No. 130 The Mirror December 2015

Knowledge of Our Real Condition Focus on Tashigar Lekdanling – New Center for UK Community Vajra Dance Video Tutorial A Journey to the Sacred Land of Larung Gar Upcoming Events with Contents Chögyal Schedule...... 2 Editorial...... 3 Knowledge of Our Real Condition...... 4 International Gakyil...... 7 Photo: P . Fassoli Shang Shung Foundation. . . . . 8 2016 ASIA...... 10 Spain, Tenerife November 11–15, 2016 Update on the Dzamling Gar Teachers Training for SMS, Vajra Dzamling Gar Project. . . . . 13 February 9–22, 2016 Dance and Yantra Mandarava Drubchen Retreat Lekdanling – New Center November 16, 2016 for UK Community...... 14 Worldwide Transmission Awarding the Diplomas including February 21–22, 2016 I.D.C. Diplomas The of Anniversary of Perfect Victory...... 15 November 29–30, 2015 March 1–10, 2016 SMS 3rd Level Exam Traveling the World...... 16 Communication Skills Training with Gianfranco Brero December 1–7, 2016 Vajra Dance Video Tutorial. . . 18 SMS Fourth level Training March 18–25, 2016 Focus on Tashigar...... 19 Supervision plus Exams for Khaita December 28–January 3, 2017 Joyful Dances Yangtig Retreat Book Review...... 35

March 30–April 3, 2016 The of a Fanatic . . . . 36 Khaita Festival and Awarding Diplomas A Journey to the Sacred Land of Larung Gar, Spain Kham (Tibet)...... 38 Barcelona May, 2016 Saying Farewell to Third Integrative Medicine Namgyalgar South...... 41 Conference How I Met Chögyal Spain, Tenerife Namkhai Norbu: Dzamling Gar Viki Forscutt ...... 43 end of April/May 2016 Tibetan Cultural Week

June 3–7, 2016 Cover photo of participants at the Longsal Ati’i Gongpa Tsalung Retreat teaching retreat at Samtengar, China, October 2–7, 2015.

US Office: [email protected] * European Office: [email protected] * * Editorial Staff: Naomi The Mirror Zeitz, Tsegyalgar,­ Conway, MA, USA * Liz Granger, Merigar West, Arcidosso, Italy * * Advisor: Adriano Clemente­ * Special Advisor: Yuchen Namkhai International Blue Gakyil Advisor: Julian King-Salter International Newspaper of the * * Publications Committee English Language Advisor: Liz Granger Design & Layout: Thomas Eifler International * * * * Webmasters: Yuchen Namkhai and Luigi Ottaviani Available at melong.com Online Mirror: www. Community of * * * melong.com All material © 2016 by The Mirror Reprint by permission only We reserve the right to Chögyal Namkhai Norbu * * * * * * edit all submissions .

2 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Through 2015 we have also been able to Editorial publish a limited number of full color pa- per copies of The Mirror magazine which ven though this issue of ‘The Mirror’ are available for purchase at some of the is the December 2015 issue, it is the Master’s retreats and at the Merigar Office Efirst to be published in the new year, and the Dzam Shop at Merigar West . The 2016, and so we would like to take this op- printed copies are still greatly appreciated portunity to wish all of our readers near by many of our readers and also provide a and far a very happy New Year! concrete archive of the activities and ini- A new year brings new beginnings . tiatives of our Teacher and our Community From its birth in 1990 at Merigar in Italy as We would also like to remind our read- over the passage of time . If any of the Gars a black and white broadsheet newspaper, ers that The Mirror magazine, The Mirror and Lings or even individual Community The Mirror has gone through many transi- online in English at www.melong.com, members are interested in receiving print- tions . Early in its history it became a tab- Zerkalo magazine and the online version ed versions of The Mirror for 2016, they loid size newspaper, then the editorial of- at www.ru.melong.com in Russian, and El should contact the editors so that we can fices made a trans Atlantic leap to become Espejo online at www.es.melong.com in increase the number that are printed . based at Tsegyalgar in Massachusetts, USA . Spanish are all publications of the Inter- New year . New beginnings . We would 2005 saw the first four color pages added . national Dzogchen Community of Chög- also like to remind all our readers, wheth- Then finally after 23 years and 125 issues yal Namkhai Norbu . All these publications er Gakyil members at the Gars and Lings carrying news about the International bring you up to date news on events in our around our world or simply practitioners Dzog­chen Community and the activities of Community around the world, keep you sitting at home, to send news and photos Chögyal Namkhai Norbu around the globe, posted on upcoming retreats and events of your Community activities and initia- in December 2013 the last issue of The Mir- with , as well as letting you know tives to share with our ever growing global ror in its by now traditional newspaper for- about organizational decisions of the In- family . mat was printed . Due to the global finan- ternational Gakyil, the initiatives of ASIA Once again, we send you all our warm- cial crisis that was also felt in our Commu- Onlus and the work of the Shang Shung est wishes for the New Year . nity, the following year, 2014, The Mirror was only available as an online blog until December of that year when the first issue of the new smaller full color magazine size version was published in pdf format and made available for downloading and print- ing from our website . 2016 will bring new beginnings as well, in particular to the way in which readers can access The Mirror magazine . Members of the International Dzogchen Community who are registered on the www.dzogchen. net website, will soon be able to download the 2016 issues of the magazine for free af- ter logging in . This policy will also apply to the Russian version of The Mirror maga- zine, Zerkalo, available on its sister website at www.ru.melong.com . Those who are not members of the International Dzogchen Community will still be able to download the issues from our website www.melong. com as usual for a small fee . Foundation and Shang Shung Publications . The editors In addition to keeping you posted on current activities and those planned for Naomi Zeitz [email protected] the future, we also host an online archive Liz Granger [email protected] of 25 years of history of the Dzogchen Com- munity in all the back issues of The Mirror, published from March 1990, all of which are freely available online for browsing or downloading from our Archive . You can access the Archive section from the bar running across the top of the homepage at www.melong.com .

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 3 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

Knowledge of Our Real Condition

An excerpt from Chögyal Namkhai Norbu’s public talk in Beijing, China, October 9, 2015

ood day for everybody everywhere . I am very happy to be the ancient history of teachings in India, for example, and we can here in Beijing . I’m sorry that I don’t know the Chinese lan- understand this in the teaching of the in which the fig- Gguage in order to explain . Most of my life has been spent in ures of the deities and are all like figures of princes the Western world and for that reason I will talk in English . and princesses in ancient Indian style . That means ancient tradi- I want to explain a little about what Atiyoga is because I have tion and history are connected . dedicated myself to that . My spiritual path, my life, my way of In the history of India it says that in very ancient times the hu- ­being, everything, is integrated with the principle of the teaching man condition was similar to that of the Devas, figures like Brahma of Atiyoga . I am very convinced that it is very useful and very im- or Krishna, and that there were many types of Devas . Originally portant to know the principle of the teaching of Atiyoga not only the human condition was at a very high level, but as emotions de- for people who are doing practice and following a spiritual path, veloped the human condition became more and more subject to but also for anyone living in our human condition . This is the rea- them and worsened . For example, in Dzogden, which means son I have followed that knowledge and teaching . very ancient times, human beings had no need for homes and were In Tibet originally we had four or five Buddhist traditions and not dependent on food, but as they gradually developed, they be- the pre-Buddhist Bon tradition, all of which are very important . came limited and dependent on objects . This history describes a They are applied in different ways and the way they are presented really very ancient period of the human condition in general, not is different . This is related to the individual condition, just like in just the history of one nation or people . At that time there was medicine . When we have some problems with our health we go to one of the most ancient teachers of Atiyoga called Nangwa Tampa an expert doctor who gives us advice about which kind of medicine who transmitted the principle of knowledge of Atiyoga . After that, and therapy we need . In a similar way we have different kinds of twelve different teachers appeared one by one in different epochs . traditions and schools . However, there does not exist any differ- The last one is considered to be Buddha Sakyamuni . In general, ence between the essence of all teachings and traditions . When history is presented that way in the Atiyoga teaching . someone follows a teaching or something similar, that person When we think about it, then the time of Buddha Sakyamuni is wants to learn something in order to have some benefit . They do not so very ancient . However, at that time the teaching of Atiyoga not concentrate mainly on the tradition and this kind of division . had mostly disappeared . We live in time and space and there are The most important point is the benefit . In this case, then, in my always many things that change and do not remain for a longer experience, I have found that Atiyoga is the most important . In a time . The only thing that remained were some Atiyoga teachings traditional way I belong basically to the Sakyapa tradition in Tibet . called Nyengyüd, or oral transmission of teachings in just a few Atiyoga is not the principle in this tradition, but when I learned words . At the time of Buddha Sakyamuni, some of these Nyengyüd all about the Buddhist tradition I discovered that Atiyoga is really still existed, but there was no official teaching of Atiyoga . Then the the essence . Atiyoga teaching was repeated by an emanation of Buddha - muni called Guru Garab Dorje . History of Atiyoga Today we have the original texts of Atiyoga, not only these first When we learn about the name ‘Atiyoga’, we can understand its texts taught by Nangwa Tampa, but many taught by these twelve essence . The teaching of Atiyoga came originally from , teachers . All these teachings were repeated by Guru Garab Dorje which means it came in our epoch, in our condition . In the Bud- because he was an omniscient enlightened being . dhist tradition, Buddha Sakyamuni is considered to be the first teacher, but when we go into the history of different nations and Beyond Cause and Effect peoples, there were many ancient histories recounted in different What Buddha Sakyamuni taught was basically the Four Noble places before the time of Buddha Sakyamuni . We follow very much Truths . The first Noble Truth of Suffering means that there is no

4 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

Exhibition of Vajra Dance in Songzhuang, Beijing sentient being that does not experience suffering . But even though gchen teaching and so we can say that Dzogchen teaching is the we do not like suffering, we do not know how to overcome it and essence, the final goal of all teachings . Its essence doesn’t manifest when we have problems, we fight and struggle with them . When very much externally, such as teaching . We can understand Buddha explained the Noble Truth of Suffering he said that even if this from the Dra Thalgyur in which there is an explanation we fight with the problem, we can never win because suffering is of how long the teaching of the Buddha will last on this globe . It an effect, a fruit . What we should do is discover the cause . says that the Sutra teaching that Buddha gave orally will disappear Then Buddha explained the second Noble Truth, the Cause . When early, while the Vajrayana will still be alive for many more thou- we discover the cause, there is a possibility to change or modify it sands of years because Vajrayana is not related to anything like a with the consequence that the fruit does not manifest . The Bud- vow at the physical level . When the Vajrayana teaching disappears dha’s famous teaching of Cause and Effect is called karma . However, it says that the teaching of Atiyoga will continue almost until this people have different capacities and conditions, and even though globe disappears . This is because Atiyoga is knowledge of our con- many people may wish to stop or modify a negative cause, some of dition . In Atiyoga there are no rules that we should follow or that them may not have sufficient capacity on their own . So Buddha gave dictate how we should be . People who are interested in Atiyoga this path, the third Noble Truth called Cessation, which means how should learn and become responsible for themselves . to stop negative causes . Many people have the capacity to stop them by themselves, but other beings do not have that capacity . In that Ati - Primordial Condition case, they receive a vow because when we take a vow, somehow we When we talk about Atiyoga, what does Ati mean? In the language can overcome a negative cause . So this is another method . of Oddiyana, it is ‘ati’ while in it is ‘adhi’ and it means In the Buddhist tradition, particularly in the , we can primordial condition . Everybody has his/her primordial condition . receive a vow . For example, we may want to stop doing something There does not exist a unified primordial condition for all sentient in our ordinary lives such as smoking because we consider it very beings . If there are ten people, there are also ten different kinds harmful for our health, our memory etc ,. but we may have tried of primordial states . We can understand that in the way the Sutra four or five times without succeeding . What can we do in this type teaching is presented . For example, if we want to do practice to in- of condition? We can receive a vow, take it in a perfect way and crease our compassion, we should do Avalokiteshvara . If we want overcome that problem . For that reason Buddha explained the No- to have a longer life, we do Buddha Amitayus practice . If we want ble Truth of the Path . The Path is a different method related to the to become more intelligent we do practice . We have all condition of the individual . these kinds of concepts about Enlightened Beings . However, an The principle of the Teaching that Buddha gave was Cause and Enlightened Being means a being that is totally qualified and pos- Effect . When some of his students asked Buddha how they could sesses a quantity and quality of wisdom . Manjushri has compas- go beyond Cause and Effect, he gave them advice saying that there sion just like Avalokiteshvara, while Avalokiteshvara also has that would be a teacher just like him who would explain how to go be- capacity and knowledge of intelligence, so why do we divide them? yond Cause and Effect . Buddha didn’t directly explain or give this The real state of all Enlightened Beings is the same condition but type of teaching, but he said that there would be a teacher just like it doesn’t mean becoming one . Some people have this kind of idea . him . That teacher was Guru Garab Dorje . This is more in the Hindu tradition . If we are in the state of a realised being, we have no concept of Dra Thalgyur tantra separation or being only one . We are beyond that . But when we are Guru Garab Dorje’s teaching was firstly based on the teaching of beyond it doesn’t mean that everybody becomes one . This is also Nangwa Tampa, who was the first teacher to give the teaching related to what is called our primordial state for everybody . called the Dra Thalgyur tantra . This tantra is the root of the Dzo- >> continued on the following page

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 5 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

>> continued from previous page ence . We have many different kinds of experience, not only empti- Yoga or Naljor ness . We have learned everything in our lives through experience . ‘Yoga’ means the condition of real knowledge . ‘Yoga’ is also used in If, for example, I want to know whether the taste of a certain food the Oddiyana language and in Sanskrit, in the Indian Hindu tradi- is sweet or sour, I don’t need to do much research to discover what tion, and when we ask what the real meaning of the word ‘yoga’ sweet and sour are . I already know because I have had experience is, they say it means ‘union’ . But in the Dzogchen teaching, in the of that, I have learned . If we were like newborn babies, we wouldn’t Vajrayana teaching, the word ‘yoga’ does not mean ‘union’ . In an- have had that experience or have that knowledge and even if some- cient times, at the time of Guru , when he intro- one gave teaching and explained, we wouldn’t understand . duced Vajrayana teaching and Dzogchen in Tibet, there were many In the Dzogchen Atiyoga teaching there is an example . If some- translators who were not only good at translating the words but one who has grown up never tasting anything sweet during their also knew the real sense of the teaching . They translated the word life and is curious about what sweet is, they may ask their parents ‘yoga’ as ‘naljor’ in Tibetan . This is a very important word . ‘Naljor’ and other people about it . But nobody can explain what sweet is if is two words in Tibetan . ‘Nal’ or nalma’ means how the real condi- they have had no experience of it . We can write volumes of books tion is . Everybody has his or her primordial state: that is the real explaining what sweet is, but how can we introduce a person who condition . If there are ten people then they have ten nalma, real has never had that experience to what sweet is? The nature of conditions . If we have knowledge of our real nature, then there is mind is just like that, only a kind of concept . We know that mind no difference between my nalma or his or her nalma . But although exists because thought arises and is something alive . Since this they are the same nature it doesn’t mean that we become a single mind exists then we think that there should be something like entity . We are just in this same nature, same knowledge, and ev- the nature of mind . We can talk about the nature of many things erybody has his or her real nature, nalma . such as the nature of the elements, the nature of fire, etc ,. but to ‘Jor’ means we possess that knowledge . This is something that really discover we need to have experience . For example, we can is very important . Any kind of sentient being has his or her nalma, give just a small piece of chocolate to a person who has never ex- real condition, but we are ignorant of it and we remain in dualis- perienced sweet and he or she can taste in their mouth that it is tic vision . What is the difference between dualistic vision and the sweet . There are different ways of presenting sweet but this is the condition of nalma? The condition of nalma means beyond time way to discover it . and space . In our relative condition we cannot understand what In the same way, we have learned everything in our lives beyond time and space means . This is the reason why in the Sutra through experience . For example, if a small child goes near a fire teaching the is beyond explanation . In the Vajra­ his parents will tell him not to go there because it is dangerous . it is explained just like and all these states are However, the child cannot understand why it is dangerous; he only beyond explanation because to explain them we have to think and understands that his parents are not giving permission to go there . judge, and then establish something . When we try to understand When the parents are not there, the child will go towards the fire through judging and thinking with our minds in time and space, and discover the problem of the heat - it isn’t even necessary to how can we understand what is beyond? touch it . We learn everything through experience . Sometimes the experience is concrete and has a material aspect, at times it may Mind and nature of mind also be something related to our existence of voice at the energy For example, in an ordinary way when we learn teaching, we talk level, or also be at the mental level . about mind and nature of mind . How is our mind? We can observe When we are children as we grow up we pass through primary our thoughts and if we remain just a little, some kind of thoughts school, middle school, high school and university, learning many arise . Immediately we ask ‘chung, ne, dro sum’: where do thoughts things with our minds . At the end of our studies we think that we come from, where are they, and where do they disappear? When know everything . It also means that we are qualified to do some we follow teachings, teachers tell us to observe our thoughts in job which is indispensable in our society, in our condition as hu- order to discover this . When thoughts arise we try to see where man beings . However, when we talk about naljor, jor means we they come from, but we cannot find anything and the thought dis- possess knowledge of how our real nature is . This is really import- appears . When we don’t find anything, then that is emptiness . But ant for everybody . We must discover and understand that a human we do not remain in emptiness for long because another thought being has the human condition . Each person has his or her con- immediately arises . When I think to myself that I am searching for dition and we pay respect to that . This is also the principle of the the thought but I haven’t found anything, that is another thought . teaching that Buddha explained .  Immediately I search where this thought came from, but I cannot find anything . It is always emptiness . So we can understand that Transcribed and edited by Liz Granger thoughts exist because if they didn’t exist they wouldn’t arise, even though we cannot find anything concrete . What is the nature of the mind? Some people, particularly in the Sutra style of the teaching, say that they cannot find anything, only emptiness, and that this is the nature of the mind . This is not the nature of the mind . In the teaching this is what is called experi-

