Sunday Around the Gar

While Jim Valby presented a SMS Level II weekend at the yellow schoolhouse, members of the growing Khandroling Coop team (below) met to discuss the coming season at Rinpoche's house on Lower Khandroling. 

For those who would like to enter into the SMS training, each Tuesday Tsegyalgar East hosts a Santi Maha Sangha Base Level Study Group online via Webex at 9:00 PM - 10:30 PM. The study group primarily reviews, The Precious Vase and base practices with some opportunity for discussion among the participants. Collaborations with various authorized SMS teachers occurs whenever possible. The study group is limited to 25 participants from the US.

[SMS level 2 participants with  Rinpoche summer 2013 at the farmhouse on lower Khandroling]

If you would like to participate, please register online so that you can receive an invitation to join the Webex meeting each week. 

For further information about the study group, contact Elisa Gonzales at ejgon@hotmail.com.

[Team present left to right: Nary, Paula (hidden), Jess, Vern, Sean, Yuchen and Joe]

The Khandroling Coop team meets periodically. The Coop is open to all members of the DCA, eveyone is invited to participate or present a new project for consideration. 

Even though our activities at present are agricultural that does not mean that other activities can not be accepted, such as trades, crafts, husbandry etc.

All projects which can be pursued in a cooperative environment have the possibility of bringing benefit to the DCA are welcome. 

For further information visit the Khandroling Coop webpage

[Photos by Jacqueline Gens]

News from Khandroling Paper Cooperative

While in search for a permanent home, for now Khandroling Paper Cooperative will winter over in Turners Falls, MASS where KPC members will host monthly open studios for the next few months. 

Once a thriving industrial town specializing in paper making, we were heartened to see the 19th century 

paper mill logo matched our own KPC logo (see stack above)--an auspicious and inviting coincidence. This summer in 2014 we will return to our outdoor fun demonstrations and at least a couple of workshops at the yellow schoolhouse or on Khandroling.  Turners Falls is an artist friendly town not far from our Community centers. 

FESTSCHRIFT UPDATE

Following Prima Mai's message to the International Dzogchen community in support of the Khandroling Paper Cooperative's FESTSCHRIFT project as part of our 30th Anniversary celebration and Mandala Inauguration on Khandroling, we received many excellent submissions.  Please continue to send jpegs of your art work and word documents of your poems, prose, writings. Just email to jacqueline.gens@gmail.com  including a small biography along with your attachments. It's quite simple. Limit 1-2 pages per person. However, if you need more pages, let us know how many and we can discuss if there is room. If you are writing in your native language, please include an English language translation so Rinpoche can read your offering. We've received some amazing images and poems. Please join the dance and continue to send in work for this worthy project.  

MASTER CLASSES IN PAPERMAKING DEDICATED TO THE INTERNATIONAL DZOGCHEN COMMUNITY

Papermaking is not everyone's idea of meaningful and fun activity (messy, wet, cold). If you've tried it and fallen in love with it or love handmade papers, we invite you to participate in a Three-day Master Workshop this summer (July 2014) with our main instructor Sheryl Jaffe especially designed for international community members who are interested in permaculture and the arts and/or wish to acquire knowledge how to start their own paper cooperative using the native plants of their region as well as recycling papers and rags. Here at Tsegyalgar East, we are interested in using recycled sacred texts and substances in our line of calligraphy papers. But one can develop numerous other products. PAPERMAKING is an outstanding activity for many special populations and is  universally present in many cultures. Sheryl has collected samples from all over the world that she uses in her classes with us. DATES TBA DURING THE SUMMER EVENTS in July 2014. This would be nice even for kids or people just wanting to make some paper but we wanted to also offer it as a professional development for community members. There is no cost for this workshop. If interested please let us know.

The Tibetan people used handmade paper in a variety ways including block printing of texts, door way mantras, edible mantras and for an amazing array of calligraphic fonts for written compositions. Many great masters often execute sacred mantras and seed syllables as a secondary cause for liberation through seeing. Here at Khandroling Paper Cooperative we like to celebrate the Tibetan culture of paper arts and calligraphy. One of our unique qualities is that we recycle sacred texts into paper used for sacred purposes, thus strengthening our intention. 

TASHI MANNOX TIBETAN CALLIGRAPHY WORKSHOP

This year we are happy to have master artist and calligrapher Tashi Mannox join us at the Shang Shung Institute in a co-sponsored event with Khandroling Paper Cooperative to introduce us to the art of Tibetan Calligraphy. We invite you to join us April 4,5,6 in Conway MA for his workshop. He is also scheduled to give a lecture/demonstration at the Rubin Museum on April 2 as part of their exhibit on Tibetan medicine. Visit Khandroling Paper Cooperative here for a full description of the workshop and link to Tashi's amazing biography. Visit his website here. 

