Announcements Issue
Volume 15, Number 4 / August 2015
Letter from the Editors
Newest Book by Rinpoche Is a Treasure
Dear Friends,
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's new book, The True Source of Healing: How the Ancient Tibetan Practice of Soul Retrieval Can Transform and Enrich Your Life, is truly healing. Rinpoche's teachings on the five natural elements and soul retrieval are here in print now for all of us, to help us grow, overcome difficult life challenges, revitalize our life and realize our true self. As Rinpoche writes in his book:
Soul retrieval is not a passive process. You will not retrieve your soul by sitting back and merely observing the flow of experience. At the same time, you cannot retrieve your soul by exerting effort. Basic to all the practices set out in this book is the notion of allowing. As you connect with inner stillness, silence, and spaciousness, and rest in the inner refuge, you simply allow the healing warmth that is always there to arise naturally. As this warmth arises, it energizes you, just as the heat of a stove causes the molecules of water in a teakettle to dance. The warmth of the inner refuge moves you to act for your own benefit and for the well-being of the world. As you trust in your connection to the inner refuge – to your genuine self – you are inspired to express love, compassion, joy, and equanimity to those around you.
Rinpoche's book serves as the foundation for his continuing yearlong series of monthly webcast teachings. Each live webcast is being translated simultaneously in as many as 12 languages, and now his book The True Source of Healing will support, inspire and reinforce our further understanding of these teachings, as well as strengthen our commitment to bring them directly into our lives. Be sure to order your copy of The True Source of Healing from Ligmincha's Tibet Shop. Also, be sure not to miss the next free webcast in Rinpoche's Soul Retrieval series, titled “Overcoming Loneliness: Finding the Friend Within,” scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15, 3–4:30 p.m. Eastern Time U.S.
We have another full issue, including many special announcements! Rob Patzig was named President of Ligmincha International during the summer retreat – read the transcript of Rinpoche's address to the sangha about this, as well as Rob's article about Year One of the International Board. Mark your calendar for Aug. 15 for the next webcast – see details below. Read an excerpt from a talk that Rinpoche gave in Amsterdam in May about openness and the different options for the sangha. Following this is an article featuring reflections by a recent 3 Doors graduate in Europe. A Sangha Sharing article features photos and poetry inspired by the Summer Retreat at Serenity Ridge. View Ligmincha's 2014 Annual Report, now available on the website. Serenity Ridge's Fall Retreat early-bird registration goes through Sept. 22. We announce a special teaching and empowerment on Sept. 19–20 at Serenity Ridge with Yangton Lama Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche. Also the next online GlideWing course on Sound Healing begins Sept. 19. Read about how you can help in a National Research Project on Finding Faith Today by taking their survey. Thank-you’s to Vickie Walter and Vicki Wheaton in recognition of their continued great service. And finally, view the Spanish and Portuguese translations of the June VOCL.
Best in Bon,
Aline and Jeff
Rob Patzig Named President of Ligmincha International
Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Makes Change During Summer Retreat
Rob Patzig accepted the position of President of Ligmincha International, at the request of Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, during the first week of this year’s Summer Retreat at Serenity Ridge. (Rob also will remain as chair of the Ligmincha International Board, a position he has held for the past year.) Tenzin Rinpoche has been president of Ligmincha since the organization began. He continues to hold the title of Spiritual Director and is a member of the Board of Directors. Rinpoche spoke on June 24 about what the change means to the organization and to him personally.
Rob Patzig
It has been one year since the Ligmincha International Board came together. I asked Rob Patzig to accept the position of chair of the board, and he already has served in this capacity for one year. Rob came in and helped so much on the International Board. Rob has engaged with the work of guiding our international organization with great skill and enthusiasm. I know that he spends much time each week on the many issues that arise, as he and I speak frequently about these things. He has made my life much, much easier. I now have more time for other projects, such as to write poems.
At this time I would like to ask Rob to be the President of Ligmincha International. We all have beautiful experiences being together and working with him, and we trust his guidance of this organization. Please join me in warmly welcoming Rob into this new role.
I want to say a few words about what this means for our organization. Until now I have had the title of the President. I am happy to let go of that. What does that mean overall? This does not mean that I am going away or retreating from the sangha or the students or from different countries. It means that I will have more time. I was in Austria and I asked a Tibetan friend, “Did you read my poem?” He said, “Yes, but there were too many of them! How did you find the time to do that?” First of all I love to do that. I wake up in the middle of the night with lines and I write. When inspired, every moment is there to do it. Definitely I find a lot more time now to do that, posting a lot in We Chat and Facebook. Some translations I have shared. I also have more time for everybody, for my family, to see my teacher. As you know, we have done the Soul Retrieval webcast for the whole year. I have more time to do those things. And now I can be available for more things.