6 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 GAKYIL

· continuity of membership can only be ple, if you leave out your date of birth, you Membership 2016 maintained by renewing before the end of will not be registered . In case anyone still March – otherwise it could be necessary has concerns about data security, it is good and Using to revert to being a Welcome Card Holder to know that we are using best industry dzogchen.net for 3 years practices for data protection, encryption and user authorization . This may seem a little draconian to some, Julian King-Salter but really it is only a reflection of how International Gakyil for the International Gakyil things are in this world we live in – without We are also approaching the end of the financial resources, Gars and Lings can’t be first 3 year term for the International Ga- s we come to the end of a member- maintained, programs and activities can’t kyil . We have a date for the next Annual ship year, there are some important be implemented and other services such General Meeting, to be held at Dzamling Apoints for everyone to know . as the webcast can’t be provided – it is a Gar on Friday April 1st 2016 . It’ll be at noon We’ve asked the Gakyils of Gars and natural consequence . So also if we want to maximise the possibility of electronic Lings to encourage all their members to register on dzogchen net. before the end of the year – in some cases this has meant a lot of support needed for those who feel they canot do it for themselves . We don’t have to leave this work just to member- ship coordinators – if you easily registered yourself and know clearly what to do, and you know people who have not registered yet and need help to do so, please go ahead and offer to help! We’ve also asked the Gakyils to do their best to bring membership contributions and shares up to date (from Ling to Gar and Gar to IDC) – this depends on every individ- Login to membership system. ual member being up to date themselves with membership payments, whether these things to continue, we should natu- particpation in all time zones . This will in- made online or direct to Gar or Ling . rally want to do our best to maintain them clude an overall review of what has been Basically, for the Gars and Lings and through our membership contribution . undertaken and achieved over the three IDC to function, it is really important that Also, it does not necessarily mean that year period, and what remains to be done we all renew our membership early in the you must have paid your full membership to be complete our initial mandate . Cur- year . Many people have had the tendency by the end of March . If you can do so, that is rently several existing members have in- to wait till they go on a retreat to their Gar the ideal, but most Gars and Lings do offer dicated their willingness, or at least avail- to renew their membership, or simply even a gradual payment option in some form . As ability, to continue for a second three year to wait till the last moment of the year just long as you have entered into an arrange- term in order to complete the basic struc- to maintain continuity . ment to pay on a regular basis through the tural work for the organisation of the glob- From 2016, there are some good practi- year, then it is considered that your mem- al community – such as completing align- cal reasons for everyone to renew in good bership is continuous and up to date . Grad- ment of Gars and Lings, completing the time, at least before the end of March: ual payment can also make it possible to establishment of our web portal and over- · access to Closed Webcasts, replays and be a member at a higher level – the high- all communication strategy, and continu- associated restricted files will depend on er financial contribution of sustaining and ing the work of establishing guidelines for membership being up to date and record- meritorious members remains very im- many areas of Community activity . Howev- ed online on our Membership Managment portant . And if you have real financial dif- er it is also agreed that we need appropri- System (MMS) . Your dzogchen net. user- ficulty, please do speak with your Gakyil to ately qualified new members to spread the name and password will be what you use make some arrangement you can manage . workload and smooth eventual transition to access closed webcast and replays . One very important point about regis- – watch this space! tering on dzogchen net. – it is essential to complete all the personal information in the registration form, otherwise your reg- istration will not be successful . For exam-

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 7 M This book is the story of a journey to under the ount guidance of the Tibetan Dzogchen master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. It also re- counts the history of the adventures that led to the discovery of the ancient capital Mount Kailash discovery of the ancient capital of the for- of the forgotten kingdom of Shang Shung. Above all, it is the account of a spiritual and the K Lost Kingdom pilgrimage: as all pilgrims believe, the path will take them on an inner voyage of transformation from which they will return a changed person. Even when faced ailash of Shang Shung gotten kingdom of Shang Shung . Above all, CHÖGYAL NAwithMK obstacles,HAI hardship, NORB or unforeseenU circumstances, there is no turning back. Based on accurately archived notes of Brian Beresford, a professional photogra- On Pilgrimage in Tibet it is the account of a spiritual pilgrimage: as pher and filmmaker, the book contains the records of his many meetings, conver- with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu sations, and interviews with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu regarding the history and

significance of Shang Shung, providing rare and firsthand insight into Tibetan and the all pilgrims believe, the path will take them culture, as well as making for lively reading.

Lost Kingdom on an inner voyage of transformation from which they will return a changed person . Even when faced with obstacles, hardship, of

Shang Shung or unforeseen circumstances, there is no turning back .

SHANG SHUNG EDIZIONI BRIAN BERESFORD & JUDITH ALLAN Based on accurately archived notes of Brian Beresford, a professional photogra-

€ 15,90 ◆ ◆ ◆ Compiled and Edited by pher and filmmaker, the book contains the Judith Allan & Julia Lawless records of his many meetings, conversa- Shang Shung Shang Shung Publications Publications tions, and interviews with Chögyal Nam- khai Norbu regarding the history and sig- The Voice of the Bee: Mount Kailash and the nificance of Shang Shung, providing rare and first-hand insight into Tibetan culture, A Song of Experience Lost Kingdom of Shang as well as making for lively reading . from a Pilgrimage to Shung: On Pilgrimage http://shop.shangshungfoundation.com Mount Kailash in Tibet with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu By Brian Beresford & Judith Allan Compiled and Edited by Judith he Voice of the Bee: A Song of Expe- Allan & Julia Lawless rience from a Pilgrimage to Mount TKailash is the open and sincere ex- pression of Dzogchen Master Chögyal his book is the story of a journey to Namkhai Norbu’s feelings during a journey Mount Kailash under the guidance of undertaken in August 1988 together with a Tthe Tibetan Dzogchen master Chög- group of people from the Dzogchen Com- yal Namkhai Norbu . It also recounts the munity . The destination was Mount Kailash history of the adventures that led to the (gangs ti se), a place sacred to Bönpos, Bud- dhists, and Shaivites . Due to obstacles and Shang Shung Foundation · International Institute for Tibetan Culture unfavorable conditions, a detour had to be Shang Shung Institute Italy Shang Shung Institute of America taken, involving several thousand miles Località Merigar, 58031 Arcidosso (GR, Italy) 18 Schoolhouse Rd, P .O . Box 278 and lasting one month . During that month Phone : +39 0564-96 82 40 or -95 57 26 (no fax) Conway, MA 01341, USA [email protected] Phone (main-Anna) 413 369 4928 of hardship and deprivation, spent almost www.shangshunginstitute.org Fax/Bookstore 413 369 4473 entirely on board buses, all the emotions, www.shangshungstore.org www.shangshung.org limitations, and negativities of human na- ture came unmistakably to light . We find Shang Shung Institute Austria Shang Shung Institute Russia them expressed with extreme clarity and Gschmaier 139, 8265 Gr . Steinbach, Austria 2v Mayakovskogo str . Office: 0043 3386 83218 Fax: 0043 3386 83219 Bolshiye Dvory, Pavlovsky Posad district impartiality in this short song . www.shangshunginstitute.org Russia 142541 http://shop.shangshungfoundation.com www.ssi-austria.at [email protected] www.shangshunginstitute.ru Shang Shung Institute UK The ­London School of Tibetan Studies The London Center for the Study of Traditional Tibetan Culture and Knowledge 10a Chalcot Gardens, London, NW3 4YB www.shangshunguk.org

8 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 read and translate Tibetan texts at various The Ka-Ter paces . Thanking Donors Students will in turn read some passag- Translation Project es from a text and attempt a translation, and Translators of the Shang Shung alternative versions and suggestions will Institute Austria be discussed . The texts translated are to ear supporters and friends of the be prepared for publications . Shang Shung Institute Austria, Who can participate: In order to be able to D I take the occasion to say thank Five weekend-courses for Beginners participate you from the bottom of my heart to all do- with Prof . Fabian Sanders in 2016 · one has to be a member of the Shang nors and supporters of the activities of the Shung Institute Austria in 2016 Shang Shung Institute Austria in 2015 . · one must have a good knowledge of As you know, the main activity of the Dates: 9–10 Jan, 13–14 Feb, 19–20 Mar, 30 ­Tibetan grammar. Shang Shung Institute Austria is related to Apr–1 May, 4–5 Jun 2016 Costs: All three weekend-courses: 120 -. E . Tibetan language, mainly the Ka-Ter trans- Venue: Merigar and skype/screen sharing One weekend-course: 49 -. E . lation project, the translation project Com- conference (can be followed from anywhere) plete Works of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, the Topic and purpose: During these five cours- Please get more information about the Ka- Dra Thalgyur Translation Project, and all es we will read practice texts of the Dzog­ Ter Translation Project and the activities of seminars and courses on Tibetan language chen Community and translate word by the Shang Shung Institute Austria on our - like the courses for beginners, for inter- word, extensively explaining the termi- website: www.ssi-austria.at where you mediate and advanced students or the an- nology, the grammar, the syntax and the can book your courses and get your mem- nual Training for Translators from Tibetan . structure of the text . bership . Due to the extraordinary and wonderful Students will increase their knowledge work of the translators Adriano Clemente, of Tibetan texts and learn important ter- Elio Guarisco, Jim Valby and others, these minology . Those who wish can attempt to Prof Fabian Sanders will also hold a books could be published in 2015 and thus read, analyse and translate sentences . ­seminar on are a great example of the work that re- Who can participate: In order to be able to sults from the various translation projects: participate one needs to have received the Introduction to Classical Tibetan transmission of the practice from Chögyal Language, parts I & II · Secret Map of the Body Namkhai Norbu . · the 2 books on The Dance of the Vajra Costs: · the explanation and teachings on All five weekend-courses for members of at the Shang Shung Institute UK in London Dorje Trolöd the Shang Shung Institute Austria: 210 -. E . from February 22–24 & 26–28, 2016 . One weekend-course for members of the Get more information at www.shang- The translation work of many other books Shang Shung Institute Austria: 49 -. E . shunguk.org is already finished and the books are in One weekend-course for non-members of the editing or publishing process, which the Shang Shung Institute Austria: 95 -. E . It would be great if you could participate in means that these books will be published the various initiatives of the Shang Shung in 2016 . Institute Austria in 2016 and if you could The translators are continuously work- Three weekend-courses for support our activities by becoming a mem- ing on several other texts . intermediate and advanced ber . students and members of the Shang Dear translators, Shung Institute Austria Oliver Leick Thank you so much for your incredible and with Prof . Fabian Sanders in 2016 Director of the Shang Shung Institute marvellous work . All these initiatives and Austria results could not have been achieved with- out your support . It was you who have been Dates: 6–7 Feb, 16–17 Apr, 28–29 May 2016 donating over all these years since 2002, when Rinpoche founded the Ka-Ter Trans- Venue: Merigar and skype/screen sharing lation Project . It was just due to your do- conference (can be followed from anywhere) . nations that we could keep up with all our Topic and purpose: For intermediate/ad- work and that we could provide the Com- vanced students who are already able to >> continued on the following page

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 9 The Earthquake in Nepal on April 25

Helping children overcome the trauma of the earthquake

came to Nepal in early September to work within ASIA Onlus Nepal in edu- I cation related programs for six weeks . Four months had passed, relief work was going on and people finally had the energy and strength to talk about the earthquake . My plan was to focus mainly on the severe- ly hit Rasuwa district . The area suffered se- rious damage during the main earthquake I did not manage to meet many children met many organizations that are involved and hundreds of aftershocks . Since I have though, not to mention having conversa- in psycho–social activities with teachers worked with education for the greater part tions about the topic . Not at all . My time and other school officials, with the purpose of my working life, I wanted to understand was too short . You need to stay with the of identifying the children suffering from how the children had experienced the same children for some time, get to know earthquake traumas and shocks . So this earthquake, and how they were recovering . them well, and build up a good relation- article will talk about children’s reactions I also wanted to give my concrete support ship, which is close to friendship . This did and feelings as told by the adults who faced in the best possible way that I could . not happen, but what happened was that I the children’s immediate reactions as par-

>> continued from previous page Name of the bank: Raiffeisenbank Ilz Once more thank you and many Tashi munity with the availability of having the Address of bank: Hauptstr . 39, 8262 Ilz Deleks . translation of mind-blowing Tibetan texts Austria of wisdom in English . Name of account: Shang Shung Institute Oliver Leick Thank you again . Austria Director of the Shang Shung Institute IBAN: AT19 3815 1000 0003 0387 Austria Please make it possible for us to continue BIC: RZSTAT2G151 Gschmaier 139, 8265 Gersdorf, Austria our precious work so that future genera- Tel :. 0043 664 88 66 26 60- tions can also benefit from it . On behalf of the Shang Shung Institute [email protected] You can make a donation using ­Paypal Austria team I send you my very best sea- www.ssi-austria.at or you can make a money order to our sons greetings and wish you a very happy bank account: and prosperous new year .

10 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 ents, teachers and education officials . The Where were you during the earthquake? get quiet and sad . We were also told that long-standing work of ASIA in Nepal was The questions asked all the time during the very fact that many children saw so re-focused to take into consideration the my stay from both adults and children many dead people makes them sad and earthquake damages and the living condi- was, where were you during the quake? tired . Some teachers in the remote areas tions in the communities . Luckily the 7 .8 Richter quake took place on also travelled to their home areas, e g. . to Saturday . The children were not at school the capital Kathmandu, to rest and get over Regular ASIA activities before the and adults not at work . However, depend- the earth shocks and traumas . There is an earthquake ing on the focus area, many children were obvious shortage of teachers as well, said ASIA started working in Nepal in 2008 im- hurt and everyone saw the consequences . the principal . plementing their programs mainly in two The Rasuwa District Education Office Plan- districts, Kavre and Rasuwa . Their activi- ning Officer told us about the saddest ex- Sharing, caring and loving – teachers ties have focused on improving the quality perience . There were children playing in training in psycho-social education and of education by building schools, delivering the schoolyard when the earthquake took counseling scholarships for children, developing water place . An open area is a safe place in gener- I learned that there are many organiza- and sanitation systems and developing en- al and those who stayed outside survived . tions arranging training for teachers on vironmentally sustainable livelihoods . Some children had attended training on psycho-social counseling . In Rasuwa ASIA In northern Nepal, in the VDC (Village what to do in case of an earthquake and has already carried out two training pro- Development Committee) of Yarsa and immediately remembered that the safest grams of two days in collaboration with Saramthali (Rasuwa district), where the de- place is under a table . They ran inside the Global Action Nepal and Langtang Area struction was total and 95 % of the build- school and died because the whole school Conservation Society . The teachers for the ings collapsed, ASIA was the first to arrive . collapsed . According to the Planning Offi- training came from the villages where ASIA is building 29 temporary classrooms cer, the children were given contradictory ASIA was already active before the earth- in order for activities at 18 of the schools information by the organizers . quake . I was very pleased to get a chance that collapsed to start up again and to al- to attend the third training session with low 1,698 children to go to school . People and children need rest and support eighteen participants from Yarsha village . In the VDC of Saramthali (Rasuwa Dis- There are of course many children among The focus of the workshop was to give trict) ASIA has helped more than 6200 the 8,600 dead and the 16,800 wounded af- tools to the teachers to carry out psy- people with the distribution of materi- ter the quake . 2 .8 million people have been cho-social counseling techniques in their als for the construction of shelters (huts) forced to move away from their homes be- own classrooms . At the beginning each to protect themselves from the monsoon cause of damages and most of the people in participant shared important childhood this year, and in the VDC of Baluwa (Kavre the houses that have collapsed have chil- memories with another member of the District) ASIA is helping 11,200 people by dren . Those families were given a space to group and then shared the memories with distributing shelters (huts) and 1600 kits live in temporary houses in the camps pre- the whole group . The memories made us of seeds of local horticultural crops, tools, pared for internally displaced people (IDP) . aware of how important childhood expe- natural fertilizers and pesticides in or- Those houses, as well as the temporary riences can be . der to restart the economy of this area as learning centers (TLCs) were built of iron Practical exercises covered different soon as possible . ASIA’s efforts focused on sheets . TLCs are built to serve as schools teaching-learning methods, such as lin- post-earthquake reconstruction: the aim is as long as the permanent learning centers guistic, interpersonal, spatial, intraperson- to train local staff to rebuild villages and are built within the next 2–3 years . Teach- al, naturalist, logical/mathematical, bodily/ schools with traditional materials using ers and NGO representatives agreed that it sport-related and musical activities . Chil- anti-seismic techniques . is hard for some children to study in the dren can, for instance, learn by combin- During the time I was in Nepal ASIA TLCs because they can be hot in the sum- ing these methods through play, sports, was organizing truck transport to bring mer, slightly cold in the winter, and make dances and outdoor activities . The games building materials, tool kits, bamboo for a noise during the rainy season . Parents, which include moving in the class, find- building beds, blankets to survive the cold children and education officials hoped ing questions and answers on small piec- winter weather soon to come, solar panels that the construction work of the perma- es of paper, allow fun and relaxation while and food to the villages which had suffered nent learning centers, permanent schools, learning . In between the practical exercis- severe earthquakes . Due to political rea- would be faster as planned . es, facilitators gave theoretical background sons Nepal is also suffering from fuel and The principal of one school in Rasuwa on the symptoms of disturbed and trau- gas shortages, which make the lives of the said that the school was closed for one matized children’s behavior: the children people in the villages even harder . month after the earthquake and anoth- may urinate in their bed at night, suffer The planning of the new projects “En- er month during the rainy season . It was from regression, aggressive behavior, un- hancing Livelihoods in the earthquake hit simply impossible for children to come to willingness to go to schools, start staring, areas” focused on promoting cultivation of school . At this school one building with be monotonous, be nostalgic, start weep- non-timber forest products, medicinal and two classrooms totally collapsed, the toi- ing, isolate themselves, not go to school aromatic plants among farming commu- lets collapsed and the children’s play- or have epileptic symptoms . Parents who nities in the Rasuwa district . The partners ground was damaged . The principal went do not know how to solve the situation of- preparing the project proposal include ASIA on to say that even seeing the new tem- ten contact traditional healers in search of Onlus, the Nepal Agroforestry Foundation porary constructed buildings makes chil- help . The guidance given by the facilitators and the Non Formal Education Center . dren remember the earthquake and they >> continued on the following page

