Updates and Last Call for 30th Anniversary Festschrift Submissions

Last week I met with Sheryl and Walter Jaffee on behalf of the Khandroling Paper Cooperative Festschrift project that we've been working on for some months. Many thanks to them for their enthusiastic and generous participation in this project especially volunteering to make the actual festschrift book to hold all our artistic and literary offerings. Thus far, many people from Europe have contributed. We are also looking to include US Practitioners of the Vajra Dance who were inspired by introduction to this precious practice. 

Here is an excerpt from a group poem submitted by Julia Donoho composed at a group retreat of Goma Devi with Enzo Terzano (sorry about the formatting)

Homage to the vast dimension in which we discover the joyous aspect of our real nature

Where all is always good, where love is not an option, and where rigpa is self-arisen

Loving kindness does not strive to exercise great compassion, it is great compassion

May the luminous essence of clarity of the teachings arise in us without interruption

Homage to the precious Master, may he and numberless disciples achieve the rainbow body

Sheryl is our resident master papermaker and instructor. Her husband, Walter is a professional musician working at Old Sturbridge Villiage. In his spare time, Walter enjoys making beautiful handmade books for relaxation and often in collaboration with his wife, Sheryl. His books are made in the traditional method with acid free materials so that they last many generations. While visiting them, Walter showed me a book he was repairing printed in 1647. The miracle of acid free paper!

{Discussing the various approaches to signatures an dinserts that can hold the submissions without bulging out}

To date about 25 submissions have been sent to us from all over the world. We decided to design the book so that future submissions could be added. Most of these submissions are either photographs or visual arts. It would be great to have a few literary or written homages as well. 

{A combined leather and handmade paper cover sample. Sheryl showed us her exquisite end-papers she is designing with the colors of Goma Devi and made with sacred substances}

There is still time to submit your work, please contact me. You can email an attached jpeg or word document. Please email to jacqueline.gens@gmail.com
Including a brief biography. 

The literal meaning of "Festschrift" is Celebration (Fest)  Writing (Schrift).
Writers and Artists--come join the celebration through your homage to the master and lineage!

Sheryl will be teaching a master papermaking workshop free to members of the international Dzogchen community in July-- a rare opportunity to join in the world-wide movement of handmade paper that sustains communities everywhere. Sheryl has traveled the world collecting information and knowledge, which she loves to share with others.  

Visit the link below to view a great video on traditional papermaking in Tibet at the Dege Printing House as part of the Rubin Museum's exhibit "Illuminated the Art of Sacred Books."   Our process is very similar.


http://blip.tv/rubin-museum-of-art/paper-making-the-art-of-sacred-books-6127712