September 2000
In This Issue
HEART ADVICE -from Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
MONTH
OF THE GUINEA PIG -
Longchen Nyingthik Ngöndro Retreat - Vajradhara Gonpa, April-May
2000
SEA TO
SKY RETREAT CENTRE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM
JAMYANG
KHYENTSE WANGPO AND THE RIS-MED MOVEMENT
WHITE LOTUS SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME
NOTICES
- Dalai Lama to Visit Australia in 2001
- Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche
- E-Dharma.net
SEA TO SKY RETREAT CENTRE IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM
Sea to Sky Retreat Centre is Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche's North American retreat centre, located on a secluded site of extraordinary natural beauty in British Columbia, 100 km north of Vancouver. It lies on the forested shoreline of an alpine lake, completely surrounded by a Provincial Park and other undeveloped forestland.
The fully winterised centre is equipped for hosting year-round programmes on site. A wide variety of events including contemplative group and individual retreats, in-house or solitary retreats, healing, yoga, and human potential workshops take place here.
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche has taught Longchen Nyingthik ngöndro and Vajrakilaya fire puja retreats here in the past. In addition, Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche and Jetsun Kushok-la have also conducted teaching practice retreats. Our future programme will include Matthieu Ricard in November 2000 and Rabjam Rinpoche in August 2001.
At the moment SSRC is maintained by a full-time resident staff of four, with additional help from a team of people from the Vancouver-Whistler area. Expansion of SSRC has been a fond dream of many people for the past year. After several on-site explorations with Rinpoche, the dream of expansion is now coming true. During walkabouts with Rinpoche, we learned that the SSRC land is a place for healing. This is so because of the presence and abundance of water, high mountains, tall trees and birds, all of which are very conducive for meditation practice and healing.
From these precious interchanges with Rinpoche we now have some specific building projects. Up to eight stupas will be built with gardens surrounding them. In addition to the stupas, up to seven retreat cabins are planned for several sites to be completed by the fall of 2001. Other building projects in the long-term plan include a mani wall to be built at an appropriate site, a mani wheel to be installed at the stream on the way to the mid-level cabins, a reading room, teahouse and library to be combined in another structure, and outdoor pedestals for butter lamps to be auspiciously placed. Also, an outdoor meditation deck overlooking the lake will be constructed under the canopy of evergreens.
The process of expanding the facilities of SSRC began with the re-evaluation of the existing foundation of energy. The goal was to provide reliable energy sufficient to run all current appliances that could be expandable to meet future needs. Our small, old propane generator has been replaced by a micro-hydro unit backed up by an industrial-strength diesel generator. The micro-hydro system has worked better than anyone could have imagined! For the past six months almost all of the energy needs of SSRC have been provided cleanly and quietly by water flowing from the mountaintop. With this reliable and easily expandable energy system, we can now plan for additional retreat cabins and other new facilities.
Over the past many years, numerous volunteers, sponsors, practitioners and visitors have contributed to the centre in various ways. As well, Rinpoche has sent several of his monks from Bhutan to join the SSRC team. It is through their efforts and Rinpoche's presence that this special place has developed its purpose and meaning. We hope that with the additional retreat cabins, we will be able to better serve practitioners on their paths. Those of you who would like further details about visiting or doing retreats at SSRC can contact us by e-mail at ssrc@sprynet.com or ssrc@siddharthasintent.org or phone 1-604-932-1677. Please visit our website at www.SiddharthasIntent.org.
May all of our endeavours - past, present and future - bring benefit to the Dharma, fulfill the wishes of our Teacher and maintain harmony within the Sangha.
Melitis Kwong and SSRC staff