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 11 >> continued from previous page was clear . Fear is not always bad . It is good Make Your Gift in Solidarity for self-protection and awareness . Most important of all possible methods are love with ASIA and care and to remember that sharing is caring . www.ASIA-ngo.org/new/gifts-of-solidarity Towards the end of the two-day training the four groups shared their own feelings SIA’s gifts of solidarity are a concrete gesture about memories of peaceful, sad, angry and that unites you to the countries in the Hima- happy moments in life . We heard about the Alayan area, in particular to Tibet and Nepal . If teachers’ memories of fishing in a peace- you also want to show everyone your proximity to ful lake, sad feelings when they themselves this world that is so far yet so close, you can wear were at school and were punished and even the “#Namaskar4Nepal” t-shirt and help the Associ- beaten by their teachers, anger when they ation to complete their projects in this area . Or you were blamed without reason or when they can choose to give yourself or another the gift of a quarreled with classmates and happiness Thokcha: legend has it that they were not forged by when they were with friends, received nice human hands but fell to earth from heaven . Today according to Tibetan tradition, these presents and even when parents found a “objects” are sacred, “magical” and attract good luck by protecting people wearing them lifetime partner for a young man and pre- from evil demons . You can treat yourself or someone else to the ASIA 2016 calendar pared the marriage ceremonies . dedicated to Nepal so that this emergency is not forgotten . Choosing an instant con-

Children who lost both their parents According to the child rights organiza- tions there are 600 orphanages/children’s homes where about 16,000 children are liv- ing . Many children have moved away from their families and communities since the civil war started over ten years ago . Af- ter the earthquake there have been a lot of cases in Nepal where parents have sent their children to children’s homes on false promises . There are people in Nepal who try to benefit financially from the situation by establishing children’s homes and col- nection will unite you with Nepal: Namaskar, the traditional Nepalese greeting . By lecting money from international support- buying the calendar you help the Association to carry out concrete actions in a coun- ers . Child rights organizations and UNICEF try devastated by earthquake . Finally, if you want to make a really special gift, you can have started to inform parents about these choose ASIA’s bracelet with the Thokcha pendant: a lucky charm that first of all will activities by establishing so called Child bring your generosity to Nepal to rebuild schools destroyed by the earthquake . Friendly Places in the area of internally With your action of solidarity you will be side by side with ASIA in constructing displaced people camps . Parents and chil- new schools, rebuilding monasteries, and helping those who have lost everything in dren’s relatives are advised by the orga- the earthquake . nizers not to give their children away . The Make your gift in solidarity with ASIA. This Christmas choose to give the gift of organizers also ask the parents questions ­generosity, go to: www.ASIA-ngo.org/new/gifts-of-solidarity such as, what they think children need for growth, how parents and relatives think that can be achieved, and what the guard- ASIA’s activities support both long term ASIA Branches ians see as challenges to their children’s and emergency education development in ASIA Onlus development . the districts of Rasuwa and Kavre . Children Via San Martino della Battaglia 31, 00185 Rome, Italy ASIA is going to rebuild the schools de- need a good and safe physical learning en- Tel +39 06. 44340034,. Fax +39 06. 44702620. [email protected] www.asia-ngo.org stroyed by the earthquake in the VDC of vironment, as well as teachers and parents Yarsa and Saramthali in Rasuwa District, who can support them and give guidance Association for International Solidarity­ in order to give to the children a protected when disturbing memories from the earth- in Asia, Inc . ASIA place where they can start to rebuild their quake unsettle their minds . Post Office Box 124, Conway, MA 01341-0124 USA future . Participate in the campaign, visit the Phone: 413 .369 . 4153, Fax: 413 .369 . 4473 [email protected] webpage www.namaskarfornepal.org www.asia-ngo.org/en/

Förderverein ASIA Deutschland e .V . c/o Gisela Auspurg Königswieser Str . 2, 82131 Gauting Tel .: 089 / 127 630 32

12 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Update on the Dzamling Gar Project

Giovanni Boni December 6, 2015

The Gonpa Project The project for the Gonpa is still in the phase of being concluded . We have re- ceived approval from Chögyal Namkhai Norbu about how it will be done and al- ready have some designs for the roof cov- ering, however, the project has not yet been presented to the local authorities for approval . Our program is to start work on it in April 2016 but this may not be easy Some of the workers involved in the Dzamling Gar project. and we will probably have to delay the start because we won’t be ready in April . We will from a legal point of . In order to have each Gar would manage the four apart- probably start next summer, in 2016 . the permission to inhabit them, all eight ments in their house for four or five months houses need to be finished, and that still a year keeping them available for their The Houses needs some time . We will finish some of members . The other months of the year, if We are going ahead quite quickly with this the houses before others and we may use the apartments are free for different peri- work because we have an agreement be- them, even though they won’t legally have ods, they could offer them to members from tween the international Gars and Dzamling the permission to be inhabited . We will fin- other Gars . This means that there would be Gar in which Dzamling Gar anticipates part ish the others later and expect all of them single management that would optimize of the funds that are needed for the con- to be completed before 2017 . Then we can the use of all the apartments so that they struction of the houses . In return, when officially use all of them . can earn as much as possible . The more the the Gars make use of the houses they will In April or May we are trying to orga- apartments earn, the sooner the amount return the funds that were used for con- nize a Conference at the house for the doc- borrowed to build them can be repaid . struction to Dzamling Gar . The Merigar house, the Tsegyalgar house, and the Kun- sangar house will be the first to be com- pleted and I think that work on them will be finished by January 2016 . Today, December 6, one of the gakyil members from Merigar West was here to take a look at the progress of the house and to discuss how it will be furnished . There are decisions to be made by each of the Some plans of the Center. Still a work in progress! Gars about different aspects of finishing the houses such as equipping them, estab- tors and health workers who will start to At the moment, all of this is just an idea, lishing communal areas in the upper part work here . We will also try to have ready however we have to create these regula- of the houses, possibly creating a small the house for those who need medical at- tions as soon as possible, before the hous- area upstairs for a person in charge of the tention . Work should be finished on both es are used . It will be a document approved house, whether there should be kitchen these houses by the end of February 2016 and adopted by all the Gars regarding sin- areas in each of the apartments or just a although that does not mean that they can gle management . communal kitchen, etc . We would like each be used because they will still need to be Gar to send a representative here to come decorated and equipped . Fundraising and see what will be needed in each house Regarding the regulations for use of the Fundraising for the Gonpa is still going in order to make them inhabitable . houses when they are all completed (in ahead mainly through Rinpoche’s work For furnishing the houses, we have 2017), we are still a bit behind with this . We with his Evolution Creations . The amounts found a warehouse in which several Tener- have to create a set of regulations about coming in for the Gonpa are being kept ife hotels have deposited furniture that how each of the houses will be used with for the start of the Gonpa project and are they no longer use . The representative rules about the common spaces and the not being touched . For other donations we from Merigar visited this place and was private ones . Each Gar will be responsible would like to warmly thank the donors, able to choose some furnishings for the for the way their house is used but should most of whom wished to remain anony- house that were free . respect the parameters of the other hous- mous . It is thanks to them and the amounts Although the first houses will soon be es . We think that the management of the coming in from the Gars that other work is ready, it will not be possible to live in them apartments should be united . For example, going ahead .

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 13 Lekdanling – New Center for UK Community

he UK community opened a new cen- ter in London in October 2015 . Lek- Tdanling is a modern studio space in the new conversion of an old ceramic fac- tory in Hackney, London’s coolest and most exciting area . excellent facilities for teaching and practice – including a dedicated therapy room – the center is also storage space for such things as cushions tic and out of reach . However, members of home to the UK branch of the Shang Shung and mats for meditation and yantra yoga . the community – including donors from Institute, which has developed an impres- Lekdanling complements Kunselling, abroad and help from the International sive and innovative program . the UK community’s retreat center in rural Gakyil – were extraordinarily generous . The center is located on a quiet street, Wales, which has been in operation since Londoners, of course, showed a particular on the ground floor of an upbeat commer- 1998 . Kunselling is in a beautiful, remote commitment to the project, making up the cial and residential development . Immedi- region of the countryside and perfect for bulk of those who became “Friends of the ate neighbors in the building already in- residential courses and retreats . In recent London Center” by setting up a standing clude an art gallery and another yoga cen- years, however, numbers in the London order financial payment . ter . Within a couple of minutes’ walk, visi- community have grown to a degree which Once contracts were complete – not tors can be right in the heart of Hackney, a merited a center in the city, somewhere without a last-minute VAT drama – work borough of East London which has seen an which can be visited during the day and in began to fit-out the space . The gakyil hired extraordinary transformation over the last the evening . It was becoming increasing- a young architect, who had a number of ten years, attracting many young creatives ly impractical and uneconomical to hold ethical, charity-related jobs in his portfolio priced out of the more established bohe- practices and events in people’s homes or and who had also done work for a member mian enclaves of the north and west of the in rented premises . With Rinpoche’s bless- of the London community . The main con- city . New shops, restaurants and bars have ing, the idea for a London center was born . tractors were a small firm headed by an- other member of the community . And aid- ed by the contribution of some karma yoga, a bare, concrete shell was transformed into a state-of-the-art studio . The UK Dzogchen Community will be sharing the space with the UK Shang Shung Institute . Since its beginning in 2010, SSI UK has collaborated with two prestigious insti- tutions, the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V & A), to showcase the academ- ic and artistic aspects of Tibetan culture . It The first course held at the new Ling was Dream Yoga with Michael Katz. Photo by Raf Portas has also launched Insight Tours, organizing trips to countries of Buddhist culture and sprung up like mushrooms; bearded hip- Eventually, after much searching of the heritage, as part of its fundraising drive . sters abound . The local park – a green oa- commercial property market, a suitable Lekdanling’s official opening event com- sis with a canal running through it – has property was found in September 2014: in a bined talks by painter Robert Beer and cal- gained a new lease of life . good location, big enough to contain a va- ligrapher Paul Antonio, with an exhibition The main area of the center boasts a jra dance and realistically priced . and demonstration of their respective arts . sprung wooden floor, ideal for vajra and Starting with quite a small seed capital, the The programme for 2016 includes a Tibetan khaita dance . To one side, beside large win- UK gakyil paid enough money to take the language course with Dr Fabian Sanders, dows, is a book shop and reading area . Be- property off the market and began fundrais- an ongoing academic lecture series featur- hind a sliding screen, there is a dedicated ing in earnest, hoping to hold off for as long ing luminaries such as Sangseraima Ujeed, therapy room, served by its own en-suite as possible the date the vendor demanded James Low, Jamyang Oliphant, Augusta shower room . Beside a lobby, with coat an exchange of contracts . By June, the op- Thomson, Donatella Rossi and Giorgio Dal- hooks and shoe storage, there are two timism had paid off: the ink was dry on the lorto, and a weekend workshop on more toilets, including one for disabled contract and the purchase was complete . and psychotherapy with Nick Simmons . people . A small kitchen is cunningly con- Those ten months were a time of in- cealed in one corner . And there is abundant tense activity for the UK Gakyil; at times, www.dzogchencommunityuk.org the cost of the property seemed unrealis- www.shangshunguk.org

14 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 The Stupa of Perfect Victory

he construction of the Stupa of Per- fect Victory is going on at Kunsangar TNorth with the blessing of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu . In the Buddhist tradition it is considered that a Stupa is a generator of spiritual en- ergy, of special blessings, of a state of joy and peace, with the purpose of manifesting harmony and peace for all sentient beings, prosperity in the region and harmonization of natural forces . Everyone who sees it, cir- cumambulates it and does offerings, accu- mulates great spiritual merits and receives the cause for liberation from suffering .

Construction stages On 6th of July, His Holiness the Dalai La- ma’s birthday, we did the first concrete works and laid the concrete foundation of the building . Then in the Stupa’s foundation we laid a bumpa made by Rinpoche for controlling negativities and bringing prosperity to the area . Guided by experienced Stupa con- structors from Bhutan and Nepal our kar- ma yogis made and placed all the neces- sary zazas, rilba, zungs, as well as the tsok- shin – the stupa’s tree of life and central channel, various and vases and other necessary objects and substances . Now all the most important and hard work has already been done . At the moment we are elaborating the project of the metallic top which after being made and covered with gold will Web-site: http://kunsangar.ru/index.php/ crown the 14-meter long Stupa of Per- about-us/stupa-of-perfect-victory.html fect Victory . After we will have to do the Facebook page: https://www.facebook. inner finishing of the Stupa and land- com/stupa.su scaping of the surrounding territory . Facebook group: http://www.facebook. com/groups/302357539844324/ How to support this Project We are happy to continue this project and With best wishes, invite you to help us according to your pos- Kunsangar North Gakyil sibility for this good cause! Unifying our energy for this cause we create infinite merits for the prosperity and liberation of all sentient beings! You can make your offering through PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/stupa (our Paypal address is stupa.kunsangar@ gmail.com) . To know more about the construction of the Stupa of Perfect Victory you can visit our sites:

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 15 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Traveling the World

The SMS Base Level exam at Samtengar, China, The SMS Level 1 Training at Samtengar, China, September 23–24, 2015. September 25–30, 2015. Chinese practitioners were enthusiastic about the Santi Maha Base exam, initiation The initiation and the 6 day retreat was intense. Rinpoche gave a fantastic teaching on the and retreat. Two SMS teachers, Wes Guo and Che Goh, spent over 10 hours per day for 3 days SMS Level 1 and students were interested and concentrated, especially when he referred to and 2 nights, testing 190 candidates. Fewer questions were permitted by Rinpoche with the Chinese tradition from time to time. much higher efficiency. It was a tremendous success.

The Longsal Ati’i Gongpa teaching retreat at Samtengar, China, October 2–7, 2015. The teaching title was not new, but the students were attentive and gave positive feedback. All were happy and satisfied.

Public talk at Beijing University, China, October 9, 2015. It has been 26 years since Rinpoche last lectured at Beijing University. There was very active interaction especially when it came to the Q&A session. It was an unprecedented event and will be a milestone in the history of the spread of the Dzog­chen teachings in China.

16 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Traveling the World

Bardo Teaching Sealed with Hum at Kyoto, Japan, Tregchod of Rigdzin Jangchub Dorje in Taiwan, October 15–18, 2015. October 23–27, 2015. Photo by S . Diamond Guru Rinpoche Day. Photo by S . Diamond

Retreat at Namgyalgar North, Australia, Retreat at Tashigar South, , November 3–8, 2015. December 4–8, 2015. Dance and cafe. Photo by J . Cornall .Khaita.

Ödzer Chenma Retreat at Dzamling Gar, Tenerife, Spain, December 28–January 1, 2016. Approximately 300 people attended this 5-day retreat of Ödzer Chenma at Dzamling Gar, Tenerife, Spain with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Photo by Ludovit Mianovsky

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 17 motivated to participate in intensive Vajra We target to finish the editing works of Vajra Dance Dance practice retreats and Global Practice the Vajra Dance video material by Septem- events together when the possibility arises . ber 2016 . Once this is done we will be able to Video Tutorial The video sequences will be placed to- select the right tracks for the purpose of the n 2015, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche’s Root gether with the related Root Text explana- first release in the form of a DVD . We will Text of the Vajra Dances, translated by tion, which in time will be made available do our best to be ready with the new Vajra IAdriano Clemente, was published in En- in all languages . The online Video Tutorial Dance DVD by December 2016 . Perhaps the Focus on Tashigar glish and became available to all Dzogchen materials will be made available through downloadable version will be available too . Community Members . Translations and www.dzogchen.net . In parallel we want to start developing other books related to the Vajra Dances­ an interactive e-learning platform to bring open to the general public will follow . In Shooting the Video the VD right into practitioners’ homes . Ka- the years following the last Vajra Dance All necessary video shooting was complet- mil Selwa of the Shang Shung Foundation at Video (2008), when the first drafts of the ed in Dzamling Gar between the 15th Oc- Merigar West is doing some research in that Root Text translation became available, we tober and the 6th November 2015 . The film respect, investigating available software and checked and compared the detailed, re- set was set up in the Dzamling Gar gon- open source solutions which we could adopt, fined and incredibly inspiring descriptions pa, which was exclusively reserved for this not only for the Vajra Dance courses, but for

for each step and movement by Rinpoche purpose for more than three weeks . A pro- all interactive educational projects and ac- with our actual Dance practice . The result fessional camera team with equipment and tivities that our Community can run online . is that we now have a better understand- set-up was involved . Most likely in January 2016 we should ing of the timing and movements and have The project team consisted of the in- have a pool of options to choose from . Then updates and changes to make that are not structors of the Vajra Dance (Prima Mai, we will translate them into resources such shown in the video demonstration of 2008 . Rita Renzi, Robert Czabanski, Zoltan Cser, as labor, timeframe, and funds . For this reason, we decided to make a ­Monika Lakatos) professional film makers We will come back with further news in new tutorial video available for all Vajra (Izabela Jaroszewska – director/camera, January/February 2016 . Dance practitioners and instructors, and Maurizio Mingotti – camera, Pieter ­Kiewiet to preserve the Vajra Dances in the correct de Jonge, Marc Beneria), editor (Mirella D’An- Fundraising way for future generations . Beside a com- gelo), sound engineer (­Michal ­Gibowski), We take this opportunity to warmly thank plete demonstration of the Vajra Dances, it make-up & costume (Luda ­Kislichenko) and all the donors who have been supporting will include an easy to follow and under- technical (Przemek ­Sumelka) assistants, this project so generously . We hope with our standable animated demonstration of each script supervisor (Roxana Sciacca), catering global Dzogchen Community fundraising of the many sequences in relation to all service (Lilia Shashkova/Andrea & Ignazio approach, you may feel inspired to offer an ­Vajra Dances . This Tutorial will be probably Bernard) – all members of our Community . amount to the Vajra Dance Tutorial project, made available in an online format for the large or small, according to your circum- members of the International Dzogchen Post Production and Editing stances, so that we can complete the project . Community and some parts will be made Now that we have concluded shooting, www.projects.dzamlinggar.net/ available to the general public . We also we are getting into the post-production support-the-global-gar-main/vajra- plan, if possible and practical, a more inter- phase – editing that will later be followed dance-tutorial-project active approach to learning and for memo- by selection of the material for the purpose rising the Vajra Dances . of the video tutorial and publishing . with love and best wishes, The Vajra Dance Tutorial will be useful In parallel we are investigating develop- The Vajra Dance Tutorial Team for all practitioners, particularly those with ment of the online interactive platform for no immediate access to an available Manda- the purpose of e-learning as well as mobile For more information please contact our la as it will offer the possibility to study and applications for Android and iOS based - project manager Piotr Marcik: memorise better at home, remaining more bile appliances . [email protected]

18 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 The Mirror No. 130 December 2015 Focus on Tashigar

Rinpoche and Rosa with practitioners at Rinpoche’s birthday lunch.