NEW PRODUCT!!!   KPC HOMEMADE BLACK WALNUT INK

[our Dragon Song ink, Turkey feather quill and tiny scroll with KPC chop]

Last my not least, we've made our first batch of handmade black walnut ink (thanks to Diane Sievers and her sister). We've asked a young Zen practitioner Erin Riorden, at Tassajara Zen to test it out in one of  her marvelous ink washes.
KPC member, Margherita in Toronto will design the labels.

We are calling this batch of ink "Dragon Song" after Zen master's Dogon's famous sutra, which Erin sent to us. 

WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS for 2014--Coming soon as we finalize some dates. 
Visit our main blog at http://www.khandrolingpapers.blogspot.com for further information and contacts. 

[our beloved critter making pulp]

   

Webcast of Tibetan Singing and Dancing LIve from Dzamlingar

Ludroi Tshogschen: A Gathering to Sing and Dance

January 24th-28th, 2014

Open webcast, Dzamlingar (GMT+0) Canary Islands, Spain
Be sure to link below to determine your local time as the times below are for the Canary Islands in Spain.

Schedule

January 24 5:00 PM Introduction

January 25 5:00 PM Performances from singers and dancers from all over the world

January 26 3-4:30 PM Workshop of modern Tibetan dances led by local community experts followed at 5:00 PM by Rinpoche talking about Tibetan songs and dance.

January 27 (same as January 26)

January 28 3-4:30 PM same as January 26 & 27. Performance at 5:00 PM  of traditional Tibetan Song and Dance by Topgyal, Tsering, and Sithar.

For further information and connection to a world clock converter,  visit http://www.shangshunginstitute.net/webcast/

Click here to watch a video on Dzogchen TV

A Few News Briefs from Tara Mandala our Dam Trog Sister Organization

Carol Baily, a divorce mediator and long time Tara Mandala member was recently interviewed by CNN when presenting her manual on conflict resolution GRIDLOCK to members of US Congress. View here.

The Magyu lineage webcast with Lama Tsultrim is now online


Lama Tsultrim Allione will be presenting an overview of Tibetan Buddhism along with Menpa Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo presenting on Tibetan Healing Arts during Fabio Andrico's course on  Yantra Yoga Teacher Training at Kripaulu in March 2014. For their events schedule visit the Tara Mandala website.

An Invitation from the Khandroling Coop to a Meeting on Sunday, January 19, 2014

The meeting will be at the farmhouse on Lower Khandroling, 160 East Buckland Road, Buckland on Sunday, January 19 at 1:00 PM

Obituary for Tom Kehoe who died January 14, 2014

Tom Kehoe, a member of the Tsegyalgar East community, died peacefully this morning, Tuesday, January 14. 

Joyce, his loving wife, said,  "He silently and peacefully took his great leap to love at 3:35 AM this morning." 

We send the family our love and wish for the kind hearted and loving Tom all the best in his travel in the bardo. May he realize quickly and with ease. Please do Shitro for him.  -- Naomi Zeitz

There will be a full moon ganapuja and Shitro for Tom at the yellow schoolhouse in Conway at 7:30 PM on Wednesday, Januaury 15, 2014.

Official Obituary of Tom Kehoe from the Greenfield Recorder

SHELBURNE FALLS, MA - Thomas P. "Tom" Kehoe, 61, of Severance St., passed away Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, at the Buckley HealthCare Center in Greenfield. Tom was born in Boston, MA, on Oct. 8, 1952, son of Thomas P. Jr. and Catherine G. (Fitzgerald) Kehoe. Tom was a graduate of the University of Maine at Orono with a B.A. in Sociology. 

Tom spent most of life as a talented woodworker in the Shelburne Falls area; his hands and heart crafted countless beautiful pieces featured around Western Massachusetts, including renovation of the Shelburne Falls Trolley, the Shelburne Falls Wine Merchant, and many fine homes and cabinetry. His work will continue to be treasured by those who live and work amongst it, and his friends - local carpenters, painters, and more - are admired immensely by Tom's wife and children. 

Tom was a member of the Dzogchen Community of Conway and was a lover of nature, including the ocean, walks in the woods, birding and traveling to visit his children and partake in their adventures, such as trips to Denmark, Iceland, Costa Rica and Alaska. In addition to the great outdoors, Tom's humble, kind, and spirited personality was always reflected in the books and poetry he read, the music he sang, and the amazing friends he kept in close company. Tom, his wife, and his children enjoyed good food, laughter, games, hiking and camping, dance parties in the kitchen, and philosophical conversations throughout all the wonderful years they had together. 

