On to page 2 Dear friends,
The last six months have been so full of activity that I'm taxing my brain to think of it all. (Don't say my brain is easily taxed - it's probably not "right speech"!) For me, the most precious and memorable event took place on the last weekend of October 1999. It was Halloween weekend, but lucky for us we received no tricks and all treats. We received a visit from the Venerable Zasep Rinpoche, our spiritual director, as well as representatives from Zuru Ling in Vancouver BC, Tashi Choling in Nelson BC, Lama Tsongkhapa Center in Kalamazoo, MI and Gaden Choling in Toronto, Ontario.
During the four-day visit, Rinpoche provided initiations into the beautiful practices of Green Tara and Medicine Buddha. Then, he and the presidents of the centers met to discuss the future of a very special international organization of all of Rinpoche's centers worldwide. It will help to make the teachings of the Buddha, in the Tibetan Gelug tradition, accessible to people throughout the western world. Because "Gaden" is a traditional word used to mean the Gelug tradition and also literally meaning "joyful land", we felt it appropriate to name the organization Gaden for the West.
The spiritual center of Gaden for the West will take the form of a retreat center near Nelson BC, and we have spent the intervening months thinking of ways to help raise the money to buy the land. So far, we have sold pizza coupons and jazz festival programs. Our center is also producing a CD that will include chants and prayers sung by Rinpoche. Bill Wells describes this wonderful project in this newsletter.
At the same time, members of our center have been actively studying the Dharma on an ongoing basis. Fifteen of our members participated in the Union of Sutra and Tantra course on the Lam Rim (also known as the Path to Enlightenment). Rinpoche was able to visit in February to test our knowledge in both written and oral formats. I think we have all benefited greatly by studying the Lam Rim. We are immensely grateful to Rinpoche, as well as to Cyndy Roomy and so many of Rinpoche's senior students. What could be more generous than the time and effort they provided to us in facilitating this program?
We have two very special events coming up. On Easter Weekend, Chuck Damov will provide a seminar on Lama Tsongkapa's Lines of Experience. The dates are: Friday, April 21, 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm and April 22 and 23, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. The meetings will take place at our center, 525 S. Main, on the second floor next to the Yoga Center. The cost is $5 for Friday night and $15 each for Saturday and Sunday. On Mothers' Day, Professor Nick Gier, will provide a slide presentation on the countries of Bhutan, Lhadok, Nepal and Tibet and a general overview of Tibetan Buddhism. Although we are still in the planning stages, this event is tentatively scheduled for 7:00 at the Borah Theatre in the Student Union Building on the University of Idaho campus.
Everyone is invited to meditate with us on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am or join us for our study group. We are currently studying "Lojong" which helps us bring our everyday life onto the path to enlightenment. The group meets Sundays at 10:45 am. May you have great fortune and magnificent conditions in your pursuit of true compassion and wisdom!
With love,
Carolea