If you think it is good I am no longer president, that is fine. If you are worried, don’t be. I am still there to support and help. We have a wonderful organization, with so many people helping in so many ways all over the world. I feel very happy with how things are going, and it is because of this that I feel confidence in making this change now.
I want to thank all of you who collaborate in these positions. Every single person in the sangha, each one of us, some are umdzes, some are teachers, some have specific skills and roles. Whatever they are, I see them all as opportunities to serve. These roles help us to serve more in an expanded way. I served two years as a president of the nonsectarian [Buddhist] community. That role gave me the authority to do certain things I would not otherwise have done. There is so much you can do in each of your countries, and some have done a lot. Each of us has so much opportunity to serve others. At the end of the day it is service, doing something in action and making concrete changes on a smaller and bigger scale, and I hope we all see that and work that way. My prayers of support are with all of you, and particularly those who are serving.
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Serenity Ridge Summer Retreat
June 24, 2015
Next Free Live Webcast with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Aug. 15
‘Overcoming Loneliness: Finding the Friend Within’
Please join Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche for the seventh in the yearlong series on Soul Retrieval: "Overcoming Loneliness: Finding the Friend Within." It will take place on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015, 3–4:30 p.m. Eastern time U.S. (New York time).
Loneliness is pervasive in today’s society. We may seek to overcome it through companionship with others, but the ultimate antidote is to find “the friend within.” Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will discuss the relationship between loneliness and soul loss; explain the wrong way to overcome feelings of loneliness; and guide a practice for connecting deeply with your closest, most reliable source of companionship, support and fulfillment: your own true nature.
This webcast is Part 7 of a free, yearlong course in soul retrieval and is open to all (viewing Parts 1 through 6 is not required).
Register now for Aug. 15 webcast
Learn more about the free yearlong Soul Retrieval course
Mark your calendar for future webcasts on Saturday, Sept. 12, 3–4:30 p.m. Eastern time, Part 8: "Nourishing Your Inner Being: The Heart of Soul Retrieval"; and Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015, 3–4:30 p.m. Eastern time, Part 9: "Nourishing Your Inner Being: Questions and Answers."
Year One of the International Board
A Report from Ligmincha International Board Chair Rob Patzig
Ligmincha International Board of Directors at the Summer Retreat. From left: Carlos Madero, Mexico; Anneke Dekkers, The Netherlands; Justyna Przondo, Poland; Rob Patzig, USA (Board chair); Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche; Serenity Ridge Resident Lama Geshe Tenzin Yangton; Pam Rodeheaver, USA; and Gabriel Rocco, USA. Missing from photo: Oliver Wirtz, Germany, and newest board member, Patty Gift, USA. (photo by Eustaquio Martinez del Rio Escalante)
The Ligmincha International Board of Directors marked its first anniversary during the first week of Summer Retreat at Serenity Ridge in June.
Current board members Anneke Dekkers, Carlos Madero, Gabriel Rocco, Justyna Przondo, Pam Rodeheaver and I all attended the first week of retreat, and Oliver Wirtz, who could not attend in person, joined some of our meetings by Skype. Patty Gift, our newest addition to the board, could not attend week one, but attended the second week of retreat and was appointed to the board by Rinpoche then. Ligmincha International’s Executive Director Sue Davis Dill and Secretary Maggie Scobie also participated in these meetings. Finally, Lourdes Hinojosa kindly provided translation services to board members on several occasions.
The Board met several times during retreat, both formally and informally. Our objective during this week was not to accomplish specific tasks but to have broad and lively conversations across a range of topics in order to set an agenda for the coming year. Our major discussions included:
- Regional Structure and Support: How are sanghas organized around the world? How do we coordinate teachings and activities both regionally and globally? We will be looking at this and sharing stories and learnings in the coming year.
- Online Education and Support: How can we make more support available online for students and practitioners around the world and protect the teachings? How do we approach multiple languages and interests? Can we conduct online trainings? Can we augment retreats at our centers with online education and materials?
- Ligmincha Website: We need to revise the website to reflect the international nature of our community, and we need to make it easier to find information. We are working on a plan to develop a new website.
