Tsegyalgar East Summer 2012 Flim - Come home in 2013

A short film by Soeldad Suarez
about Tsegyalgar East in 2012

Longsal Spire Arrives on Upper Khandroling

Well, it's still crated but the photo shows the actual scale. More to come....

[photo by Vern Harrington]

Rinpoche's Arrival on Khandroling for Monday, June 3, 2013

Come and join in as we welcome Rinpoche to His home at the foot of Khandroling on Monday, June 3rd!!!

The tentative schedule for the day is:

10am Gather at Rinpoche's home at 160 East Buckland Road in Buckland, MA. We will learn how to welcome Rinpoche with a Tibetan Dance called, "The Most Elegant Circle Dance." The Dance is not complicated and everyone is welcome to learn and join in. We will also make last minute preparations to Rinpoche's home.

12:30pm We will gather together and await Rinpoche's arrival. We do not know exactly when He will depart from NYC or arrive at Khandroling.



 We will send updates via email and Tsegyalgarnet as we learn more precise information.

5pm Vajra Dance Thun at the Tsegyalgar East Schoolhouse

6pm Dakini Day Ganapuja at the Tsegyalgar East Schoolhouse

See you there!
The Tsegyalgar East Gakyil

Tara Mandala and the Dzogchen Community to form a "Dam Trog" Affiliation between the two organizations

[ photo by M. Shmookler of  Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, Lama Tsultrim Allione of Tara Mandala, and Tara Mandala staff-- Anna Raithel and Sophia Stephenson] 
 


 Chögyal Namkhai Norbu for the first time taught a terma sadhana from Nyagla Pema Duddul at Tara Mandala called Dugkarmo. She is a thousand-headed thousand-armed manifestation of the Great Mother Dharmakaya. Very powerful for removing obstacles. At his suggestion, Tara Mandala is creating a formal relationship with his organization Dzogchen Community called "Dam Trog" which means Samaya Fellowship, where the organizations function independently but have a close association and transmission ties and exchanges of teachers and teachings. Further announcements and articles forthcoming in the Mirror.

Tara Mandala is an international Vajrayana Buddhist community with its home base in Pagosa Springs at 7,500 feet altitude in Southwest Colorado.  It is guided by Lama Tsultrim Allione, author of Women of Wisdom and Feeding Your Demons. Lama Tsultrim has studied Tibetan Buddhism under traditional teachers for more than 45 years, including Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

whom she met in 1976. She is considered one of the foremost Buddhist teachers in the West

For further information about Tara Mandala visit their website at www.taramandala.org



[photo by M. Schmookler]

Information provided from Tsultrim Allione's facebook page


For a slide show of Rinpoche's visit to Tara Mandala go here.

The Golden Spire for the Vajra Hall is on its way!!!

Stay tuned for an interview about the making of the spire and we'll capture its installation on Upper Khandroling. Jim Smith created the design and template with dimensions larger than life and taller than any of us. I'll be interviewing Jim soon. Ah La La Ho!

A.S.I.A. to Auction Rare Statue to Benefit the Golok Tibetan Nomad Girls School Project at Tsegyalgar East on June 8th

Dear Friends of ASIA, 

We will auction this statue at the Tsegyalgar retreat, on June 8th. The funds raised from this auction will go towards the Golok Tibetan Nomad Girls School Project! We are fundraising to expand the school, building a new kitchen & canteen. The school has been a great success, serving as a model for all the surrounding villages. Enrollment in the school has more than doubled since it was built and now we need to expand! 

Chögyal Namkhai Norbuwas recognized as the mind emanation of Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal at the age of three. 

Please read all about it here & we look forward to seeing you all at the retreat! 

Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal

Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal was born at Ralung (Tibetan Autonomous Region) as the son of the Drukpa lineage holder Mipham Tenpai Nyima and Sonam Pelkyi Butri.  
In his youth Ngawang Namgyal was enthroned as the Eighteenth Drukpa or throne-holder and "hereditary prince" of the traditional Drukpa seat and estate of Ralung. In 1616, Ngawang Namgyal was persecuted by the governor of Tsang and fled from Tibet.    He founded the Kingdom of Bhutan, unified the local tribes and gave a national identity to the country where today the Drukpa school is still dominant.He established in Bhutan a system of dual government: political power was vested by an administrative leader, the Druk Desi, and the religion power administered by a religious leader, the Je Khempo.

Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal died in 1651. Power passed to the ministers instead of the successors Shabdrung. The penlops kept the death of the Shabdrung secret for 54 years. 

To neutralize the power of future Shabdrung reincarnations, the Druk Desi, Je Khenpo and penlops conspired to recognize not a single person but three reincarnations.Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, when He was three years old, was recognized by the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa as the mind emanation of Drug Shabdrung Rinpoche, who was the first Dharmaraja of Bhutan.

With warm regards,
ASIA America 

Friends & Neighbors: Marie Stella of Beaver Lodge

You've passed it on Barnes Road leading up to our retreat land in Buckland called Khandroling. It's that building at the cusp of a well established beaver wetlands. Beaver Lodge as it's aptly called, is the creation of landscape design historian, Marie Stella, who initiated the project to illustrate the integration of Art, Technology, and Environment as a dynamic educational laboratory for people interested in sustainable design.

A couple of years ago, Marie appeared at one of our practice sessions on upper Khandroling. She's been our neighbor and friend ever since taking an interest in our community and sharing her knowledge with those of us interested in sustainable practices. She also hosted eleven international community members last summer at her home during Chögyal Namkhai Norbu's retreat last summer.

[visit Tsegyalgar East Accommodation page if you would like to stay at Beaver Lodge during this year's retreat].

Beaver Lodge is certified by The Center for Ecological Technology, a leading non-profit organization offering green building services across Western Massachusetts, with the highest rating possible from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED® for Homes rating system. The home becomes the sixth home in Massachusetts that has earned the difficult LEED Platinum rating.

Recently, I stopped by to visit Marie

this Spring.  Her home is a treasure trove of unique artistry and pragmatic utilitarianism that makes creative use of recycled building materials which celebrate the natural materials of stone and wood but also pioneers new building technologies being developed.  She calls her house and landscape a builder's "petting zoo" where students visit to experience  first hand  such materials as closed cell insulation, shredded newspaper, and other non-toxic building materials along with intricate water catchment systems. Underneath her raised garden beds is a watering system.

Among the features I personally love are her kitchen "worm farm" and the children's outdoor spirit house with a green roof.  

The picture above does not convey the elegance of her composting system located in a rectangular box next to her beautiful stone kitchen sink. Odorless, the clusters of worms are happily producing a darkly rich humus that Marie uses to nourish her plants. To learn more about worm composting visit Cornell University's site. You can also visit the page at Backyard Boss to learn how composters work at: https://www.backyardboss.net/how-does-a-composter-work/

Everywhere Marie has artifacts from her family. Here is her grandmother's locust arbor over a hundred years old.

These three doors come from her previous house.

Although not much to show in the garden yet, I liked "The Straw Man," one of a number of installations or sculptural pieces. This one a version of the proverbial scare crow.

Beaver lodge is evocative of Marie's inquisitive appreciation for other cultures and eras as well as a proficient hands on approach. I'm always impressed that she knows how to use tools to make things. If she doesn't know how to do something, she educates herself. Once she purchased the property in late 2006, she spent a year self-educating herself by attending seminars and conferences.

 When I asked Marie what her vision for the future was, she said that she wanted to share her mission of sustainability so that people could actually experience the results of hands on teaching. As a professor of landscape design, she provides her students and interested individuals a living laboratory to explore how to be entirely self-sufficient in the coming changes ahead and take what knowledge is compatible with their individual interests and needs.

If you would like to know more about Marie Stella's projects or visit her, please visit her website at Beaver Lodge.

Out and About Conway, MA Home to Tsegyalgar East

For those of you about to visit Tsegyalgar East in Conway, MA for the first time, here's the low down on a few town businesses who serve our community. For old timers you might recognize a few faces.

The main eatery in town is Bakers Country Store about 2 blocks from the Schoolhouse which serves breakfast and lunch. Helen Baker, the proprietor, will make dinners and extend her hours if people reserve the day before. She's also stocked up on gluten-free products at our recommendation along with lots of local farm fresh fruits and veggies. You can also get gasoline for your vehicle. 

