans who continue to follow this two monk translators in Dharamsala I wouldn’t be able to transform cult and those who remain faith- in 1997 by followers of the Shugden myself into this dimension to ful to the Dalai Lama and his way sect. Paolo Brunatto spoke to Raimon- combat, mentally and spiritually, of thought even when he will be do to fi nd out about the writing of the such an invisible and dubious en- here no longer, we hope as much book. emy. But perhaps this along with in the future as possible. my impulsiveness, with my close Paolo Brunatto: How did you relationship with my master, Paolo: What role has the ‘Italian’ have the idea of writing a book Namkhai Norbu, and HH the Da- lama, Ganchen Tulku, played in on Gyalpo Shugden? lai Lama, and the fact that both of all this? Raimondo Bultrini: My fi rst rea- them had invited me to continue Raimondo: Ganchen Tulku ap- son was professional because I this work that had arisen from peared in all of this fi rstly when work for a newspaper and since circumstances that were far from he went to Beijing to offer a three crimes had taken place just spiritual, the combination of all khatag, to meet and prostrate to a short distance from the resi- of these factors helped me to go the child Panchen Lama, nomi- dence of HH the Dalai Lama, it ahead. nated by the Chinese. From that was certain to make news. Then moment he has gradually as- I asked Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Paolo: Certain parts of the book The Chinese press immediately Paolo: What advice did Chögyal sumed an increasingly precise if this topic could be gone into are written like an investigation, referred to the referendum in the Namkhai Norbu give you about position not just in the world of more deeply, if it was worth dedi- like a crime novel. Why did you monasteries saying that His Ho- writing your book? Tibetan Buddhism that is hostile cating time to go behind a mys- choose this form? liness had sent away the monks Raimondo: None. In the past to the Dalai Lama, even though in terious murder such as this one, Raimondo: I felt that this book who didn’t think as he did and he had indicated what we could an interview in the book he says linked to a cult of which even our should not only be devoted to hence had denied them freedom call some guidelines, his ideas that the Dalai Lama is pure and is Community knew little about at followers from different Bud- of worship. On the basis of this regarding His Holiness, and the his master and puts the responsi- the time. Rinpoche replied that dhist communities, whether there were a number of demon- fact that His Holiness was facing bility on his collaborators. But in it was absolutely worthwhile to Dzogchen, Gelugpa, Kagyupa, strations throughout the world a very important struggle practi- actual fact he slowly came closer really go into the reasons behind Sakyapa or people interested in against His Holiness – in the US, cally alone against a certain way to the Chinese authorities until it. Tibet and China, or Tibetologists. then in England, in France, in of interpreting the basis of the he became a member of one of A short time after, I met with I thought that the book could be Australia. In some way the world Gelugpa school and its internal the most important political and HH the Dalai Lama in Bolzano a novel about our fears about our- witnessed this, completely ignor- unity from the extremist ‘fun- cultural committees of the Com- in north Italy and during a press selves, a novel dedicated to what ing the events that had led to the damentalist’ position that had munist Party for Tibet. I have conference I asked him a ques- we consider to be good and evil, protests against His Holiness. manifested within it. Namkhai mentioned him quite a few times tion following which he invited but even more a novel about our The fact was that there was noth- Norbu Rinpoche has often spo- in the book because he brought me to have a private meeting with potentiality, about overcoming, ing legible, clear or explicative ken during retreats about his ex- statues of Shugden from Nepal him afterwards. He told me that if you like, some superstitions being published on the subject, perience as a child, saying that and gave them to the monaster- if I wanted to delve more deeply regarding the practice of Tibetan so I took the initiative and got in- many followers of this cult with- ies and the temples where they into the topic I would be welcome Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism is volved in it. in the Gelugpa school consider had been destroyed by monks in Dharamsala and that this re- not superstition; it is not a spir- Before the revolts in Lhasa, the protector to be the “secret” faithful to the Dalai Lama who search, in one way or another, it cult or a cult of guardians and Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, with of the success of the school over had decided to demonstrate their would take me to the roots of Ti- protectors. It is awareness of our his clarity, suggested that I hurry the centuries – in fact the Gelug- anger against the development of betan culture. All of this joined dimension, within which there up with the work since I had been pa school even minted Tibetan this cult favoured by the Chinese together my professional inter- are demons, angels, good hu- working on it for 11 years and so I coins – all of this seemed to au- authorities. In fact both Ganchen ests and curiosity as a journalist man beings, Vajra brothers who went to Dharamsala to complete thorize a type of optimism to- Tulku and the Chinese authori- with my spiritual interests as a are perfectly serene and calm and my work and while I was there wards the power of this spirit. But ties have substantially sponsored Buddhist practitioner in search others who are extremely agi- the revolt broke out in Tibet. Rinpoche maintained that it was some of the monasteries where of understanding why such fero- tated and nervous. This happens not actually like that, but that the these statues are situated. cious crimes linked to a cult of a even in our families – a brother or Paolo: From your meetings and power of the school derived from And then in what I consider protector [ed. Gyalpo Shugden] sister, a mother or father – in ev- interviews with HH the Dalai the approach given by the great to be one of the most disturbing – at least according to the Gelug- ery dimension we continually live Lama does it seem that he is con- 5th Dalai Lama and later the 13th episodes for those of us who un- pas – could take place in a Bud- with different viewpoints, also cerned for the future of Tibet be- and that it was more linked to the derstand their important value, dhist community in which har- on a mental level, of others in re- cause of the infl uence of the New power of the Dalai Lama rather there was the destruction of two mony should be developed rather lationship to us. And this takes Kadampa sect? than that of the demon. large statues of Padmasambhava: than division. So I found that all place in this story, too. And, this Raimondo: His Holiness said one at the monastery of Samye these factors together made the is very important, I felt that one that the practitioners of this cult Paolo: Do you think that this where Tibetan Buddhism had topic attractive from a worldly day something could happen in are still a minority and he didn’t movement of dissidents linked to been brought by Padmasamb- point of view and extremely im- the world news that would have feel them to be an immediate Gyalpo Shugden is aiming to can- hava himself in the 8th century portant from a mystical point of brought the case of Shugden to danger. However, he led me to cel the lineage of the Dalai Lama and another close to Mt. Kailash, view. the attention of everybody, not understand that the real danger so that he could be replaced by one of the most sacred places in only Buddhists. that could develop in the future the false Panchen Lama created the culture and history of Tibetan Paolo: Were you not afraid of the It is something which has probably lies in the relationship by the Chinese? Buddhism. Just these two stat- negative consequences of under- started to happen because in the between the members of this Raimondo: They certainly aim ues were destroyed and not other taking such an initiative and how south of India a large number cult and the Chinese authorities. to substitute the current Dalai statues like those of Tsongkhapa, did you defend yourself from of monks asked the minority of And, in fact, as we have seen, the Lama in the hearts and minds or Buddha, or Tara, just the two them? We understand that this Shugden practitioners to dis- new Panchen Lama nominated of as many people as possible so statues of Padmasambhava ac- spirit, this demon, is incredibly tance themselves from the mon- by the Chinese in the place of the much so that they attack and crit- cording to a Chinese law stating negative and may have heavy ef- asteries because they didn’t even other Panchen Lama who disap- icize him. And this is also mean- that statues have to be authorized fects on humans. want to share the same kitchen, peared in 1995, has already been ingful for the future Dalai Lama. by a special citizens’ committee. Raimondo: I was afraid in the the same food, the same temple instructed in the cult of Shugden But that is another story. What is The fact that the Chinese make way that you fear something un- with them. After this, His Holi- and one of his offi cial photos important is to try to imagine, to use of statues to attract tourists known, something that is outside ness authorized a referendum has a thangka of Shugden in the understand ahead of time, what and then have two statues of Pad- the grasp of our rational mind. and many of these practitioners background. will happen the moment the Chi- masambhava destroyed clearly But my initial impulsiveness, my decided to leave, others to remain nese authorities decide that the shows the real motive for their curiosity, spurred me on, as well in the monasteries. This had al- next Dalai Lama in China or Ti- decision. as the fact that His Holiness had ready made news in the Indian bet will be their emanation, their And it is not by chance that told me that I didn’t have to fear newspapers and gradually ex- representative, elected by them, one of the greatest problems to spirits but men with knives – tended to the international news. as happened with the Panchen >> continued on the following page THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 Review

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Tibetan followers of the Shugden prominent Gelugpa teacher and Il Demone e Il Dalai Lama cult as having committed the bru- leading proponent of the Shug- Tra Tibet e Cina, mistica di un triplice delitto tal murder. More importantly, it den cult and enemy of the thir- [‘Between Tibet and China: mysticism of a triple murder’] unearthed the commissioners of teenth Dalai Lama who opposed the murder as Shugden followers the cult for its divisive sectarian- Raimondo Bultrini in Delhi and machinations of a ism, and with Pabongka’s main 2008, Baldini Castoldi Dalai, 406 pages plot masterminded by them and disciple (and fellow Shugden a murder hit list of opponents of worshipper) Trijang Rinpoche the cult, with the Dalai Lama in (1901–81). The latter was junior Andy Lukianowicz the fi rst position. Starting from tutor to the Dalai Lama, who in here, Raimondo unravels the his youth himself did the practice n this important book Rai- Its followers claim that its aim is facts behind the murder and fol- imparted to him by Trijang. (As mondo Bultrini, a reporter to maintain the purity of Tsongh- lows up clues that lead him back Raimondo informs us, the cur- Iwith 30 years experience of kapa’s teaching, and are particu- in time to the seventeenth century rent Trijang tulku has given up journalism, provides readers with larly intolerant of the present Da- and afi eld into Shugden centres his robes and retired to private a defi nitive account of the cult of lai Lama due to his openness to- as far apart as India, England and life with very few disciples, not Gyalpo Shugden that is causing wards the teachings of the other Italy. (Psychologically speaking, wanting to be involved in further such consternation in the Tibetan schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In evident empathy with the Dalai his encounter with the cunning murderous plots devised by the Buddhist world especially among recent years a prominent Gelugpa Lama, his passion for the sub- Ganchen tulku in Milan makes Shugden cult.) followers of the Gelugpa order. lama in the west, Kelsang Gyat- ject and concern for the threats a fascinating contrast with the When however the Dalai Lama Readers may wonder why this is- so, founded the New Kadampa it poses, combine to make this a openness, frankness and con- observed the baleful effects of the sue is important and what has it Tradition, in which the worship very good read. cern of the Dalai Lama in their practice, both on the individual to do with them? As Raimondo of Shugden forms a crucial part The sub-title of the book, Be- many meetings.) practitioner and on the present shows this is not simply a doc- – so much so that he now forbids tween Tibet and China: mysti- Parts 2 to 5 seamlessly weave situation in Tibet and among Ti- trinal matter or a quaint esoteric membership to those unwilling cism of a triple murder, intro- a historic overview of the Gyal- betan Buddhists in the world at battle of magic: what is at stake to do the Shugden puja. Another duces the three main themes of po Shugden cult from its start large, he himself stopped prac- here is the survival of Buddhism prominent practitioner is the Mi- the book: murder, religion and among Gelugpas at the time of tising the Shugden puja. In fact in Tibet free of Chinese control. lan-based Ganchen tulku, once politics. the Fifth Dalai Lama (1617–82). the practice of Shugden gives To give a brief overview (in- the darling of Milanese media Part 1 is an account of the mur- Ably assisted by translator Elio quick results but leads ultimately terested readers may also read stars, who as we shall see has be- der in Dharamasala in 1997 of a Guarisco part 4 gives a potted bi- to madness in the case of the in- my short article published in come very active in forging alli- Gelugpa geshe, Lobsang Gyatso ography and details of the mys- dividual practitioner and leads to this Journal some ten years ago) ances between his group and the (who had attended the Confer- terious death of Dragpa Gyalt- social unrest and violence in the Gyalpo Shugden or Dongyal Chinese authorities. ence on Tibetan Language held sen (1619–56), the Gelugpa lama case of the populace. (Chögyal is a ‘protector’ worshipped by In this book Raimondo thor- at Merigar, the west Europe seat who out of rancour became the Namkhai Norbu has indicated the Gelugpa sectarian extremists. oughly examines the religious of he Dzogchen Community of spiteful gyalpo spirit Shugden. excesses of the Chinese ‘cultural It is especially antagonistic to- and political aspects of this mat- Chögyal Namkhai Norbu) and (In an interview with Raimondo revolution’, which even Chair- wards the Nyingmapa order of ter. It took eleven years to write, two of his students. The geshe the Dalai Lama speculates that in man Mao Dzedong admitted got Tibetan Buddhism, to a lesser and it is well worth the wait. The was teacher and Principal at the fact Shugden may be a ‘dam-sri’ out of control, as an example of extent towards the other schools, wealth of detail, the investiga- Institute of Buddhist Dialectics spirit, the spirit of an oath-break- the latter.) In fact he now actively and even towards other Gelugpas tive zeal, the shrewd analysis and an outspoken critic of the er subservient to the gyalpo class, discourages its practice, speak- and in particular the Dalai Lama, of person and fact, alongside Shugden cult among the Gelug- and thus not a true gyalpo spirit ing against it in public. Contrary an outspoken opponent of the Raimondo’s honed professional pa school. The police investiga- after all.) Part 5 deals with Pa- to Shugden propaganda, the Da- practice of this demonic spirit. skill in reporting and writing, his tion led to the identifi cation of bongka Rinpoche (1878–1941), a >> continued on the following page

>> Interview continued from previous page don’t think this danger exists in Paolo: Overcoming fear also I won’t deny that I had prob- Paolo: I didn’t understand the arise in the last centuries and a general way. But certainly the means going beyond hope. lems during the writing of the quotation from Plotinus very well particularly in recent decades, way we work with the mind, with Raimondo: Yes, of course. In book and often thought they at the beginning of the book: beginning with the period of the something that is not physical but some way we know that we will could be linked to provocations “Without demons, the universe 13th Dalai Lama and the activi- invisible, with something that we return to this earth for eons, from the Gyalpo. But then over- would be imperfect”. Why did ties of Paponka Rinpoche, is that can’t see with our eyes, or smell for millions of years, in vari- coming them meant that they you use this quotation? a lot of monks who were said to with our nose, hear with our ears ous forms, hoping to progress were part of and came from my Raimondo: Plotinus was a Greek be possessed by Shugden went or taste with our tongue and for through our practice. But we karma, they were part of the ob- philosopher and in some way he to destroy the statues of Padma- this reason something complete- know that when one problem stacles that I was trying to over- had intuited that good and bad sambhava and throw the texts of ly undefi neable, at this level cer- ends another starts and, in fact, come, not by going around them are part of our dimension. I am the Padma Kathang, the biogra- tainly our mind creates fear. The as Rinpoche says, we should be but by going right into them. not saying that we shouldn’t try phy of Padmasambhava, into the only real fear is that of being con- concerned when everything is go- I went into the ‘den of the de- to go beyond this world in which river. There is a very precise indi- ditioned by fear. And this is valid ing really well rather than when mon’, not only to Ganchen Tulku angels and demons exist in order cation here: the orthodox tantric not only for Gyalpo Shugden or a things are going badly. but to another called Kundeling to arrive in a world in which unity Gelugpa school linked to the cult book or superstition but also for Nga lama, or “I Lama”, in Ti- in the non-dualistic sense – good of their own exclusive protector every aspect of our lives, starting Paolo: Many students of Dzog- betan it means self-proclaimed. I and bad don’t exist – is the uni- against the Nyingmapa school most of all with the greatest fear chen, of Chögyal Namkhai Nor- went to their main centre in Del- cum from which everything orig- and the Dzogchen tradition. Over of all, the fear of death. We see bu, consider that merely pro- hi where the order was probably inates and to which everything time, the spirit became one of the that the lamas who practice and nouncing the name of Shugden is given to kill lama Lobsang Gyat- returns. But, of course, in our fundamental practices, one of are not involved or superstitious dangerous and negative. I don’t so and the two monks because partial relative dimension, we the most important approaches or conditioned and live their lives agree with this and want to ask – and let’s not forget – the fi rst continually see that good and bad in the practice of the Dalai Lama serenely, practising, trying to do you, in the light of your research, part of this book is a crime story exist and therefore, if we speak himself and many other lamas their best, and die serenely, rein- what sense does this have? completely based on the evidence in Christian terms, God and the linked to His Holiness. In fact, carnate and return to the earth. Raimondo: I think that this is from the investigation conducted Devil exist. Today we couldn’t after he started to do some of the Of course they have problems still linked to fear. In any case by the police chief and his de- even start to imagine an existence Nyingmapa and Dzogchen prac- and continue to have them even if we pronounce the name of partment for several months. An without obstacles. Why do I use tices consequently he infl uenced if they take on a human body Shugden 100 times and then the investigation which led to very the word ‘obstacle’ related to the many other lamas and his follow- every time they return. Having mantra of Guru Dragphur 100 precise evidence: the telephone demons? Because His Holiness ers, creating anger among tradi- a human body means taking on times with the presence of the call made in the town of Ambala himself explained in one of the tionalists. something that suffers, that gets visualisation during the day, we from the monks who followed interviews when I asked what a old and weak. We know that this can feel that in some way there Lama Lobsang Gyatso in a taxi demon is, what it means for him. Paolo: How would you defi ne is an old piece of clothing so the is some protection, for example, from Delhi to Dharamsala was He replied that it is an obstructive the essential, the more pro- moment in which we come face like when Rinpoche transmitted made to an offi ce in Majinu Ka force. found meaning of your book, if to face with the theme of a spir- the Vajra Armour. We are Vajra Tilla which belonged to the Dorje you had to explain it? And here it or a powerful entity, we know practitioners; Vajrayana is inde- Shugden Society of Delhi. This is Translated and edited by L. Granger we are speaking to practitioners that however powerful this being structible, not because it is eter- beyond doubt. Then the fact that through The Mirror, so you can is, it is in samsara, just like us. nal but because it can manifest the judiciary didn’t know any- speak more directly about this. And if it is not in samsara, it will from one moment to another thing about this is another thing. Raimondo: I think the essential bring us salvation, it will help us. and in our moment of need it is meaning is, fi rst of all, to over- So to be afraid of what exists in there. We have an instrument come fear. Not because I consid- samsara is like being afraid of that we have acquired thanks not er that other practitioners who our shadow seen in a lake on a only to our faith in our Master but read the book or follow this mat- stormy night. also thanks to the experiences we ter should necessarily be afraid. I have accumulated. THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 News