- Umdze and Practice Leader Training and Qualifications: What skills and knowledge does a practice leader or an umdze need to serve a community of practitioners or sangha? What processes are in place or should be put in place to provide a method for qualified practitioners to serve in such roles?
- The Mandala Council: This group of representatives from many of our larger or more established sanghas is meant to be a critical part of how Ligmincha creates a sense of international community and belonging. How can it become more active? How should the board and the Mandala Council best support one another? How should they communicate? How should the council be organized and governed? What projects should the council undertake?
These are the major areas selected for discussion in the coming year.
During its first year, the board focused on learning to work as an international group, across time zones and multiple languages, and to establish basic policies and procedures for the organization. The board finalized and published the Charter and Bylaws for Ligmincha International, and a guidance document regarding bylaws for new and existing Ligmincha entities around the world. We also have begun several surveys of practitioners with support from the Mandala Council, and a survey of Facebook use by sanghas worldwide as a part of looking at how individual sanghas, countries, regions and the international communities communicate with each other.
The Ligmincha International Board meets formally once a month for one to two hours, and there are often ad hoc groups of two to three members working on special projects. Email and social media apps also are common tools that we use to work together. We work primarily in English, though our members speak many other languages. Videoconferencing technologies help us greatly to hear and be responsive to one another and also to ensure that enough time is given for any translation that needs to take place.
To support the growing needs of the sangha, the board also has the power to create standing committees, which can include non-board members. The first such committee is the Practice and Trainings Committee. This working group includes some of Ligmincha’s senior teachers, as well as Geshe Tenzin Yangton, the resident lama at Serenity Ridge. This group is working to define and to create new practice and support materials for use within Ligmincha. We will talk more about the role of this group and their work in a future Voice of Clear Light.
Openness, Options and Living a Worthwhile Life
An Excerpt from Rinpoche’s Teachings in Amsterdam
Photo by Maria Aurelia Kulik
During a seminar on A-tri in Amsterdam in May 2015, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche talked about openness and sangha and the options that are offered. Here is an excerpt, which also appears in the Summer issue of Ligmincha Europe magazine.
I want to talk about sangha and openness. I have been teaching in the West for the last 25 years. And one of the things that I have learned from my teaching is to be open to those who are learning from me. To be open means to be open to both the student's level of familiarity and lack of familiarity; to the student's ability to understand and not to understand; to the student's readiness to commit or not to commit. I developed a deep respect for those who are learning from me, for who they are.
For me, the role of the teacher is not to teach what I think is right, but to pay attention to what the students are experiencing and how they are relating to the teachings. This is more important than my opinion of the right way and the wrong way. Trying to push everybody into the right way is not my style. At the end of the day, my intention is to help, and you help more people by being open. There are people who don't want to agree with you. Be open to them. Whatever they understand, meet them at their level of understanding.
You might ask, but what is the right way? Different people need different things. But what is the right way, the best way? There is no right way; there is no best way. Right is what transforms you. Best is what elevates you. There are a lot of people suffering with their Buddhist practices in the West. Buddhism is bringing more suffering into their lives, not because of the practice being done but because of their relationship to their practice.
The main point in teaching and in practice is to be open. What does that mean? I am bringing different opportunities to the West. At Lishu Institute in Dehradun, India, I offer people the possibility to study the texts as you would study in a university or as I did when I experienced my geshe training. In the beginning, I tried to make it a five-year program, but it did not work. So I made it a three-year program, and still that was difficult. Finally I said Okay, I will give you the flexibility of coming every six months. I have been trying to accommodate and accommodate even more, and still it is difficult. But at least I am not stepping back. If there are only five people or even only one, we will do it! [Currently 11 students are enrolled for the fall semester at Lishu.] In September 2015 we will start. And if there are dedicated people who don't have any money, I'll find the money for them to do it. Money should not be the obstacle, because it matters; it is important. And above all, it is special to those who feel they want to do it. For those who have that level of dedication, they now have a place where they can do it.