El Durazno creek meanders the area, were set in couples in order to mate, in The Origins of offering us pools and cascades, places for freedom . our enjoyment in the summer; the stream In the meantime, Touceda was building Tashigar South is a branch of the Yuspe River, birthplace his house in what today is the Ashram, and of rivers that feed the city of Cordoba and the main house of Tashigar for his broth- The Choice of the Land its nearby towns, and for it the area was ers and nephews, as he and his wife had declared Water Reserve . no children . Alicia Caballero This was the place chosen by Ramon The house held the kids in the summer, Translation by Patricia Feldman Touceda, Spanish immigrant, back in the and it filled the place with their laughter and 50’s, to create a biological park as a token joy . All these was told to me by the eldest of of gratitude to Argentina . them, when she was already old, upon a vis- ashigar South is located in the ru- He and his wife had arrived to Buenos it to Tashigar, and in tears told me the place ral town of El Durazno, Tanti, in the Aires after the Great War, with nothing was a paradise, a happy place for all . Tprovince of Cordoba, not far from the on except their wish to work and prog- Each New Year´s eve the main house geographical center of this country, south ress here . They established a grocery store, (now Tashigar) would dress for a party and of Lake San Roque . It is surrounded at the then a supermarket, then a chain of super- all the neighbors were invited with barbe- West by Los Gigantes mountain range, and markets and after years of hard work they cue, wine, dance and singing . its peak, Champaqui (9500 ft); at its slopes, reached their dream goal . This place is the one our master, Chög- condors nest and teach their young to fly, They chose El Durazno to make their yal Namkhai Norbu, chose in November in a place called La Quebrada del Condorito . dream come true, by then this place was 1989, after the first retreat in Alta Gracia, In the East surrounds Sierras Chicas, an empty mountain, just wild vegetation to establish the Dzogchen Community . the Small Hills, and its peak, the Uritorco, was there, so with the help of agronomical We were just a bunch of friends prac- a place where it is said flying saucers land engineers they started to plant one by one ticing together, and with love and devotion and enter to Ears, the secret city leading to the trees that surround the site: eucalyp- dedicated ourselves to build up the Gar the center of the Earth . As you can see, im- tus, pines, fruit trees, and it all generously there . In December 1990, the master initi- portant people have visited our land since started growing with the help of man . ated the Gar with a retreat of the “Song of long ago! When the vegetation was developed Vajra” . Practitioners from all over the globe In fact, Tanti means in Quechua: Meet- enough, the fauna came, bought from a accompanied us and helped us for the oc- ing Place . And certainly, different tribes zoo in Buenos Aires: foxes, bobcats, skunks, casion . would come down there to meet and per- of course horses, and anything else that The retreats were held under the trees form their celebrations . would adapt to this type of terrain, and by then, and only later a temporary Gonpa >> continued on the following page The Origins of Tashigar South

The Invitation

Jorge Stolkiner Translation Patricia Feldman

n the fortunate year of 1989, in New York (where I used to travel regularly to Iteach and practice my profession), as I walked one night in the streets of Tribeca with Jennifer Fox, who was my friend and at whose loft I stayed, I saw a small sign an- nouncing that the Tibetan Master Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche was to give a conference at the Foundation on “Sutra, Tantra Welcome gate. Photo by Sarale Lizdas and Dzogchen” . I immediately told Jennifer that we had to go . in it, before a practical application could about a group of people interested for In order to make you understand the take place in one´s own life . whom traveling to receive teachings from kind of impact that this conference had Michael Katz introduced Rinpoche and him would be difficult, and I offered myself on me, let me say that my interest for Ti- the next two hours changed my life: each as a translator, which I did for a few years . betan Buddhism dated from many years part found its proper place according to And Rinpoche said he would consider that back, and that apart from the few teach- the methods of renunciation, transforma- possibility . ings that I had received, I had read some tion and self-liberation and the marvelous, twenty books on the subject (including an OH! truly marvelous, structure of Dharma episode of hypothermia, for trying to prac- appeared in front of me in the presence of tice tummo following a book of Alexandra this Man . David-Neel) . When Rinpoche came back to New York It all led only to a great confusion and I the next year I was ready for him, waiting came to see that it was necessary that I un- for him; and after meeting him in person derstood the methodological basis of how in the small apartment of Michael and fol- that labyrinth of methods fit together, and lowing him to the retreat in Massachus- whether or not I could find a possible order sets, I bought and read the three books of teachings given in Conway so far and talk- ed to the American disciples, that original- >> continued from previous page ly came from the same Gurudjieff school was built, the one that later on would be- I had participated when I was young for come our now beautiful , with two three years . mandalas for the Dance . The I had found before had been A dark retreat cabin was also built, a reluctant to show the snowy peaks of the restaurant and also a guest house . teachings, not wanting to generate confu- Adding outside space to the Gonpa. Photo by Griselda Olivera Today, 25 years later, as I watch Tashi- sion; but there was this master, showing gar South develop more and more, with with his palms open, the diamond of the When I returned to Cordoba after my the coming of new generations of practi- ninth yana, and telling us he was hoping second retreat with Rinpoche, already tioners, one looks backs and thinks: Tashi- that some of us there present would realize three people from our small group: Marisa gar South is the result of good intentions rainbow body . Alonso, Alicia Caballero and Ricardo Sued, from the start . Less than a year later I began to talk traveled to (where Rinpoche was A land plowed by a grateful immigrant about Chögyal Namkhai Norbu to the peo- to give a retreat) and reiterated the invita- who impregnated the field with trees, ple who were in contact with me in Cordo- tion once more, and Rinpoche accepted . flowers and small animals, and that was ba, and who had also by then become my When Rinpoche finally came, after waiting for the arrival of Master Namkhai friends in the search . changing his prearranged schedule to in- Norbu to plant the seeds of the Dzogchen In a small group, we ceased our previ- clude Cordoba, he didn’t even ask us; it was Teachings . ous practices and started singing the Song implicit we were his students . of Vajra . And the rest, as it goes, is history . A LA LA HO We are grateful!! At that first retreat, I invited Rinpoche Alicia Caballero to come to teach in Cordoba, telling him

20 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Rinpoche’s birthday cake. Photo by Caro Bossi Rainbow Bridge. Photo by Sarale Lizdas

and Adriana Dal Borgo . Lastly, the children On an institutional level, since 2001, the Relationship With of the Community sang and danced and lat- Government of the Province of Cordoba er some Vajra brothers played some songs . It has declared the retreats of the Master of Our Neighbors was an amazing meeting of about 300 peo- Cultural Interest several times . In 2010, the ple between the Community and the town’s Municipality of Tanti declared the Master Sergio Oliva people, on an awesome summer night . an Illustrious Citizen and dictated decrees Translated by Patricia Feldman Next year, in the context of the celebra- of “Recognition of the Dzogchen Commu- tions of Tanti´s Anniversary, we again took nity for its invaluable contribution to the he relationship with our neighbors part, with artistic and cultural demonstra- town of Tanti” and of “Declaration of Munic- of El Durazno and Tanti, the nearest tions, with brothers and sisters that came ipal Interest’ on the 20th anniversary of the Ttownship at less than 2 miles from from all over the globe to assist to a retreat Dzogchen Community” . the Gar, has been a process that has con- of our Master . That time, we again danced During 2014, the Province of Cordoba solidated as time has gone by, since the the Dance that Benefits All Beings, as well declared “The Cycle of Health, Wellbeing 25 years Tashigar Sur was established . For as an exhibition of Yantra Yoga . and Evolution” of Touristic Interest, and the 15th birthday, we invited the Mayor and The opening project was even bigger the Municipality of the capital city of Cor- other authorities of Tanti, together with in 2014, this time organized as a cycle of doba, declared Professor Namkhai Norbu the local and regional Chiefs of Police, to a activities called “The Way of Wellbeing”, “Guest of Honor of the City of Cordoba”, and celebration that was held in the Gar presid- developed in the cities of Cordoba and of “Cultural Interest” the cycle “The Path of ed by the Master, who was declared Guest Carlos Paz . In Carlos Paz a demonstration Wellbeing” . That year, the Municipality of of Honor by the Mayor of Tanti . of Khaita, Dance of Vajra and Yantra Yoga Tanti once again honored the Master as an The Mayor was also there for the inau- took place, in a local park by the lake San Illustrious Guest and included Fabio Andri- guration of the new Gonpa and the 20th Roque, while in Cordoba Fabio Andrico gave co the same recognition for his dedicated anniversary of Tashigar Sur celebrations, a course of Harmonious Breathing, and a work of transmitting the teachings of Yan- in 2010 . well-attended Conference of the Master, tra Yoga and Breathing in Tashigar Sur . At the beginning of 2012, the new City where the book “Birth, Life and Death” in In the recent celebration of the 25th an- hall authorities invited us to take part of its Spanish version was presented, at the niversary of Tashigar South, again our Mas- the summer events they had organized . prestigious National University of Cordoba, ter was declared “Illustrious Guest” and our That was very auspicious, since it was also one of the oldest of the continent . Dzogchen Community and Tashigar South our project and desire at that time to build The Project was reedited in 2015, this were also given recognitions through de- closer relationships with our neighbors time with the title “Wellbeing and Evolu- crees of the Municipality of Tanti . Besides, and to share with them what we have been tion”, and another conference of the Master the Shang Shung Foundation was declared developing along these years at the Gar . So on Ati Yoga in the same Hall of the Uni- of cultural interest due to the spreading of we named our project “The Joy of Sharing” . versity took place, together with the pre- the Tibetan culture and medicine through- The presentation was on Sunday, Feb- sentation of the Spanish version of the out our province and our country . ruary 19th, 2012 . A video of Yantra Yoga book “Tibetan Yoga of Movement, the Art These recognitions and the integration was shown, while explanations given by and Practice of Yantra Yoga” . This book obtained with the people around us, are Fabio Andrico and an exhibition were tak- was also presented in Buenos Aires, in Co- but the confirmation of the reason why ing place . A presentation of Kumar Kumari, lumbia Foundation and in the well-known the Master decided to open the Dzogchen supervised by Marisa Alonso and Carolina bookstore and publishing house KIER . Two Teachings in the West: human nature is Mingolla was held, and it was followed by courses of Complete Breathing were also the same everywhere, and such an essen- the Dance that Benefits Beings in the two programmed, one at the Gar and the other tial knowledge as Dzogchen is, transcends mandalas, under the guidance of Prima Mai in Buenos Aires, taught by Fabio Andrico . social, cultural and religious barriers .

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 21 “A Walk Through Our Gar”

Griselda Olivera Translated by Patricia Feldman

e invite you to walk with us through our Gar . Let’s pass the Wcattle gate, “tranquera”, the typ- ical entrance in rural areas . Through the main entrance we take an inside road that will lead us to the Gonpa (a Tashigar South Gonpa. few meters away) . As we walk, we’ll see at the left of the road, the house of the Master en and dining hall very much used during Attached to this same building and in with its beautiful garden, an acclimatized retreats, where simple and delicious meals front of the external mandala, there is an- swimming pool and a small grill for barbe- are prepared by a team of practitioners or- other facility to host yet seven more people . cues . Many hard-working hands join year ganized to that end . Let´s go back to the main internal road round to embellish and replace plants and In front of the “Main House”, we have the we took at the beginning: as we continue flowers, because animals and climate enjoy secretary´s office and the Geko´s house in down heading towards the Gonpa we can taking a ride on the place . one building, and a bit away the house of see a multicolored bridge that leads us to

Tashi Park. Photo by Griselda Olivera Eating together. Photo by Caro Bossi

As we continue on this road after a few the Gakyil . The Gakyil is formed by a group it . But before we cross it, let’s take a minute meters, on the right we have the electric of practitioners that do not live on the to look a t this area: at the left: fruit trees, generator, a necessary investment, since premises and come, from far away some- a small pool and a lateral road; on the right the zone is prone to energy cuts quite of- times, to the Gar for monthly meetings, so and up: a little house, the Tashi Bar, and be- ten . We use it also during the retreats with the Gakyil members stay in this Gakyil´s hind it a dining hall, a kitchen, public bath- the Master and it is used for the webcast, so house . The Gakyil is also present when re- rooms and a washing area for the campers . we switch it on one hour before the Teach- treats and courses are held, so they stay in The public bathrooms have a water heater ings and we cut it one hour later, to ensure this place also on these occasions . fed on wood for showering . From the din- there will be no problems in the broadcast- On the right of these two buildings and ing area of the campers we find ourselves ing process . up a few meters and a bit isolated we see at the green open area of the camping . A few meters away, you can see the “Main the “Dark Retreat Cabin” . The kitchen and the dining hall offer the House”, the one we use to host practitioners As we return to the dining hall and camper all the simple but necessary utensils, or participants of the many retreats, cours- continuing the steps down to the park, to and offer shelter during cold or rainy days, but es and events organized year round . It has this green area, the children´s recreational it is also a place to gather and chat around a the capacity to host thirteen people . area and the wonderful external mandala kettle for “mates” (Argentinian drink) or cof- At its side there is a small place that it is are receiving us: it´s a place where prac- fee as people approach the place . People join used during retreats as a Dharma bookstore . tice and nature are joined . From here we to cook and share common meals, as the cu- In the same building, a few steps down can enjoy beautiful dawns while sweet sun linary creativity and the ingredients afford it! on the left, we find ourselves at the kitch- rays caress our faces . >> continued on the following page

22 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 It could also become an ideal place to con- render him respect . Rinpoche laughed and The Way Is Done tinue our practices and spiritual growth . As patted them on their neck and foreheads . we heard Rinpoche talking – even though We continued our journey, and as we By Walking very few of us had the means to carry on moved on, he would tell us where to build, that pursuit, that dream – we all thought where not to build: “Do not build here, be- Taking a look at “What a magnificent idea, how much I want cause it is ’s land”, he said . And then Tashigar Mandala* to have that privileged possibility!”, also be- as we moved forward: “also here is not a cause, we thought, one day the Master as good place to settle, is the land of these be- * Tashigar Mandala is the name of land where well will live in Tashigar Mandala . ings called the Blue Ones” . Then, on a huge ­practitioners, inside the land of Tashigar South, And then we went for a walk . We gath- rock, on a ravine he said, “This is where the have built residential homes. ered at the front door of the main house, Gonpa will be in the future ”. where the Master was staying back then, We walked on the Highlands of Tashi- Griselda Gálmez and started heading towards the dark re- gar Mandala, where, among other houses, Translated by Patricia Feldman treat cabin, and beyond . He was leading is the one Rosa Namkhai had built for Ye- that adventure, joyous, and we were close she and Yuchen Namkhai and Dr . Phuntsog . around him so as not to miss any of his Just so you know what we are talking ashigar Mandala started the day we words . We were climbing, on the stony about, let’s remember how much land we went for a walk, back in 1996 . Or ground on the sierra, in between the green are dealing with in Tashigar South: 60 Tperhaps a bit before, when Chögyal summer grass . Walker, there is not path hectares, about 150 acres . Inside the val- Namkhai Norbu told us during a morning … as the poet Antonio Machado says . No, ley, in the deepest and most protected area talk about this idea he had, and this desire . there was not path yet in this place: Rin- from winds, are located the main buildings He thought it was a great idea that prac- poche was making a path as he walked . of the Gar . Then, as you climb west and

Dormitory. Photo by Gri Olivera Main House. Photo by Griselda Olivera titioners could build little houses, their re- I remember still, that as soon as we southeast, is Tashigar Mandala’s area . It has treat cabins, inside the land of Tashigar Sur . started climbing, on our right, about 50 me- two parts . One we called the Happy Valley, These houses would give us the chance to ters away, we saw a group of horses: Horses, more populated, borders a creek and an arrive at our old age together, away from the horses!!, the Master called them . And they internal road, and there is where the first loneliness that affects old people nowadays . approached, obediently, as if they wanted to >> continued on the following page

>> A Walk continued from previous page room for the Master and for the disabled, This year we had many activities open But let’s go back now the multicolored and it has a central heating system . to the public, and this has been growing bridge . Moving towards the Gonpa’s main en- continually . Some new people have come As we cross it, we approach the Gon- trance we see the parking lot, on the other out of curiosity but become amazed at the pa on the left . It was inaugurated for the side we can enter the camping area . From energy of this incredible place . It used to 20th anniversary of Tashigar . Inside it has 2 it, an internal pathway leads to Tashigar be that people would only sparsely come, mandalas, and outside a roofed gallery that Mandala, where some practitioners have but this has changed and people are now encircles it . Huge windows of glass in all its built their houses . approaching for different reasons . Many walls allow the natural light of the sun to Thanks to the efforts of some of them, more are returning, many of us are meet- come in and see through the colors of the we have now drinking water in the Gar – ing the Teachings for the first time, and vegetation outside; there is a toolshed for we had to buy it before this . all of us reunite in this “auspicious place”, things we use during the retreats, a bath- Tashigar Sur .

