September 2001
In This Issue
ON THE VAJRAYANA PATH - Dzongsar Khyentse RinpocheLONGCHEN
NYINGTHIK NGÖNDRO PRACTICE RETREAT AT SSRC
DZONGSAR
KHYENTSE RINPOCHE VISITS CHAGDUD GONPA
INTERVIEW:
GYUTO MONKS' SPOKESPERSON SONAM RIDZIN
DHARMA
DATES:
-Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche's Visit
-Tsoknyi Rinpoche Visits Australia
-Dalai
Lama Attends Forum
-Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche's Retreat
-Hevajra Retreat
-White Lotus Children's Sponsorship Programme
-Join Gesar Springs Community
-Lama Ngawang Jinpa
LONGCHEN NYINGTHIK NGÖNDRO PRACTICE RETREAT AT SSRC
From 21 December 2000 to 7 March 2001 Sea to Sky Retreat Centre hosted its longest group programme to date - an 11-week-long Longchen Nyingthik ngöndro practice retreat with Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche in residence.
Exactly six days prior to Rinpoche's expected arrival and the start of the retreat, amidst the flurry of organising, preparing and setting up, we had the first and biggest snowstorm of the season - 36 inches of beautiful, fluffy, pristine powder… falling…falling…without pause…for 24 hours. Staff and volunteers shovelled and plowed, then came more snow for hours without stopping…and again more shovelling of the same paths over and over, with more plowing of the road day and night!
With much dedicated help, the pavilion was set up beautifully as a teaching hall and the entire facility was cleaned and prepared for Rinpoche's arrival and the start of the retreat. We were finally ready! Then Rinpoche arrived, bringing with him clear blue skies and more winter sunshine than this area had seen in many years! We had very little snow during the rest of the retreat, which was very rare. Rinpoche remarked that the weather was being "very cooperative".
Some 70 sangha members attended the retreat, staying from one week to three months and coming from across Canada, the United States, England, Switzerland, Germany, France, Australia, Hong Kong and Taiwan. One of the major highlights was the added opportunity to host Lama Nyingkula from Bhutan and Jampel Dorje Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche's younger brother. Lama Nyingkula had visited SSRC several years ago. After assisting Rinpoche with the Vajrasattva empowerment in San Francisco, he arrived at SSRC to perform pujas that Rinpoche had requested. He taught some retreatants how to make tormas and to fill images for consecration. During his entire stay, he worked long hours to fill our many requests, and we are so very grateful to him.
Rinpoche's brother, Jampel Dorje Rinpoche, was a delight to host. His spontaneous unpretentiousness was truly refreshing. It was wonderful to have him join Rinpoche and retreatants in the informal after-dinner discussions.
In addition to these two guests, we also had the honour of Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche visiting SSRC for a day. At our request he gave the oral empowerment of the Longchen Nyingthik ngöndro and also answered many retreatants' questions regarding practice. We were pleased to have the opportunity to meet him.
During the 11-week retreat, there were some other spontaneous and special events. We had a delicious Christmas dinner where everyone pitched in to help Bavie in the kitchen. On New Year's Eve Rinpoche performed a marriage blessing ceremony for Doug Rickson and Suyin Lee of Vancouver. We were all witnesses to this special occasion and recited prayers and poems, as flower petals were scattered in the air over the heads of Rinpoche, Suyin and Doug. The atmosphere was thick with blessings and joyful celebration.
We celebrated Losar with a spontaneous gathering with Lama Nyingkula and Jampel Dorje Rinpoche. A group of about 50 people gathered in the pavilion in the morning. We recited traditional prayers, offered Rinpoche scarves, tsampa and saffron rice with raisins. After the offerings were made, Rinpoche asked individuals to offer songs. We then had lunch and, shortly after, we returned to the retreat schedule. All who were present for these events were happy to have had the opportunity to share these experiences with Rinpoche.
The SSRC staff would like to thank all the retreatants for their dedicated work and their understanding of the limitations of the facility. Their constant dedication and unstinting help was a benefit to everyone throughout the entire retreat. Our only wish was that we could have been able to accommodate more people in this retreat. Unfortunately, due to the limitations of the retreat centre and Rinpoche's advice as to numbers, we were unable to announce the retreat publicly.
Finally, every one of us would like to express our deepest gratitude to Rinpoche for his kindness and generosity for manifesting the auspicious circumstances for this retreat. We all pray that our small prayers and humble offerings will gain merit for the benefit of all sentient beings.
Melitis,
Bavie and Heather