Here's a great shot of Helen laughing over her impressions of the many "interesting" Dzogchen Community members she's met over the years. Bakers is the hub of this small town and that table closest to the counter is reserved for the local folks who "chew the fat," as they say, discussing all the local politics and telling wonderful stories that chronicle the town's history.

Pages Coffee Bar and Used Bookstore is a recent edition to "downtown" Conway. Located in the old Masonic Hall on Main Street, Kate and Laurie serve a variety of  expresso coffee, frozen  drinks, and locally baked goods.  Kate (on the left) is holding a frozen bar of her amazing gluten-free cookie dough for baking. It comes in several flavors--oatmeal pecan, oatmeal raisin and chocolate. They also carry local products such as honey, maple syrup and herbal formulas. 

Another local business, the closest to the Schoolhouse,  is  The Sunset Garage and Package Store. Here in New England "Package" store is what they call liquor stores which sell alcohol and cigarettes. Sunset also sells all sorts of necessities and a remarkably large selection of groceries packed into their tiny shop. They don't sell gasoline but they will change your tire and repair most everything in your vehicle for a fair price. And you might even find Bob with his fiddle.  Here's a You Tube video that expresses the colorful quality of the Sunset Garage on RT 116 or Ashfield Road.

Last but not least is the Conway Inn, the primary "watering hole" for Conway. On Friday nights they serve pizza and every night patrons can play pool. Barb, the owner is friendly and makes a great Gin and Tonic.  Here's  a photo of the inn taken on May Day with the annual Morris Dancers who visit all the hill towns.

Another You Tube of the Conway Inn. Beware it's boisterous!







To learn more about the town you can visit the Town of Conway website

From Tara Mandala Chögyal Namkhai Norbu on Tibetan Dance

You  have to be a member of facebook and join the Melong FB group.

If the video does not display or is unavailable, click on the Melong FB link below to go directly to the video and REQUEST PERMISSION TO JOIN THAT GROUP. Then you can view the video!  [Reprinted from The Melong Facebook]https://www.facebook.com/groups/221862271232025/

Doings around the Yellow Schoolhouse

Preparations for  Rinpoche's June retreat is well underway. Still, lots more work needs to be completed in the next couple of weeks. Here are a few highlights with more to come from this rainy Memorial Weekend.

At the schoolhouse, the Gonpa is finalizing its beautification process with a freshly painted floor, new lighting, and many ornate additions to the shrine. Visiting volunteers such as Tom Clark are working on structural projects such as the new entry way to the basement. Tom Burton is at work on siding. Before every construction project there is the dumpster.

A bit mundane but necessary work!









A couple of weeks ago,  visiting monks with the assistance of Phuntsog Wangmo and Marit Cranmer, prepared statues to be consecrated by Chogyal Namkhai Notrbu. Below they are preparing the mantras

Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo preparing the old empowered lungta by removing the connecting string, as if she didn't have other things to do.

















With three distinct sites--the Yellow Schoolhouse in Conway; lower Khandroling where Rinpoche's house is located and the farm cooperative; and upper Khandroling our retreat lands with many cabins and the Vajra Hall construction--there's a huge amount of work to be done.

Cindy and one of the large silk screens for making new lungta flags 

More to come............

Here's Dave, our Community Geko, and volunteer Jess touching up the newly painted kitchen. I asked for a big smile which they delivered on---the foggy lack of clarity of the photo is totally my fault. Sometimes my IPad works, sometimes it doesn't.  So happiness prevails over form in this instance!

Jacqueline Gens
Editor of the Tsegyalgar East blog at large

Sounds of Nature from Lower Khandroling

[Yuchen and Paula putting the final touches on the bee enclosure]

You never now what gem you can find on the new Khandroling Farm Cooperative website created by Yuchen Namkhai at http://khandrolingcoop.com. Here's a precious video of sounds of nature near Rinpoche's house from the bee colony.  Transport yourself!

Check out their almost daily updates of work. Really amazing manifestation of energy. Thank you Yuchen, Joe, Nary, and Paula and all the volunteers.

