Conway 250th Celebration & Tsegyalgar Open House Schedule, June 17-18, 2017

Conway Massachusetts 250 Years Celebration; 1767-2017

Tsegyalgar Open House (Saturday & Sunday)
18 Schoolhouse Rd.
Conway, MA 01341

Friday June 16
In front of Field Memorial Library

• 6-7pm: Tibetan Yoga & Harmonious Dances Demonstration

Saturday June 17
Tsegyalgar, 18 Schoolhouse Road

• 10am-4pm Khandroling Paper Cooperative demonstrates papermaking & paper art, and KPC members  exhibition of works
• Photo exhibit, informational videos
• 11am Introduction to Tibetan medicine
• 2:30pm Introduction to scope of cultural, charitable, and spiritual activities
• 3pm Talk on Tibetan culture

Saturday, June 17
In front of Field Memorial Library

• 5-6pm: Tibetan Yoga and Harmonious Dances Demonstration

Sunday June 18
Tsegyalgar, 18 Schoolhouse Rd

• 10am – 12pm Khandroling Paper Cooperative demonstrates papermaking and paper art
• 11am Vajra dance demonstration

Sunday June 18

• 1pm Town Parade
  
  Khaita Dancers and Lotus Origami Project to distribute hundreds of origami blossoms made by the Origami club

TO VIEW THE ENTIRE 250TH CONWAY ANNIVERSARY SCHEDULE, CLICK HERE

Khaita Dancers Participate in the 11th International Dance Parade on May 20, 2017

Amanda heading up the Khaita Dancers with her Lotus Mobile Sound System, May 20, 2017

A small group from NYC and Tsegyalgar participated in this year's International Dance Parade--an extraordinary display of the US International heritage. To learn

more about this annual event, visit their webpage here.

May 20, 2017 - photos by Stephen Korns

TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE KHAITA DANCERS IN THE  2016 PARADE

VISIT HERE

Visit the Mirror article on this year's Khaita Dance participation

 in the 11th Annual International Dance Parade

Tara Mandala Launches New Website

Welcome to chodhealing.org. An online resource for the practice of Chöd, considered one of the “Eight Great Chariots of Spiritual Accomplishment” in the Tibetan tradition, that offers a paradigm of integration rather than opposition that can be applied at all levels of human life and society.

Max Shannon to Perform in As You Like It

Come see Max and his fellow actors on Friday May 19 at 6:00pm at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls, & on Sunday May 21 at 1:00pm at the Renaissance Center in Amherst. If you cannot make either of those times, there are a number of other performances with other wonderful casts of actors.  Max is the son of Miranda and John Shannon and gifted sibling from the extraordinaire Shannon clan. Visit Young Shakespeare Players for detail.

Courtesy Facebook post by Miranda Shannon

Updates on Yantra Yoga Taught by Naomi Zeitz

Breathing and Pranayamas with Naomi Zeitz in Los Angeles, California from May 6-7, 2017

Kumbhaka Day at the Dondrubling, Berkeley CA with Naomi Zeitz

UPCOMING PROGRAM

Yantra Yoga
Albuquerque, New Mexico

May 20-21, 2017

Introduction and Follow-uCourse to Yantra Yoga

We will study the system of breathing, the three preliminary series and, if possible, enter into the first series of Yantras. People who know Yantra Yoga can also benefit by going more deeply and also refining what they know.
Open to all.
Location:Form Studio, 3001 Monte Vista Blvd. NEbuquerque, NM 87106
Cost for the retreat is $92 early bird, then $108 after that.Checks need to be received by May 13.
Please send checks to:Becky Page3504 Campus Blvd NEAlbuquerque, NM 87106
Contact: Bjaymonkey@swcp.com

PHOTOS Reprinted from the Mirror

The Seven Line Prayer: A Course in Calligraphy, Syntax and Meaning with Giorgio Dallorto

On June 20th, 21st, 22nd , Shang Shung Institute at Tsegya;gar East will host a  calligraphy course on the Seven Line Prayer to Padmasambhava, studying the Uchen calligraphy and syntax of the words. It is also suitable for people who have not studied Tibetan. Participants will also study the meaning of the verses.