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 23 Tashigar Mandala. Photo by Caro Bossi

>> continued from previous page Municipality, however somebody did it . No nique of dowsing, an undercurrent of wa- houses were built . It is always a pleasure one should connect the water without first ter . Excavation was expensive, and there to walk through its gardens or enjoy the consulting with the gekö and the admin- were some of us who believed in this kind shade and the singing of the little creek . istrator; and it has been done which has of procedure but some didn’t . So it was a The other area, more elevated, hence its caused problems in the future . risky enterprise . name of Highlands of Tashigar, is also more These attitudes are hard to understand, Fortunately the Gakyil at that time extensive and wild . It was populated later, above all considering that in order to build (2008) took the initiative and the project probably because it is more difficult and there is a must that one has to be a practi- was approved by the majority at the An- expensive to bring the construction tools tioner and member associate of the Dzog­ nual Assembly of Usufructuaries . Most of there, and because, although the panoram- chen Community for at least three years, us donated some money and Eduard coor- ic views make up for it, the inclemency’s and be recommended by their Gar to be dinated the task . Three Sang and Serkyem of weather are more notorious . However, able to acquire a lot . All the more if one were performed in the chosen place and some practitioners chose here from the thinks that in TM no one owns a property, excavations began . start, since it has always been interesting but the usufruct,3 due to the generosity of The well drilled has exactly 108 meters to see how diverse are the criteria, in mat- our Master . deep, and not only it opens to a generous ters of where we choose the place, the style So, in case you still didn’t notice, what undercurrent spring, but, once it was ana- of housing, or in the different points of view are the advantages to have a retreat cabin lyzed, it proved to be drinking water! It can we have regarding every sort of situations in TM? be consumed without previous treatment . we face as inhabitants of Tashigar Mandala . One of the advantages we value the The finding was a real heroic venture and There are 26 houses completely finished most is the possibility to be near the Mas- we took it as yet another blessing . at the moment, 4 in progress, 16 lots avail- ter during the whole time Rinpoche spends Right now six tanks of 2500 liters each able that will hopefully find their practi- in Tashigar Sur . (about 7000 gallons each) arise in the place tioners . The building has to adjust to the It also allow us to enjoy all the retreats and a net of pipes are spread to feed all the local regulations of the Municipality of and courses of the Dance, Yantra Yoga and houses in TM, the house of the Master and Tanti, and the plans are subject to approv- Santi Maha Sangha led by the local instruc- the central house of the Gar, with an exten- al depending on that . Apart from that, ev- tors all year round and the Khaita Work- sion for the camping area, so it can be used eryone can choose the size or the design . shops, that gather more enthusiastic par- for the washing of groceries and cooking . In some cases it depends on the budget, ticipants all the time . To be in TM is to have The next stage of the project is still under other times with the characteristics of the at our easy access to three mandalas and way, to perfect the distribution net, that’s grounds, or simply, with their dreams . The all the advantages of the Gar; its library, for why each usufructuary give a monthly fee, practitioners who have built in Tashigar example . besides the common expenses fee . Mandala are from all over the world . So far: On the other hand, the countryside of El Keeping a retreat cabin in TM is not ex- from Italy, USA, , Venezuela, Spain, Po- Durazno is delightful . pensive, at least much less expensive than land, France, and Argentina; perhaps that is More advantages? Yes, even though having a place in the city or any close neigh- why you may find a typical building of the TM is in the middle of the hills, with huge borhood . What is needed is to realize that Alps next to another one California style . spaces of loneliness, we also enjoy electric- having a house and common facilities (water, Or for less explicable reasons, one built on ity, TV connections, telephone and internet . internet, roads, electricity, common green pillars above the ground or another one And amazingly pure water… spaces), obviously presupposes monthly emerging from an excavation on the land . Water is a whole story in the zone . First and annual expenses, even when one is not It is interesting that for some, these are the of all the climate is dry and cool winters living there . For that reason it is import- only houses they will ever make and build and hot and rainy summers . But there ant that, whoever wants to integrate to this them according to their taste . were times that drought extended during real project of individual and collective lib- Yes, in Tashigar Mandala diversity is al- the whole summer and the water we then eration that Rinpoche has thought for us, lowed and respected, sometimes too much obtained from the river started to diminish be responsible, have a practical vision and a as it goes against the Inner Regulations of much to our worry . That’s why, and after generous attitude . Otherwise, his desire will TM,1 that regulate any close neighborhood, many deliberations, we decided to approve become a burden, another one for the Gakyil or the forms of how to present plans and a Project proposed by Eduard Gromaches . and the rest of the usufructuaries . beginning of work .2 Just to give you a cou- As a first stage we would excavate on the One of the main conditions to be a bene- ple of examples: a construction cannot be- highest place on the land where he had ficiary of a place in TM is to be at minimum gin before the plan is fully approved by the detected, with the old and art of the tech- >> continued on the following page

24 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Reforestation in Tashigar Sur

A Five-Year Ongoing Experience

Carolina Mingolla Translated by Patricia Feldman

ashigar, the auspicious place, as its name indicates, is a place where na- Tture invites us to introspection on one hand, and the Argentinian culture of barbecues and activity on the other, creat- ing thus a rich and fun balance altogether . It is located on the outskirts of a small The beautiful river near Tashigar South. town, a bit touristic and with barely any industry at all; the mining activity in the Mingolla after living four years in the area, aromatic and medicinal plants have been area, does not affect this region as quarries included the planting of native trees, fruit planted . As we gained more experience, we and mines are found about 50 miles away . trees, and medicinal and aromatic shrubs, improved our planting techniques and dis- The ancient farms of El Durazno, were always using permaculture as productive covered the particularities of each micro- established about 100 years ago, when the and regenerative system design . climate of the Gar . This past year, by special native forest had been decimated by live- In March of that same year, and with request of Rosa Namkhai who urged us to stock and coal exploitation . The whole spontaneous donations of several practi- “fill the Gar with flowers”, the project has area was reforested with mainly European tioners, we celebrated the first day of kar- expanded to encompass green spaces and species, conifers, fruit trees and eucalyp- ma yoga exclusively on tree planting . There gardens . tus, which still stand as the predominant was also Ariel Ronguelet, an agricultural As the group of contributors enlarged, vegetation in the area . The culture of farm engineer and a university professor, inter- the task of adding ornamental species, col- work was gradually lost but the fruit trees ested in regenerating native forest, who of- ors, textures and aromas in the parks con- that remained are those that have provid- fered his expertise and collaboration for a tinued to develop . We were able to welcome ed Tashigar Sur for the past 25 years with long-term project focused on reforestation Rosa and Rinpoche with new landscaping, abundant fruits that we consume fresh or with trees typical of the mountain forest of with new and old fruit trees pruned and prepared as jams . central Argentina . sanitized . We are ready to celebrate the In January 2011, before about 50 practi- Since late 2011 the South Tashigar Gakyil 25 years of the first Gar of South America tioners at the Tashigar Sur Gonpa, we pre- has invested a monthly sum for the project that never ceases to bless us with its land- sented a project to increase quantity and to continue . This has meant that, in nearly scapes and beautiful skies, both to visitors variety of vegetal species in the Gar . This 5 years since the project started, over 400 and residents . plan, developed intuitively by Carolina native trees and about 70-100 fruit and

>> continued from previous page all Rinpoche’s Teachings that he prodigal- no buts, make sure one has the feeling of a sustaining member of the Gar . I remark it, ly has given us in innumerable retreats being a sustainer of this amazing center since the word sustaining comes from the across the world . of Dzogchen teachings that Chögyal Nam- verb sustain, sustinere in latin, and it im- Finally, a house where its neighbors, khai Norbu has developed for the southern plies not only some financial support, but all of them, are practitioners just like you, part of and for all those who holding, encouraging, helping, protecting students of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, just wish to drink from it; a perfect center for and keeping it strong. like us, even authorized instructors like Fa- the benefit of all beings . So let’s go over it once more: having a bio Andrico, Nélida Saporiti, Marisa Alon- house in a place of captivating beauty, al- so, Ricky Sued, Patricia Ranchod, Naomi In order to complete the information on some given ways changing, with horizons so wide Zeitz, Leticia Recepter …and where we can topics, please ask the Secretary to send you the following material: that the eyes get lost in the sky! A place receive the support and assistance of the far enough from urban agglomerations people who work at the Gar and of Pepe 1 “Reglamento Interno de usufructuarios de but close enough (just at 40 miles from Poncio, the administrator of TM . Tashigar Mandala” Inner Regulations for Usufruc- tuaries of TM. the capital city of Cordoba, and at only What else can you ask for developing 2 “Operatoria de solicitud y adjudicación de par- 15 miles from Carlos Paz and only at less Presence? celas, presentación de planos” Procedures to apply than 2 miles from Tanti), so we are able to That is why, I think, in order to be ready and receive a lot, plan presentation. have a job, study and get supplies . A house to join this Project, one should, in a clear 3 Contrato de Usufructo ( Usufructuary Contract) prepared to develop personal retreats of way, without ambivalences or doubts, with

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 25 er collective practices . Unfortunately the place is not big enough for our Vajra Dance mandala, so to practice the dance, we have to rent another room . But Lhundrubling is really perfect for all our other needs, and being central, it is very active during all weeks of the year . Ten years went by very quickly, and our ling really seemed to man- ifest itself spontaneously, of its own accord, well before we thought it was possible . We welcome all Dzogchen practitioners to visit it when you come to São Paulo!

Lhundrubling Brazil, São Paulo

Otavio Lila

hundrubling was founded in 2006 and inaugurated with the presence of our Lbeloved Master, just before a retreat in Brazil . A year before, in 2005, Rinpoche had come to São Paulo, and after that retreat, he told us: “Now you should find a place, so that people interested in the teaching can come and learn” . At the time, it didn’t really seem possible in the short term, because we were a community with few active practitioners, although many more people used to come during retreats . We used to meet at each others’ houses for Ganapujas, webcasts and collective practices . We were lucky that Rinpoche decided to be true – being very accessible by sub- Lhundrubling to come again in 2006, and the community way and other public transportation, and in was working together to organize the re- a building which was open 24 hours a day Rua Jose Maria Lisboa, 860 - 9th floor treat . A few months before the retreat with and 7 days a week . We could quickly make CEP 01423-001 - Sao Paulo - SP the Master, we had met at a practitioner’s the arrangements to rent the place, and in Brazil house during a long weekend for a practice record time, refurbish it and make it ready http://dzogchen.tumblr.com retreat of Semdzins and Rushens . It was a before the main retreat in November 2006 . very nice moment, and we also practiced We presented it as a surprise to the Mas- Ganapuja, Sang and Serkyem . We all no- ter just a few days before the retreat . He was ticed how nice it would be to have a place satisfied, and asked us to light some incense, for regular practice, and we remembered and said some . But Rinpoche wait- Rinpoche’s advice . But at the moment, we ed for a favourable day to name the place were concentrated in the final prepara- Lhundrubling, and he gave us a plaque with tions for the upcoming retreat with the his personal seal of the to make Master, only about three months ahead . it all official . In this way, Lhundrubling was In any case, one of us was driving to work born, almost 10 years ago, with the presence and noticed a rent sign in a very convenient of our beloved Master . building located in a central area of São Pau- Since that time, many retreats have lo . We called to ask for more information, been organised at Lhundrubling with in- and it turned out that the rent was afford- ternational instructors of Santi Maha able if everyone got together and commit- Sangha, as well as study groups, practice ted to a monthly contribution . The place explanations, transmissions, Ganapujas in seemed perfect for us – almost too good the four main days of the month, and oth-

26 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Yantra Yoga and until today she organizes many trainings and workshops in Santia- go, Valparaiso and Concepcion . She teaches open and free activities for members the Community and all interested persons . She is an important person for collaboration between the Community and the arts and cultural organizations . Our Community has grown and strengthened year after year, with the sup- port from many practitioners and our ef- forts . The Gakyil is the foundation of a Ling supporting the work of preservation of the cultural heritage of Tibet and the teachings given by our precious Dzogchen master .

Dzogchen Community of Chile

Brief history n late 2000 our Master, Chögyal ­Namkhai Norbu, accepted our invitation to give IDzogchen teachings for the first time in our country . After that retreat, the first group of practitioners began to collaborate in order to follow the Dzogchen teachings . After a few years, in November 2002, Rin- poche accepted to come and visit Chile for a second time, and gave an inspiring three- day retreat in the town of Mantagua . More than one hundred people attended . Like- wise, during this visit, he gave a lecture on Yoga, 2012) Elías Capriles (Base of SMS prac- Comunidad Dzogchen Chile Tibetan Medicine in Valparaiso . tice Retreat, 2013), and Steven Landsberg In Mantagua, Fabio Andrico taught an (Study and practice of the SMS Retreat, 2014) . Torres de Tajamar, Providencia, introductory course on The Eight move- We have had several collective practice Miguel Claro 070, Torre B, local 35-D ments of Yantra Yoga and Nelida ­Saporiti retreats (Rushen, Chöd, Green , etc ) . [email protected] taught an introductory course on the in beautiful locations in our country and www.dzogchen.cl Dance of the . now we meet weekly to practice Mandara- Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/­ Our sangha grew and in middle of 2007, va, Chöd, Green Tara, Six Lokas, short Thun ComunidadDzogchenDeChile/?ref=tn_ we were able to organize as a Gakyil . We and Ganapujas, to name some of these sec- tnmn established a place of practice and study in ondary practices de Chile . Here we meet until today The Vajra Dance is one of the practices Yantra Yoga Chile as members of the International Dzogchen that is currently a growing interest, af- [email protected] Community and we welcome anyone inter- ter Nelida Saporiti taught us The Dance of https://yantrayogacl.wordpress.com/ ested in following the Dzogchen teachings . the Six Spaces of in 2011 in Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/­ In 2008 we organized a retreat with our Santiago de Chile . From different cities we yychile/?ref=hl beloved Master for the third time . Later, as gather to dance every two weeks on Satur- a result, a program of activities arose and days or Sundays and welcome anyone in- the Sangha begin to study and practice the terested in learning the practice . main aspects of the Path . The practice of Yantra Yoga has been In all these years, we have many activi- spreading through the years, and differ- ties to keep learning and practicing Dzogc- ent workshops have been given for Marisa hen . For many years we have been visited Alonso (Yantra Yoga Course 2006 and 2009) by several instructors; we have studied and and Carolina Mingolla (Yantra Yoga Course practiced Santi Maha Sangha with Jim Val- 2011–2014) in several cities . by (Semdzins and Base SMS Retreat, 2006; In November 2014, Carolina Muñoz, is Kumbhaka Retreat, 2013), Ricky Sued (Base authorized by the Master Namkhai Norbu SMS, Retreat, 2009), Michael Katz (Dream in Tashigar South, Argentina came to teach

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 27 Norbuling Peru

“Pepo”, Luis Bacigalupo Translation by Laura Yoffe

ur dear Master came to Peru for the first time in 1993, thanks to the invi- Otation of a Cultural Peruvian-Tibet- an Association . Rinpoche arrived in Lima, a city that lies at the feet of the , and overlooks the coast of the Pacific Ocean, a city with skies that are usually grey and a sea of jade color . This is not poetry, it is like this! but all the love that we put in it made it our weekly practices, gather- I was always surprised by the immense bigger! And so, we were able to maintain ing to do Yantra, to dance on the mandala, compassion of our Master who visited us this place thanks to the generosity of our and to dance Khaita, to study and practice Dzogchen and to welcome new practi- tioners . We do Mandarava and Chod prac- tices, Ganapujas, seminars of Vajra Dance and Yantra Yoga, and sometimes we also invite International Teachers to give us seminars . Yes! We are very constant . We have the challenge of being responsible for the maintenance of our Ling . Sometimes, the challenge to grow seems difficult be- cause we don’t dare to face it, or because we are dilettante, or because we forget our commitments . But soon we regain our strength and move forward again . We are growing, we are united . We are learning to be better people and to integrate the teachings day by day . I was very fortunate to see our Master regularly although we were a very small Master, who left us the offerings that we in Norbuling and to see him smiling in his Community . We just need to be very grateful . gave him after each retreat . After four throne . When I see Rinpoche like this, it Fourteen years passed by until we were years we grew as a group and felt the need seems to me as if he was always here, as able to assume our responsibilities and or- of a bigger space where we could do Yan- if he had never left . Norbuling is his home, ganize a legal and formal non-profit Cultur- tra Yoga and practice the Dance on the the house of the Teachings, and a real man- al Association . It took us fourteen years to mandala that we painted with our own ifestation of our heart… I feel it this way, find a space where we could meet; a place hands . Just by chance, we found a space although I may be wrong . that would allow us to ripen the teach- of 180 meters located in Barranco, a lovely A Ling, a Gar with its big and challeng- ings, that could hold new practitioners, district where art and nostalgia meet . Al- ing spaces, what are they? Why are they and where we could be all together . So, we ready, there was place where our Manda- important? I hope we will be able to dis- found a space of fifty meters, located at the la could fit, where we could dance Khaita cover and recognize them fully some day . heart of Miraflores, a commercial district of and organize courses, where we could have To develop Norbuling, to practice in Com- Lima . Now we had a space, but we lacked a Library, a Dharma shop with the books munity with clarity and without fear, with its name . So we wrote to our Teacher ask- of our Master, another Dharma shop with everybody and for everybody! ing for a name for our place . Meanwhile, objects made by our practitioners, and a Let it be! we named it Norbuling, because it was his space where we could sell many things to place . Rinpoche answered us: “I am very support Asia Onlus . happy that you found a place, if you want, Now, four years have passed by in the you can call it Norbuling.” life of Norbuling . It has been growing slow- And so, four years passed by and only a ly, little bit little, and has been recognized . few of us gathered there to chant, to play Sometimes, we are only a few and other our bells and drums, to recite mantras that times we are a lot, as it usually happens might have frightened some of our neigh- in the rest of our Communities worldwide . bors . Sometimes, we were packed in there, But nothing stops us! We are very stable