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>> continued from previous page Raimondo indicates the fi nal lai Lama does not deny others the aim of all this is to take control of right to worship as they please: the selection of tulkus (as has al- however he does ask those who ready happened in the case of the practise Shugden not to attend Panchen Lama) and thus eventu- his teachings. In one interview ally to choose the reincarnation with Raimondo the Dalai Lama of the Dalai Lama, politically raises the crucial spiritual is- and spiritually the most impor- sue of this matter when he casts tant Lama in Tibetan Buddhism. doubt about whether Buddhist Thus by controlling this unique practice and spirit worship are and crucial feature of Buddhism compatible. in Tibet, not inappropriately la- A curious fact struck me and belled by some as lamaism, the would be amusing were it not so hegemony of the Chinese over sinister. The Chinese People’s Tibet will be complete, with the Armed Police have publicly de- connivance of the Shugden sup- stroyed large and important Pad- porters. At fi rst glance theirs may masambhava statues at Kailash seem an unlikely alliance, how- and at the ancient Nyingmapa ever these are two ultra-conserva- monastery of Samye (does this tive, authoritarian and reactionary remind readers of Pabongka and organisations, one political and of the Taliban?). However when atheistic, the other religio-ob- some monks from Ganden de- scurantist, both bent on denying stroyed a statue of Shugden in freedom of thought, speech and their own monastery they were action and not stopping at beat- arrested, imprisoned and made to ings and murder to achieve their pay for another statue. This stat- aims. In this way the Chinese will Oni introducing complete breathing at the Bodhi Tree Bookstore in Los Angeles. Photo: N. Zeitz ue was installed in Ganden mon- continue, with abating opposi- astery in the presence, among tion, in their inexorable transfor- ence in Miami Florida in mid No- others, of Ganden tulku and rep- mation of the social, human and Yantra Yoga Book Tour vember. resentatives and offi cials of the physical geography of Tibet, as- The Tour to Date After San Rafael, Oni made TAR regional government, Chi- sisted by their Shugden demono- November–December 2008 a very long journey across the nese Communist Party and Lhasa cratic lackeys relentlessly stifl ing country to Miami, Florida, where municipality, shortly after a law and repressing all other spiritual Anastasia LaHera and Steve was passed by the TAR govern- traditions to promote their own Naomi Zeitz Ezequelle warmly hosted her. ment regulating religious affairs ‘pure’ version of Buddhism. In Anastasia, Steve and Oni, along and specifi cally the construction their intentions the freedom of he fi rst phase of the Yan- We went from San Rafael, with other Community mem- of open air statuary. With no hint the Tibetans to receive teachings tra Yoga Book Tour ended Northern California to Portland, bers, manned a booth at the trade of irony, the Chinese authorities and transmissions and engage T on a high note in Los An- Oregon and wound up in Los An- show exhibiting the Yantra Yoga accused “the Dalai Lama clique” in practices to free the nature of geles California the weekend of geles, California. The fi rst week- book and Eight Movement DVD of violating religious freedom. mind from the shackles of the December 12 and 13 at the Bodhi end of November we were at the and talked to people about Yan- Interestingly, the fact that the dualistic mind will gradually be Tree Bookstore in West Holly- Open Secret Bookstore in San tra Yoga and the Dzogchen Com- Dalai Lama granted Raimondo replaced by the sordid worship of wood. Friday evening and Satur- Rafael, California, the Bay Area, munity. much time for interviews during a demonic spirit. day afternoon we hosted approx- which is near to Dondrubling, This was the fi rst time that the Tibetan riots early this year As is clear from the last part of imately thirty-fi ve new people Berkeley; the oldest city-centered Yoga Journal (the most popular evinces that he deems the Shug- Riamondo’s book, which makes altogether who had not had any ling in the USA. Dondrubling was publication in the US about all den question of great importance. grim reading for the future, the previous contact with Yantra Yoga established in 2001. (see page 11) forms of yoga) had this event in In Part 6, the most important in danger is real: the NKT is already or the Dzogchen Teachings. Both The fi rst stop on the tour got Miami, and they themselves were terms of the future of the posi- the largest and also the fastest groups, in the evening and the off to a bit of a slow start. There a bit disappointed with the low tion of Buddhism and of the Da- growing Tibetan Buddhist group next afternoon, were very enthu- were a variety of factors. One was turn out as were our people, but lai Lama in Tibet, Raimondo in- in the west, and maybe also in siastic about both Yantra Yoga, that it was the weekend before we wanted to see of what benefi t vestigates and analyses at length Asia. Practitioners and people presented by Oni McKinstry in a the highly charged US presiden- this kind of activity could have and in detail the growing ties with an interest in Tibet need to competent, inspirational and au- tial election, it was the day after for us. Maybe in the future we between the Shugden movement be informed about the facts and thentic way, and the Dzogchen Halloween so many folks were can try again with a more entic- and the Chinese political author- take action where possible and Teachings. Oni has been an au- recovering from late nights and ing booth, like running the Eight ities, in particular the powerful appropriate. It is for this reason thorized Yantra Yoga teacher too much candy, and also the Movements video, some power United Front Department (the in- that this book is essential read- since 2005 and currently lives in weather was a downpour of rain, point presentation and a live famous Chinese Octopus). There ing for all those interested in the Juneau Alaska. so many folks were not motivated demonstration. The yoga “mar- have been international meet- future of Tibet and of Tibetan As many of you know, we to come out. Some people felt it ket” is highly competitive in the ings and conventions, attended spirituality, and Raimondo is to have sent Oni and her assis- would have been much better to US, almost everyone does yoga, among others by Ganchen tulku be congratulated and thanked for tants around to four locations host the event in the evening at so for something as precious, who is now a prominent fi gure in having done such a good job. to date, to promote and support this particular venue. pure and undiluted as our trans- a Chinese-Tibetan government the release of the long awaited The local Community was very mission of Yantra Yoga, it re- committee, further cementing [Ed. This title is currently available only in Ital- Yantra Yoga book (Yantra Yoga, enthusiastic and made a good quires a certain kind of approach ties between the Shugden faction ian. We look forward to its publication in English The Tibetan Yoga of Movement showing, fi lling us with a sense that we are learning at each step in the very near future.] and the Chinese authorities. Fi- published by Snow Lion Publi- of support and enthusiasm. The to develop and improve. nancially and politically support- cations), since the book tour be- Community kicked in to man The next two stops, Portland ed by the Chinese, the Shugden gan. the sales table, meet and greet and Los Angeles, proved to be Charitable Society now publishes The reason we began this Book people, do the technical end by much more successful. In Port- a magazine whose title, Times Tour or YYBT, as we have come to fi lming and making photos, and land there were three events. of Democracy, betrays its largely call it, is multifaceted. The idea helped with general set up and One evening at a local “new age” political intent. Incidentally the originated with Fabio Andrico, break down. We really felt it was bookstore called the New Re- Shugden supporters, perhaps with the intention to protect the a Community effort and that is naissance, and then two sessions more media-wise, organise much transmission and make people one of the aims of the Book Tour, of two hours on the weekend at other counter-information. Any- aware of this unique and amaz- to engage the Community in both a yoga studio. There were about one interested can consult You- ing system of Tibetan Yoga, as activity and outreach. eighteen people attending all Tube or wikipedia, the online en- well as to inform them that they In San Rafael there were ap- three sessions. The local Com- cyclopaedia, in which nearly all need to study with an authorized proximately ten new people al- munity, spearheaded by Portland the information available on the instructor. After Fabio presented together for both days, which member Darren Littlejohn’s tre- Shugden affair is supportive of the idea to Rinpoche, who ap- was a little disappointing, but we mendous energy, and with the the Shugden side and critical of proved, it then expanded with the considered the various factors, much appreciated imported help the Dalai Lama. (But on the other assistance of Luigi Ottaviani, the got feedback on how to improve and dedication of Carisa O’Kelly hand there is a Yahoo Group spe- Director of SSI Italy, to become and decided it was a good place from the Bay Area in California, cifi cally for “new Kadampa survi- something concurrent with the to get our feet wet, test the waters rallied and made the tour more of vors”!) ideas of Yeshi Namkhai and Lu- and help us improve for the next a success than our fi rst stop near igi to develop outreach, interest stops on the tour, Portland and Berkeley. The Community made and membership through means Los Angeles with a segue to Yoga a lot of effort postering and do- similar to this idea. Hence the Journal Trade Show and Confer- ing follow-up calls notifying lo- format of the YYBT was born. >> continued on the following page THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 News

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>> Book Tour continued from previous page at large. LA seems very ripe for willingness, interest, collabora- cal newspapers and other media what the Dzogchen Community tion and effort shown by the lo- of our presence. has to offer. cal Community members to help In Portland we introduced a The follow up to all these ex- and develop the Dzogchen Com- power point presentation. Carisa cursions of the YYBT are Intro- munity have been most impres- was the fi rst one to use this in ductory Courses to Yantra Yoga. sive to us. It seems that a major Portland and also did a great job We had a very well attended part of the fruit if this tour is that modifying the one developed and course in Dondrubling, Berkeley, local Communities came and will used by Paula Barry in Baja Cali- and will host three other cours- continue to come together and fornia as part of a presentation es in Portland, Miami and Los organize and develop more con- Paula did of Yantra Yoga and the Angeles. For more information cretely. And this was a big part of Dzogchen Community with the about these courses please see: its intention, so on many levels it local residents as a forerunner www.yantrayoga.org is succeeding. to the Baja Retreat with Yeshi Sil- We want to thank of fi rstly, of vano Namkhai. This talk and pre- It is no surprise that the energy course, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu sentation were also very success- behind this book and tour have for giving us this precious lin- ful and we are grateful to Paula stimulated interest and activity eage of teachings. We would also for the work she did creating this for Yantra Yoga overall. We have like to thank our kind and patient power point presentation, which YYBT participants in Portland Oregon. Photo: D. Littlejohn been asked by our two main in- instructors, Fabio Andrico and became the basis for what we are structors, Laura Evangelisti and Laura Evangelisti, for tirelessly working with now and will con- higher level of engagement with also turned out in force and even Fabio Andrico, to look for new teaching us, and for supporting tinue to expand and develop. the practitioners and Communi- after weathering seemingly end- young practitioners along the and advising us through this new The one aspect in Portland that ty. It seems that Portland is mov- less congested LA traffi c, they way, so we are taking that task to venture. Also Gabrielle Marazzi, did not follow the original inten- ing closer towards establishing managed to come and help, sup- heart as well! Be aware! Dan Zegunis, Thinley Koblen- tion of the book tour was that not a Gakyil and eventually a ling as port, greet, fi lm, set up and do- We were also so pleased and sky, Nate Snyder and Dominik all the venues were free for the well. nate electronic devices, etc., etc. grateful with the response of the Niceva for the wonderful web site participants, and we intend in the Dewey Ambrosino was the local Communities. Without the and graphics. Thanks to Luigi future to maintain this principle. The next and fi nal stop for the major support and help in LA, dedication and effort of Commu- Ottaviani and Anna Bartenstein As we go along we are learning time being was Los Angeles. We helping us with all aspects of our nity members too numerous to for many rounds of emails and what we need to do to make this did the presentation on a Friday visit, from fi nding us a very com- mention, this Book Tour would invaluable advice. And without book tour a successful venture. evening and a Saturday afternoon fortable and convenient place not have succeeded. So we thank sounding like someone at the Portland also has the special at the Bodhi Tree Bookstore, an to stay, to graciously chauffeur- everyone for the tremendous ef- Academy Awards, which must challenge of an urban communi- old and established “spiritual” ing us around in his 1965 clas- fort, work and generosity! be the LA infl uence, last but by ty with great distances and travel bookstore in West Hollywood. sic Dodge Dart. Others from the What we saw that probably no means least, the Tsegyalgar times between practitioners, to They have a very extensive email LA Community, a small group made us most happy, next to the East Gakyil and Dzogchen fi nd a focal point of practice that mailing list and publicity net- with a lot of energy, came out to possibility of introducing people Community for most generously can be surmounted. The North- work, so this venue proved to be help and support once again. We to the peerless teachings of Chö- taking a chance to fund this ad- ern California area went house the most successful so far. The have hopes that the LA commu- gyal Namkhai Norbu and this venture into unknown terrain to house for some twenty plus venue was free for participants, nity will grow, develop and once marvelous system of Yantra Yoga, that is creating great benefi t for years, and it worked very well, the power point presentation was again form a Gakyil and become is the activity and collaboration of all beings! but having the ling has energized closer to what we are looking for, more active, through courses and the local Communities that this and moved the Community to a the Dzogchen Community in LA outreach into the LA community tour required. The enthusiastic

For any clarifi cation please con- Tashigar South: Errata Santi Maha Sangha Every Gakyil is requested to keep tact the Santi Maha Sangha coor- Ricardo Sued a copy of it in their archive and dinator of your Gar or the Santi Namgyalgar: In the Merigar East article about Dear Vajra Brothers and Sisters, to make it available to their own Maha Sangha coordinating cen- Elise Stutchbury the Longsal symbol in Mirror On the grounds of our recent members and practitioners. ter of the Shang Shung Institute Russian-speaking Countries: issue 94, page 14, it is written experience the enrollment pro- at Merigar. Igor Berkhin that Longsal letter will be 100 m cedure in Santi Maha Sangha It is plain that this procedure can high. The Longsal symbol will examinations has been slightly only work well if every candidate Best wishes, SMS Coordinating Center: actually be 100 m long. The mean- changed. You are invited to fol- for a Santi Maha Sangha exami- Shang Shung Institute Shang Shung Institute ing is that 100 m is the size of the low the new instructions as de- nation is very active, starting the drawing that will appear on the scribed in the fi le New Procedure procedure at least three months Santi Maha Sangha Coordinators land and which will be seen from for SMS Exams 2008 ENG. This before the examination date. The Merigar West: an airplane or satellite. document is available on the decision to take the exam at the Igor Legati webpage: last minute will no longer be pos- Tsegyalgar East: http://www.dzogchen.it/index. sible. Jim Valby php?section=18