Tom's pride and joy was his wife and children; as a father, he made sure to attend sporting events, edit homework, and tell amazing bedtime stories. As his children grew up, he encouraged them to be students of life during their years at UMass Amherst and the journeys they embarked upon thereafter. As a husband, Tom was always in awe of the strength and beauty of his wife. As a young couple, they lived in India and in most recent years enjoyed relaxing on their porch with views of the mountains surrounding Shelburne Falls. 

Tom is survived by his wife, Joyce A. (Mazanek) Kehoe, whom he married on July 16, 1983 at St. Patrick's Church in Kent, Ohio; a son, Nathan Thomas Kehoe of Avon, CO; a daughter, Jennifer Rose Kehoe of Anchorage, Alaska and her fiancé Silas Tikaan Galbreath; his parents of Scituate, MA; four brothers, Paul (Rosalie, M) Kehoe of LaGrange Park, IL, Gerald (Donna) Kehoe of Milton, MA, James (Terri) Kehoe of Westborough, MA, Philip Kehoe of Scituate, MA; a sister, Elizabeth Finkenstaedt of Norwell, MA; brother and sisters-in-law, Steve and Trish Mazanek of South Fallsburg, NY, Alan and Trisha Mazanek of Ravenna, OH, and June and Bob Sitler of Deland, FL; mother-in-law, Rosemary Mazanek of Kent, OH, and many nieces, nephews and cousins. 

The family will be having a private service. An informal and celebratory gathering for family and all friends in the community will be held at the Shelburne-Buckland Community Center at the corner of Main and Church Streets in Shelburne Falls from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18. Light refreshments will be served and attendees are welcome to bring a potluck dish to share and byob.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Tom's name may be made to the Kehoe Family through:
paypal.com
transfer feature to
tomkehoememorialfund@gmail.com
Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home in Shelburne Falls is assisting the family. To send a message of condolence to the family, please visit:
www.smithkelleherfuneralhome.com -

See more at:http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/recorder/obituary.aspx?n=thomas-p-kehoe-tom&pid=169123498&fhid=25

Passages - The Mirror

The Mirror, International Newspaper of the Dzogchen Community recently sent out the following announcement. Thank you Liz and Naomi for your many years dedication and service to deliver the paper edition. We wish the Mirror the best of luck in its new transitions and future manifestation. -  Tsegyalgar East

Passages - The Mirror

We sadly announce the imminent passing of the paper form of TheMirror. The issue currently being published and shortly being mailed, number 125, will be the last in an ongoing series that have been published regularly since 1991.

The decision to stop printing the paper version of the newspaper, at least for an interim period, was taken only after much deliberation and taking into account the considerable costs related to printing and mailing which we are no longer able to cover. If circumstances permit, we may try to produce some print-on-demand issues in the coming year if there is sufficient request and support.

Our online website – melong.com – will soon become a blog style format in which we will continue to do our best to bring you the most recent news from our global Community, keep you updated on Chögyal Namkhai Norbu’s latest schedule and publish feature articles, videos and photos from our worldwide sangha. Other new features we intend to incorporate in the blog include the possibility to print out material and readers will no longer need to login to access articles. We are planning to present the new blog in late January. The new blog will be open to all members of the Dzogchen Community and the general public since there will be no login required.

For now we would like to thank everybody who has supported us over the years to continue to publish The Mirror.

Best wishes,

Naomi Zeitz  mirror@tsegyalgar.org

Liz Granger  mirror@melong.com

Tashi Mannox Shang Shung Tibetan Calligraphy Workshop Dates Confirmed for April 4-6, 2014

Shang Shung Institute and Khandroling Paper Cooperative will co-sponsor a Calligraphy weekend with renowned calligrapher and artist Tashi Mannox in Conway April 4,5,6,  2014 at the Shang Shung Institute. The dates have now been confirmed. Tashi will also deliver a presentation at the Rubin Museum in NYC on the evening of April 2 as part of their exhibit on Tibetan Medicine. More details coming soon.  For now reserve the dates for these marvelous events. 

To read more about the actual calligraphy workshop, click here

Andrea, Ayana, and Damien Wintering In Guatemala

Andrea and Ayana

Andrea Nasca and Damien Schwartz long time members of the Dzogchen Community, recently traveled to Guatemala for a four month stay in the region of Lake Atitlan - considered one of the most beautiful places in South America. They traveled as an entourage of seven people in two wheelchairs with two dogs into the heart of Mayan civilization. 