28 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in Venezuela and Tashigar Norte

The Story of an Extreme Gar

Carlos García

ery probably, the first person that wrote the word Buddha in the ter- Vritories what we now call Tashigar was the Venezuelan main hero, Simon Boli- var: “The Liberator”, two hundred years ago in 1815, in his famous “Letter from Jamaica”: “The South Americans have a tradition that says when Quetzalcoatl, the Hermes or Buddha of South America, resigned his min- istry and left, he promised to return after the uneven centuries had passed, and that he would restore his government and revive their happiness . This tradition is not stimu- lating the conviction that very soon he will reappear . Do you imagine what could be the effect produced, if an individual appeared manifesting the characteristics of Quetzal- coatl, the Buddha of the forest, or Mercury, of who have spoken other nations?” 1 One day a Buddha came to Venezuela, because the conditions were auspicious, olic Church, through the Cardinals Castillo gar North was purchased in the Valley of the karma was already mature . The city of Lara and Lebrún . It gave the opportunity Pedrogonzalez . Rinpoche chose the land became the first place where the of a group of practitioners who were living what now is the Gar for many different Dzogchen teachings were propagated with here to meet to His Holiness Dalai . reasons . One of them was the presence simultaneous translation into Spanish . It During the next year Chögyal Namkhai Nor- of a local guardian called Beta . She is fe- was in 1986, and this Buddha was our pre- bu came back to visit Caracas, Cumana, and male and her territory includes part of the cious teacher Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, and Merida, spreading Dzogchen teachings, re- North of Margarita Island . She welcomed it was also His first visit to Hispanic Amer- turning again in December of 1996, and fi- to Rinpoche in dreams offering flowers of ica .2 Rinpoche was invited by the Cara- nally, in 1999 doing a retreat teachings in the “Nomeolvides” (cordia sebestena) and green quenian Elías Capriles, who, after some Experimental Station “Jaime Henao Jaramil- stones which are commonly found in the time, became the first Santi Maha Sang- lo” what is part of the UCV (Central Universi- Tashigar Norte land closer to the moun- ha instructor with the Spanish as mother ty of Venezuela) at 15 km from Caracas . We tain . Rinpoche said she has an incommen- language and the first official translator can say it closed the cycle of “Caracas Teach- surable beauty, so wonderful and charm- of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu into Spanish . ings”, that were given to small groups of peo- ing, that is impossible to see for a normal Rinpoche returned to Caracas in 1989 and ple composed mainly by Venezuelans and in human being without dying of bliss and the people who in 1990 would collaborate direct and close contact with Rinpoche, who happiness, and the main point: she under- to find Tashigar South, met Rinpoche for was called by the local community - in that stands the Dzogchen teachings . the first time . For this reason, we could say moment - just “Norbu” . The teachings of this On the advice of the Dakinis, Rinpoche Caracas is the cradle of the Spanish-lan- cycle were more connected with the prac- opened the Longsal Cycle of teachings (or guage Dzogchen Community . In 1992 the tices contained in the old thun book . The Luminous Clarity of the Universe, Heart visited Venezuela on his first The next cycle started with the visit of Essence of the Dakinis) in Tashigar North tour in Latin America, invited by the Cath- Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in 2001 to Margar- in 2002 . It was necessary to write a per- ita Island, giving a fantastic Dzogchen re- sonal letter to Chögyal Namkhai Norbu treat in the Miragua Hotel, in Playa El Agua . and receive the approbation from the main 1 Simóm Bolívar, Escritos Fundamentales. Mon- There was already the Tashigar North proj- guardian of the Dzogchen teachings, Eka- te Ávila Editores Latinoamericana 1ª Edición 1982 – ect and a team was looking for the land . jati, to assist in the retreat and receive the 6ª reimpresión 1997, Caracas. 2 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu went to Spain in 1981, The Venezuelan Gilberto Parrella was the initiation . but not giving teachings just for a public talk. project manager . In 2002 the land of Tashi- >> continued on the following page

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 29 Entrance road to the Gar. Wall of the Gonpa. Photo by Paolo Fassoli

>> continued from previous page somehow integrate everything, otherwise in another country . To be on the Gakyil in Tashigar North is one of the main cen- we could be in risk to fall totally in confu- Tashigar North means almost to live per- ters of the International Dzogchen Commu- sion and suffering . Maybe for this reason manently inside and work every day . The nity . It was built to be the main residence of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu . Each Gar has its own national identity; something that is characteristic in our case is the interna- tionality . Merigar West, is managed mainly by Italians, Kunsangar by Russians, Namg- yalgar by Australians, and so forth . It helps to communicate better because the people use the same language, the same culture, and more or less the same values . Tashigar North is different . Historically the Venezu- elans were a minority . Our Community is very small, so for that reason we never de- veloped lings in Caracas or Mérida, maybe because we are a minority as shareholders of PCTN . The participation as Gakyil, Gekö, secretary, caretaker, etc, is the same, but this tendency is changing slowly in the last years . Another difference with the others Gars is the village inside . Only Tashigar South has something similar – but with much more space between the houses and with the Gar itself; somehow it helps to make clearer the difference between the Gar and the “The Tashigar Mandala”, which Signing for the land of Tashigar North. is how our brothers and sisters from the south call their village . the Metsün Padma Paldzinma said elements are so strong too: the furious In Tashigar North it seems that every- to Chögyal Namkhai Norbu that the con- wind; the massive rain and storms; the thing is mixed, is also a Lhundrub gar, a ditions for the Dzogchen teachings in Mar- heat and the powerful sun; the earth re- place of movement, external and internal, garita Island are perfect 3. sisting the erosion of the others elements; our passions and circumstances are mov- The Gakyil works in a different way too . and, the totally clean sky in summer, make ing faster than other places . Everyone who It is not as in other Gars where the people Tashigar North a wild and furious place spent enough time in Tashigar North say could live in another city and sometimes full of massive manifestations of wisdom! “karma moves faster than other places Tashigar North is an extreme Gar . and gars” . These conditions help to push 3 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Longsal Teachings, us to be present and awake to be able to Vol. 4.

30 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Inside the Gonpa. Photo by Polina Makhaeva Enjoying at Zaragosa Beach.

In this scenario, surrounded by some of training of Santi Maha Sangha; Vajra Dance easy at all . The internal conflict has conse- the most beautiful beaches of the Caribbe- and Yantra Yoga in 2002; the first Drubchen quences in all the aspects of the life of the an, Rinpoche gave – until now – more than of the Dzogchen Community in 2007; and inhabitants . But also this situation is open- in a secret place around the island, Chög- ing a lot of opportunities for serious practi- yal Namkhai Norbu hid some terma teach- tioners . For example in Venezuela is easy to ings: this last particular event is the better live with 100 USD per month and the Gaky- sacred seal of the promise about the pres- il is giving facilities to accommodation for ence of Teachers and teachings in Venezu- practitioners who seriously would like to ela’s future . come to practice and collaborate . With 1200 But the samsara is samsara, and in 2009 USD one person could come and do person- during an amazing retreat, the second al retreats for one year, finish the practic- Drubchen of the Dzogchen Community, just es of Santi Maha Sangha, do long personal when it seemed that Rinpoche would defi- retreats of Mandarava, etc . Our Gönpa and nitely live here, some heavy security prob- mandala are very accessible and open 24 lems were developing until it ended with a hours, seven days a week, it is fantastic for theft from Rinpoche’s house . These events people who want to do retreats or intensive changed the destiny of everyone linked practices of Vajra Dance . We have had regu- with Tashigar North, including our Master . lar visits of Santi Maha Sangha instructors His intention to have Margarita Island as such as Steven Landsberg, Adriano Cle- main residence was not according with the mente, Elías Capriles and sometimes Jim circumstances of the moment . The idea to Valby . The Vajra Dance instructors Bodhi close or sell Tashigar North manifested as Krause and Carmen Rivas are visiting us a ghost . The Dakinis in dreams advised to often, and the Yantra Yoga instructors Dina Rinpoche to not do that . The next year Rin- Prymak and Marisa Alonso too . poche came back and gave a retreat, but a So, Tashigar North is now the place of few months later the intensity of the rain the opportunities for serious practitioners provoked a flood what damaged part of our who want to develop – with little money – Photo by Paolo Fassoli infrastructure, covering with a big layer of their practices in a sacred place located in a mud the floor of the Gönpa . All the local beautiful and warm island in the Caribbean . thirty retreats, including Thögal teachings, community was collaborating intensely to Something that we already learned Tregchöd, Semdé Longdé and Upadesha, clean the Gönpa and repair everything that here in Tashigar North is: everything could many of the main Longsal teachings, Anuy- they could . Rinpoche returned at the end change in one day, the opportunities will oga including the initiations of , and gave a wonderful retreat between the not wait for you forever, the life is short and Mandarava, Vajrapani and four times the last days of 2011 and the first days of 2012 . the time is passing . Longsal Root Initiation of Jñanadakkhini . His more recent retreat in Tashigar North Come to Tashigar North to enjoy and de- Other interesting historic events that was in March of 2013, until now when I’m velop your practices with us in the hidden happened in Margarita Island, like for ex- writing these words . Longsal Paradise, where the Dakinis said ample: the first worldwide webcast of Rin- It’s necessary to say the political and the conditions are perfect to the Dzogchen poche’s teachings in 2001; the first teacher economic situation in Venezuela is not practices .

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 31 Vajra Dance Courses for People with Special Needs in Caracas, Venezuela

Carmen Rivas, Vajra Dance Instructor

t the beginning I felt many doubts . . Doubts about my ability to perfect- Aly communicate the Teaching of my Master for people with “disabilities “ or “spe- cial needs” . But, of course, no doubt that these young people would receive a great benefit by learning the Vajra Dance…This time they would learn the Dance of the Three Vajra … Carmen Rivas and the participants. as Rinpoche agrees . I never had the opportunity to teach an the sense of being respectful that each of ily, moving his right arm and hand almost organized group of people with mobility them does not necessarily have our same naturally without much effort, and with problems, motor coordination difficulties, space management, understand that each excellent coordination . He says, and also intellectual difficulties and language dif- of them does not necessarily the same rel- his mother says, that this is the result of ficulties before . I was studying and pre- ative time management, each of them is his very enthusiastic practice of the Dance . paring for people with special needs be- very particular with regard to attention in Achilles can only (for now) practice the fore the course, including by establishing explanations and in their way of commu- Dance of A, from his wheelchair . friendship with some people with special nication . Dzogchen TV: https://youtu.be/fyBJVMvmBjI needs . This was a beautiful experience . I I decided, according with the circum- I cannot say that they danced perfect- had taught on some occasions, two blind stances, to teach the Dance in two parts, ly in time, space, sound and movement, no, ipractitioners in Tashigar North, (the man- respecting the dimension of my students, they are seriously trying to integrate the dala in the Gonpa of TN so permitted by the so the first part consisted in the boys Vajra Dance in motion, in space, in time type of construction) I have also taught the learned the dance of the internal and management, but we were all practitioners Dance to people with missing hands, peo- the girls the external Pamo . of the Dance of the Vajra . ple with difficulty hearing or moving the Then afterwards, the Gakyil of Caracas I can say that in the mandala together legs, however this new course had been organized the second part of the course we go beyond our limits . It was very posi- organized by the Dzogchen Community of where children learned the missing part . tive for them and this is confirmed by com- Caracas especially for these thirteen peo- In conclusion: Together on the mandala, ments from parents, teachers and thera- ple with special needs, different needs . dancing, we went beyond the our relative pists . This was also confirmed by the team The first day of the course I had many limits as we were all practitioners of the that worked together and made this course expectations . . you understand … Vajra Dance and as we were all happy danc- possible: Gakyil, practitioners of the Com- But that day I became convinced that ing in the mandala . monwealth of Caracas who came to work, they were sincerely interested in the Vajra I learned a lot from my “special” students people from civil society in Caracas who Dance because from the time we set out and they also learned a lot of the Teachings donated; all made these courses possible the mandala together for the first time, of Rinpoche . by moving the wheel and all working in they started having serious questions Parents, teachers and therapists re- different ways . about what the Dance is, and during class, ported serious improvements in various I can say that these young people have even when they had difficulty of movement aspects of the life of “our” students: more the ability to continue to practice on their or coordination, they showed much inter- mental clarity, more patience, more happi- own and some of them do very well . Some est and presence, certainly managing their ness because of better integration in home of them collaborate with each other . We own difficulties and doing the best with- and classroom, less stress, and improve- should not consider them as more dis- in their limitations, and also being relaxed ments in the movements of the body . Here abled people to the dance, they are very, about it!!! This encouraged me a lot during is a poignant example: Achilles Heredia is very capable and they have already shown the courses . a young man who was born with severe that . Just take note that we all have certain Also the collaboration of some practi- neuromotor disorders; he had failed to characteristics that require them more pa- tioners from Caracas in the mandala was move his right arm and hand to bring food tience, clarity, effective communication in important . to his mouth, even though he is a Paralym- our own dimension, joy in the way of teach- I maintain that a very important as- pic gold medalist . But during the realiza- ing, and remaining relaxed and open . pect is to teach very patient way; discov- tion of the second part, he showed us, very ering and deeply understanding them in happily, how he could eat much more eas-

32 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Dear Rinpoche,

nfinite thanks for giving the Gakyil of Caracas the precious opportunity to or- Iganize the First Vajra Dance Course for Young People with Special Needs . It was a World First . The Instructor Carmen Rivas led the Course of the Dance of the Three Vajra for Young People that are part of “Ikanos”, Organization of Special Inclusion, for boys and girls with intellectual, physical diffi- culties and motor disorders . The Gakyil, inspired by the Principle “The Virtues of Generosity and Donors” of our beloved Master, asked the Caracas Community for their collaboration . It was a success . The Course was free of payment Carmen Rivas (right) and Maria Octavia Campins (left) at the TV studio. and we covered the entire Course . We also received donations from people and institutions not from the Community . The first part of the course took place in Caracas from October 13–17, 2014 and creat- ed a link between Young People with Spe- cial Needs and the Vajra Dance . Halfway through the Course, Carmen worked with circumstances and decided that the course should have a Second Part in order to not force Young People with Special Needs beyond their capacities . The second part took place in Caracas from May 19–22, 2015 . It was also free of payment . Tashigar Norte, Caracas Community, and Merida Community had the opportunity to collaborate, and also, people and institu- tions outside the Community . We had a fantastic experience in the second part of the course as some of the people from the Community who had col- laborated with donations decided to come to the course to work and help . This second part was covered by the national media (TV, Newspaper and Radio) Carmen and friends. thanks to the donation of a high level pro- fessional person, Mrs . Angela Oraá, who The result was: works as a Communication Advisor . · An article on the first page of El Diario­ El Two Radio programs: Universal with an interview of ­Carmen · Broadcasting station La Romántica 88 9. Rivas . El Universal is the oldest newspaper FM Placeres Urbanos . with national circulation in Venezuela­ . · Broadcasting station La Nueva Mágica (99 .1 FM) . Casos y Cosas de Fraga Three TV programs: · El Noticiero Televen (The News of the At the end of the course the evolution of Day) . the Young People with Special Needs from · “Mujeres en Todo “ , Globovisión . (inter- Ikanos was noticed by their Parents and viewed Carmen for 8 minutes) their Teachers . · “Con Todo y Penzini”, Globovisión . (inter- viewed Carmen and Maria Octavia Camp- Gakyil Azul of Caracas ins as a Blue Gakyil of Caracas) Maria Octavia Campins

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 33 the warm lush beaches of the Caribbean Dekyitling beach of Puerto Viejo . We look forward to have our Maser visit us again some time, Costa Rica we hope! Also during these years we had sev- Federico Herrero eral retreats with Carmen Rivas, Adriana Dal Borgo, Elias Capriles, Steven Lands- ekyitling means place of joy, and berg, Marisa Alonso, Nataly Nitsche, Anna that is the name our precious Mas- Neyman and our local instructor Gloriana Dter gave to a small Ling in Costa Brenes (Titi) and from January 25th until Rica . This year we are celebrating Dekyit­ the 31st, Nina Robinson will come and of- ling’s 9th Anniversary in San Jose, Costa Rica . Through these years, the Ling has been in different locations, and currently we are in the heart of downtown San Jose . It has a very easy access for everyone to reach the ling and it big enough to fit two Vajra Dance Mandalas! Some of the activities we are doing are Yantra Yoga on Tuesdays and Fridays led by Fiorella, and on Wednesdays and Sat- urdays we do Vajra Dance . We are only a few practitioners, and as you can imagine, the group and the Ganapujas are some- times bigger and sometimes smaller, but it always feels new, and very recently it feels especially stable and fresh . Since last Thursday there have been around twenty people at a small retreat with Jim Valby, who is visiting us from Massachusetts . We fer a wonderful Mandarava retreat . Thank are so happy to have him back after two you all for visiting, sharing the knowledge, years and this is his third visit and we look helping and working together with us! forward to have him again some day . Everyone is welcome to come and share During these nine years the most amaz- the joy . We look forward to continue prac- ing thing that happened was Rinpoche’s ticing and making new friends in Dekyit­ visit to Costa Rica in October 2010 . The re- ling! treat was beautiful; our ling at that time was in an open place with a garden full of butterflies and humming birds . After the retreat we spent some time with Rin- poche and Rinpoche’s family, swimming in