On the other side is The 3 Doors program. This is very much about personal work. Several years ago there was a big conference in North America called “Buddhism in the West.” H.H. Dalai Lama and many lamas from other schools were there. I was also invited, and so I went. One of the big discussions was “Teaching in the West.” I found it rather strange that there were extreme opinions being expressed. There were people saying: This is right! And:That is wrong! How can you have that? Buddha never said that one way is wrong. In the Bon tradition there are nine ways, and each of these ways exists because the capacities and needs of people differ. It is not that one approach is right and another approach is wrong. It took me a little time to articulate my position for myself before talking to anybody else about it. It seemed like the wrong thing to say of a particular approach that it is not right, because that particular approach is right for some people. And that particular approach is wrong for some people. But in and of itself, it is not appropriate to say that an approach is not right. A fundamental principle of Bon Buddhism is that there is nothing inherently wrong.
Many things come from openness in my life. If I thought that only one approach to the path of liberation was right, then my walls would be very small and narrow. My ability to help people would be very limited. And my ability to touch people's hearts would be very limited, because then every heart should be like my heart, and that is a problem because it is simply not like that. The whole motivation to create The 3 Doors came from openness. The purpose of The 3 Doors is not studying texts, but working with practices to change yourself. Is working with yourself easier or is working with a text easier? Is working with yourself more interesting or is working with a text more interesting? Are both equally interesting? Are both equally important? It depends on who you are. We already have over 100 people who have graduated from The 3 Doors Academy. I do not have to evaluate or promote the program as good or bad, because you can talk to the graduates themselves. Every time I meet them, they are a little crazy, exclaiming, “Oh, it is so good!” It's amazing for me to witness the expressions of their gratitude and their transformations and how deeply their journey in The 3 Doors has touched them. Their experiences are much richer than my explanations could ever be. Sometimes people will ask me to say something about The 3 Doors. Why should I talk about it? Those in the program or who have graduated can tell me and others what they feel. This is far more alive than what I have to say. They are talking about real transformations. And one important thing is that they have touched the areas of their lives which are difficult. They are able to go in their practice to the exact places that need to be acknowledged and respected and transformed. They go to those areas and they have a lot of support to do so within their practice and from the collective presence of others in the program.
So we have Lishu and we have The 3 Doors, and in between we have all the activities in the Ligmincha sangha. Each person is trying to relate to the teachings and the practices from their own level and in their own way. This weekend is a wonderful example. We have the A-tri text. And within this text are many details. Some of these details are not all that necessary. So here we put more emphasis upon the core aspects and our experiences with those aspects. So 70 percent of our focus here is upon practices and experiences, and about 30 percent is on the teaching of the text. I think that balance is better. You might not understand every word, but I hope you have some concrete and valuable experiences during this weekend. Of course it is somewhat difficult to experience everything in two days! That's why if you feel you want to study a lot more, go to Lishu Institute!
Ligmincha, as an organization, is inviting more resident teachers. In Europe we have a lama living in our center in Poland, and a lama in living in Paris — Geshe Khorden Lhundup Gyaltsen. In the past I have encouraged the sangha here that it may be a good idea to have a resident teacher. I don't know if they did not hear it, or if they forgot about it, and so I'll keep reminding them. To invite a teacher from Nepal or India is not that easy. The immigration takes months and involves dealing with lawyers and a lot of paperwork. And the responsibility when you invite somebody includes health insurance and a lot of other things. But now, you have to do very little. Paris is a three-hour train ride from here. That presents an opportunity. You have to be open to it, and you have to see it. If you see it, there is no way you cannot take action. So I am encouraging the sangha here to come together and to take advantage of this.
I have been reflecting on what to do. For three years I have been teaching the A-tri. It is a Tibetan text and there is an English translation, so it would be great if Geshe Khorden Lhundup Gyaltsen could come and go through the text with you. Those of you who are very new here might wonder why you have to study the A-tri text. But if you ask me — which perhaps you are not — then I say: Yes! Go for it! Take advantage of that great teacher and learn a little bit more. You will be meditating anyway, so it is best to learn a little bit more. I encourage you to do that. And organizationally, I am encouraging this, too. So perhaps you can invite him every three months, and he can come to different parts of the Netherlands. I encourage everyone to be part of it. And for those who want to be part of The 3 Doors Academy, the opportunity exists. And for those who feel that The 3 Doors is too much and that studying Tibetan is too much, then you have a free webcast every month coming to your home. These are the options.