Times: 6:30pm-8:30pm nightlyLocation: Library at Tsegyalgar East, 18 Schoolhouse Rd., Conway, MA 01341
Cost: By Donation, suggested donation $20 per session
Contact: Anna Bartenstein akfb@aol.com to register

Participants should bring an exercise book, possibly with lines or squares to help with the dimensions of the calligraphy, and a pen, preferably for calligraphy, or with a broad nib.
Find and share the event on Facebook


Giorgio Dallorto

Born in Piedmonte in 1953, in my youth due to an interest in yoga, I became interested in Tibetan Buddhism and Himalayan Culture in general. This brought me to meet my future and main teacher, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu in the summer of 1978. In the beginning of the 80s I spent a few years traveling in India and Nepal, visiting the main Tibetan settlements, with the scope of deepening my knowledge of their cultural and artistic heritage. In the 90s I started to collaborate with the International Dzogchen Community working actively for Merigar in many different roles: blue and yellow gakyil member, geko, manager of the Merishop, consultant for SSI, etc. Over the last 20 years, I have dedicated myself in a free and independent way to the in-depth study of Tibetan history and culture and, in particular, the arts, deepening my knowledge of Tibetan painting and bronzes of the past and today. Over the last five years, I have been studying Tibetan language under the direction of Prof. Fabian Sanders with the Ka-ter project of the SSF, giving particular attention to the study of the different styles of Tibetan calligraphy. I have collaborated with the international magazine, The Mirror, and the Merigar magazine, writing different articles for them about history, art, and spiritual biographies of Tibetan masters.

Tsegyalgar East is Awarded Community Preservation Grant from the Town of Conway. MA

Tsegyalgar East is pleased to announce that the Dzogchen Community was awarded a Community Preservation grant from the town of Conway at a town meeting on Monday, May 8, 2017 in a democratic vote. The award of $60,000 was granted to repair the roof of the historic yellow schoolhouse and former Conway grammar school purchased from the town by the Community in 1994.

Many thanks to all who collaborated together leading to a positive result of this effort beginning with the Tsegyalgar East Gakyil, especially Matt Hayat who worked closely with grant writer Ed Matheny to write the funding application; Marilyn McArthur, who reviewed the initial grant recommending informed revisions;  Efrem and Marit Marder, well known among Conway residents and officials, who initiated a great turn-out of local supporters for the vote; Will Shea who made the presentation at the Town Meeting and Caroline Hotaling of Shang Shung Institute for their dedicated and experienced efforts on integrating the School of Tibetan Medicine within the town; Last but not least, we sincerely thank the many townspeople who voted on our behalf in recognition of our Community's long term presence and international attention; the Town of Conway Historic Commission, the Conway Historical Society and the Community Preservation Committee, and the Town of Conway Board of Selectmen and staff, all of whom took time to review and improve the grant. This was  truly collaborative endeavor!

We look forward to participating in the upcoming 250th Anniversary of Conway's founding and furthering our outreach to our neighbors and friends thru continued innovative programs and cultural exchanges.

Khandroling Paper Cooperative to Participate in Conway's 250th Anniversary, June 16-18, 2017

Now in its 5th year, Khandroling Paper Cooperative located in the basement of Tsegyalgar East is continuing its participation in the town of Conway's 250th Anniversary through a number of local community outreach projects.

LOTUS PROJECT

Our Lotus Origami Project currently has an exhibit in the historic Marshall Fields Library in Conway on display with hundreds of  blossoms made by our dedicated origami club under the direction of Brenda Lilly, a resident of Conway. Each blossom represents a unique manifestation of its maker.

Every Saturday from 11:00 AM-2:00 PM we are in the Conway Marshall Fields Library to make Lotus origami to add to our collection which will then be used to distribute to the public during the June 17, 2017 parade following our performing Khaita dancers.   