Karma Yoga Tasks for 2013 Retreats

Karma Yoga Tasks for 2013 Retreat

Hello Dear Vajra Family,The offering of one's energy in service to the Teachings is a wonderful practice that integrates body, speech and mind while creating many causes for our community to flourish and benefit ourselves and others. It is also a necessary force for the care, maintenance, and flourishing of Tsegyalgar East especially now as we still have much to do to prepare for the Retreat with our deeply-loved Guru Choegyal Namkhai Norbu. This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate our appreciation for his endless Guru activity in traveling the world to bring the precious Dzogchen Teachings to us and so many.  His vision inspired this wonderful Gar which we nurture with our activity of caring for it.Please join us in preparing for his arrival and the Retreat by contacting Dave at geko@tsegyalgar.org, 413-230-8305  to help with any of the following tasks.  Thank you.

School House Retreat Prep (2013)

(Outside)

Landscaping- Planting flowers, mowing, weed whacking, racking, sweeping, patching/repairing road with Trap Rock Gravel, Watering plants, chain sawing trees, cleaning, power washing, siding, painting, sweeping, spraying  poison ivy, putting up cones, signs, dump runs

 Cleaning- around shed/ building and clutter elsewhere

(Inside)

General- Tiding up, Dusting everywhere, touch up painting,

Gonpa- removing all unnecessary tables shelves etc. General Reorganizing, Painting Gonpa floor, decorating, dusting, cleaning rugs

Office/bookstore- cleaning dusting reorganizing,

Library- Cleaning/ reorganizing

Basement, cleaning, setting up

Dorm- Setting out sheets, dry walling closet ceiling, cleaning and setting up

Dorm- cleaning, redecorating, putting up blinds, blowing up air mattresses, cleaning, reorganizing closet, dry walling ceiling of closet, washing a few comforters

Khandroling

Lower (House)

Mowing, weed whacking, weeding, planting, cleaning clutter, lungta flags?, taking advantage of flower sales everywhere, Saturday for planting,

Upper Khandroling

Painting Guardian cabin steps, Painting Bathhouse steps, weed whacking, mowing, cleaning bath house, cleaning Togyal cabin, Lungta flags?, cleaning debris around cabins/ Vajra Hall, general beautification,  disposing of clutter (rotten picnic table etc.)     

Tseyang's 7th Birthday Party

For nearly a decade Tsegylagar East has been home to our resident Tibetan doctor, Phuntsog Wangmo and her extended family. Yeshe Tsomo (Tseyang's mom) is a fantastic cook, massage therapist and recent graduate of  the  Four Year Tibetan Medicine program. On Sunday, we celebrated Tseyang's 7th birthday in the schoolhouse gonpa which included a sumptuous Tibetan meal. To Tseyang, the Yellow schoolhouse has been home for her entire life!

Here's Yeshe with the cake

Emy & Tseyang                                                         Adam eating his momo

The birthday girl with her beloved webkins--how many are there Amala? One, two, three.......six...


[all photos courtesy of Paula Barry]

Today's Planting at Khandroling Coop

Today's furrows for planting barley and flax

Check out today's post on the NEW Khandroling Farm Coop's website created by Yuchen Namkhai

Visit http://www.khandrolingcoop.com

Members of the coop team-- Yuchen, Paula, Joe and Nary with various volunteers have been working hard to set up the bee colony with electric fencing to keep out the bears, plow the fields, cultivating mushrooms, pruning the orchards, trouble shooting farm equipment issues and millions of other small tasks. IT'S HAPPENING!!!!!

You can read how to become a member and the mission of the Coop. 

Springtime at Upper Khandroling

                              [photo by Marit Cranmer]



Need we say more than a picture is worth a thousand words!

Late Morning New and Selected Poems by Peter Fortunato is Published

Peter Fortunato's collection of poetry, LATE MORNING: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS has just been published by Cayuga Lake Books (Ithaca, NY) and is readily available on line:

Amazon  and Barnes & Noble

Peter's poetry reflects his commitment to Buddhism and a passion for the natural world first honed in California after he completed graduate school.  During those years, he was a poetry apprentice of Gary Snyder, through whom he met many of the persons associated with the Beat movement.  Upon returning to Ithaca in 1977, he began teaching writing at both Cornell and Ithaca College.  Winner of numerous awards for his writing and grants for his stage performances, Fortunato recently lived in the Persian Gulf for four years while teaching at Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.  He has also for many years maintained a private counseling practice specializing in hypnotherapy.  His new book, Late Morning: New and Selected Poems, represents the continuity of the themes that compel him.


