No. 105 July, August 2010 Upcoming Retreats with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Photo: L. Gräf 2010 Italy Merigar West September 17–19 Zhitro Purifi cation for the Deceased France 52 participants received their diplomas from the Master for teaching SMS, Vajra Dance and Yantra Yoga. Photo: P. Fassoli September 24–26 Teaching at Karmaling Spain October 1–7 Teachers’ Training Barcelona Retreat: Ati Dzogchen Tregchod, a Terma of Rigdzin Changchub Dorje at Merigar West October 11–13 Canary Islands Retreat Giuliana Giromela Venezuela For the Santi Maha Sangha Base Level: October 22–28 or the fi rst time the Teachers’ Train- For Vajra Dance and Yantra Yoga, the Tashigar Norte Retreat ing of the Santi Maha Sangha, Vajra main teachers, Prima Mai and Adriana Dal Yeshi Silvano Namkhai, Italy FDance and Yantra Yoga was held at Borgo for Dance and Laura Evangelisti and Mikael Kazaryan, Russia Costa Rica Merigar West, August 23–29. Clear sun- Fabio Andrico for Yantra, present the can- Raffaella Blasi, Italy November 5–9 ny days provided the background to the didates who wish to become local teachers Igor Legati, Italy Costa Rica Retreat retreat, a very important moment for the to the Master, after they have completed Oliver Leick, Austria Brazil whole Community and attended with great supervised courses and have been assessed Wes Guo, China November 19–23 interest even by those who were not can- for their knowledge and skills. Steven Landsberg, USA Brazil Retreat didates. The fi rst candidate for the Santi Maha Oleg Troyanovsky, Russia – Moscow The Teachers’ Training is essential for Sangha, Khyentse Yeshi Namkhai, was a Jacek Machowski, Poland – Warsaw Peru the growth and the preservation of the perfect example for the whole Community. December 1–5 Dzogchen Teaching for future genera- Candidates from all over the world For the Santi Maha Sangha First Level: Peru Retreat tions and the Master and the Community showed their courage and their great com- Fabio Risolo, Italy Argentina listened and examined the candidates that mitment by offering their skills to the Mas- Alexander Gomonov, Russia were presented. ter and to the Community. Tashigar Sur For Vajra Dance First Level: December 8, 10–12 am In order to participate in the Teachers’ The Master’s questions alluded to the Collective Practice of Mandarava Training for the Santi Maha Sangha, those integration of the Teaching in daily life and Iwana Zagroba, Poland who feel themselves to be ready send their the meaning of the Santi Maha Sangha. Zoltan Cser, Hungary request for admission to the exam with a The Master gave teaching certifi cates to Lenka (Tchernobay) Kroh, Germany 2011 presentation letter from their own Gakyil all the candidates. Kyu Khandro, USA December 27–January 2 to the Gakyil at the Gar where the exam is Anna Neyman, Russia – St. Petersburg Christmas Retreat held. Salvatore di Carluccio, Italy – Naples >> continued on page 6 January 4 Partial Solar Eclipse 25 Spaces of Samantabhadra practice January 14 Teaching Teaching Focus Ganapuja January 19 Chögyal Namkhai Khyentse Dzogchen Mandarava practice and Norbu Yeshi Silvano Semde Ganapuja Keeping the Teaching Namkhai New Zealand Pure and Authentic A Two-Part January 28–30 for the Future Interview Weekend Teaching >> continued on page 4 » Page 2 » Page 3 » Pages 9–13 THE MIRROR · No. 105 · July, August 2010 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu 2 Keeping the Teaching Pure and Authentic for the Future First day of the Teachers’ Training At Merigar West, August 23, 2010 ow we are starting the Teachers’ Training of the Santi Maha Sangha, Yantra Yoga and Vajra Dance. NFirst of all you know very well what Santi Maha Sangha means and you should be aware of it. It is related to our Dzogchen teaching – the base, path and fruit, and also to the point of view, application and attitude. When we do the levels of SMS, fi rst of all we do the base, then the fi rst level and the second level, etc. Many of you may have done it and already know. First there is an examination and before the exam you should register so that we can know how many people are registered to do the exam. Then when we go on to the fi rst level exam, etc. I always ask the people participating to bring some infor- mation from their local gakyil that introduces that person, because when we do the exam we should know about the person’s point of view, their application and attitude. If we don’t know who the person is and they register and come here to do Santi Maha Sangha, how can we accept them? This is not a kind of primary, middle or secondary school. I always repeat that this training is linked to transmission Photo: D. Ibragimov