>> Kunzang Jaku continued from page 1 Many years later when Rinpoche one of these occasions his un- was working as a professor at the cle told him he should go to Oriental University of Naples, he Dzogchen monastery because had a dream in which his Mas- the father of Dzogchen Rinpoche ter Chang Chub Dorje told him was going to give some impor- to go to the top of the mountain tant initiations. When he ar- to receive Togyal teachings from rived together with one of his Jigmed Lingpa. In his dream he older sisters they had to wait had to climb over writing carved two weeks for the arrival of other in the rock. When he awoke he students. While they were wait- remembered the title of the terma ing they went to receive teach- he was climbing over and later ings on the termas of Pema Ling- found the text in eight chapters. pa from Lama Tulku Jigmed who lived in a forest nearby. When So the teaching of this amaz- Rinpoche was very young he had ing and marvellous retreat heard of the Nyingthig of Terton was from extracts from this Duddul Dorje and said he would terma. Rinpoche said that, be- like to receive these teachings ing an Upadesha teaching, it is and initiation. Rinpoche said “more secret than secret”. So that at that time he knew nothing there is no more to say!!!! about Tregchod and Thogyal but later, when he met his Root Mas- ter Chang Chub Dorje, he under- stood their signifi cance and im- portance. THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 Dondrubling

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thought ok, now it’s comfortable The founding of the fi rst Ling and maybe there is some chance for the ling. In the end we even in North America did the Ganapuja with four peo- Interview with Gene and Stefanie Kim ple and to me that was an indica- tion that maybe there was some future in this place. ondrubling (don grub looking for the winter Gar all the gling) (Place which way from San Diego to the San M: This place has a very well cared D Achieves the Aim; Place Luis Obispo area, but of course for and loved feeling about it. which Realizes the Meaning; the land was pretty expensive in GK: That is true, it is a really Place which Accomplishes its those areas, anything that was nice place. You are right. There Hopes; Place which Completes not too hot and near the ocean are many people who pay atten- Benefi ts; Place which Attains the and then, of course, Baja hap- Practitioners in Dondrubling. Photo: N. Zeitz tion to even the smallest details. Goal; Place which Gains its Ob- pened. So out of those proceeds One day a small thing will ap- ject) from the sale of the Cazadero cere new people interested in the ple. They do come and partici- pear, like the donation box, and land about 80 % went to the ‘pur- teachings. We see the newcom- pate in courses and practices etc. the next week it will be decorated Mirror: How long have you been chase’ of Baja, even though Baja ers blossom and then some of So we draw from as far as New and then a katak will appear. We involved with the California was donated there were a lot of them take over. Mexico, Seattle and Portland. don’t know who is doing it but Dzogchen Community? fees involved; legal issues, incor- there are a number of people who Gene Kim: I met Rinpoche in poration, the West Coast Com- M: How do you fi nancially sup- M: Do you have any advice for bring fl owers, they set things up, 1983 in Berkeley. That’s when I munity owns the land through port the ling? Through member- other Communities who may they clean, so it is those small moved from the East Coast and ownership of the Mexican corpo- ship, donations, rentals? want to start a ling? unannounced and unspoken ef- my fi rst retreat was at Harbin Hot ration that owns the land. GK: We did not press for mem- GK: I think it has to start with at forts, those are really the jewels Springs. I lived in Los Angeles We also had a desire to have a bership in the past since we have least fi fteen people. If you have of activity that eventually brings a then. I used to come up here for local place in Berkeley. Then the such a close relationship with fi fteen people or less and you larger group. weekends because in those days Gakyil discussed and discussed Tsegyalgar West; we realized that want to dance, for example, you we would get together in other and we decided to commit to a Baja needed economic support, can rent a place hourly. That is M: You also host the web casts people’s houses, and sometimes ling space for one year; instead of so we let them have the member- what we used to do. I think meet- and the video transmission? we would have weekend inten- talking we committed for a one- ship money. Only recently in the ing and getting together and GK: Yes we do and that was very sive practices. There were also year lease and some improve- last two years have we been get- practicing together is important. helpful for bringing new people practitioners meeting in Los An- ments and costs and we would ting the rebate from the member- You can always meet at peoples’ and stimulating activity, especial- geles at that time, but there was a see what would happen. ship of the Gar. homes, and our Community did ly in the beginning. Vajra Dance Mandala in the north that for years and years. The un- in Margaret Bradford’s backyard M: Did Rinpoche suggest you M: So how is your economic sit- derlying strength of the Commu- M: How do you advertise? and she was kind enough to let have a ling? uation now? Is there any money nity has to be there. If people get GK: We have a well-run active the Community use it for many GK: He said to do both, Baja left from the sale of the land? all excited and get a place, maybe email list. We have a weekly an- years, for the “low” years, espe- and a ling. He said we needed a GK: We have about a $ 30,000 it goes for six months or a year, nouncements going out, and any cially after the sale of the Caza- place for the local Community, cushion remaining from that but then after a year nothing will updates go out that way so if any- dero land. a city center. So we had a list of sale. If we go any lower than that, really happen. So I think before one is really interested in what’s Up until the purchase of the requirements for the ling and one we will have to seriously consid- you get a place it is better to work happening, they can easily fi nd Cazadero land there was very was that it would be closer to er how we can maintain the ling on practicing together and mak- out. strong energy because Rinpoche Berkeley center, centrally located, and would possibly have to shut ing the Community strong and One of the jewels that worked used to come to Northern Califor- and would have space for a Vajra it down. Every year we are sort then the Community solidifi es. for us was Santi Maha Sangha nia every year and stay. But after Dance Mandala. So we tried it and of riding that breakeven point, it Then maybe you can look at rent- study groups that we did before we sold the land the Community we signed a one-year lease with a is pretty amazing, every year we ing space for certain activities the SMS instructors came around became much smaller, there was one-year option. That amount of manage to survive. Some years like Vajra Dance, Yantra Yoga and and it was a group effort and we a small core group after that, and money was just about what we it’s a little higher and some low- courses, etc., and then you can would discuss and practice to- one of the things that sustained had. This place was a dot com er, but it evens out. start thinking about a more per- gether and we went through the us was the Mandala at Margaret’s offi ce, so we gutted it out and I manent space like a ling because entire base level twice in one house. We used to have dance designed the renovations. This M: You are the fi rst ling in North it is a fi nancial commitment. year’s time. Four people from and practice weekends there. place was slightly too small for America. We have only two. that group are very committed the Mandala, but we modifi ed it a Dondrub ling and Kundrolling in M: Do you think the ling, this and have taken the exam, and M: So you think there were some little and it fi ts. When you dance NYC. space, becomes more than a fi - they are some of the key people problems in the California Com- and the Mandala is full, you feel GK: Yes, well, this is an exten- nancial commitment? here now. We still have a Base munity? a little squeezed. We had to re- sion of the Dzogchen Commu- GK: I have always thought fi - Level SMS study group for seri- GK: I don’t know all the specifi cs duce it about 12 inches from the nity West Coast, which has a long nancial is secondary because ously interested people. but just looking at it, the fact that already modifi ed small Mandala. history – since 1979. That is one people really have to participate. he even gave a name to the land (The Mandala is painted on the of the reasons that it is working It is nice to have a wonderful M: Do you think there is some- at Cazadero as a Gar; he called fl oor of Dondrubling). That was because it has this history and place but … here is an interest- thing to be said about having a it Khyungdinggar (khyung lding in November 2001. We didn’t it is not something new that we ing story for example. When we collective space together outside sgar)(Encampment of the Soaring know what was going to happen. have created. There was a long got the place we basically had peoples’ homes where people Garuda), because when we had a But we are still here in 2008 and history of people coming togeth- to gut it out and start building. can come together as Vajra fam- retreat on the land there was a we have been going on from year er and practicing together and so There were a number of build- ily? rare paragon falcon nesting, so to year. We don’t know what will on. For many years we desired to ers, Nary, Paul Tuell, and there GK: Yes especially with the Man- he named it Khyungdinggar. It happen next year but every year have a place and we did in Caza- was a practitioner from another dala. Having a Mandala where seems at one point he had a plan the new Gakyil comes in, the pri- dero, but it didn’t work out. community who came and did people can come and dance any or a vision of how the West Coast or Gakyil sends out a fundraising all the electrical stuff …. and we time, because the dancers seem Community would expand and plea, to guarantee enough funds M: How large is the membership were limited because people do- to be a very dedicated group and grow, but then it didn’t happen for the next Gakyil to manage the base of the West Coast Commu- nated their spare time evenings that establishes some level of a for many reasons and that is one activities. nity? and weekends and it was not like base of energy. That is why hav- of the signs of some obstacles. GK: Our email mailing list is we got the lease and in two weeks ing a place where you can have Then the activity in Conway fl our- M: Do you feel the existence of about 500, our fundraising mail- it was ready! It took three or four a Mandala that you cannot gen- ished and with the Khandroling center has encouraged more ac- ing list is about 270, but when it months of dedicated work. And erally have at someone’s home, land and the schoolhouse, more tivity? comes down to it we only have we decided to have a Ganapuja that is really a plus! attention and energy were fo- GK: That’s a good question. about 40 paying members. There here. We had a fl oor, no Mandala Stefanie Kim: For me this place cused there. What I have observed is that there used to be a Gakyil and more ac- yet, it wasn’t fi nished, there were is like my second home, it is a is a core group of a small number tive Community in the Los Ange- tools everywhere and we were in place we can get together at any M: So then you sold the land? of people who have continued les/Southern California area, but the middle of construction. Ste- time, and that is wonderful! I am GK: When we sold the land the their fi nancial commitment and that has dropped down over the fanie and I were here and I was sorry to say, but I am attached to value had increased, so we made also their participation. We need years and now there is no Gakyil. thinking, well Rinpoche said this space! I think many of us feel some profi t. We had some money both because without their par- in order to have a Sangha you that way; that this is like our own and kept it for a number of years ticipation there is nothing. Also a M: And do the Northwest Dzog- need to have at least three peo- home. because there was no plan really number of people have dropped chen Communities participate ple, and I was looking for some to do anything until a number of off, maybe they are tired and tak- with you? Like Portland, Seattle, kind of signifi cance, some sign, M: I think this interview can be practitioners asked Rinpoche and ing a break, which is ok and then etc? and then we decided to go ahead very helpful for Communities there was some talk abut getting some new people have come GK: Somewhat with member- and do the Ganapuja anyway, and thinking of establishing a ling. a warm place, a winter Gar for in. And somehow every year we ship, but not with fundraising. then when we were about to start Thank you very much for your Tsegyalgar. So then we started seem to fi nd a few but really sin- That seems to be more local peo- the third person walked in and I time. THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 Baja Mexico and the California Community

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We were responsible for fi nd- giant capital letters: ABSOLUTE- nishing them. They are complete easily access these places with The Story Of Baja ing the Gar. We had looked at so LY!!! and have all the amenities; it is some nice bridges. Interview with Carol Fields many places; we looked in Belize, like a spacious little house. There Hawaii, Southern California, Ari- M: What are your wishes for is a collective kitchen but we can M: Has there been any talk about zona and New Mexico. We looked the land since you are kind of a make a little kitchen. We also private dwellings for people on The Mirror: Can you tell us a little everywhere. ‘mother’ of the land and have put have internet. There are many the land? about the history of the California It was really amazing to go and so much energy into it? What do open for sponsorship. There is CF: There was some talk about Community and begin with when see this property. It was funny to you see happening as a result of also a lesser endowment where what to develop. Yeshi did not you met Rinpoche? meet with Jeff Klein, who is a col- the visit of Yeshi Namkhai? you can come for 3 weeks a year really address that yet. Someone Carol Fields: I met Rinpoche in league of the owner and had been CF: The people who became in- for fi fteen years. That is running asked if we can sell parts of the 1984 in Berkeley. I was very im- the caretaker for eight years. So volved with Baja were very eco- about $ 1750 with a weekly rent of land to make money and he said pressed by his teaching and took went down and looked at sever- logically oriented, so our sense around $ 100. this is never a good idea. He said a whole notebook full of notes. I al properties including this one of it was as a park. It is in ranch it is not a good idea to have lots wanted to go to one of his retreats. and Jeff Klein came with us. We land and there are a lot of cows M: What are the other plans for of houses because you will ruin I thought it was a problem that I looked at this gigantic property around, but we feel it is basically development and what were Ye- the land. He also said the retreat was already the student of Lama in the mountains and it was over- like a park and it needs preser- shi Namkhai’s ideas? cabins he has seen around the Thubten Yeshe. That year Lama whelming and very beautiful. vation. We would like to make CF: Well right now we are focus- world are terrible and mostly not Yeshe died and I found a fl yer on It had half built casitas, rock a place for retreats, develop the ing on the casitas. We have twen- used by people. We did not really Rinpoche’s retreat at Harbin Hot paths, all these beautiful rock casitas and infrastructure. It is ty-two structures that need con- address how to serve the people Springs. I went to the retreat and pools and a stream. It was just a very unique ecological system struction and refurbishing. We who want to be out a little fur- I kept hearing Rinpoche saying too amazing. For people who had of tropical drylands, with the are also fi xing up the teaching ther. For the people who want the same words as Lama Yeshe looked long and hard it looked 600–800 year old white fi g trees area and it needs to be fi nished. more comfort they can be in the and I realized there was a name like Shangrila. And it had a four and unusual plants, that need We have the cement fl oor for the casitas. It was clear that he want- for this kind of teaching and it million dollar price tag. protection and we would like to Mandala and the teaching areas, ed to heighten the capacity of the was Dzogchen. Jeff kept walking around say- do that. We also wanted to have but we need some kind of walls place to do more retreat and spe- I attended several retreats in ing, “Oh the non profi t could a health strand. We also wanted and roof. cialized retreat; collective and in- California and I got pretty in- own all this.” I think he was giv- to have the possibility for people What Yeshi Namkhai said was dividual. volved by volunteering and help- ing a big hint. So I wrote them a to do lengthy personal retreats. It that he prefers nature. Now the ing. Then we formed a Gakyil and letter immediately after we visit- is imperative that the land begins teaching area is so open with M: What would you like to ask became a nonprofi t organization, ed saying, “If the owner would be to earn its own money. We would huge views, which he liked and from the international Commu- both in 1987. The nonprofi t sta- willing to donate all or any part like to develop the infrastructure we want to preserve it. He would nity as far as support of this land tus proved to be very benefi cial of this land, we would be over- so we can rent out the casitas, like a big fl at TV screen so people and Gar? for us in the future. joyed.” We talked and Jeff and rent out the facility, do the camp- can watch and hear Rinpoche CF: We always need pioneers. We bought some land in Caza- Peter the owner did their home- ing, build a dormitory, etc. teaching, so that people imme- We do need to review people dero and became a Gar. We had work about us and we came out diately associate being there with and their skills carefully because problems with the neighbors and with an A+. It seemed that every- M: Can you tell us the program Rinpoche’s teachings. Yeshi has in each phase of the project we Rinpoche told us to sell the land. one thought the Dzogchen Com- for people subsidizing the devel- a great vision for this land be- need different skills. Right now That was later in the 1990s. We munity was great and they looked opment of the casitas through cause he realized the tremendous we people who are good at hos- asked Rinpoche what to do with at all the things we have in Meri- the endowment program? assets here in nature itself and he pitality and people who are good the money and he told us to keep gar and saw some videos and ev- CF: We have a program where likens that to the nature of mind. at taking care of guests and rent- the money for the Winter Gar. eryone had the greatest respect people can endow an entire ca- He was thinking of having a man- ers. We need people who can There was also some discussion for Rinpoche. sita and they would pay a certain dala form with a big center, and cook and who can speak Span- about having a local center and Then I knew that Rinpoche fl at amount and use it for 15 years out of that would radiate eight ish. We need people with techni- Rinpoche said it was all right to was working on all this with us continuously if they want, but spokes. We are not sure of where cal skills because we want to have use a small amount of money for because when we said to him, they do have to agree when they the center will be because we do web casts all around Baja in four the city center. “Well, you are traveling a lot and are not there that we can rent it have 3000 acres (1214 hectares) different locations. We do prac- Dondrubling at this point is you won’t be able to see the land out if we need to. so we will have to see where we tices in town sometimes. People actually the center of Tsegyalgar before we purchase it,” he re- The cost depends on how put the center and maybe there here are very positive about Bud- West. We have organized all the plied, “I don’t need to see it.” And much refurbishing the casita will be more than one. The idea dhism. We need people familiar big retreats in California includ- we were told he had told Jim Val- needs, but generally the cost is is that there will be this center with and able to lead practices. ing Los Angeles and Baja. We are by and his son two years before between $ 20,000 and $ 25,000. and eight spokes radiating out as We also need people who can do a very active group. we got the land, he had pointed The person has 15 years usage of paths and then there would be a construction, who can tile and to Baja on a map and said, “This the casita and if they want to live circle of paths connecting them paint. We want people commit- M: What is the relationship of is where it will be.” But he never in it that whole time, it is fi ne. The and then an outer path. The idea ted to the Dzogchen Community Tsegyalgar West and Baja? told us that. casita does not have maintenance is that at the end of these spokes and members. Pioneers can have CF: They are the same. Don- When Peter was on the verge costs; we pay for that. The casita are special areas for practice. free retreats. We welcome people drubling is the ling of Tsegyalgar of giving us the land December has a very nice room, a shower, And one would relate let’s say to from all over the world but Mexi- West. What happened was that 31 2003, I wrote to Rinpoche ear- can have a little kitchen, and has the element of water and water co is not giving visas right now to the nonprofi t status of Tsegyal- lier and said, “Do you really want a beautiful deck and view. The would be at the end of one spoke, people from India, Columbia or gar West is what enabled Baja to this?” He wrote back an email in room is quite big, a lot of furni- or maybe to an area for rushen, Russia. The pioneers get a place be donated to the Community. ture can go there and we are fur- chöd or longde, and people can >> continued on the following page THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008 Baja Mexico and the California Community