Peter is a long time member of the DCA at Tsegyalgar East with his wife, the poet, Mary Gilliand

Coming Soon Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Commences his US Teaching Tour

Los Angeles Dzogchen Community shall welcome
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in May of 2013! Three Day Retreat: May 17, 18 & 19     Los Angeles : Location Glendale Civic Auditorium

Click here to register for the retreat

The Subject of the Teaching:

Ten-zhi Lus-kyi Geg-sel
(Tib. rten-gzhi-lus-kyi gegs-sel)
For Freeing Illnesses of the Body
From the Dzogchen Upadesha Nyingthig Yazhi Vol 2062:
Wam276-282

Closed Webcast

The Teaching Schedule:

Friday Evening : 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday : 10 AM - 12 Noon, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Sunday : 10 AM - 12 Noon followed by Ganapuja
For more information, please E-Mail dzcommunityla@gmail.com or call (323) 696-0108.

Tara Mandala

Pagosa Springs, Colorado

May 24, 25, & 26, 2013

Thrilled! Just heard from Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche he will teach Dzogchen from Nyagla Pema Duddul's terma cycle Khakhyab Rangdrol, during his retreat May 23-26. He appeared 3 times in my dreams in one night in 1994 telling me to build a stupa at TM dedicated to his lineage. He took the rainbow body in 1873 an amazing being. Our stupa was completed and dedicated by CNNR in 1999, what a blessing he will teach this lineage here during his first visit to the temple---Lama Tsultrim

For further information, visit the Tara Mandala website 

Kundrolling, NYC
June Retreat with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu
May 31-June 2, 2013

The retreat teaching will be
Longsal Atii Gongpa Ngosprod
(Introduction of the state of Ati series of Longsal teaching)

Rrgistration

Kundrolling
The New York Dzogchen Community
151 West 30th Street, near 7th Avenue
New York City

nydzogchencomm@gmail.com
www.nydzogchen.com

[photo by Paula Barry-Tibetan dancing fun]

Dzogchen Retreat with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu
Tsegyalgar East
Teachings on the "Khorde Rangdrol" from the Dra Thalgur
JUNE 7-12, 2013

Retreat Location:
Tsegyalgar East, Schoolhouse
18 Schoolhouse Rd.
Conway, MA 01341, USA

The Dzogchen Community of Tsegyalgar East is happy to announce to the return of our Precious Teacher, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, to Western, Massachusetts again this June in 2013. This year, Rinpoche will teach from what is considered to be the most important of all Dzogchen texts, the Dra Thalgyur (sgra thal 'gyur). The Teaching is called "Khorde Rangdrol," which means, "self-liberation of samsara and nirvana."

Please come and enjoy these profound Teachings which are open to everyone! The retreat schedule will also include explanations of various Dzogchen practices such as Yantra Yoga and the Dance of the Vajra.

Registering early                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             helps us organize the event!
Register by May 15th to receive an early registration discount!

Click Here to Register

   

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 

Newly Authorized Yantra Yoga Instructors with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in Baja, Mexico

Newly Authorized Yantra Yoga Instructors with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in Baja, Mexico

May 9, 2013

Left to right: Fabio Andrico with Jeff Sable - NYC, Josefina Robles – Mexico,  Martina Kacurova - Tsegyalgar East, Christian Hidalgo - Costa Rica, Matthew Schmookler - Tsegyalgar West, Luke Karamol - Tsegyalgar West

Yantra Yoga with Fabio Andrico

June 5, 7:15 – 9:15 pm

Shelburne Falls Yoga Studio

Breathing and Movement

Shaping the Breath through Movement and Positions

Special Introductory Offer: $15

Yantra Yoga is one of the oldest recorded systems of yoga in the world. Coming to us by way of Tibet, Yantra Yoga’s unique series of positions and movements, combined with conscious breathing, helps to coordinate and harmonize the body’s energy so the mind can find its authentic balance. It is a superb method for attaining optimal health and relaxation through coordinated breath and movement.

Discover the essence of this unique and transformative practice with senior international Yantra Yoga instructor, Fabio Andrico. Andrico will offer a 2-hour workshop, explaining the history and theory behind this unique tradition and demonstrating some of the characteristic techniques.

Contact: Naomi at mirror@tsegyalgar.org

www.yantrayoga.org