Announcing Tsegyalgar Summer Celebration July 31-August 7, 2016

Visit the Tsegyalgar website for further information about this exciting program

Chatral Rinpoche (1913-2015)

Kyabjé Chatral Rinpoche, Sangye Dorje (Tib. བྱ་བྲལ་སངས་རྒྱས་རྡོ་རྗེ་, Wyl.bya bral sangs rgyas rdo rje) (1913–2015) was a renowned Dzogchenmaster, a reclusive yogin famous for his great realization and strict discipline. A disciple of the great master Khenpo Ngakchung, he was widely regarded as one of the most highly realized Dzogchen yogins of recent times. In addition to his relationship with Khenpo Ngakchung, Chatral Rinpoche also studied with some of the last century's most renowned masters, including Dudjom Rinpoche,Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö, and the famed dakini, Sera Khandro. Rinpoche was one of the primary lineage holders of theLongchen Nyingtik, and in particular the lineage that descends through Jigme Lingpa's heart son Jikmé Gyalwé Nyugu and then on to Patrul Rinpoche.  (reprinted from Rigpa wiki)

Chatral Rinpoche’s Long Life Prayer to Choegyal Namkhai Norbu

Year of the Fire Monkey Losar Schedule at Tsegyalgar East

Original art by Ingmar Pema Dechen

Ho you Fire Monkey
Adorable Familiar of blessed places
Resourceful, enchanting
Cunning when need be
Your chatter can flatten the dolts of ignorance
When you take charge in a carpe diem kind of way
Your Ballast of confidence
Lifts our spirits
Seer of the future
Interlocutor to lost opportunities
Let’s take to heart
The ease of your swing from here to there
Always awake in the fire.

Jacqueline Gens

Tsegyalgar East, 2016

Losar and Pre-Losar activities at the Schoolhouse

Sunday February 7 

4:00 pm Learn to make Divination soup and assist Yeshe-la if you like

6:00 pm Divination soup! **Please RSVP to secretary@shangshung.org by
January31 at 12 pm if you are planning to attend so we know how many dumplings to make.

Monday February 8

6:00 pm New Moon Ganapuja

7:30 pm Demystifying SMS

Tuesday February 9 ( Losar ) Fire Monkey Year

7:00 am Long Life Practice

8:00 am Breakfast 
5:00 pm Pot luck dinner and Pagchen

Thursday February 11

9:00 am Lungta raising

We could use a couple of strong volunteers in particular to help set up ladders and hang Lungta. Please help by donating soup ingredients (beef, lamb, chicken) contact secretary@shangshung.org to arrange

Tashi delek and Happy Losar to all!

Mirror 130 PDF Now Available

Mirror 130 PDF Online

Happy New Year from The Mirror!

We are happy to inform you that the newest PDF, Mirror 130, is up on line at melong.com for your downloading, viewing off line and printing pleasure. This is actually the last PDF of 2015, so we can expect four more PDF’s in 2016.

This issue’s feature contains the history and current status of Tashigar North and South, the Gars, Lings and Centers of South America, filled with first hand accounts and photos of these two important Gars and their satellites. The Teaching from Chögyal Namkhai Norbu called The Knowledge of our Real Condition, is from Rinpoche’s public talk in Beijing, China, October 9, 2015. There is some important information from the IDC regarding membership and the registration and use of the new site: dzogchen.net, which all Community members may want to become familiar with.

There are updates from ASIA and the activity related to the earthquake in Nepal, from Dzamling Gar and Giovanni Boni on the progress and status of the newest member of the international Dzogchen Community family, an article and photos on the birth of Lekdanling, the dynamic new center for the Dzogchen Community and Shang Shung Institute in London, UK, photos and the story of the construction of the Stupa of Perfect Victory at Kunsangar North in Russia, an announcement about new publications from Shang Shung Publications of The Voice of the Bee and Mount Kailash, the Lost Kingdom of Tibet, and news from the Ka Ter Translation Project.

News from Tsegyalgar East

Dear Vajra Brothers and Sisters,

Please join us in saying a big thank you and sending many tashi daleks to Harold Graves as he transitions to another chapter of his life.  Harold has been our wonderful secretary for the past four years and we are wishing him all good things in his new pursuits.

Thank you, Harold!

The Tsegyalgar Gakyil is pleased to announce that the very important position of Secretary at Tsegyalgar East has been filled by Timothy Fisher. Timothy has been involved in the Community in the past few years attending retreats with our Master, offering his services by doing karma yoga on Khandroling, and attending practices offered at the Gar.

Meet Tim

Tim is a graduate of UMASS Amherst with a degree in Communications. This area of study, along with Tim’s excellent interpersonal skills, are assets that will facilitate the Gakyil and the Community’s goals of outreach to widen the availability of our Master’s teachings, and all of the aspects of Tibetan culture, to a greater number of people. 

Tim came with excellent references attesting to his committed, responsible work ethic, to his tendency to put his heart into his work, his high energy level, his ability to make even difficult tasks fun and enjoyable, and his compassion working in the Social Services field. 

His sincere intention to cultivate and deepen his understanding of the Teachings, to work and grow with the Community, are all attributes which make him a valuable employee and asset to our Community.

Meet John

You may also see John Shannon around the office if you are wandering the halls of the Schoolhouse. John will be working with Tsegyalgar East to provide bookkeeping and financial reporting services. 

Many of you know John as a long time and very active DCA community member who lives in Amherst, MA with his family. He and his wife Miranda, also a long time community member, operate Tara Consulting - a communications and business development firm based in Amherst, MA. and are parents to five children.

We are happy to have such terrific people to work with past and present.

With love,

The Tsegylagar East Gakyil

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Through an energy efficiency program incentive and a lot of negotiating, we had all the old fluorescent tube bulbs, fixtures, and ballasts replaced with the latest technology in LED fixtures, bulbs and ballasts in the Gonpa and the Schoolhouse. This includes new flood lights outside of the Schoolhouse building and parking lot lights. In the Gonpa, I had them install simple remote control dimmer switches so there is every option available to adjust brightness. The negotiating was spread out over about a year, but the actual installation of the lighting took about 3 days. The LED bulbs use 50%-85% less energy (depending on the level of dimming in the Gonpa), do not contain mercury like the old fluorescent bulbs, do not lose energy through heat, and last much longer.

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[Photo by Amanda Pollock during January 9 

Khandroling Paper Cooperative Open Studio]

On Saturday, January 9, 2016 four members of Khandroling Paper Cooperative and a local writer made paper together at our weekly Open house. Brenda LIlly brought several examples of Origami Lotus to review and test for our Lotus Blossom fundraising project (description coming soon). Our favorite Lotus above in one of Brenda’s homemade boxes.  

Brenda teaching us the folds

Intense concentration

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