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is totally new and well ordered In America with with numerous hotels and shops. Along with nearby Cabo Yeshi Namkhai San Lucas, it makes up a super- November 12–December 3, equipped tourist zone called Los 2008 Cabos. But as soon as we leave the city, the wilderness starts to Paolo Ferraro dominate the scene. A good part of the road to get tlanta airport is one of to Tsegyalgar West is a dirt road. the busiest in the world. The Gar is only 30 km from the A It is the place I have an town and it takes less than an appointment with Yeshi Nam- hour to get there. When we get khai to start this journey through to the Gar on the slopes of the America, which will take us to mountains of Lower California, San Francisco-Berkeley, Mexico there is a very strong sensation of City, Baja California and Margar- integration with nature. The sur- ita. When I see him, all of a sud- roundings are wonderful, with den everything strange becomes cactus, palms and different types familiar: it feels like I’ve been of trees and fl owers growing to- in the States for years, not just a gether harmoniously. couple of hours. We get the plane As soon as we arrive, at sunset, for San Francisco and follow the Yeshi doesn’t lose even a minute sun, getting to our destination and climbs on a rock from where late in the evening of November he can see the land of the Gar 12. in the midst of the surrounding We are guests at Carol Field’s mountains. For there he explains Yeshi Namkhai on a day trip around San Francisco in front of the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Photo: A. Bartenstein lovely house in Berkeley. The immediately to the people gath- evening of the 13th, Yeshi goes ered there how important a place Everything is perfect. Starting energy and of experience. There the retreat nobody wanted Yeshi to Dondrup Ling for a Ganapu- like this is in order to have expe- from the beginning: this earth are three very intense days with to leave Margarita so soon. The ja with the practitioners. Elio riences of practice. Baja is a place was a gift. So if few practitioners teachings in the morning, prac- Gar is fi lled with his light. Guarisco was there because he linked with the energy of earth have been there, it is due to our tice and further explanations in had been giving a Mandarava and water. There are streams way of life that is conditioned by the afternoon. On the last day of tsalung retreat at the ling. The that fl ow between the enormous samsara and to our consequent ling, in Berkeley, is situated in the smooth rocks and occasionally inability to appreciate, that which lower part of the city. The follow- form natural pools where you can is perfect. Yeshi emphasizes this ing day, after a walk in the woods bathe. very point: our shortsightedness not far from Carol’s house, Yeshi The Gar covers an area of prevents us from focussing on starts to give teachings. For three more than 1,000 hectares: a and appreciating a paradise like days old and new practitioners whole mountain! It would take this. For him this place should be listen to Yeshi who explains and days of walking to visit it all. The developed with diligence in order comments on the Rigbai Kujyug. climate is excellent: hot and dry, to let all the practitioners in the Revealing his wisdom, Yeshi dis- with no humidity during the day, world enjoy it. pels doubts and arouses energy fresh in the evening. It is almost Leaving Baja is hard – you nev- and vitality in all those present. always sunny, it seldom rains and er want to leave. How can I forget On the 18th we arrive in Mex- storms are concentrated in cer- the rose-colored dawn over the ico City and physically feel the tain periods of the year. mountains of the Gar or the sun- effect of the altitude (2,300 m) There are twenty or so casitas set over the ocean at Cabo San a little, with some slight breath- (independent one room accom- Lucas! ing problems. We are guests of modation) at the Gar with views On the 27th we arrive in Mar- Angela Mirajes who takes us to over the wonderful mountains of garita. The island is much green- see the center of this immense Lower California. There is elec- er than in the past because in re- city with its more than 20 million tricity, water, even Internet. Ab- cent years there has been plenty Yeshi Namkhai and students last day of the retreat in Baja, Tsegyalgar West on Nov. 24, 2008. inhabitants. On the 19th, Yeshi solutely nothing whatsoever to of rain. The vegetation is luxuri- gives a conference at Casa Lamm do with survival courses! All my ant and a joy to the eyes. (an important cultural center) on thanks go to the pioneers who Tashigar Norte is an impor- the three paths of Tibetan Bud- have taken care of the Gar. tant Gar. Along with Merigar it dhism. In a simple and effec- For Yeshi, the potentialities of is the place where Chögyal Nam- Books by tive way he explains the general development for this place are khai Norbu has spent the most principles of Sutra, Tantra and enormous. There are ideal condi- time. When the Master is not Chögyal Dzogchen to seventy or so people tions for practitioners: here you there the Gar feels his absence whom mostly have no knowledge can really feel the raw power of strongly because the social situa- of the subject. Each time Yeshi the earth still untouched by hu- tion on a small island is certainly Namkhai Norbu speaks – even at public meetings man hands. Nature is sovereign. not very easy. Yeshi immediately – he opens our minds and shows And about 30 km away there is a feels the need to create a deeper us the path to overcome samsara. luxury tourist area that is one of link between Margarita and Ca- On the 20th we leave for Baja Cal- the best in the world. racas, between the island and the U Yantra Yoga ifornia. For three days Yeshi gives continent. U Dream Yoga and the On our arrival in San José del wonderful teachings, comment- On Margarita, besides the Cabo, I fi nd a fascinating and ing on the Rigbai Kujyug, to about Rigbai Kujyug, Yeshi gives spe- Practice of Natural Light unexpected scene in front of me. forty fortunate practitioners un- cial attention to the practice of U Dzogchen Teachings In recent years, the city with its der a sky that remains blue and Gomadevi, which is very impor- U The Supreme Source white houses has gone through limpid. tant for working on the level of extraordinary development and U Dzogchen: The Self- Perfected State U The Crystal and the Way >> Baja continued from previous page income supports the other two organize and host for the people to stay, it may be a tent, they get branches for practitioners. who come and stay. This is a of of Light their food, and their vehicles and kind guest service and is also gasoline are provided. There are M: It seemed there were many outreach and publicity. We need other staff positions and we are new, local people at the retreat more people who can do this. advertising them as they come with Yeshi Namkhai. Is this up. It is a great place to live. We something to develop? M: Thank you very much Carol would like to use Tassajara Zen CF: Of course and this has been for your time and all your dedica- Center as a model. They use their growing, so the pioneers also tion to the Baja Gar! www.SnowLionPub.com rural community that is much need to be able to do outreach and Tibetan Buddhist news and thousands of items online. more isolated than ours as a tour- have good relations with the local For more information about pio- FREE quarterly newsletter 800-950-0313 ist center in the summer and that people and be able to explain and neering or the casitas: and catalog on request. [email protected] lead practices. Also being able to Carolmfi [email protected] THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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

January 26–February 1 March 13–15 April 25–26 June Beginners Course of Dance of the Vajra Variations on the Second Series of Course of Santi Maha Sangha June 1–11 Calendar Part 2 Yantra Base Level Mandarava practice and Tsalung with Margit Martinu supervised by with Laura Evangelisti with Costantino Albini retreat of Events Adriana Dal Borgo Starts at 16.00 and fi nishes at 13.00 Starts at 10.00 and fi nishes at 13.00 with Nina Robinson Starts at 16.00 and fi nishes at 12.00 February March 16 April 23–26 (to be confi rmed) 2009 February 21–22 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Course of Santa Maha Sangha June 12–21 Course of Santi Maha Sangha Worldwide Guruyoga transmission Level One Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Base Level Anniversary of Garab Dorje with Jakob Winkler Webcast of the Teaching retreat at January with Fabio Risolo Starts at 17.00 and fi nishes at 13.00 Merigar East January 2–6 Starts at 10.00 and fi nishes at 13.00 March 21 Advanced Course of Dance of Song of Worldwide day for Dance of the Vajra May June 26–28 (to be confi rmed) the Vajra February 25 Anniversary of Ayu Khandro May 1–3 Variations on the Fourth Group of with Adriana Dal Borgo Losar (Tibetan New Year) Chod practice retreat Yantra Starts at 16.30 and fi nishes at 13.00 April with Elio Guarisco with Tiziana Gottardi supervised by February 25–March 1 April 10–13 Starts at 10.00 and fi nishes at 18.00 Laura Evangelisti January 16–18 Course of Santi Maha Sangha Green Tara retreat with 21 Invocations Starts at 17.00 and fi nishes at 13.00 Course of Santi Maha Sangha Level One and Ozer Chenmo practice May 23–24 Base Level with Elio Guarisco with Costantino Albini Course of Santi Maha Sangha with Fabio Risolo Starts at 16.00 and fi nishes at 12.00 Starts at 16.00 and fi nishes at 13.0 Base Level Cost: 70 euro with Costantino Albini Starts at 17.00 and fi nishes at 13.00 March April 17–22 Starts at 10.00 and fi nishes at 13.00 March 5–8 Beginners course of Dance of Song of January 23–25 Course of Santi Maha Sangha Level Two the Vajra Part 1 May 29–31 Course on How to make a Namkha with Elio Guarisco with Rita Renzi or Maurizio Mingotti Variations on the Third Group of Yantra with Cristiana de Falco Starts at 16.00 and fi nishes at 12.00 Starts at 16.00 and fi nishes at 13.00 with Laura Evangelisti Cost: 70 euro Starts at 17.00 and fi nishes at 13.00 Starts at 16.00 and fi nishes at 13.00

about the danger off doing Gyal- Commemorating the Departed po practice and seriously warned Shitro retreat with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu people about it, saying that the Merigar West, October 31st–November 4th 2008 Dalai Lama had specifi cally asked people not to worship this mun- dane spirit. As he was speaking, Liz Granger a mighty wind tore around the Gonpa for a few moments, rat- n many Western countries, Dealing with circumstances tling the windows, lifting the and in particular Italy, No- would become one of the main chairs on the wooden decks out- Ivember 1st and 2nd are a na- practices during the retreat as side into the air and creating a tional holiday to remember the the heavy rain made the country moment of alarm for some peo- Dead. November 1st is celebrated road up to Merigar very muddy ple inside the Gonpa. as ‘All Saints Day’ and the 2nd as and the big grassy fi eld usually The earlier retreat in Septem- ‘Commemoration of the Depart- used as a car park for hundreds ber at Merigar West had been held ed’ or ‘All Souls’ Day’ and it is a of cars totally impossible to use. in a warm, sunny comfortable sit- time when Italian families visit The retreat organisers, however, the tombs of the departed with had organised an effi cient shuttle candles and fl owers. In accor- service with small buses to carry dance with this ancient tradition people up and down between the and for the second year in suc- hotel at the bottom of the hill and cession, Chögyal Namkhai Nor- the Gar. So getting up and down bu held a short retreat at Meri- to the retreat was made simple gar West from October 31st to and effi cient in spite of the rain November 4th to remember and and wind. Many thanks to those benefi t the Departed. who stood morning, afternoon In the late autumn, the steep and evening each day at the top slopes and rolling hills that sur- and bottom of the road, in rain- round the Mt. Amiata area, home coats and umbrellas, helping to Merigar West, are changing people get to the buses, directing from shades of deep green to traffi c in order to keep the road golden red brown. Crackling dry open for the shuttle service. leaves are whisked around by sud- In the afternoon of the sec- den gusts of chill wind, billowing ond day the Master gave the Ini- clouds sail majestically over the tiation to the Shitro Khordas landscape. Misty mornings, sud- Rangdrol, the main teaching that den squalls of driving rain, all of he received from his root Guru these elements set the scene for Rigdzin Changchub Dorje. The Photos: Liane Graf the duration of the retreat. sky threatened rain as big black On the fi rst afternoon, after clouds rolled up but it held off. as they passed in front of him. deceased. During the rite, hun- uation, this one amidst rain, wind welcoming participants to the The Gonpa was overfl owing with The initiation concluded with a dreds of quietly annoying fl ies and cold with the teaching hall retreat, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu people, more than 600, many of short Ganapuja and then a fl urry appeared, settling on people’s like a boat navigating a storm. referred to the bad weather con- whom had to sit outside in small of movement as people bustled faces, hands, practice books, as The Captain had not been well ditions – it was raining heavily – tents in order to attend, hud- quickly off in the dark and damp if trying to partake of the purifi - and circumstances had been dif- saying that in samsara both good dled around the tall mushroom to the small buses. cation process or simply fi nd a fi cult. But it had also been an op- and bad exist and that we should shaped gas heaters to keep out On the following two days, temporary haven from the perils portunity for us to learn to work work with circumstances! The the chill and damp. The initiation Sunday and Monday, Rinpoche of the weather outside. with them and to truly become Master had been suffering from took about 3 hours and Rinpoche explained the changchog prac- During the fi nal day, the Mas- aware of the preciousness of the some health problems that had was visibly tired and occasionally tice in detail and we did it all to- ter asked us to really consider Master and his teaching and the not completely passed and did had to have a short rest as he in- gether. This is a purifi cation rite our motivation for following the importance of integrating them not speak for very long on the toned the mantra and raised the for the dead in which one draws teaching and the importance of into our existence. Thank you opening day. initiation vase time after time to away negativities and purifi es unifying all our masters in guru once again, Rinpoche, for your touch the head of each person the karmic potentialities of the yoga. Then he went on to speak precious Teaching. THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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At the beginning, he was a lit- Then the base for the statue The statue of tle daunted by such a huge task had to be created – an octagonal and the fact that he usually works form with a hole in the centre di- Adzom Drugpa with wood and metal rather than rectly under the statue in which L. Granger stone, but Rosa told him that she to put some reliquaries, just as had already dreamed that he had was done with the Gonpa and the isitors to the Gonpa at done it! She suggested that he Stupa. The foundations for the Merigar West will now sculpt the fi gure of Adzom Drug- base had to be large, strong and V fi nd a large statue in stone pa because there were not many deep because by now the statue of Adzom Drugpa on the little fi gures of him. Piero created a weighed 2 tons. ridge facing the main entrance to clay model which she liked and Rosa said that it would be the Gonpa. It was offi cially inau- work began. The stone arrived on best to place the statue in posi- gurated early in the morning of December 13 two years ago. tion on the anniversary of Adzom November 22, the anniversary of The original block of silica Drugpa, November 22, but as it Adzom Drugpa. Piero Bonacina, was enormous – 1 m x 1 m x 1.60 was a Saturday, the truck brought the sculptor, recounted the sto- – and weighed about 4 tons! It it the day before and left it in ry of how the statue came to be was impossible to get the slab place all wrapped up. Early next there. of stone inside his workshop be- morning, it was uncovered and It goes back two years to when cause of its size and weight so it inaugurated. Rosa Namkhai and Rinpoche was lowered into the garden out- It was the fi rst time that Piero asked Piero, one of our ‘resident’ side the workshop and he worked had ever done a work like this and artist at Merigar West, to do some on it there. It was just as well that he was very grateful to Rinpoche sculpting work. First of all Piero it wasn’t inside because of the and Rosa for giving him the op- worked on three marble tablets enormous amount of stone dust cold and Piero was able to work rest of the work was done using portunity to do it. He claims not to of the Longsal syllables which are that was arose from the cutting on the statue most days. special chisels for stone and went be a Donatello or a Michelangelo, currently hanging in niches on and chiselling. Piero’s workshop It was the fi rst time he had on for almost eight months. but simply a practitioner who did the wall below the Gonpa. Then is in a little hilltop village close to worked in stone on such a big In the summer, Rinpoche his best. He sincerely thanks all they suggested that he work on a Merigar and surrounded by olive project and he wasn’t even sure and Rosa came to see the statue the people who helped him buy sculpture using local stone. En- trees. That winter they were com- how to start. At the beginning he while Piero was still working on the equipment he needed for carv- thusiastic about the idea, Piero pletely covered in stone dust even used a special electric metal saw it and made some suggestions, ing stone and for the moral and found a large slab of silica, a hard though it hadn’t snowed! Fortu- and made lots of horizontal cuts and later, the Master chose the practical support of his friend Sal- compact stone with veins of iron, nately the fi rst winter was not too in the stone and then hammered place where the statue was to be vo Zivillica over the long months in nearby Manciano. out the pieces one at a time. The placed, just below the Gonpa. of painstaking work.