34 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 where one is enlightened listening to Ami- Great Living da Buddha’s teachings) Path of the Buddhist, in this specific case con- (In the pure cerning the practice of love (hiji) . Chapter 3, on ’s well-known, Encounter between seemingly paradoxical statement “Even a Master and Disciple) good person can attain birth (in the Pure Land), how much more readily, then, the person with bad karma”; chapter 8, on By Kemmyo Taira Sato non-practice and non-good; and chap- American Buddhist Study Center ter 10, where Shinran elucidates his own Press, 2010 master Honen’s teaching on nembutsu as the meaning of non-meaning, all deserve Andy Lukianowicz special attention . I was also entranced by his brief discussion of the myokonin (un- worldly saint) Asahara Sai-chi (Sato his is a wonderful book on Japanese has published in Japan a collection of his Shin or , a way of poems; the final chapters Suzuki’s Mysti- TBuddhism as yet little known in the cism Christian and Buddhist are devoted west, that essentially teaches reliance on to translations of 146 of Sai-chi’s poems) . Amida (Amitabha) Buddha’s Original Vow However I would emphasize that the whole to take into his Pure Land of Great Bliss on the Tannisho, based on a series of lec- of Sato Sensei’s work merits careful read- (), through his grace (Other-pow- tures delivered at London University and ing and rereading . er, Amida’s unconditional love) rather that then the Buddhist Society, London, Sato There is in this book much to ponder their own calculating practices (self-pow- Sensei provides readers with a broad yet at and much to be learned, for example on er), all those who recite the nembutsu: his the same time comprehensive understand- the issues of motivation, practice, and re- Name (ten times, or once only according ing of some key components of Pure Land alization, for according to Shin Buddhism to other interpretations) . It also addresses, Buddhist belief, the major one being that of it is precisely by giving up one’s egoic pur- in particular, those generally disregard- Other-power (tariki) or reliance on Amida’s suit of enlightenment through determined ed by Buddhist teachers and associations: original vow . practice, relying on self-power, and instead poor, unlettered, and ‘evil’ people, unable Sato Sensei acknowledges his debt to surrendering to Amida’s Other-power, that through talent, opportunity or occupation Suzuki, not least in the choice of words understanding and self-knowledge dawn . to undertake standard accepted Buddhist for his title: Great Living, the term Suzuki A truly remarkable, engaging work by teachings, practice and lifestyle . used in his translation of Shinran’s master- a contemporary teacher of an ancient tra- Sato Sensei’s book consists of a volume work Kyogyoshinsho to render gyo, usually dition, encapsulated in a twelfth century of essays and commentaries on Tannisho, a translated as “practice, teaching, faith and text, making these teachings as relevant Record of Lament over Divergence, a collec- realization”: not ritual or meditation but today, in the west, as eight hundred years tion of sayings of the great Japanese Pure the way we live our lives is our practice . ago in Japan . Land Master Shinran (1173-1262) as spoken, Sato Sensei also recalls a memorable As Sato Sensei succinctly yet eloquent- often in response to a question, to his dis- teaching given by Suzuki when he com- ly puts it: “Once true faith is attained, ciple Yuien-bo . The intent was at the time pared partial reliance on self-power to to- the Name works with absolute freedom to correct some heterodox interpretations tal reliance on Other-power through the throughout the whole individual ”. of Shinran’s thought that were circulating different ways a monkey and a cat mother at the time (some decades after his death) (respectively) carry their young; grasped, among his followers . Our author has rec- so her young must grasp, too, in the for- reated, over a period of eight centuries, the mer case, and gripping in her mouth, so relationship (or as the subtitle has it, en- the kittens need do nothing in the latter, counter) between master and disciple . a wonderfully homely, everyday, yet mem- Switch to our own times: Sato Sensei, a orable image . Pure Land master in charge of the Three Sato Sensei’s own careful attention Wheels Buddhist Community in Acton, to translation is evident when (in chap- west London, is a disciple of the Lady Pure ter 4) he discards the usual translation of Land master Eaki-ni, and he also had the kawarime by the static term difference, in good fortune and privilege to be sent by favour of the dynamic turning point, shed- her to study, probably the last, of the great ding fresh light on the transition Shinran Japanese Buddhist master, translator and taught from the difficult (to realize) Path commentator Daisetz T . Suzuki, the great- of the Sages – all other, conventional, Bud- est promulgator of Zen, and towards the dhist practices – to the easy (to practise, end of his life also Shin Buddhism, in the consisting only in recitation of Amida’s west . And in his essays and commentaries name, and easy to enter Amida’s Pure Land

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 35 Reflections

table as this may be for romantics, it is the The Mantra inescapable reality in which we live . Nonetheless, these structures are pure- of a Fanatic ly mechanical and cannot be transposed to the dimension of individual spirituality, “My Spiritual Path is Better” where things don’t work in a mechanical way . Organization in spirituality is accept- Elio Guarisco able only on the grounds that it allows fa- voring the conditions for sharing experi- What happens when the organization In this issue Santi Maha Sangha teacher ences and the continuation of knowledge . of a spiritual path becomes a cage? Some- Elio Guarisco talks about spiritual organi- In order for it not to become a cage there how one’s uniqueness as an individual is zations, the need to maintain a fine balance should be a fine balance between one’s in- erased, and we feel we have become part between the evolution of the individual and ternal relationship to faith as an individual of larger unity, a larger identity . This iden- his or her outer activities, and not losing and one’s interaction with others . Working tity, however, is not the whole universe; oneself in the group dynamic that may turn for a ‘spiritual’ organization is only bal- it is limited only to the sum of the other into fanaticism. anced and personally meaningful if outer members of the unity, only to the set of activity is matched with the evolution of beliefs or non-beliefs we endorse . When the ability to examine one’s motivations this identification or sense of belonging aith is essentially an individual mat- and mental states . is not matched by the understanding that ter . When faith is transformed into It is unwise to think that the construc- one is actually part of the whole universal Fan organization, it embarks on a per- tion of buildings, temples, ashrams and race, without distinctions of color, beliefs, ilous path . There is a small story that re- monasteries is of the utmost importance, etc ., there comes about a division superim- counts: and that the individual is the sacrificial posed between ourselves and others, be- The devil was walking down a path with goat for such endeavors . The individu- tween our spiritual group or religion and a friend . At a certain point, in front of them, al and his or her evolution should always that of others . a man bent down to pick up something remain the focus . One may object and say What happens here is that the ego dy- from the ground . He looked at it and then that both endeavors can be accomplished namic of ‘oneself and other’, ‘mine and put it in his pocket . The friend of the devil at the same time; this is true . However, yours’, at the larger level of a group, com- said, “I wonder what that man has picked we have a strong tendency to fall into ex- munity or religion, becomes a mob-like up?” “He found a piece of truth”, answered tremes, which leads us to emphasize one excitement flavoring our sense of partici- the devil . “Ah, that is bad for you”, remarked over the other . We either become over in- pation . At the individual level we consid- the friend . “Oh, not at all”, answered the volved in organizational activities, neglect- er ourselves better than others; now we devil, “Now I will do something in such a ing our personal evolution, or retreat into start to consider our spiritual group, sect way that he organizes it ”. the space of our room to apply different or religion as better than those of the oth- When we try to organize faith there is spiritual methods, ignoring the fact that, ers . This, matched with uncritical zeal and the risk that it becomes crystallized, or without interaction with others, these obsessive enthusiasm, gives rise to fanati- worse, that it dies . Faith can become a be- methods lead nowhere . For most people a cism . And if the mob-like excitement of the lief, a sect or religion to impose on others, fine balance between the two is a compli- group or religion is not well directed, it can as has often happened in the history of re- cated matter, so some get lost in one way easily turn into ugly fanaticism . ligion over the centuries . while others get lost in the other . Fanaticism takes on different forms, but The first peril is that the organization Thus retaining one’s uniqueness as an one that is common is the attempt to affirm we create becomes a cage, a weak point individual is of extreme importance . This the supremacy of its own beliefs, behavior that paralyzes the individual and prevents does not mean to be self-concerned indi- and so forth, thinking that the world will him or her from evolving and discovering vidualists, like those who always want to be better, will have peace only and once all the unconditional truth . start their own school, their own politi- have embraced their fanatic faith . In the How do we deal with this peril? One cal party, or their own spiritual group . On meantime however, there is the struggle could say that there is no need of organiz- the contrary, in finding maturity in one’s of affirmation, and that struggle does not ing anything . This, however, is not a feasi- uniqueness, there comes about the motiva- resemble at all the peace fanatics’ vision for ble choice, for we do not live isolated from tion and the space for dealing with others the future . the rest of the world . Especially in modern without losing balance . Even though the followers view the ac- society we continually make use of orga- tivities of the group or religion as the most nized structures in every aspect of life: important in the world, no considerable transport, communication, education, jobs, part of society cares about them, unless recreation, and payments . Almost nothing they become a threat to established so- falls outside organized structures . Regret- cial values . Thus, they create an imaginary

36 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 limbo separated from the rest of the world, To talk and say that one should not be gion comes after . When we can meet oth- which is their world, without understand- a fanatic is easy, but to have the spiritual ers at the basic level of being human, re- ing that such a world is a fantasy . This maturity that does not make us a fanatic is gardless of their degrees of evolution, ed- would be humorous, if it were not for the a totally different matter, especially when ucation, and so forth, prejudices, suspicion negative consequences that such a condi- faith in one’s teacher, in one’s spiritual tech- and doubts fall away, leaving space for real tion can bring about . In fact, what often niques and views, are over emphasized and communication and understanding . happens is that the lack of integration with not matched with the aspect of discerning Moreover, to shun fanaticism, it is good society leads the followers of the group to wisdom . Buddhists, for example, like to say to be aware that, on one hand, if we apply perceive society as a threat, and develop a that things are unreal, but then hold on to a special spiritual teaching that we find paranoid relation with it, with the ensuing the very body of the teaching, which pro- very beneficial not only for ourselves but attitude of defending oneself in every way, claims unreality, as if it were real . also for the collectivity in general, it is our using violence and attacking society in a Not being a fanatic does not mean ignor- particular responsibility to concentrate on violent way . ing the differences between beliefs, views, the preservation of that teaching . It is just Another aspect of religious fanaticism methods, spiritual groups and religions . To normal to appreciate the value of things is submission to an authority . There is no understand such differences is an exer- for what they are, so if we do not do that, doubt that someone who has knowledge, cise of intelligence and an essential part of it means we are ungrateful individualists . compassion and love, spreads a beneficial self-discovery . On the other hand, the way we present, influence on others; but this is not the How do we deal with the peril of becom- or not, that teaching in front of others is a same thing as authority . Authority does ing fanatics? By examining the working of different matter . To force our view on oth- not really belong to the realm of spiritual- one’s mind, by remaining anchored to one’s ers just because we consider it the high- ity where truth is an individual discovery own human dimension as an individual, est, good or very beneficial is silly . There and imposition cannot aid such discovery . and by acknowledging that everyone is an are different kinds of people with differ- Instead, the uncritical submission to an au- integral part of a whole universe . ent interests and capacities . Knowing first thority embodied in an individual, a scrip- Fanaticism breeds when ordinary emo- who is in front of oneself, one does what ture considered sacred, or a set of rules, is tions are not recognized and examined . In can be helpful . There are people for whom always part of fanaticism . Such submission such an environment of ignorance comes a bottle of whisky is all that they desire in can transform followers into militants, into the idea, “I am superior! My views are bet- a given circumstance, because their under- war machines whose principles can hardly ter! The others are apostate! They need to standing of what is meaningful and brings be reconciled with true spirituality . be redeemed or annihilated!” Recognition happiness reaches only that far . In that It is important to understand that the of the working of emotions and of their ca- case, the best teaching is to offer a bottle difference between our beliefs, which pacity to create illusion and fantasy leads of whisky . maybe be very refined and advanced, and automatically to a growth of consciousness other beliefs that may be primitive and that we can call spiritual maturity . When backward, does not really matter . In every this occurs there is understanding of the group, community and religion we can find relative nature of all methods, of all sys- reasons and assertions why one’s method, tems, of all views, and the ensuing freedom one’s spiritual path, one’s view and so forth from attachment to even one’s own spiri- are better than those of others . Strict stan- tual path . dards and little tolerance for contrary ideas Instead of projecting a fantasy regarding and opinions turn us into fanatics . a future golden age, a fantasy regarding fu- As we become religious fanatics we lose ture world peace and happiness, it is better our dimension as good-hearted individu- not to fight in the present . It is better to als . Now we need to impose our views on create the conditions for collaborative and others so all the world will endorse them . harmonious living now, by abiding in and But this cannot be easily accomplished; caring about the present moment . Caring others have their own views that they are about our immediate surroundings in the attached to or used to, and wanting to push first place - people and environment - as if our views obviously leads to clashes . Here they were one’s family and one’s house . We the basic emotions that we experience at need to work with the present, and that it- the individual level, like pride, jealousy, and self will automatically set the way for the anger, are fueled by the energy of being future . shared collectively . These emotions be- Usually we regard others who are of a come powerful, more powerful than nucle- different race, who have different habits, ar bombs, until the whole situation turns beliefs etc ,. with suspicion and doubt, to into a disaster of conflicts and war . This say the least . And we adopt an aggressive is where fanaticism can lead, and we can stand toward all that is unknown and new witness that nowadays in many corners of to us . But in reality there are more things our world . we share with others, than those that di- vide . In the first place, we are all humans; the construction of beliefs, views, and reli-

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 37 A Journey to the Sacred Land of Larung Gar, Kham (Tibet)

One of the Largest Buddhist Institutes in the World

Sabina Ragaini Text and photos

t’s afternoon and the wind whips around the hill sacred to Dorje Legpa that rises Itowards a clear sky dotted with light clouds . We are at more than 4000 m above sea level: Serthar County, Kham, East Ti- bet, in what is now the province of Sich- low houses, in dark brown wood or brick, an center, in which all uan (People’s Republic of China) . February . topped with painted red roofs . Seen from could be represented and where devotees The icy air moves the many prayer flags afar the center looks like a nest of termites, could come to study and meditate, even whose bright colors break the aridity of a disorderly cluster of small buildings from though attention was increasingly shift- the land, dry and hard on this side of the which a few large temples jut out in its long ed towards the school . Here the hill . From time to time we have to stop to and troubled history . highest level of doctrinal preparation for a catch our breath and admire the magnif- Wumin Foyuan, in Chinese the Buddhist monk could, and still can be, achieved, ris- icent scenery in the clear light, the river Institute of the Five Sciences, is an academy ing to the title of kenpo . The site was cho- below completely frozen, the dust rising from the little-used road . Up on the pass a few pilgrims have placed bottles full of stones in the midst of many lungta, a new way of paying tribute . On the other side of the hill the natural scenery changes, all at once light green on the hills, on the slopes . This changing color of the land in Tibet is always incredible . Along the trail that is almost complete- ly frozen at the base of the hill, the prayer wheels are turning and the images of Pad- masambhava, and, above all, Dorje Legpa appear in all their power . The hill is also sacred to the Buddha of Medicine; in certain niches along the path you can col- lect a little earth with medicinal properties . The monk replies politely to our ques- tions – he is and will be an extraordinary guide for a unique journey to a corner of the world that is unimaginable in today’s troubled reality . Thanks to him, it will be founded in 1980 in an uninhabited valley by sen because for centuries it had been sa- possible to make a real pilgrimage to tem- Jigme Phuntsok, an eminent lama cred to the Vajrayana . The autobiography ples, monasteries and the surrounding of the Nyingma tradition, of the great of the great terton Terchen Lerab Lingpa, places that are permeated with an atmo- Terchen Lerab Lingpa, one of the masters who visited the valley in 1880, describes the sphere of profound sacredness . of the thirteenth Dalai Lama . A highly re- place as “a hermitage for liberation through A few kilometers from the high hill spected Master dedicated to spreading the the great body of light”, residence in the appears the Buddhist center of Larung Dharma, Jigme Phuntsok was best known past to thirteen practitioners who obtained Gar, one of the largest and most influen- as Choje, lord of the Dharma . To give new the “rainbow body ”. tial centers for the study of Tibetan Bud- life to Buddhism and benefit sentient be- A prophecy of the first Dodrupchen Rin- dhism in the world and particularly known ings after the end of the Chinese Cultural poche, a great siddha who lived in the eigh- for practicing Dzogchen . A myriad of tiny Revolution, Choje founded this nonsectari- teenth century, reads: “In the Danjian Ala