Together as a family they served as secretary and geko at Tsegyalgar East with their baby daughter Ayana, in tow for many years. Andrea is the US secretary for A.S.I.A. Originally from New Orleans, I have lots of memories of their great outdoor BBQs on Khandroling and at the yellow shcoolhouse--New Orleans style hospitality. 

Damien

Ruby Fayard

Fred Stubbs and Andrea

[all photos by Damien Schwartz reprinted from Facebook]

Stay tuned for more to come about their explorations.

Next Shitro on Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at 7:00 PM

The next Shitro for Kathy McGrane and Roger Levin is scheduled for Wednesday, January 8, 2014 at 7:00 PM in the Yellow Schoolhouse, 18 Schoolhouse Road, Conway, MA

To purchase support practice materials, visit the Shang Shung Bookstore
here. 

Robert Levin died January 3, 2014

                 

We received word from Tom Garnett that Roger Levin passed away on last Friday Jan 3 in the evening. As many of you recall, Roger was very active here in the early years. He served on the gakyil and remained involved for a long time, bringing his skills as a psychologist to bear in various ways. Roger passed away from the effects of cancer, cancer treatment, and massive heart failure. He remained a practitioner to the end.  He will be remembered with love and appreciation.

Roger Levin was one of the people who came to Tsegyalgar with Rinpoche in 1982.  Roger was a very warm-hearted and intelligent man who helped at a time when we were transforming ourselves from a Gurdjieff group that practiced Buddhism into the Dzogchen Community. He had a good and open rapport with Rinpoche and used his skills as a psychologist to help others to process the changes taking place in the community and individuals. He served on the gakyil and participated in group activities for years, though in the last period he only came occasionally to retreats though he continued to practice. He had had a form of cancer when young that was predicted to return, and it did. His health had not been stable for some time when he died. He was attended at his death by his wife Mary Anne.

 "He was a brilliant, deep, skillful, loving man and every mental image of him I can bring to my weak memory is bathed in light. " Tom Garnett

Further communications from Tom Garnett

Roger Levin died on January 3, 2014. In the early days of Tsegyalgar he served twice on the Gaykhil. His quiet, calm presence during a time of growth and consolidation was steadying and reassuring to the new Community. Without putting himself in front, he skillfully facilitated the working together of the rag-tag, disparate group of CNNR students in the 80s.

Roger was no stranger to suffering and death. He survived cancer and high dosage cobalt 60 radiation treatment in his mid-20s, only to have a heart attack in 2000 and to come down with B-cell lymphoma in 200, treated with near-death dosages of chemotherapy. A few years later, crippled by the chemotherapy, he came down with congestive heart failure. Many who knew Roger had little idea of the suffering he had undergone because his whole manner of being was focused on others well-being, not his own saga.

Though we have been friends since 1982, I only saw slices of Roger's life. 

Here are a few.

He was a good builder with an excellent design sense. For several years he ran a contracting business for home renovation and building. His house on the lake in New Preston, Connecticut, an old boat house that he renovated, was elegant and earthy.

He was a deep thinker and a profound therapist free from cant and hype. His work on Focusing, refined it and helped establish it as an sane option for therapy and self-understanding.

His dharma eye saw what was essential and was not distracted by methods, historical trappings, or personalities.

He lived in multiple worlds yet was as grounded a man as ever I knew - a Bodhisattva Shaman working with and for others.

There will be a memorial service for Roger at the Green Funeral Home, 57 Main St., Danbury, Connecticut on January 9 at noon.

Many Thanks to Lauri Denyer Marder and Tom Garnett.

Tibetan Medicine Updates

Visiting Professors from Xingning Universty sign Agreement 

with Shang Shung Institute

Visiting professors from Xingning University were in Shelburne Falls some weeks ago to sign an agreement with Shang Shung School of Tibetan Medicine directed by Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo (4th left). Graduates of the four-year program in Tibetan Medicine have the option for further studies in Tibet on completing their four year (eight semester) course of study either onsite or online.

Shang Shung US Tibetan Medicine Programs to Begin 2014

The next cohort of students to begin the Four Year  Tibetan Medicine Program with online and onsite options begins February 2014. The Kunye Massage Program also begins. 

For a full description of the  programs in Tibetan Medicine, visit the comprehensive webpages here.  For applications and further information about all the programs beginning in 2014, click here. 

International Workshop on Integrative Medicine Mental Disorders and Dementia

with Chogyal Namkhai Norbu in Barcelona 

January 10,11,12, 2014  LIVE WEBCAST. Visit here for the program and link to the webcast. This page will also have a time converter to your local time zone.