Practice Retreat of Tigers, Snakes and Elephants in the their relationships with the inner and Many thanks to Dr. Gendun Dhargyey, Guru Jnanadhakini Gomadevi Wilds of Merigar outer elements, the four cardinal and as well as our very patient and lucid An Astrology Course with Dr Gendun four intermediate directions and their English translator, Alessandra Policreti, by Maria Napoleone Dhargyey – October 2008 correspondences to the hollow and solid and SSI Italy for putting together a very he retreat led by Enzo Terzano organs of the body. The afternoons saw practical, concise, intensive and mind- by Tim Buckley at Merigar West, December 6-8, us picking through the scattered pieces opening program for us and future T gave those present the oppor- n autumnal kaleidoscope of of our conceptual, post-lunch minds in interested amateur sky gazers. tunity to practice with more certainty changing moments and visions an attempt to understand the workings and precision the visualisations and the A of Tuscany and Monte Amiata of the Parkha and the fi nely integrated mudras of the practice, in particular the countryside greeted me on my fi rst visit Chinese infl uences. The central work- visualisation of Gomadevi and the Inner to Europe and Merigar – e ma ho – how ings of the Mewa and its role in the daz- Mandala, and the visualisations and the wonderful! zling and ever-shifting puzzle of macro melody of the Action of Body, of Voice The opportunity to deepen my expe- and microcosms helped us isolate the and of Mind of Guru Jnanandhakini, the rience of Tibetan culture and the good fl uctuating aspects of time. Until they mudra with and without ritual instru- fortune to join others from across the change, again, that is. ments. planet soon arose in late October. We Photo: Liane Graf The practice, guided by Enzo, came together from Spain, Northern opened up a large unexplored area of and Southern Italy, New Zealand, Be- We ventured slowly into the black and possibilities of understanding in depth larus, Kazakhstan, Austria, Germany white astrological sciences, opening not only the meaning but most of all the and South America in a four-day astro- our minds to the astronomy (Kar-tse) experience of contemplation. Doing the logical and medical journey through the and elemental astrology (Jung-tse or practice before the Vajra Dance helped universes led by Dr Gendun Dhargyey, Nag-tse) systems ascribed to Tibetan us to be more present in movement and a native of Amdo, Tibet, senior student and Chinese history. We acquainted to maintain the state of Guruyoga even of the late Dr Trogawa Rinpoche from ourselves with the individual and el- after the Dance up to the dedication. Chagpori Institute in Darjeeling, India, emental aspects of the twelve-animal We thank Enzo Terzano for his great and current resident of Assisi, Italy, cycle, which evolved from the integra- attention and helpfulness in giving home of the late great Saint Francis, tion of numerous Middle Eastern and suggestions and explanations and hope patron of animals and the environment, Central Asian systems. These twelve that he will he will be able to share his especially Italy. animals, along with the fi ve elements, knowledge and experiences with us in Shang Shung Institute, Italy, brought produce a Metreng, or 60-year cycle the near future. Amji Gendun to Merigar for a second of time that we mostly fully experience Photo: Gino Vitiello time as part of a series of courses on Ti- only once in this lifetime (unless you are Passages betan Astrology and Medicine. The dif- Rigdzin Changchub Dorje and the like). fi culties of condensing and presenting Married: Rita Renzi and Riccardo Giuntini were married on November 5th at 11.30 in 3000 years plus of astrological history In the mornings of the days that fol- the morning in the Town Hall of Arcidosso in Tuscany, Italy in the presence of family in four days were handled in a typically lowed, Amji-la guided us through the and friends. confi dent, joyful and spontaneous Ti- subtle intricacies of the aspects of life, betan style. body, fortune, spirit and capacity, and

Accommodation Service at Merigar Christina von Geispitzheim Information for people who intend to come to Merigar for Email: [email protected] retreats or to follow courses Phone: 0039 0564 957542 If you are looking for accommodation, airport transfer, local car Mobile phone: 0039 339 1370739 hire or only logistic assistance, you can contact the following information and reservation service: We cooperate with local hotels, family pensions, residences, agriturismo, Community members who have rooms or houses to rent or sublet. Also we can advise on car rental (at airports Accommodation Service or locally), on the best itinerary and time tables of trains and (Information available in English, German, French and Italian) buses, and we have now a circuit of residents who offer various Information service and reservation of accommodation during useful services like transfer from the airports, local taxi service, retreats, local transport, & logistic solutions: translations, baby sitting, etc. THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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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

Please direct all inquiries to 1. Construction work in the existing Account in LEI: Wanted for Gakyil [email protected] barn – creating an independent room New bank account UniCredit Tiriac Bank SA 25–30 m² (walls, fl oor, isolation), which 30, Constantei Str., bl. H1a Dear Community Members, We are looking forward for your answers! Dear Vajra Family! enables to stay and live on the land since RO-905500, Mangalia, Romania We would like to announce, that Gakyil Warm greetings to all, Gakyil of Merigar East would like to in- spring on. 2 people – 6 days. Asociatia Culturala Comunitatea of Merigar East needs one new person Merigar East Gakyil form you that bank accounts for money Time: 15. 10. 2008–15. 03. 2009. Dzog-chen for the Blue Gakyil. [email protected] transfer have been changed. From now Swift: BACXROBU 2. Setting up a simple bathroom in the on, if you want to send membership Candidates for the Gakyil are IBAN: RO77BACX0000000267513000 existing barn, ca. 6 m² and sanitary fees or make donations for developing requested: Wanted for equipment with water storage above, new Gar, please do it through following If you wish to make money transfer · to be members for at least 3 years and for the person who will live there since addresses with notifi cations of purpose in $ please contact to Mira by have paid the membership fee Karma Yoga spring on. 2 people – 6 days. (membership or donation). New ac- [email protected]. · to be ready to offer their free time for Dear Dzogchen Practitioners, Time: 15. 03–15. 05. 2009. counts information you can fi nd on the Community for a limited period of There is a need for Karma yogis and With best wishes for prosperity of all www.dzogchen.ro in “Contacts” as one up to three years, working mainly people to do work exchange at Merigar We need people skilled in building and beings, well. from their private homes East in Romania. construction work, and ready to work in Gakyil of Merigar East · to be able to bear hardship quite extreme outdoor conditions. The Account in EURO: From spring 2009, we will start con- · to be present in Merigar East approx. work can proceed from now on, during UniCredit Tiriac Bank SA struction work for the new Gonpa and every 2nd month the winter (according to weather condi- 30, Constantei Str., bl. H1a Gar infrastructure. Until that time · to be capable of teamwork tions) and until early spring. RO-905500, Mangalia, Romania we want to prepare the land for this · to have good communication skills Asociatia Culturala Comunitatea process. There is some work that could For more details, accommodation and · to be familiar with modern commu- Dzog-chen be done as a Karma yoga or work ex- conditions please contact Greg: nication (Internet connection, email, Swift: BACXROBU change. [email protected] or skype, etc. IBAN: RO55BACX0000000267513001 [email protected] · to speak English, and possibly Here are some details and the timetable Romanian of the works: Gakyil of Merigar East in Romania

Upcoming Planned schedule: Europe Dzogchen retreat with 12. 2.: 7 pm: Inauguration of Yeselling Yeshi Silvano Namkhai 13. 2.: 5 pm: Teachings Austria 14. 2.: 10 am Teachings, 4 pm Teachings. The Upadesha on the 7 pm: Presentation of the Shang Shung Opening ceremony Total Behavior of Equal Institute of Yeselling Taste 15. 2.: 10 am Teachings Please note: The fi rst Ling in the German Friday, Feb. 13th–Sunday, Feb. 15th Wednesday, February 11th: speaking area 2009 Yeshi Namkhai will give a public talk at The Upadesha on the Total Behavior of the university of Vienna on: Alexander Gruber Equal Taste (sPyod pa ro snyoms chen po’i “Introduction to Dzogchen, The Six man ngag) is a teaching belonging to the Verses of Vajra” n the 3rd of December Longsal cycle that contains extraordi- Thursday, February 12th: the opening ceremony of nary instructions on how to deal with Yeshi Namkhai will lead the collective the fi rst Ling in Austria O each of the fi ve emotions according to practice of Purifi cation Vajrasattva and took place. The Ling is located in The opening ceremony was led the Dzogchen path of self-liberation. short inauguration ceremony at Yesell- the old Schoolhouse of the small by Elio Guarisco and consisted of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in Tashigar ing village of Gschmaier in East-Sty- a practice of Thun with Sang and Norte fi rst transmitted this Upadesha ria, near Sinabelkirchen, where Serkyem followed by a long Ga- Dzogchen Community Austria Regions in May 2004. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu held a napuja. More than 20 Dzogchen New Gakyil Gschmaier 104 This Longsal (klong gsal) teaching is retreat in 2002 (see the new book: practitioners from around the Blue: Franz Katzmayer (right) 8265 Gr. Steinbach an Upadesha, which in this case means “Teachings at Sinabelkirchen”). world participated in this great Red: Monika Klietmann (left) Tel.: +43 676 3221365 a teaching, which is based on particular Since 2000 the old Schoolhouse event. The ceremony lasted for Yellow: Gabriele Leick (Center) Fax: +43 3386 83218 experiences of great masters. These has housed the Austrian Branch about two hours and continued E-Mail: [email protected] teachings are very effective in that of the Shang Shung Institute for in harmonious celebration. Sev- they are usually rediscovered when the Tibetan studies. Due to the lack eral practitioners remained at the time is ripe to enhance knowledge and of space and the demand for a Ling to participate in the Man- spiritual experiences towards the path proper Gompa and a place to darava retreat, also led by Elio to realization. host retreats, the fi rst fl oor of Guarisco, which took place from the Schoolhouse was newly ren- December 5th–8th. The retreat Costs: 135 Euro (with the usual dis- ovated and extended. Chögyal which started just two days after count for members of the Dzogchen Namkhai Norbu suggested that the opening was the fi rst one to Community) it could be a Ling and named it be held at the new Ling – may it A registration is obligatory. “Yeselling” – Luminous since be a good sign of long life for this Please make your reservation as soon the beginning. The Schoolhouse newly founded Centre and the as possible and contact us if you need is also the location of the Aus- entire Dzogchen Community. an accommodation. trian branch of the international Shang Shung Institute.

Mandarava Tsalung retreat with Elio We had three sessions everyday, each Everybody enjoyed the stay at Yeselling Guarisco one lasting for a bit more than two from the collective practicing, cook- December 5th–8th, 2008 hours. We started at 6 am and fi nished ing in the new kitchen, reading books Yeselling, Austria at about 7pm. Before the afternoon ses- from the library, shopping from all sions, Elke, the Yantra Yoga instructor the different items of the Shang Shung Two days after the opening ceremony from Germany, and Zsolt, the Yantra Institute, to the lodging in the various of Yeselling, the fi rst retreat at the Yoga instructor from Hungary, gave guesthouses. new Austrian ling was held with Elio explanations about Kumbhaka. Guarisco, a long-time student of Chö- On December 8th, the 70th birthday of gyal Namkhai Norbu, and one of the There were about thirty people at the Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, we did a long main translators of the Ka-ter transla- retreat from Austria, Croatia, England, and intensive Mandarava Ganapuja. tion Project. Elio precisely explained the Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Slo- Afterwards we followed the web cast practice of Mandarava, including the vakia and Switzerland. from Chile and did another Mandarava Tsalung practices. Ganapuja together with Rinpoche. THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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Czech Republic France Karmaling Upcoming courses Ist part of the Song of the Vajra with Cindy Faulkner under the supervision of Adriana dal Borgo April 17th–22th Dance of the 3 Vajra with Cindy Faulkner 27th–30th August Dance of the 6 spaces of Samantabhadra 1st and 2nd Series of Yantra Yoga with Laura Evangelisti in Prague, December 3–7, 2008. with Cindy Faulkner 11th–15th November Each course will be followed by a week of dance retreat Contact: [email protected]

A beginners course of the Dance of the 6 Spaces was held in karmaling institute, from the 6th – 9th November with Cindy Faulkner. 3 further Vajra Dance courses are planned at this beauti- ful, residential Dharma Centre in the French Alps for 2009.

show, in practice, how to start to breath The four days of the retreat passed Time and schedule: Estonia correctly. For the answer Fabio kindly quite quickly. The atmosphere of the Hungary 16. January, Friday 5:30–7:30 pm Breathing and Kumbhaka Retreat showed them the Nine Purifi cation retreat was warm, friendly and inspir- Upcoming 17. January, Saturday: 9:00–11:30 am led by Fabio Andrico Breathings. After the public talk nine ing – in spite of the slightly gloomy and Yantra Yoga 1st and 2nd group and 2:00–4:00 pm 24–27. 10. 2008 people signed up for the Beginner’s rainy weather outside. In the evening with Zsolt Somogyvári 18. January, Sunday: 9:00–11:30 am Course offered regularly by our local before the last day of the retreat, we January 16–18, 2009 and 2:00–4:00 pm e were very glad when after Yantra Yoga instructor, Maaja Zelmin. had Ganapuja together. After Ganapuja The Hungarian Dzogchen Community is Place: thirteen years Fabio Andrico Next morning we drove 230 km to a we enjoyed sauna and the relaxing announcing an upcoming Yantra Yoga The Dharma Gate Buddhist College, gave his kind permission to small town called Polva in Southeast- crackling of the fi re in the fi replace. W course in 2009 on the 1st and 2nd group Budapest, 1098, Börzsöny str. 11 come and teach Breathing and Kumb- ern Estonia. In the hotel “Pesa”, which The retreat left us full of enthusiasm (yantras and pranayamas), with cor- haka in Estonia. Before the actual in English means “Nest”, we had our to go on. We are trying to put into prac- Fee: 64 Euros for non-members with rection of lungsang & tsikjong. retreat, Fabio gave a public talk at the retreat. There were twenty-seven par- tice what we learned from Fabio, and usual discounts National Library of Estonia, where the ticipants, some of them from Lithuania, are hopefully looking toward the future. Good knowledge of 8 movements is For more information, please, contact subject was “What is the Ancient Ti- Latvia and Finland. Thank you Fabio! required! [email protected] or betan Yantra Yoga”. Fabio talked in a Fabio kindly showed us different Authorized instructor: [email protected] simple, clear and lively manner about warm-ups, holding, and preparatory Zsolt Somogyvári how important it is to learn to breath exercises for Kumbhaka for four days. well, and how breathing is practiced There were a lot of new exercises and in different Yoga schools. At the end of holdings to learn, so during these days this lecture, participants asked Fabio to we got a lot of homework to do.