Learning how to make the Lotus

Saturday Lotus participant Carey holding 

her first perfect Lotus and wearing her mom's Conway Grammar School (now Tsegyalgar) sweatshirt

Distributing origami symbols of peace and harmony during parades is a tradition among New England towns, most commonly the Japanese crane. In Buddhist cultures including Tibet,  the Lotus has deep meaning as a symbol of perfection which all beings inherently possess as a potential for enlightenment. By handing these out, we are acknowledging this potential. 

Conway residents gathering to make Lotuses at our Origami Club meeting 

in the Tsegyalgar library on Thursday, May 11

Local Conway artist Rachel Moyers, also a Hatch Grant recipient like KPC, 

trying on a part of her costume made by Lauri Marder she will wear 

distributing Lotuses during the parade

CONWAY RAGS TO PAPER PROJECT

PHASE 1 of the Conway Rags to Paper project began many months ago as we collected Conway resident rags to transform into pulp to make paper for our PHASE 2. On April 29, Madeline Liebling led an Introduction to Papermaking which was attended by six individuals from  ages 13-70+ years old. 

Our first basket of Conway rags cut into postage size pieces for the Hollander Beater

Perfect Conway pulp, April 29, 2017

Amanda and Madeline making paper, April 29, 2017

Amanda and Marie at the Vats, April 29

Couching a sheet of paper dyed with onion skins, April 29

Preparing to wet press the couched sheets, April 29

Low tech pressing, April 29

Pressed paper drying, April 29

COMING SOON PICTURES OF THE FINAL PAPERS WE MADE

PHASE 2 of The Conway Rags to Paper Project hosted by Khandroling Paper Cooperative will take place on Saturdays from 2 PM-5:00 PM thru June 3 in the former Conway Grammar School now called Tsegyalgar.  We have already collected, processed, and beaten in our Hollander beater cotton rags collected from Conway residents to create pulp, which is used to make handmade paper specifically for the 250th anniversary of Conway

Khandroling Paper Cooperative's Conway Rags to Paper Project received a HATCH Grant from the Greater Shelburne Falls Business Association and Massachusetts Cultural Council. 

An 1817 note from Edward Hitchcock who lived on Pumpkin Hollow Road in Conway

This paper will become the base to contain writing and art by participants and artist members related to the history, stories and personal connection to the town of Conway, which will then be mounted in a variety of formats (ex: scrolls, collage, mural, or folding books,) using various printing methods (stamping, stencil, calligraphy, printing) for exhibition during the three-day anniversary. 

WHERE: Tsegyalgar East at 18 Schoolhouse Road, Conway in the Khandroling Paper Studio 

WHEN/TIMES:  Saturdays, 2:00 PM-5:00 PM thru June 3^rd following Lotus Making (11:00 AM-2:00 PM) in the Marshall Fields Library, Conway, MA 

PLEASE NOTE WE HAVE EXTENDED OUR DATES TO SATURDAY OPEN STUDIOS FROM OUR ORIGINAL DATE OF May 13, 2017

FREE to all participants. To R.S.V.P. contact Jacqueline 
at jacqueline.gens@gmail.com 
or 413-522-1125

COME Make paper and art with us in celebration of the town

http://www.khandrolingpapers.blogspot.com

KHANDROLING PAPER COOPERATIVE EXHIBITS 

KPC will participate in the Open House at Tsegyalgar East during the three-day event (June 16-17, 2017) with a small show of artist members' work in the back foyer of the Yellow schoolhouse building. Our Conway Rag to Paper works will be on exhibit in the Conway Elementary School gym with other town art projects.  Details TBA.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

• Following last summer's successful participation in the first Summer celebration, we will once again provide an optional lunch time activity (Noon-3:00 PM onJune 18-19, 2017 to make paper from natural fibers on our Khandroling retreat land led by Sheryl Jaffe

Paper made on Lower Khandroling, 2016

• In the Fall  KPC member, Dara Juels will return for another calligraphy workshop on sacred seed syllables along with new programs in Quilling and other paper arts; making sacred paper; printmaking; nd our regular Open Studios

Second Annual Celebration, July 17-July 23, 2017

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