Summer 2013 Dharma Encampment at Tsegyalgar

click above to enlarge the poster

Summer 2013 Camping on Khandroling

Camping at Khandroling this Summer:

Reservations for a camp site for this summer can be made at this time. Sites are limited

and will be issued on a first come first serve basis. all applications must be submitted to

the Geko with a limit of 2 people per site. Please write to Dave at geko@tsegyalgar.org.

Most important is that all requests must  have a arrival date and a departure date, along with a

FULL PAYMENT FOR THE SITE.

Camping fees will be $15 per site for the first week and $10 a site for subsequent days.

As was last year, all campers will have access to the bath house and camp kitchen. We hope

to have a propane freezer this year for making ice so bring a cooler to keep any perishable

food stuffs. Also if you have a cell phone or tablet and need to keep it charged we suggest you

bring along a solar charger -- look on the web there are many such chargers made for camping

that will keep devices charged.

joe zurylo jzurylo@yahoo.com

Tsegyalgar East Red Gakyil

2012 Vajra Hall Goals Met

During the first half of 2012, the VH fundraising team launched an international initiative to raise the funds needed to complete the construction of the VH. Beginning with a  slow start last February 2012, the project got a big boost from the inspired collaboration of Prima Mai along with Kyu Khandro and other Vajra Dance instructors globally- who organized a highly effective grassroots appeal-- region by region, and country by country.

By the end of May 2012,  the deadline for pledged funds to be matched by a local donor was met.  A tremendous momentum of joyful collaborative giving occured in the last few days of May- fullfilling the financial goal. Perhaps, as important of the fund raising, was the devotion manifested from all parts of the world for the Transmission of the Vajra Dance, and the purpose of the Vajra Hall- relating to its origins and the honoring and preservation of the Terma site.

Donations and pledges came in from over 25 countries, from hundreds of individuals, as well as many Gakyils and Lings globally. Approximately $145,000 of pledges and donations were made during this period, and of this amount approx $122,000 have been received. In 2012 actual donations received from this initiative, matching funds, and prior year pledges combined came to $365,000.

Expenditures on the VH project incurred in 2012 were approx $240,000, leaving a balance in the account approximating what will be required in 2013 to complete the major elements of the
building (the Universal Mandala, the Longsal Spire, etc), in preparaton for the inauguration with Rinpoche in 2014. Additional funds will likely  be needed for creating webcasting capability,
landscaping, decorating, etc.

Tsegyaglar East and the Vajra Hall fundraising team send best wishes for Losar and heartfelt thanks to all in the Global Community who have made Rinpoche's vision of the Vajra Hall a reality. It exists for all of you and to benefit the Transmission for beings everywhere.

We welcome you to the Vajra Hall and hope to see you at our inauguration in 2014.


***the right hand mandala has been completely filled by donors!

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Announces Tsegyalgar East Retreat Teaching

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu has announced the topic of the June 7-12, 2013 Tsegyalgar East Teaching. 

He will be Teaching the "Khordas Rangdrol" from Dra Thalgyur in an open webcast format.

Dra Thalgyur (sgra thal ‘gyur) is the abbreviated title of the Dzogchen Upadesha Tantra named rin po che 'byung bar byed pa sgra thal 'gyur chen po'i rgyud. Guru Garab Dorje re-transmitted this tantra about 300 years before Jesus was born. The Dra Thalgyur has 6 chapters with a total of 168 questions & answers in about 200 folios. These questions include everything we always wanted to know about Dzogchen but did not know how to ask. It is the most important Dzogchen text but it is very difficult and condensed. During a period of about 3 years, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu edited 2 editions of Vimalamitra's commentary on the Dra Thalgyur. Korde Randrol ('khor 'das rang grol) means the self-liberation of samsara and nirvana. We are very fortunate that Chögyal Namkhai Norbu will transmit these profound teachings - Jim Valby, 2013

MY Reincarnation Selected to Screen at the Museum of Modern Art as part of Moma Selects

Jennifer Fox writes: MY REINCARNATION has been selected to screen In NYC at the the Museum of Modern Art as part of MoMA Selects: The 25th Anniversary of POV at the 2013 MoMA Documentary Fortnight. The retrospective has been curated by the film department at MoMA and will feature 22 POV films from the past 25 years! It is a big honor to be chosen by them out of all their films over 25 years!


 MY REINCARNATION will screen on Saturday March 2nd at 5 pm at MOMA (http://www.moma.org/visit/calendar/film_screenings/17609). They have asked me to do a Q +A as well. So please spread the news on all your networks. Meanwhile, they have offered us 25 free tickets to give away, so if you haven't seen the film yet or have friends you'd like to gift tickets to see the film, please write us at info@myreincarnationfilm.com and reserve your place. Maximum 2 per person. We will give these away on a first come basis, so please contact us soon.


 Very exciting! Hope you can make it and see you there!

Shang Shung School of Tibetan Medicine Graduates Featured in The Valley Advocate

Last October, Valley residents Anasuya Weil and her daughter Mira presented a paper at the Second International Conference on Tibetan Medicine, held in Dharamsala, India. Both mother and daughter are graduates of the  Shang Shung Institute ot Tibetan Medicine located at Tsegyalgar East in Conway, MA.

Recently, The Valley Advocate featured on article on them in their wellness section. To read more,
click here.

Video of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu's Birthday in Tenerife, Spain December 8, 2012

The following Dzogchen TV video was taken in Tenerife, Spain to celebrate Chögyal Namkhai Norbu's birthday. In the video, he  explains the importance of Tibetan song and dance for preserving Tibetan culture in a positive way.

My Reincarnation, the Film, Wins #2 in the Top Transformational Films of 2012

The AwareGuide, the guide to life changing media, announced the results of the Top Transformational Films of 2012. The top films were selected as Viewer's Choice and Editor's Choice from over 30 films that were included in the voting, which included 3 films that are on this year's Academy Award shortlist. Films were also chosen for the Impact Award and the Inspiration Award.
Read more...

My Reincarnation is currently available on Netflix streming or  for purchase. My Reincarnation is the
compelling story of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and his son, Khyentse Yeshe.

Khandroling Development Plans for Spring 2013

During 2012, several individuals met on a regular basis  to discuss the potential for developing an agricultural cooperative on lower Khandroling, formerly a small working farm typical of the region. This spring the "Coop" team plans on initiating the following pilot projects to inaugurate the project:

• Putting in 2 beehives for honey production

• 2 small test plots: 

Flax to be used for fibers in the paper making project

Barley to be used in conjunction with the honey to make Chudlen

• Planting fruit trees ( 30 to 50 depending on cost) up on the high part of the west side field

• The coop had the soil tested at the southern field; we will buy and plow in the necessary organic materials to make it suitable for planting vegetables

• Another mushroom plot, using the logs from the new road

 Photo credit Jacqueline Gens, Nary inoculating logs on upper Khandroling with mushroom spores


Members of the team currently include, Yuchen Namkhai, Paula Barry, Joe Zurylo, Nary Mitchill, Sebastian Ratti, Jacqueline Gens, and Leela Hewitt-Whitcomb. Earlier a working draft of a proposal was created in collaboration with Yuchen Namkhai that will evolve as pilot projects manifest in 2013. In the meantime, individual members of the team are actively researching local permaculture and landscape design resources in the area as well as enrolling in classes on beekeeping.