himself via webcast from Santia- Italy go in Chile. At the end of a long Milan and fortunate day spent together in a wonderful climate of com- Yeshi Namkhai munity and serenity, Yeshi met the Milan community in order to in Milan get a clear idea from people about December 7–8 problems and needs. He empha- sized the importance of having Clara Lovisetti one’s own centre but looking for it without effort and acting ac- bout 120 people, includ- cording to the circumstances. ing long-time practitio- The goodwill, the energy and A ners and new people not generosity of Yeshi who had only from Milan but also other transmitted such a profound and regions, met in the beautiful hall essential teaching with sponta- of the Circolo Filologico right in neity, simplicity and in terms that the centre of the city to listen to went directly to the heart, and the the teachings of Yeshi Silvano commitments of many practitio- Namkhai. Two splendid limpid ners from Milan and all those who days of sunshine helped to make Photo: Pietro Borsi worked in many different ways to the atmosphere that character- organise the retreat made it a very ised this event even more lumi- plain in a clear and original way used for trams and now for vari- hours of unexpected and pro- successful event. Representatives nous and joyful. the characteristics of Dzogchen ous activities of music, theatre found teachings especially ad- from ASIA and the Shang Shung The gathering opened with teaching and to give a general and alternative culture, and, at dressed to those who have been Institute distributed information two hours of teachings on the introduction to the various types the same time in the nearby ‘Cen- following for years. and sold calendars, books, etc. morning of the fi rst day, followed of paths using an approach that tro Mindfulness’ a session of Yan- On the second day, after the Heartfelt thanks to Yeshi Nam- by a short question and answer certainly ‘refreshed’ the minds of tra Yoga for beginners in which a morning teaching session fol- khai for dedicating his precious session in that informal and re- older practitioners and aroused dozen new people participated. lowed once again by a series of time. The Milan community laxed setting, that invitation to the interest of newcomers. Before the Dance session, Ye- questions which Yeshi replied to hopes to be able to receive teach- dialogue, that Yeshi immediately The programme was rich with shi pointed out the meaning of in a clear and precise way, we were ings from him in the near future creates with people. Even though activities including a session of the Dance and explained some of offered two precious moments: and to receive him next time at a the retreat was based on the ‘Six- Vajra Dance in the afternoon fol- its fundamental aspects in rela- celebrating the 70th birthday of new centre for the Milan ling. line Vajra Verse’, known in Ti- lowed by a Ganapuja in the Ari- tionship to the Dzogchen teach- Chögyal Namkhai Norbu with betan as ‘Rigbai Kujyug’, Yeshi ella Vidach hall at the ‘Fabbrica ing transmitted by our precious Yeshi and doing the Mandarava Translated by L. Granger dedicated time and energy to ex- del Vapore’, an old building once Master, giving those present two long-life practice with Rinpoche THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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our mailing list please send an email to Europe >> continued [email protected]. Our Gakyil is: Rimini Blue Gakyil: Elena Dumcheva [email protected] New Ling Yellow Gakyil: Chiara Bellini Dear practitioners! [email protected] We are happy to announce the opening Red Gakyil: Michele Salvatore of the new ling in Rimini – Desalling [email protected] (5 Sirio St. – side street of Covignano St. in Rimini). At the moment we meet for For any information please mail to Ganapujas, but we hope to develop our [email protected] or call activities! In the near future we are go- 339 579 67 32 – Elena Dumcheva ing to organize Yantra Yoga and Vajra You are most welcome to participate!!! Dance courses. For communication we * use our mailing list. If you want to be on Six Spaces of Samantabhadra with Enzo Terzano at Torremaggiore (Fg), November 22–23.

Venice Cost 80 € (discounts for members) News from Venice, Italy Spain Kundusling’s friends have a special by Giuliana Giromella Dzogchen Community of Spain is happy price 60 € to announce the next course of (also discounts for member on this) ain and wind set the scene for Yantra Yoga for Beginners Place: Kundusling, the Course of Purifi cation of with Glòria Pinsach supervised Passatge de la Pau, 10 bis 3º 1ª the Six Spaces with Adriana Dal R by Laura Evangelisti 08002 Borgo in Venice, November 28–30. February 6th to 8th, 2009 Metro Drassanes L3 More than 20 people participated in the course with diligence and commit- Yantra Yoga is a fundamental method For booking place, please make a trans- ment, many of them for the fi rst time. to integrate the profound essence of the ference of the total price or at least 50 % Braving the bad weather, many people Dzogchen of the cost to: came from surrounding areas such as “Asociación Cultural de la Comunidad Teaching in the three doors (body, voice Padova, Treviso, Udine and Porteg- Dzogchen” and mind) of the practitioner. Through randi. “La Caixa” 2100 0835 10 02 00622470 positions and movements combined The fi rst days of the retreat were with breathing one’s energy is coordi- After transference, please write an email held at the Libertango gym near Calle Photo: Giovanna Carraro nated and harmonized, so as to let the to: [email protected] del Vento while Saturday afternoon and mind relax and fi nd the authentic bal- Sunday we were at the S. Girolamo gym, participants. Even without heating, Thanks to the Precious Teaching of More information: ance which is the basis for getting into near the Ghetto where the Community the Retreat fi nished well thanks to the the Master and the patient help of Adri- [email protected] contemplation. people usually practice Dance of the sweaters and hot tea supplied by the ana, The Venice Community had the [email protected] Vajra and Yantra Yoga. Venetian participants. With the con- opportunity to learn the Purifi cation of Timetable: With great calm and patience, Adri- tributions of everyone, a small lottery the Six Spaces and practice together to Friday 6th from 19:00–21:00, ana Dal Borgo explained over and over managed to collect a few more funds develop presence in movement and in Saturday 9th and Sunday 8th from all the steps of the Dance with excellent for the “Venetian Ling project”. daily life. 10:30–13:00 and 17:00–19:30 results: a complete Dance for all the Long Life to the Master!

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

Feb 7–8 New York City SMS Base: Refuge and the 4 Applica- Upcoming Calendar tions of Mindfulness Dream Yoga and 6 Lokas Purifi cation with Jim Valby Practice Weekend of Events Schedule: Saturday and Sunday with Dr. Michael Katz 9 am–noon and 4–7 pm Jan 10 th & Jan. 11 th, 2009 Kundrolling 151 W. 30th St. 4 th Floor 20009 Feb 21–22 From Chapter 3 Dream Yoga and the SMS Base: Refuge and Purifi cation Practice of Natural Light: All practices held at the Tsegyalgar East with Jim Valby “Regarding preparation, it may be Gonpa unless otherwise noted Schedule: helpful for one to conduct a retreat to Course Fees to be announced Saturday 9 am–noon and 4–7 pm fi rst practice concentrating on the six syllables, and their purifi cation. After Feb 25 January doing this practice for some time, many January 11 Losar disorded dreams may appear. The aris- Long Ganapuja with extra recitation of Early morning Star Water and ing of numerous disordered dreams is a Jigme Lingpa Ganapuja Mandarava Practice. Times TBA Dream Yoga Retreat in Conway November 22–23, 2008. Photo: M. Jarekskaya sign that preparation is complete and 2 pm–6 pm t h a t o n e c a n p r o c e e d t o t h e p r a c t i c e .” Feb 28 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu January 17 Mandarava Practice Day Buddhism and Dzogchen meditation Location Yantra Yoga: Tsandul and First Series This day is indicated to be auspicious Open to anyone who has taken web cast since 1974. Miami Life Center Yantras and Pranayamas for Long Life Practice or personal transmission from Chögyal 736 Sixth Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139 Please register to hold a place, email: with Paula Barry Times TBA Namkhai Norbu or who sincerely in- www.miamilifecenter.com [email protected] 9:30–12:30 and 3–6pm tends to take transmission in the near Registration For more information and to sign up future. * Miami $ 160 (or $ 130 if paid in full by Friday, January 18 for courses contact the secretary at 2 Sessions each day 10:00–12 P.M. and Upcoming January 16) Intensive Vajra Dance [email protected] 2–5 P.M. An Introduction to Yantra Yoga Space is limited, so early registration is 11 am thun with continued thuns For courses pre-registration is required Cost $ 30 per session. with Lynn Sutherland advised. throughout the day with a down payment. Attendance for both sessions is strongly January 30–February 1, 2009 Tsegyalgar reserves the right to cancel Please make checks payable to: recommended. courses based on low pre-registration. Schedule Miami Life Center and note that it is for February Full seminar 2 days $ 110. Jan 31–Feb 1 For accommodations contact the Gekö, Friday, January 30: 7:00–9:00 pm Yantra Yoga. Membership discounts also apply. Medicine Buddha Practice Weekend David Hayes, at [email protected] Saturday, January 31: 9:30 am–12 noon Please feel free to contact me with any Schedule TBA This course is intended to develop the and 3:00–5:30 pm questions. Those who have received the Medicine capacity to dream lucidly, and intro- Sunday, February 1: 1:00–5:30 pm Anastasia La Hera Buddha empowerment from Namkhai duce techniques for purifying karmic 305 467-1628 (c) Norbu Rinpoche are encouraged to join tendencies to be reborn in the lower [email protected] realms. Dr. Katz has practiced Tibetan THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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West Tsegyalgar West [email protected] Tsegyalgar Baja California Sur, Mexico At Tsegyalgar West itself: [email protected] http://jardindelosnaranjos.org/

Upcoming Nina Robinson was born in England Camping is available for free. Upcoming [email protected] Chöd Retreat in February 1937. She has done many Dream Yoga Retreat / http://tsegyalgarwest.org There is limited dorm space in 3 casitas with Nina Robinson different kinds of work, including rais- Outer Rushen practice (3 to 4 to a casita). Two of these casitas Please join us! January 30–February 8 ing a family, making ceramics and with Michael Katz have electricity and running water, but teaching. After briefl y following vari- April 9–14, 2009 * This retreat is a fi rst at Tsegyalgar no toilets (composting toilets and out- ous Buddhist teachers she met Chögyal West. If you’re familiar with the Chöd house are nearby). Namkhai Norbu in 1980 in a camping practice, doing this practice on the Gar The other casita does not have electric- retreat in northern Italy. She was very promises to be an unforgettable expe- ity yet, nor running water, but may by fortunately able to follow many of his rience! Tsegyalgar West is located in the time of the retreat. teaching and practice retreats from that Baja California Sur, about 40 minutes Cost of the casitas: $ 25/night time until the present day. She moved from San Jose del Cabo. to Italy in 1986 and has lived near Meri- Meals: $25/day Please keep in mind that you must gar since then. She was secretary of More information forthcoming. have the transmission to attend this Merigar for 7 years. In 2002 the Meri- retreat. If you do not, you must become gar Gakyil asked Rinpoche who should For retreat registration please contact: a member of the Dzogchen Community lead the Easter retreat of Mandarava [email protected] and then listen to Chögyal Namkhai practice. He said that Nina should do Also you will need a two-sided drum Norbu’s upcoming closed webcast, it. Since then she has been invited to do called a damaru and a “Buddhist bell”, December 26–Jan 1. On a certain day this and to lead Chöd practice retreats both large if possible. We will try to have of the web cast our Precious Master will in many parts of the world. some for sale. If you want to pre-order give a generous list of transmissions Cost of the Retreat: $ 275/Full Retreat one please contact us: including Chöd. – Member discounts apply [email protected] $ 35/ day – Member discounts do not * apply for the daily rate Yantra Yoga with Paula Barry at the retreat with Yeshi Namkhai Nov. 20–22, 2008.

Yantra Yoga Courses with Marisa Alonso in Mexico City Oct 31–Nov 2, 2008 Beginners Yantra Yoga; Nov 3–6, 2008 First and second group of Yantras.

New Gakyil of Dondrubling Berkeley, California Blue Monica Hernandez, cell 860-57 55 arcozul06.yahoo.com Carlos Mena, cell 292-63 91 [email protected] Gene Kim, 707-553-84 46 [email protected] Red Silvia Altimiranda, 832-34 64 [email protected] Louise Anderson, 535-11 99 Introduction to Yantra Yoga at Dondrubling with Naomi Zeitz Dec. 5–7, 2008. Photo: C. Mena [email protected] Laurel Bellon (Director), cell 717-76 64 [email protected] Yellow Three positions still to be fi lled are (1) Heather Murphree (Treasurer), 559-37 45 offi ce of vice-president, (2) someone to [email protected] handle rentals (because Jakub Muller is Kathleen MacDougall (Secretary), departing Dec. 1 to Argentina for four 524-15 93, [email protected] months), and (3) someone to share the Nary Mitchell, 528-39 12 bookstore ordering and maintenance [email protected] chores with Carlos.

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, Istituto Shang Shung, Podere Nuovissimo, GR 58031 Arcidosso, 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, Istituto Shang Shung, 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 © 2008 by The Mirror * * Reprint by permission only * * We reserve the right to edit all submissions. THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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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.tashigarnorte.org