and teaching. I always work and give a lot of importance to the Com- In this retreat, for example, I said that we would do the not just for my name and the name of the Dzogchen Com- munity but not because I want to make money or to live. I Teachers’ Training of the Base and the First Level of Santi munity. People who are following need to have this knowl- do this only for the future, so that we continue the trans- Maha Sangha, and the First and Second Levels for Yantra edge in a concrete way. Then when we do Santi Maha mission and teaching generation after generation. We Yoga and Vajra Dance. But you all should have communi- Sangha training and teachers’ training it has some sense. need to continue with the teaching pure and authentic cated with the Gar. I waited many days for the Gar to give In many places, for example, where there are no teachers and also the attitude, meditation practice and knowledge me a list of the people who want to do the exam. Then I and where people want to learn how to apply the teaching, of the point of view. The principle is not that we are main- understood that they were waiting for me – it seems that I it is very useful to have qualifi ed teachers. taining a Gar or a kind of dharma centre. This is some- should be doing the secretarial work for the Gakyil. This However, we are not doing it like some other dharma thing very important not only for those who do the Santi is not my job. People who ask me [about the exam] may groups where they do some publicity to attract people Maha Sangha Teachers’ Training, but also for those doing think that since they have asked the teacher, everything is there. Then if someone is a bit interested and wants to do the base exam. okay. But I am not doing Santa Maha Sangha Teachers’ that kind of work, they participate 2 or 3 times in a retreat, Yantra Yoga and Vajra Dance are also connected with Training in my home. We are doing it at Merigar West, in are immediately qualifi ed and allowed to teach. If some- transmission of Dzogchen. There are some parts of Yantra this temple. There is an organization and so those taking one has some land or a house and wants to start a dharma Yoga and the Vajra Dance that can be useful for people who the exam should get organized, make a request, register centre, they are very happy, call the person a ‘teacher’ and are not seriously interested in the teachings, but the main and then the organization gives me the list of the people start up a dharma centre. What is their aim in doing that principle is related to the teachings. For example, you registered. Yesterday I fi nally received a list of people and – for creating the possibility for them to spread their tra- should read the Yantra Yoga book very carefully where, at this morning I got up at 5 o’clock in the morning to pre- dition. What is the aim of this tradition - making money the end, we have the words of Vairocana. This is all a kind pare the programme. and getting more power everywhere, not for realization. of preparation for getting into knowledge of Dzogchen, Now they tell me that there are two people who are not If their aim was realization they would give teaching and which we should then develop. Then Vajra Dance is con- present. Why haven’t they given me a presentation of these transmission in a correct way. nected directly with integrating into the state of contem- people? You know very well there is Santi Maha Sangha It is not enough only creating something in a new age plation. If we think it is only an ordinary dance why don’t Teachers’ Training and I can’t go after people one by one. style. The Dharma teaching taught by Buddha Sakyamuni we learn some other type of dance. Vajra Dance is differ- This is something in general, not only for this time. Re- and his followers already has the qualifi cation for total re- ent, it is important. member that one of the most important practices of the alization. Some Westerners who are following dharma say In particular if we say Teachers’ Training you should Dzogchen Community is being present, not distracted. If that they need to integrate other things such as a psycho- understand what ‘teacher’ means. ‘Teacher’ doesn’t mean you are present you would have known for months that logical system and then they do dharma in new age style. If someone who is only doing practice. It is someone who there would be a Teachers’ Training, so why didn’t you it is necessary, why didn’t Buddha teach in that way? Why has tawa, gompa, chöpa – knowledge of the base, path and register and make preparations? People are already dem- do we call Buddha omniscient? If Buddha had been omni- fruit – everything, and has also the capacity to integrate.