Santi Maha Sangha Level 2 Weekend with Jim Valby - January 17,18,19, 2014

Jan 17 - Jan 19, 2014, Tsegyalgar East, Conway, SMS Level Two with authorized Santi Maha Sangha instructor, Jim Valby

Open to Practitioners who have taken the SMS Level Two training with Choegyal Namkhai Norbu may participate in this retreat.  We will study & practice specifics of the SMS level 2 Training.

SCHEDULE

In the Tsegyalgar East Gompa, 18 Schoolhouse Rd. Conway, MA Friday: Jan 17th, 9am-noon, 4-7pm
Saturday: Jan 18th, 9am-noon, 4-7pm
Sunday: Jan 19th, 9am-noon, 4-7pm

Fees: $150 for the whole retreat or $30/session.
Click Here to Pay & Register Online

To book a bed in the dormitory, contact our geko Chris Latkowski kengyo@gmail.com

Featured Housing Offered Near Tsegyalgar East

Serenity Stone Cottage in Heath, Massachusetts, where theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote  the famous "serenity prayer":  (..grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.. is available to rent from 7/12 - 7/20. 

Find it and other rental homes here: Vacation Rental By Owner

under Western Massachusetts listings.

To view this particular property in detail go to: http://www.vrbo.com/298860

"Vacation Rental By Owner" appears as one of the options on our Retreat Accommodations page. Typically, a family or a small group of travelers can find excellent accommodations within a one-half hour drive from Tsegyalgar or Khandroling.  

For days when your preferred rural accommodation is not available (such as in this case, the nights of 7/10 and 7/11), travelers are advised to book a room at a chain hotel in Greenfield or Deerfield  (Hampton Inn, Red Roof, or Days Inn, also on our website, with special rates).

PLEASE NOTE THAT MANY OF THESE VENUES HAVE SPECIAL RATES FOR PEOPLE ATTENDING OUR PROGRAMS. Visit this page for the special offerings

Be sure to visit our NEW Celebration Pages for the latest!

News from Tara Mandala, Our Dam Trog* Sister Organization, Launches Seven Year Magyu Lineage Program

The 11th century teacher Machig Labdrön evolved two paths of practice: the Father and Mother Lineages. The Mother Lineage came from Machig’s own experiences with direct transmissions from female deities such as Tara and Vajra Yogini, her own meditation experiences, and the practices she evolved through teaching and practicing as a woman in her lifetime. The Father Lineage evolved from her male teachers, thus the word “father” was used. Machig was the only teacher to develop this distinction between male and female lineages. It allowed her to honor both the lineage from her teachers, and the teachings that came directly to her. 

In Machig’s time, there were some disciples that held both lineages, as well as those that held one or the other. Both men and women held these lineages; it was not the case that one was for women and one was for men. For example, Machig’s second son, Tönyöm Samdrub, was the main holder of the Mother Lineage. 

At Tara Mandala, Lama Tsultrim has chosen to follow this model. The Father Lineage was established through the Gateway Program which began in 2013 and is carried on in all the other practices she teaches from her male teachers. She is now introducing the Mother Lineage in the form of the Magyu Program. To read more

There will be a live webcast on January 12, 2014 at 10:00 AM MST  with Lama Tsultrim about the program.  Visit here to access the webcast at the appointed time.

*Dam Trog  means "Samaya Fellowship", where the organizations function independently but have a close association and transmission and exchanges of teachers and teachings.

[Photo of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu and Lama Tsultrim signing the Dam  Trog Agreement, November 2013 in Tenirife]

NEWS FLASH! USA premier of Jaap Verhoeven’s documentary film "Feeding Your Demons:The Life and Teachings of Lama Tsultrim Allionewill be at the Rubin Museum of Art this coming spring. 

Wednesday, March 26, 2014 @ 7 p.m. immediately followed by a Q and A with Lama Tsultrim Allione

The Rubin, 150 West 17th Street, New York City 

Cost: $20

Winter Wonders on Lower Khandroling

Activities on the Khandroling Farm Coop website are as active as ever. Pay a visit to their site at www.khandrolingcoop.com to learn about New England's winter animal habitats on the land and catch up with the news from over the holiday. 

Yuchen Namkhai has uploaded all sorts of great videos.

[The hives at lower Khandroling by YNamkhai]

It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it.

-John Burroughs, “Winter Sunshine”

A Message from Chogyal Namkhai Norbu

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Namkhai Norbu 
Date: Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Subject: Tsegyalgar East & Khandroling wish Merry Christmas.

Dear Tsegyalgar East Community

    Thank you!

    I wish you a Happy New Year 2014 !!!

            Ciao ciao!!!!   NN