15, 2009. I would like to extend an in- registered as part of your Santi Maha All those interested in participating in Gonpa Project vitation to anyone who is interested in Sangha karma yoga. any way should please contact me at January 28 to March 15, 2009 joining this project at Tashigar Norte. As this project is becoming very [email protected] With a lot of gratitude we welcome expansive and the funds that have As many of you already know, we are Many thanks to all! workers and helpers! We can provide been allocated to this project are being working in Tashigar Norte, Margarita Michele Salvatore food and help people to fi nd accom- quickly exhausted, any donation will be Island, Venezuela, to complete the Project Manager modation in Margarita. We can also most welcome! We will prepare a regis- paintings in the Gonpa for the next help to fi nd inexpensive airline tickets ter for all donors and your name will be year’s retreats. The scheduled dates for for those who are interested in coming kept inside the Gonpa! this work are from January 28 to March to Margarita. Of course, this will be

this possibility every day we stay Observations of Yeshi Namkhai here. This place is not like a mu- from his visit to Tashigar North, seum. You know, a sacred place Margarita Island where you go and see: Rinpoche Interview with The Mirror taught here, Rinpoche took off his shoes here, and here Rinpoche was washing his hands. o, we are in Margarita, may feel a need to take this fl ower This is more a place where you Tashigar Norte, and I’m to keep it with us – which means go and immediately you have the Shere to give a short retreat that we stop time and take the experience of how being naked about preliminary instructions fl ower with us forever. But even- feels. And you try to understand of Semde. This place, this Gar, is tually this fl ower can’t live very enjoyment. We say we have three very important because Rinpoche long without earth and water. It existences. These three existenc- received the fi nal part of Longsal will die very soon and we will feel es are connected with three main here in 2007. In March 2007 he very sad. Or eventually we can states. One state is our ordinary fi nished receiving the Jnana Da- have the idea that this is my fl ow- state. The other is the state of or- kini three essence practices: out- er, this is your fl ower, and then manifests in the moment limits. anger, ego, attachment, jealousy, naments and by ornaments we er, inner, and secret. When you people start to envy each other. Therefore it’s normal that from they manifest very strongly. In or- mean that we try to enjoy and un- come here you immediately feel For example we can have a nice one side we have a beautiful place dinary society we can do that. We derstand what enjoyment means. the importance of this place and garden and then our friend wants and from the other side we have are quite blocked and everything This enjoyment is obviously con- how Rinpoche always described the same garden. And so on. different aspects that we need to is structured to be blocked and nected with experience. So, per- it as paradise. So everything is connected harmonize and work with. So it controlled. ceiving experiences immediately But sometimes we need to un- with how we perceive and how we derstand what paradise means deal with enjoyment. Enjoyment – it is different from our concep- is very diffi cult when we have the tual idea of paradise. Our idea of idea of enjoyment. So if our idea paradise is something like a place of enjoyment is a certain way, we with angels or where there is en- immediately have an expectation joyment. Actually everything here about this enjoyment. And then grows very nicely; fl owers, wa- it manifests in a different way ter, there is always sun, and it’s probably from our idea and we always warm. But of course en- immediately have suffering be- joyment means that you feel this cause it doesn’t correspond and enjoyment. This enjoyment is we try to change it that way. not what you really think about. For example, our idea of para- There are not so many places dise may be like it is here, a place where you can always do practice where everything is perfect and and feel fi ne every moment of the we don’t have any problems. day. Most of all we don’t have any Here in Tashigar North we problems with money. We can had a very relaxed and deep re- arrive here very easily with a di- treat about understanding the rect fl ight and we come here and nature of mind. It was a little bit everything is very harmonized Photo: E. Carrasco rainy because now it’s Novem- and simple, which is a classical ber and there is not very strong idea of paradise. Then of course is normal that from one side we In this place you have more means that we can eventually sun. But you can still go swim- this place doesn’t correspond be- can have a teacher in this place opportunity to manifest. And as create ornaments. That means ming any time or have the pos- cause it is an island. And to keep giving very important teachings the environment in general has a we perceive and then we enjoy as sibility to dance or whatever until a place like this alive requires not and from the other side we have feeling of being relaxed, so every- ornaments of our real condition late at night because the weather only fi nancial effort, but also the a lot of fi nancial problems; prob- thing is very relaxed. To do some- – our real nature. Then there is, is always more or less the same. work and understanding of a lot lems with permits, local authori- thing takes at least double the of course, the wisdom of under- Day and night is always the same. of different people to keep such a ties, and so on. These are normal time and therefore everything is standing that the source is always Here it is nice to have the expe- nice place alive. things because we believe in a slow and needs a lot of attention the same – it’s our real nature and rience connected with Jnana Da- That is why Rinpoche always dualistic vision. Our dualistic vi- and follow up activity. manifests as ornaments. kini in terms of understanding of likes to come here and it is also sion always has something nice You understand when you are Here you perceive even in na- what the wisdom of nonduality the place where he developed the and something not so nice. here and you try to do something; ture, that whatever you do here, is. We have the possibility of go- Longsal terma in the last years. But when we talk about ex- you discover what effort means. like the plants and fruit, grows ing beyond our normal concept Therefore he always gives teach- perience, there is nothing about But we know very well that effort immediately. Here it is full of of what is nice, what is bad, what ing connected to Longsal here. nice or bad. Experience is just ex- is very relative for understanding. fl owers, birds, and there is always is good and so on. He gave the most important perience. Not all places give this We don’t really work with effort singing during the early morn- In this kind of place you may teaching here, and he also gave opportunity to really discover our but we work with the recognition ing, during the day, there are a have the experience or under- all the teacher’s trainings in this real nature. So, real nature is very of our real nature – which means lot of colors, and the weather is standing that we are very much place. much connected with this place we work with the state, not really changing at different times dur- connected with the idea of suf- It is important to understand – listening to Rinpoche’s words. with our mind building concepts. ing the day. There is not only one fering. We always have diffi culty what is meant in a real sense by In a place like this it’s easier So, in the same way we should kind of weather, but also different to understand what enjoyment paradise. Paradise is a place you to feel naked. And when we feel perceive this place as a place kinds of weather. It can rain, and means. We see a nice fl ower, and can have experience. With this ex- naked everything becomes very where we can grow our under- then it is cloudy, and then sunny. you can see many here, and im- perience you have the opportunity diffi cult. Because feeling naked standing of experience. And You can also see different kinds mediately we a have a perception for your knowledge to grow. And means we immediately discover experience remains just experi- of animals passing through this and feeling of this beauty. But when that knowledge becomes our limit. And when limits are ence. If we perceive in this way place throughout the day. we can’t leave this beauty as it is; stable it can be like wisdom. But connected with time and space, then this is obviously a paradise we always have to grasp it. So we of course the experience that which means all emotions: fear, because we have immediately THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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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

January 5–8 January 22–27 For more information: January SMS Base Exam 7th Lojong Retreat secretarí[email protected] Calendar January 2–8 January 9–13 led by Marisa Alonso and Ricardo Sued Course on the 1st level of Yantra Yoga SMS 1st Level Training Cost: U$S 35 For registration: directed by Jimena Piedra and Haimavati Cost: U$S 130 [email protected] of Events (*) Nakai and supervised by Fabio Andrico Both courses on Yantra Yoga: U$S 75 Cost: U$S 50 (*) January 15–21 Both courses on the Dance of the Song of Vajra: 20009 Course on the 2nd part of the Song of U$S 125 Vajra directed by Nélida Saporiti Cost: U$S 70 (*) (discount to members)

gathered in a restaurant which A Beginner’s Word Nine Days at the was kindly opened early just for Dzogchen Retreat with End of the World us. Rinpoche led the Mandara- Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche va long life practice, which was in São Paulo, Brazil Juan Jose Saenz web cast to thousands of people around the world who wanted to n a long weekend in the share this moment with him. Patricia Davanzzo heat of the dry Santiago The web cast went smoothly Osummer, Chögyal Nam- and after the practice and a half n the last week of No- khai Norbu Rinpoche visited hour break, hungry practitioners vember, I attended Chö- Chile to teach all interested peo- descended on a nice buffet, which Ogyal Namkhai Norbu ple how to break free from our by Rinpoche’s indications was to Rinpoche’s retreat in Sao Paulo, limitations. be part of the Ganapuja that we Brazil. It was the fi rst time I ever Rinpoche arrived four days be- had done minutes earlier. attended a retreat, or ever came fore the retreat, which was attend- Traditional musicians played in contact with Dzogchen teach- ed by just over 100 people. The ven- and folkloric dances from all ings. I came upon the retreat ue was a well-located hotel, which over Chile, including Easter Is- through a friend, who is a mem- way – calming the anxiety, the im- way of explaining, the sight of made life easier for the people at- land, were performed for the en- ber of the Dzogchen Community pulse to keep searching. I expect- him holding that peacock feather tending; for the organizers and es- joyment of Rinpoche, Rosa and in Brazil. ed, again, to be interested but not was so strangely comical that it pecially for Rinpoche, who stayed all present. A birthday cake with moved. I expected cryptic teach- made me grasp something about in the same hotel and was just an the Tibetan letter A put an end to The reason I decided to attend ings and the usual impression of the absurdity of this world. How elevator ride away from his room. a lunch to remember. the retreat is the same reason that being the only one in the group things of our “real world” can be- The three days of teachings The next day Rinpoche depart- has motivated me to look into who just doesn’t get the point. come so fully joyous and comical were direct, concise and left the ed, leaving retreat participants several different spiritual paths if we are able to realize what they audience (or at least me!) feeling satisfi ed and the Chilean com- – including other Buddhist tradi- So, on my fi rst day, I came into really are. the immediacy and urgency of munity overjoyed and happy to tions – over the past years. I have the room and it was hot, crowd- the teaching. have participated in Rinpoche’s always felt an anguished suspi- ed with a group of multicultural, In the four days that followed, The day after the retreat wish to bring the teachings ev- cion that any effort I could make excited people. Rinpoche fi nally Rinpoche gave us transmission was very special because it was erywhere, even here, to the end based on my rational capacities arrived, in his sunny clothes and of several practices including two Rinpoche’s 70th birthday! At of the world. wouldn’t provide the answers sunglasses and smiles. I imme- Ganapujas, the Short and Me- 10am about 40 practitioners that really matter. My questions diately liked the way he spoke. dium Thun and several collective were never really about things With such captivating simplic- and secondary practices. He also like job, family, or even love. They ity and energy. He spoke slowly, gave us Direct Transmission on dation in Rinpoche – his power- ful thing that is “good for you”. were ultimately about coming to often illustrating his teachings Friday. Throughout the retreat, ful, unaffected presence gained No. This time, miraculously, I terms with the all-pervading, po- with episodes of his life, and there was an air of cordiality be- the resistance I always put on, commit because there is nothing tentially threatening indefi nite- metaphors. He often paused and tween everyone present; genuine on being taught something. His else I’d rather do. Because I am in ness of life. Creating protection laughed at his jokes – and I real- involvement and respect for the teachings went beyond words awe, because I felt touched by an from it can only be temporarily ized there was a greatness in him precious chance to be right there and even I could see it. I wonder improbable, unbelievable hand relief. The big empty unknown that anyone would grasp, inde- and then. In the afternoons there what it feels like for those who of joy. Ever so slightly. would always creep up and haunt pendent of any previous knowl- were courses of Vajra Dance and have been practicing longer. me into coming to terms with it edge or expectation. I had the Yantra Yoga. As days went by I His last words were something – and hopefully, trying to fi nd strange sensation that he IS his felt my old anxiety melting away; As the retreat came to an end, for of the sort: “I am glad we all met. peace within it. teachings – in a way that I can’t I felt I was learning something. the fi rst time, I felt I didn’t have I hope to see you again. But you explain with words. But I can try I would not know how to sing to make arrangements with my- know how it is, the world is a big And I must confess – I came to to convey with one example – he a mantra but I would be carried self to commit to the Guru Yoga place.” He laughed and I cried – the retreat a little apprehensively. once held up a peacock feather away by the sound of the others practice as Rinpoche explained and I hoped, secretly, that I would I have had interesting experiences and spoke of it as a natural repre- and that would do something to it. In the same style that one bar- somehow fi nd my way – through before in my searches. But never sentation of a symbol. And, since me. I thought there was not a hint gains with oneself to exercise this big world – to his presence anything that resonated in such a I was not acquainted with this of ostentatious display or intimi- – or whatever potentially dread- again.

Subscribe to The Mirror The New Year is upon us and if you have made You can subscribe through your local a New Years resolution to stay in closer contact Community or by contacting us directly at: with the Dzogchen Community, what better way than with a subscription to The Mirror. In USA many Gars and Lings and even some smaller Naomi Zeitz: [email protected] Communities, The Mirror is included in mem- 413 369 4208 bership in some form. Membership is the best Tsegyalgar offi ce and bookstore: overall way to maintain contact with Chögyal 413 369 41 53, 413 369 44 73 Namkhai Norbu and the Vajra Family, and of- ten you will receive access to the Mirror in Italy that way. Liz Granger: [email protected] The Mirror The Mirror c/o Merigar PO Box 479 Arcidosso 58031 If you would like to subscribe to The Mirror: You can purchase subscriptions on line at Conway, MA 01341 GR Italy www.melong.com USA $ 35 US or 35 Euro in Europe for paper only. $ 25 US or 25 Euro in Europe for on line only. For South America and Mexico we have Happy Holidays! $ 50 US or 50 Euro in Europe for both paper reduced rates, so please contact The Mirror Staff and on line subscriptions. [email protected] for more information. Liz Granger, Naomi Zeitz and Thomas Eifl er THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu weekend seminars, (excluding the Santi teaching on Dra Thalgyuur, ‘Sound of Australian Tour 2009 Maha Sangha Exam and Training). A the Elements’, which coincided perfectly Season Pass costs AUD $ 1500. with the SMS retreat. For detailed information about all events To purchase a Season Pass, down- in Australia (Pricing, Meals, Accom- load an offl ine Registration Form as By the end of the retreat a very success- modation, Travel, etc.) Please go to the above and indicate your request for a ful and attentive group of students had Events page on the Namgyalgar website Season Pass. Your Membership details worked hard to master the intricacies of at: www.dzogchen.org.au are required and will be verifi ed before the philosophy and practices involved Online Registration is now available. the Pass is issued. with this section of the SMS Base. As Please read procedures and details at well much clearing and planting to the Event Registration link on left of the Inquiries: beautify the area around the Gonpa had Events Page. Namgyalgar secretary been completed. Please note that catered meal orders Tel/Fax: 02.44.737668 and childcare enrollment are required [email protected] u Thanks to Rinpoche’s video webcast well in advance of the retreats. * teachings and the teachings given by To register and pay for events at Elise, the retreatants learnt much and the discounted Membership prices, found the retreat very useful in prepa- members of overseas Gars are required Santi Maha Sangha Retreat with Elise Stutchbury at Namgyalgar Spring 2008. ration for the SMS Base Exam to be held to use the Offl ine Registration Forms at Namgyalgar in 2009. Everyone had a for each retreat. These can be down- Namgyalgar Santi Maha Sangha About fi fteen people gathered for the great time and left enthusiastic to study loaded from the Namgyalgar website Retreat – Spring 2008 retreat which began every day with two and be prepared around the Gonpa for located within the information at Event hours of karmayoga – which mostly, the exams. Registration link on left side of Events By Sean Wardell but not only, entailed hard physical page. he spring retreat at Namgyalgar work every morning to help prepare the Season Pass for Members of this year was a great success. SMS Gar for Rinpoche’s visit next year. Overseas Gars T Teacher Elise Stutchbury, taught Namgyalgar is introducing a special on the Perfection of Wisdom section of After the days work and study/prac- “Season Pass” for members of over- the Base Level of Santi Maha Sangha. tice sessions had been completed re- seas Gars. The Season Pass includes at- treatants settled down in the evenings tendance at all of Rinpoche’s teachings before dinner to engage in the live video in Australia, including public talks and webcast of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu’s

International China Japan Community Great Leap forward New Gakyil Contacts We announce our new gakyil of Japan Samtenling as follows. Our beloved master Chögyal Nam- If any of this information is outdated or in- khai Norbu Rinpoche has granted the Yellow correct, please send the correct information formation of a Ling in China and has Yoko Morita to [email protected] bestowed the name: Samtenling. [email protected] Thank you! It began its meritorious existence and Red started its membership enrollment on Takatomo Sasaki Argentina 1st Nov 2008. maha-sukha@docomo.ne.jp Tashigar Sur, Cordoba Samtenling caters for the need of native Blue www.tashigar-sur.com.ar Chinese speakers with various online Naomi Tsubaki (details on Tashigar Sur page) assistance and guidance to follow the [email protected] teaching and practice of Dzogchen Australia according to the lineage of our master Namgyalgar, NSW Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. www.dzogchen.org.au (details on Namgyalgar page) Do spread the good news and introduce Samtenling to your Chinese friends. Austria Samtenling: www.dzogchen.at www.jcrows.com Blue Gakyil Dzogchen Community of Vienna Yungzhung Jalwa QQ616150536 Elisha Koppensteiner mobile 15302633516 ® Tel: 0043 1 208-22-32 or Keng Leck QQ 294353927 J. Crow’s 0660/817-13-28 [email protected] Mulling Spice Folk Medicine [email protected] Wesley QQ 654732467 Tibetan Medicine [email protected] Yeselling, Dzogchen Community Austria Regions Red Gakyil SpicedCider.com Gschmaier 104, 8265 Gr. Steinbach Wesley Tracy QQ 785960784 fax or phone: 1 800 878 1965 603 878 1965 [email protected] Tel.: 0043 676 322 13 65 Yellow Gakyil Fax: 0043 3386 832 18 Keng Leck [email protected] English Forum: http://groups.yahoo. House For Sale com/group/dzogcheninchina/ near Merigar West Brazil Lhundrubling, São Paulo Chinese Forum: Case Brezza Rua José Maria Lisboa, 860, 9th fl oor – cj 93 http://www.wuyangzhijie.com/forum/ between Pescina São Paulo – SP – CEP 01423-000 QQGroup: 47796485 and Seggiano [email protected] Website: http://www.atiyoga.net 120 sq.m., 3 large www.dzogchen.com.br bedrooms, 2 bath- rooms, Kitchen/ Canada dining room, sitting room with fi replace, store- Vancouver, Peter Dimitrov room, pizza oven outside, gas heating, completely [email protected] renovated, new roof. 270,000 euro/negotiable Toronto, Jacqueline Hanley [email protected] Contact: Mara Sangiorgi Tel: 0039 34 95 40 22 70 Email: [email protected] Montreal, William Hoyos or Tuscanary: [email protected] Tel: 514 616 59 67, 450 674 74 28 [email protected] THE MIRROR · No. 95 · November, December 2008