38 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 to interrupt the teaching of the texts of the Master and Buddhist doctrine, thus ensur- ing the Academy a life that is still surpris- ing in its intensity and authenticity . Built with the support of a hundred or so students, Larung Gar has incredibly ex- panded with the passing years . The fame of the Academy, the depth and the high level of the teachings that are offered has driven thousands of Tibetans to go there . The cen- ter was, and is mainly directed to monks and nuns, although there is the possibility for some ordained lay students to reside . Today there are more than ten thousand students, with the peculiarity that more than half are women . In addition, about a third of them are Chinese from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore as well as from oth- er provinces of the People’s Republic of China . It seems that in 1987 it was Choje’s Mutian Larung valley, Guru Rinpoche will free religious expression of the monks and visit to Wutaishan, the sacred mountain appear as Jigme . . His teachings of Sutra nuns who lived there . The central govern- of the five peaks dedicated to Manjushri and Tantra will shine like the illuminating ment ordered all the students to leave the with more than sixty Buddhist temples in sun and his activities to benefit beings will center and when they refused to leave their Shanxi Province, north China, that made be able to hold up the heavens and sustain lives as practitioners to return to their fam- it known to Chinese Buddhists some of the earth . He will draw sentient beings ilies, most of the Academy, along with all whom followed him to the arid land of from the ten directions to lead them on the the countless small houses and monaster- Kham, regardless of the prohibitive natu- path of liberation . . “ . ies, was razed to the ground . Notwithstand- ral conditions of the center, located at over 4000 meters, with cold winters and Spar- tan accommodation . Today it is the Chinese monks who show their endless admiration for Tibetan practitioners, for their good karma as custodians of the teaching and for the way they express themselves with a humility worthy of being emulated . Life within this huge “village” is dictated by the rhythms of the lessons that are held every day, morning and afternoon, divid- ed into different classes, by study, by mo- ments devoted to debate and, of course, by practices, some daily, other as scheduled . Classes for Tibetan monks and nuns are in the Tibetan language while those for Chi- nese monks and nuns are in Chinese Man- darin . Accommodation for men and women are strictly separated, as are the monaster- ies that house male and female students . For decades Larung Gar has been known for the practice of phowa that, while the After meeting many important repre- ing, teachers and students resolved never to center was directed by Jigme Phuntsok, sentatives of Buddhism, in the 90s, Jigme leave the place and, with the help of many was done every day after his lesson . In Phuntsok was invited to India by the four- practitioners, the center rose again, bigger those days when someone died in the area teenth Dalai Lama to receive and give than before, with the approval of local gov- surrounding the Gar, the body was brought teachings to His Holiness . In the following ernment less opposed to the dharma . to the center for the final ritual . Even today, years he devoted himself more and more When Jigme Phuntsok died in 2004 fol- almost every day, on a hill not far away, in intensely to teaching and was able to bring lowing complications after a heart oper- a building whose architecture is curiously many disciples up to the level of Kenpo . ation at a hospital in Chengdu, China, the very Chinese, sky funerals take place with The early part of the twenty-first centu- Academy had more than 300 kenpo who, the dismemberment of the corpse of the ry was terribly tragic for Larung Gar due to by mutual agreement with the students deceased . the violent campaigns directed against the and attendants of Larung Gar, decided not >> continued on the following page

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 39 >> continued from previous page are particularly numerous . Of all ages and It is a day with a clear blue sky when my backgrounds, they have faced long arduous monk-guide decides to take me to observe journeys to reach this place which is more the ritual . The families of the dead, some than fifteen hours of travel from the near- practitioners and some people who are just est large city along a rough road because curious stand near the hill . The “butchers” of bad weather . Even before dawn on the perform their duties with detachment and day of Losar the center echoes with the precision on three bodies while, high up, mantras recited in the monasteries . Some along the ridge of the high ground, hun- loudspeakers carry the sound as the sun dreds of vultures line up patiently and in slowly rises from behind the mountains an orderly way . that surround the town . Once the butchers finish their task, they In the central hall of the gonpa of the move away from the place of dismember- ani, nuns huddle side by side concentrated on the reading of the texts . The space is large and there are several thousand wom- en of very different ages: older women with skin deeply marked by their years sitting close to young girls wearing small nuns robes that the older sisters have helped

ple robes . They are sitting in rows, mark- ing the reading of the texts with a regular rhythm, then, at certain times they change their positions, turning to the side, or turn- ing their backs on the row in front of him . Even here the recitation of the texts con- tinues throughout the day . In the other two gonpas the Chinese monks and nuns are reciting . The texts at Larung Gar are often writ- ten in two languages, the original texts in Tibetan letters which are followed on the ment . As if they had received a command, lower part of the page by Chinese charac- the vultures swoop down from the hill, ters that are the phonetic transcription in some in flight others gliding with their tal- Chinese of the pronunciation of the prac- ons sweeping the ground until they throw tice in Tibetan . themselves on their meal . We can see noth- Chinese is, against all expectations, ing but the beating of wings and the beaks the lingua franca, as is English with us, rising and falling, listening to the screech- because no one here, in my experience, ing of the birds . In a small cave not far away, speaks a Western language . Even here the we can hear the beat of the ­damaru of the Tibetans study Chinese in order not to be person officiating . Another chodpa shortly isolated socially and economically from arrives, kangling in one hand, in the other a the world around them beyond the moun- damaru that is still covered . With his dark to fix . The gonpa has three floors, each of tain, while the Chinese study Tibetan as a skin, slow gestures, he uncovers the dama- which has side rooms off the corridor that , with great difficulty due ru and begins to turn it with a rhythm ac- runs along the open central quadrangle . to the radical difference of pronunciation companying the recitation of the practice . From the top we can admire the central and writing . A linguistic coexistence that It is a sound that brings some peace . hall on the ground floor where we hear is amazing but at the same time calming In the highest part of Larung Gar, the the beat of the big drum . In every corner in a situation that is so unique, for the ease Gyutrul or Portentous Temple opened in small prayer wheels are turning . Some of with which festivities can be celebrated 1995, stands out for its beauty and bright the rooms seem to be reserved for small bidding farewell to the Tibetan year of the colors . It has twenty-two chapels dedicated groups of young students, including some horse and welcoming that of the sheep . to divinities belonging to different schools . male children . This year the rituals for Lo- Out of monasteries the streets are At its feet is the kora where starting at sar are headed by the Abbess of Ani Gompa crowded, monks and nuns moving hur- dawn, pilgrims follow one another turn- and for this reason the female temple is the riedly through the narrow alleys between ing the great prayer wheels and running most crowded . the houses as they move from one place their fingers over their malas in continu- In the gonpa of the male monastery the to another . In some corners and in areas ous mantra recitation . monks are less numerous, although the where the sun never strikes ice makes ev- At this time of year, the days before and room here is very full . The monks are dis- ery passerby step carefully; ice often makes during Losar, the Tibetan New Year, they tinguished by their yellow or reddish-pur- >> continued on the following page

40 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 Saying Farewell to Namgyalgar South

Jan Cornall (Text and photos)

s you may or may not know, our Namgyalgar South property on Athe southern slopes of Mt Gulaga near Central Tilba, has been sold . With the flourishing of the teachings in Asia and establishment of the Chinese Gar, it was deemed no longer sustainable to have two Gars (Namgyalgar North and South) in Aus- tralia . After several months of negotiation contracts were signed on November 3, 2015 . Another Dharma group, The Insti- tute (Sakya) will soon become custodians of its forests, paddocks, creeks and slopes, its wombats, wallabies and waterfalls, for another blink of an eyelid in this ancient Gulaga landscape . Mt Gulaga is considered to be the place green after all the good winter rains, the up on a fig boulder with a sheer drop to the of ancestral origin for the Yuin people who flame tree was flaming and wombat fami- valley below . It felt like we were perched in have lived in this area for thousands of lies seem to love hanging out at Jean’s me- a tree half the size the mountain . We knew years . Gulaga itself symbolises the mother morial seat, which looks across the saddle we had limited time there and it was hard and provides a basis for Aboriginal spiritu- and up to Rinpoche’s freshly painted house, not to have Joni Mitchell’s line, ‘you don’t al identity, the mountain as well as the sur- built so many years ago by local and over- know what you’ve got til its gone,” ringing rounding area holds particular significance seas members . in our heads as we descended the moun- for Aboriginal women . Before the packing up began it was time tain for lunch . Actually none of us wanted A small group of us gathered at Namg- to revisit the mountaintop where over twen- to leave . The mountainside was filled with yalgar South on the October long weekend ty-five years ago the plan to make the gar a heady perfume as every flowering tree, to help pack up and say our goodbyes . Here for the Asia Pacific region was hatched . The bush and tiny wild orchid sighed their dak- are some pictures from that alternately sad owner at that time, Mal Dibden, took Jean ini’s breath into the clear Gulaga air . and joyous time . Macintosh and others up the mountain on After lunch we joined the hardcore kar- The Gar was looking glorious . Every- his tractor . Georgia, our gekö, had recently ma yoga workers, Lydia and Jilli who were thing that could possibly be in bloom was slashed the path so we headed up on foot . sorting and packing our reference and blossoming . The juniper trees planted At the top boundary of the land are great borrowing library for transportation to along the drive way were just reaching a boulders wrapped in the roots of ancient Namgylagar North . And the tireless Jen- good height, the road was in perfect con- fig trees (reminiscent of Angkor ) . We ny O’Donnell (who has been a mainstay in dition, there’s a new disabled parking spot sang the Song of the Vajra at the spot in the handling all the fine detail of the handover), next to the gonpa with many other details rocks where Rinpoche buried sacred ob- gave us wrapping and packing tasks . Peter having been attended to . The land man- jects back in the 90’s and sang again on the Phipps was on ladder duties . It was hard agement committee and local members steps of the rushan hut built by Rabgyi, and not to be distracted by old photos we came had been hard at work for months prepar- Arnaud in recent years . Then Georgia led across . Thankas needed to be careful- ing the property for sale . The saddle was us to the eagles nest, a viewing point high >> continued on the following page

>> continued from previous page groups: the girls look like princesses, the Gar, along the road leading to the town of it dangerous simply to visit the public young men like knights and the women Serthar, in whose main square the wheel of baths, used by a great many students who queens . The semi-precious stones in their the dharma is prominently placed on the do not have toilets in their houses and also rings enhanced by time, embedded in their top of a column . by pilgrims living in the guest house where earrings or forming great necklaces . After It is a quiet Losar in this corner of the the bathrooms are out of order because all visiting the temple, some will go up to the world, perhaps a special Losar, not dis- the pipes are frozen . kora around the Portentous Temple or to turbed by external factors . In the few squares and courtyards in a space below prepared for prostrations, At Larung Gar the rituals continue in front of the temples lay Tibetans dressed while others will go down to the festivities the temples as the sky darkens and night elegantly in their best clothes stand in in the family homes built outside Larung falls .

THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 41 >> continued from previous page perhaps not the last supper but definitely ly rolled and bubble wrapped . Rinpoche’s the last lunch! After lunch, there was some Ode to room had to be packed up And a great more sorting, shifting and packing . There album of photos of Namgyalgar history was even time for a beach outing before Namgyalgar South brought back memories of all the retreats meeting up for fish and chips in Bermagui . over the years, all the hard work, hard fun While most of the walls of the ­Gonpa Viki Forscutt and bad fashion! Meanwhile on the veran- were now bare, the shrine was be the dah, Asher and Miro doing research into last thing to be packed up and shipped to over many years Places of Mystery, decided Namgyalgar Namgyalgar North . weaving a rich, colourful tapestry of South could definitely be one of them . I spent my last night in the dark/light connectedness At 4 pm we met in the Gonpa for a retreat cabin, going to sleep with the stars gradually growing our big vajra talking circle, which we hoped would help and waking up to a spectacular sunrise . family give expression to the feelings we had After doing some practice in the dark re- through collective practice and about saying goodbye to this extraordi- treat cave, I made my dedication to the karma yoga nary place which has been a center of the next custodians wishing them all the best sharing meals and stories, laughter Dzogchen Teachings and Community since for their time on this glorious practice and tears gathering in the spirit of collaboration to create a beautiful Gar on Gulaga Mountain like an exquisite fashioned by many hands, hearts and minds now dissolving and blowing away on the winds of change challenging us to accept and integrate the experience of in a non-dual way beyond pain and pleasure and fear

in the Vajra and Samaya we remain connected in the Transmission with our beloved Master and with each other

1994 (when we had our first off-land retreat A LA LA HO with Rinpoche in the area) . Passing the va- jra around from person to person, we spoke whatever came to mind: a feeling, a story, a memory, anecdote, a wail, a rant, a rave, a reflection . . generous time, energy, practice, donations, It was a helpful process . We kept going offerings, spirit, tears, sweat and goodwill until we couldn’t go around any more . At to the life of Namgyalgar South in the Tilba the end, before our last Ganapuja that eve- region of New South Wales . A small local ning, we were invited to jot any thoughts or team was left to finish off the packing in feelings on pieces of paper, which we col- readiness for the removalists and finally lected for next day’s sang . private caravans were moved to other lo- At 8 am we gathered on the saddle for cations . our sangqod . Peter Phipps led us in the As we turn our energies northward to sang offering . Catherine Simmonds added mountainside . our gar in Queensland, we trust that the our papers to the branches of juniper and As I left, I arranged the cushions thus, Dzogchen teachings will continue to thrive lavender along with some mantras from reminding myself, as Rinpoche always not only in the Glasshouse Mountains, but old practice books, as the wind took their does, that wherever in the world I manage in all the regions of Australia/Pacific and smoke away across the valley . to sit in contemplation, is the most perfect the global community . Then it was back to work dismantling and precious place to be . For the past twen- As this article goes to air, Rinpoche is in the poles near the Gonpa where we collect- ty or so years Namgyalgar South has been residence at the Gar for Australia and the ed the garden buddhas . one of those places . Pacific, now simply known as Namgyalgar, Soon it was time for another delish col- Huge thanks must go to all those who having lead a six day retreat on the ancient lective Gar meal in the campers kitchen, over so many years have contributed their Dzogchen text, Dorje Sempa Namka Che.

42 THE MIRROR · No. 130 · December 2015 How I Met Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

Viki Forscutt outside and a tall Kuan Yin statue inside, where I would offer flowers and incense eflecting back on my life it seemed and sit for a while . It felt very familiar and like a road was mapped out for me comfortable to me as if I had done this in Rwith various indications and signs a time past . pointing me in the direction of the Teach- For a period of time I was going out to ings, though I was to take a few detours be- disco’s, taking drugs and so on and be- fore I reached this destination . gan to realize I was treading a meaning- I grew up in the far north of Australia less path . At that time I was fortunate to in a region of immense natural wilderness meet someone who had received Teachings where the European population was quite from H E. . Kalu Rinpoche in India during small and there were many clans of indige- the 1970’s . Instantly we felt a strong rec- nous (Aboriginal) people still living in a tra- ognition and connection and subsequently duced to him by one of his students who ditional way, performing ancient rites and went off traveling together for two years had been to a retreat with Rinpoche . When ceremonies . As yet there was no television into the remote Australian outback and we started singing the Song of Vajra at the thus as a child I wasn’t very aware of the desert, which completely changed my life’s end of our calm meditation, I was strong- rest of the world of even Australia . direction . During this time I came to read ly drawn to the Dzogchen practices and When I was young I used to have color- books on Buddhism and meditation such wanted to know more about them . ful, vivid dreams and was quite psychic and as ‘The ‘Opening of the Wisdom Eye’ by H .H . Then some practitioners from the Dzog­ telepathic, often ‘seeing’ events before they Dalai Lama and ‘Tibetan Yoga and other Se- chen Community in Australia came and occurred . I found this hard to comprehend cret Doctrines’ by WY Evans-Wentz . I also did some retreats at the Wat and I began in the context of a white, working class started to practice meditation following in- to learn the practices . I was very eager family . During my adolescence I made con- structions from various books . and borrowed books and audiotapes and nections with indigenous people from all Following these travels I developed a started practicing alone, always having the different places, including medicine men, strange illness affecting my eyes and ner- intention to meet the Master and receive ceremonial elders and singing men and vous system, but doctors couldn’t deter- transmission . Then Fabio Andrico came had some interesting experiences . I also mine what it was or the cause . My body and taught Yantra Yoga at the Wat and also went into many empowered, sacred plac- and mind were very imbalanced and I was demonstrated the A HUM Dance on a es where strong energies and spirit worlds desperate to find a ‘cure’ but to this day I mandala Jean Mackintosh painted on a were active . This presented a very different still experience a variety of debilitating shed floor . world-view to the one I was born into . symptoms . Khantipalo declared himself a student In the 1970’s when I was a teenager, a lot It was an immense blessing that at this of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and in 1991 an- of “hippies” traveled through my hometown time I discovered my first Teacher, Vener- nounced he’d be disrobing so I returned of Darwin on their way to and from Asia . able Khantipalo, an Englishman who or- home to Darwin where I enrolled in a I thought they were colorful and interest- dained as a Theravadin monk and trained computer course . Unfortunately I soon be- ing as they wore exotic clothes, jewelry in Thai monasteries for 11 years, then came bed bound as my health deteriorated and oils from India, carried Buddhist arti- helped establish . and yet again doctors couldn’t explain the facts and incense and often had ‘spiritual’ For five years I lived and volunteered as cause of my condition . names . They also used and sold drugs like the secretary at the retreat center (Wat A few years later in 1994, thanks to the marijuana, which I succumbed to trying . Buddha Dhamma) he established in bush kindness of a friend who assisted me to All the while I remember thinking there land near Sydney . Here I undertook austere travel to Singapore, I finally met the Master was something mysterious in the Asian meditation training, developing insight and and received transmission! Thereafter I ap- region that they were missing and I han- and gradually became more plied the practices diligently and slowly my kered to know what it was . calm and stable . Karma Yoga and practic- health improved somewhat . Then in 1995 I It took quite a few years and several ing generosity was a significant aspect of traveled to southern Australia to attend hurdles until I was to discover that . the training and I helped with the running the first retreat with Rinpoche at the new- During my young adult life I had some of the center, organizing meditation re- ly established Namgyalgar (later known as profound experiences, which were per- treats and so on . ‘Namgyalgar South’) where I’ve remained plexing and gave me the sense that there The center eventually became more ever since, volunteering in an administra- was a ‘higher’ knowledge beyond my mun- eclectic and hosted several retreats lead tion capacity for the Dzogchen Community dane existence and somehow I would find by teachers of various Tibetan traditions, in Australasia until now . the key to this . including Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, and so Words cannot express my deep grati- In my late teens in Darwin I found my- I discovered methods using mantras and tude for our Master and his Teachings! self spontaneously visiting an old Chinese visualization . At this time Khantipalo was ‘joss house’ (temple), with a large secretly doing Dzogchen practices intro-

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