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Serbia/ex Yugoslavia USA International Community Jelena Zagorcic Tsegyalgar East Tel: 381 11 46 25 55 www.tsegyalgareast.org Contacts [email protected] (details on Tsegyalgar East page) Ivana Radicevic Karaman Alaska Tel: 381 11 604115 Oni McKinstry & Jonathan Schaeffer Chile Hungary Montenegro dakini@EUnet.yu [email protected] & Lorena Hume, Santiago Hungarian Dzogchen Community Dubravka Velasevic [email protected] Tel: 056-2-474-47 82 H-1062 Budapest, Aradi u. 42 [email protected] Singapore Chicago Mob: 56-9-91 38 14 30 [email protected] Shelley Han, Blue Gakyil Tel: 773 784 4168 [email protected] www.dzogchen.hu Nepal [email protected] Monica Gentile, Pokhara [email protected] China Israel Tel: 061 53 14 29 K.C. Ong www.dzogchenchicago.org titad@pacifi c.net.sg Samtenling Dzogchen Community of Israel [email protected] Dondrup Ling, West Coast Keng Leck QQ 294 35 39 27 www.ati.org.il 2748 Adeline St. Suite D [email protected] Slovenia Alex Polak New Caledonia Berkeley, CA 94703 Yungzhung Jalwa QQ 616 15 05 36 As. Dzogchen NC Peter Novak Canic Tel: 00972-52-602 03 74 Tel: 510 644 22 60 mobile 153 02 63 35 16 [email protected] [email protected] Tel: (687) 24 16 69 [email protected] Wesley QQ 654 73 24 67 [email protected] www.dzogchencommunitywest.org [email protected] Yael Rotbard South Africa Tracy QQ 785 96 07 84 Tel: 972-54-992-8888, 972-3-6491147 New Zealand Darryl van Blerk, Cape Town Miami, Florida English Forum: [email protected] New Zealand Dzogchen Community Tel: 27-21-447 01 29 [email protected] http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ PO Box 18-183, Glen Innes Auckland 1743 [email protected] www.dzogchenmiami.org dzogcheninchina/ Italy [email protected] Dominik Niceva, Tel: (1) 305-726-90 35 Chinese Forum: Merigar West Spain Paora Joseph: [email protected] www.wuyangzhijie.com/forum/ (Details on Merigar West page) Asociación Cultural de la [email protected] QQGroup: 47 79 64 85 www.dzogchen.it Comunidad Dzogchen de España New Mexico Website: www.atiyoga.net Gabrielle Kearney: [email protected] www.dzogchen.es Josefa Candelaria, Albuquerque Zhenphenling, Rome Tel: (505) 440-41 12 Kundusling, Barcelona Via G. Miani 5, 00154 Rome [email protected] Cyprus Tel. 0039 06 57 30 03 46 Norway Passatge de la Pau 10 bis 3o 1a George S. Hadjipanayiotou, Pafos [email protected] Gordon Cranmer, tel: (47) 51 72 46 64 Sachiko Fullita Kundrolling, New York City Tel: 0035 799 16 04 46, 0035 799 46 53 12 www.zhenphenling.it [email protected] [email protected] 151 W. 30th St., #403, NYC [email protected] www.go.to/dzogchen.no Tel: 212-564 10 24 Madrid Kunsalling, Brescia [email protected] Czech Republic Fulvio Ferrari, tel: (+39) 0365 82 51 65 Peru María Arévalo Tel: +420 777 627 319 [email protected] Paul Sablich, Lima [email protected] New York City Dzogchen Community [email protected] c/o Jane Fulton Namdeling, Napoli [email protected] www.dzogchen.cz Sweden [email protected] Via Ponti Rossi 113 Domenico Battista Poland Hawaii www.dzogchennapoli.org Tel: 0046-8-604 94 78 Denmark Wspolnota Dzogczen Jerene, tel: 808 323-9714 Cell: 0046-70-721 52 76 Lisbeth Agersnap, Copenhagen Kunkhyabling, Puglia & Basilicata Urzad Pocztowy nr 141 [email protected] Tel: +0045-35 35 20 60 [email protected] ul. Lanciego 13 [email protected] [email protected] Melinda Sacarob, tel: 808-328-94 73 Adzamling, Molise Skrytka Pocztowa 33 02-794 Warszawa Switzerland Seattle DC Luca Mastrogiuseppe, tel: 328 423 22 61 Swiss German Region Estonia [email protected] [email protected] Tel: 425 822 50 80 Svetlana Kollyakova Peter Eisenegger www.adzamling.it www.dzogczen.pl www.DzogchenSeattle.org [email protected] Tel: 0041(0)419 17 02 45 Paldenling Desalling, Rimini [email protected] Portland Oregon DC Finland Elena Dumcheva Lysa Gora 168, 38-230 Nowy Zmigrod Tel. 503-754-7731 Tel: 48 887 95 79 44 Swiss French Region Mika Sillanpaa [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Fabienne Rey-Duc Mika.Sillanpaa@uku.fi portlanddzogchencommunity.com www.dzogczen.pl/Paldenling Tel: 0041(0)273 23 23 93 Japan [email protected] Salem Oregon DC France Yoko Morita Cezary Wozniak, Krakow [email protected] Dejam Ling, Le Deves [email protected] Tel: 012-425 27 00, mobile: 609 22 22 11 Swiss Italian Region F30570 St Andre de Majencoules [email protected] Julie Breukel Michel Tel: 0041(0)917 30 99 91 Venezuela Tel: 33-(0)467 82 44 90 (Info line) Latvia Tashigar Norte, Isla diMargarita [email protected] www.association-dzogchen.org Padmaling Portugal www.tashigarnorte.org Helene Lafage, [email protected] Gertrudes 5a, Riga, LV-1010 comunidade.dzogchen.portugal (see details on Tashigar North page) [email protected] @gmail.com Taiwan Germany www.dzogchencommunity-pt.org Frances Hsu, Taipei (North Taiwan) Caracas Dzogchen Gemeinschaft Deutschland Lithuania Cell phone: 886-910 07 75 86 Jamilette León c/o Helga Betz Lithuanian Community Dorjeling Romania [email protected] Tel. 0058 412 272 73 22 [email protected] Tel & fax 49 (0)211 68 26 57 [email protected] Merigar East Peter Pan, Kaohsiung (South Taiwan) [email protected] offi [email protected] www.dzogcenas.lt www.dzogchen.ro [email protected] www.dzogchen.de Algis Lukosevicius, Vilnius (Details on Merigar East page) Merida Tel: +370-614-180 56 Thailand Elias Capriles Great Britain Russian Federation Geoffrey Blake & Lynne Klapecki Tel & Fax: +58 274 244 00 26 Amely Becker Luxembourg Russian-speaking countries gakyil Tel: 66 (0)2255-51 50, 66 (0)2254-90 61 [email protected] or Tel: 020 8348 6253 Katia Lytridou, tel. +352 366591 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Kunphenling www.redsandstonehill.net/dzogchen/ Alex Souter, Bangkok 142500 Russia, Moscow region, Tel: 09 039 39 92 or 02 742 19 65 Teacher Contacts Mexico Pavlovskiy Posad, RUPS, a/ya 13, Mandarava, Chöd: Greece Tsegyalgar West, Baja California Sur Hellenic Dzogchen Community BF Dostoyanie Ukraine Nina Robinson www.jardindelosnaranjos.org Tel: 7 096 43 211 56, 7 095 740 79 98 68 Aiolou st, 10559 Athens Kiev [email protected] (details on Tsegyalgar West page) [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Chöd www.dzogchen.gr Pelzomling Rinchenling, Moscow Donetsk Costantino Albini Tabasco #67 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Holland (between Merida and Frontera streets) Sangeling, Dzogchen Community Netherlands Colonia Roma, Mexico City St. Petersburg Karmaling, Kharkov Dream Yoga [email protected] Postbox 11119, 1001 GC Amsterdam Tel: (011 52 55) 5511 0550 [email protected] Michael Katz [email protected] Buryatia [email protected] Blue Gakyil: Monica Patiño www.dzogchen.nl Nikolai Dudka, [email protected] Seventh Lojong [email protected] Samara DC Oliver Leick Viktor Krecker [email protected] [email protected] 24

At that time as a student, I didn’t have much money and the only way how to How I met participate in the retreat was to do work- exchange. So at my fi rst retreat I got also direct introduction to what the Merigar Chögyal Namkhai Norbu kitchen means, digging a small path to- wards big Stupa, and cleaning the small Tereza Starkova forest below the Gonpa in a joyful crew of Czech karmayogis. I had the chance to meet Chögyal Nam- invite me to go with them to meet the Time in Merigar was like a dream. Fan- khai Norbu in the summer of 2000 in Mer- Master. I had the feeling this could be very tastic, very short and when I woke up I re- igar in Italy when I was 21. After a period important and I decided to go. I read the alized I was already home. And then I saw of searching for the right spiritual path, I book The Mirror to have an idea of what the real work that has to be done, to apply was happy that I arrived to this point in my Dzogchen was about and I liked it a lot. I the practices and methods and not to let life. was invited to join one collective practice of this dream to remain disconnected from I was born in atheistic communist Green Tara. At that time. the Czech Com- my life. Czechoslovakia in the babyboom genera- munity was just beginning and just a few From that time I have been attending tion. I grew up in nice large family, living people were attending practices. But when retreats every summer. Through teaching in Prague, spending all my free time in a I arrived to my fi rst Ganapuja (which was of my Master I realize that I should dedi- country house in the mountains. Even organized right before leaving to Merigar) cate my time and effort not only to formal though I lived a rich social life, learning I was surprised that so many people there doubts. From the bottom of my heart I felt practice, but also to fi nish my studies, and studying a lot, I felt a bit dissapointed and everybody packed to travel to Merigar a big connection with Rinpoche‘s teach- fi nd a job and also to take responsibilities and had the feeling that something was as well! And really, 2000 was big boom for ings and explanations. I didn’t have any in Community. In 2002, Rinpoche came to missing in my life. I felt a little different the Czech Community, many new mem- doubt that this was the way to follow. Prague for the fi rst time and for me it was from the others until high school, where bers appeared in Merigar and since that During the retreat I was sitting squeezed the next little step in integrating my life I found people similar to me and we spent time we started to be a real group. near a translator far from the throne. Even mandala with the teaching and Communi- very excited times trying to discover the My fi rst journey to Merigar was a little though I understood that the real meeting ty. I was very happy that my mother came real sense of the world, what the charac- bizzare. Five young friends traveling in with the Master is Guruyoga, I felt the need to the retreat (so she became my vajra sis- teristic of our reality was and other ques- a fully loaded old Skoda car. One having to have more close contact with Rinpoche. ter) and my father and brother went to lis- tions fundamental for us. We studied vari- dreadlocks, other tattooed, and the other I didn’t have any question or problem (and ten Rinpoche’s public talk. Since that time ous books concerning human knowledge dressed in funny hippie clothes. The bag- I didn’t want to invent any), so after a long they stopped worrying that I am part of like the Bible, the Kabala, books about gage was below our feet, so in one moment time thinking, I decided to join the queue kind of sect, and have started to have trust Hasidism, mysticism, gnosis, Castane- it disconnected the dash-board lighting. and ask him to empower my mala, but in in what I follow. Also many of my Univer- das books, new age – everything what was Four girls singing long folk songs to keep the real sence I wanted to visit Rinpoche by sity classmates and friends came to this possible to fi nd in newly democratic times our only boy (and only driver) awake in the his throne for the fi rst time and greet him. retreat in the Prague Castle and became regarding spiritual matters. night. Barbara lost her only shoes during I remember I felt so small in Rinpoche’s part of the Dzogchen Community. I’m very Of course, we also tried to explore our the travel. I have to smile when I remem- presence, but very happy. happy to see the Czech Community grow- minds by smoking many joints. It was at ber those times. One evening Rinpoche came to have ing in a very collaborative and entusiastic that time that I started to have a serious We arrived to Merigar very late at night. dinner with all people at the Yellow House. way and meeting my life friends there. feeling that I needed a Master, otherwise It was calm and we didn’t see anybody. I After eating, people started to play music I had chance to do the Santi Maha it was impossible to follow a serious path. remember very well the fresh night air, and present themselves. In one moment Sangha Base Exam and 1st Level Training I was very young and I didn‘t know how open black sky and millions of stars. I had somebody was playing nice music and I at Merigar East in Romania this year, but to fi nd a Master, because I knew Masters the impression that we were very high in started to dance just for fun little away in I’m still feeling to be a beginner (maybe only from the books. I was often think- the mountains, like in Tibet. We arrived the darkness. I remember, somebody said. even more than in the real beginning). ing about this famous sentence: “When half sleeping and tired so we simple layed “Go and dance for Rinpoche“ and pushed When I am close to my Master, or listen to the disciple is ready, the teacher appears” down near the old camping place and fell me and two other dancing girls in front of the Teaching, I’m always discovering new and I wondered if this would work for an asleep in our sleeping bags. This night was Rinpoche in a little space between benches. things which I should apply and my own ordinary girl from Prague. Somehow I was very special and strong for me. I was sleep- Rinpoche was observing us very carefully mistakes to correct. expecting that real Masters lived in India. ing only half way and the whole night I was and still now I can remember the strength I’m often thinking it is like a miracle So I was also playing with the idea to re- sensing the special energy of the place, of of his gaze. I had the strong impression that we, students of Chögyal Namkhai ject everything and leave for Asia to fi nd Merigar. It was like arriving home after that he could see into me and read my past Norbu, are so fortunate to meet such a Master. In that period I was accepted to centuries and I was deeply happy and ex- and next lives like in a book. great Master. More and more I appreciate study human sciences at Charles Universi- cited. This fi rst retreat with my Master was this precious possibility to study and prac- ty, where I had the possibility to join Yoga The next day the retreat started and I very intense for me. Everything was so tice this supreme path, with deeper and courses. This was fi rst time I had concrete fi nally saw Rinpoche entering the Gon- new and so many things to learn and it deeper gratitude I feel towards my Master. experiences through using various tech- pa, greeting all students: “Buongiorno!” the same time I was trying to be present I feel that the Community is my life. niques of breathing, positions, move- I was impressed. I remember listening and aware all the time. I tried to pick up as ments, relaxation and meditation. I also very carefully to everything Rinpoche said. much I could from the collective practices, Tereza Starkova met a Hindu Master belonging to that Yoga Rinpoche told the story about the cat mas- Yantra Yoga, Vajra Dance....My mind was (Currently Blue Gakyil Merigar East) school, which was an interesting meeting ter and the mouse disciples, with the con- not able to contain everything, so I was but somehow I felt this was not really my clusion that the student is responsible just observing everything with open eyes, path. Than during the Prague Vesak cel- regarding the teacher he chooses to fol- trying to absorb everything by seeing, es- ebration, I discovered the Czech Buddhist low. Because the story was somehow very pecially the Gonpa and all the paintings Lotus Center, where all existing groups powerful, I spent following days observing and ornaments there. shared one place. I attended one Tonglen the Master with all my attention. The lon- mediatation course held by Karma Kagyu ger I observed, the more and more I was students. That time I met also interesting amazed and deeply touched. I never saw people (my future vajra brothers and sis- a person with such great characteristics. ters) in Mesicni kocka Tea house. They So authentic, compassionate, wise, active spoke about place Merigar and a Master and all this in a very simple and powerful called Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and they way. I was completly amazed without any