But please don't think that one option is better than the other. There is nothing like that in the dharma. So when anybody — including a lama —says that one approach is a little better than the other one, that attitude itself is fundamentally wrong. That is the lack of openness that we are talking about here. In saying that one approach is better than another, you are basically disrespecting someone, for there is someone who needs that approach, and you are not respecting that person. Imagine that I love carrying a mala and I try to convince everyone to carry a mala. Now someone says to me: This mala is too heavy to carry! And I say back to them, No, you must have a mala; it is important. So now we are getting into a discussion, and I am feeling a little bit rejected and a little angry, and I end up saying: You are not a serious practitioner. Come on, you must have a mala. And even further: I think you are a bad practitioner! Maybe even: You are not even a practitioner because you don't carry a mala! People say these things. It shows a lack of respect.
So be open to the teachings and learn whatever you can learn. And don't punish yourself or punish other people for having different paths. Know that the only spiritual practice worth doing is the practice that leads you to openness. Otherwise, even a spiritual practice is not worth doing.
Unfortunately, for some people, so-called spiritual practice is nothing more than honoring their own painful patterns. Nothing changes. It is exactly the same product with a nicer label. If nothing has changed, you are fooling yourself in your practice. And when your spiritual practice does lead you to openness, do not simply experience that openness in your practice, but bring it into your life. The real meaning of openness comes in living with openness and sharing your life openly. Do what you can do with openness, not with blocks. Express your life with joy, not with fear. Express your life with creativity, not with pressure. Live your life with openness, for openness is the only way to live a worthwhile life.
‘Do You Want To Be the One Who Can Heal Relationships with Your Ancestors?’
Reflection by Marlies Cober, European 3 Doors Academy Graduate
This article also appears in the Summer issue of Ligmincha Europe.
Photo by Anja Benesch
“Do you want to be the one who can heal relationships with your ancestors?” This is what I heard Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche say in 2011. I had been thinking about starting The 3 Doors Academy, but the moment I heard these words there was no longer any doubt. Yes, this was and continues to be my deepest wish.
I started the European Academy that summer and didn’t really know what to expect. Completing the application was the start of learning more about the Academy process. I already knew about the 63 transformations we would work on and was familiar with all the practices that would be introduced in the Academy. However, I couldn’t have expected how deeply they would touch my feelings during these coming years.
I had practiced the Tsa Lung and the Nine Breathings for a long time as well as the Warrior Seed Syllables. However, the way the Academy teachers guided us through these practices during our group retreats was fascinating because of what was coming up from my body and my inner speech. It really helped me become aware of how painful my thoughts could be. After some time, I could experience that what we were being taught was true, really true: in allowing the pain to be there, virtuous qualities can arise and healing will find its way.
The atmosphere inside the Academy group was like the practice itself. As we hosted each other, we could see and hear our differences and also discover how much we were all the same. We shared our thoughts, words and feelings. We sat in silence and in laughter or tears. Most powerful was the open space in our hearts as we hosted any pain that we shared by listening, being aware and being present with each other. The power of the group circle was initiated by our teachers, who gave examples from their own lives in which they expressed their wisdom and experience.
I discovered that inside my body there are many layers of feelings. As I looked at these feelings I could allow space or could contract. When I chose to allow space, I could taste what was there. A deep connection with my ancestors awoke. It took many moments and sessions of practice just to allow this to arise, and it became clear to me that in healing my own pain, I was able to heal the pain of my ancestors as well. Time didn’t exist. The very moment I got a clear insight, the moment inner warmth arose, I could feel that something had healed.
This process is going on today. It seems to me that there is no limit to what can be healed. More and more I am aware of what is meant in the dedication: “In liberating my own being, may I benefit others.” When I’m able to look with a wider view, people and situations change. That is the power of The 3 Doors Academy. May we all benefit from these healing teachings and practices.
Learn more about The 3 Doors
Sangha Sharing
Poetry and Pictures
Participants who attended this year's Summer Retreat, on the topic of "Dream Yoga," share some photos and poetry from the retreat.
Summer Retreat feast and talent presentation. Photo by Alicia Frew
Lamas following a fire ritual. From left: Geshe Tenzin Yangton, resident lama at Serenity Ridge; Geshe Nyima Kunchap, who was visiting from Nepal; Tulku Pondse Jigme Tenzin (Jorge René Valles Sandoval) from Mexico; and Yangton Lama Tashi Gyaltsen, uncle of Geshe Tenzin Yangton, visiting from Nepal. Photo by Alicia Frew
Steven Friedman shares this poem that he wrote during the retreat.
In Dreams of Waking and Sleep
I sit
Empty and serene
Allowing syllables intoned by the Blessed Tulku
Prepare me for an ambitious journey
My constant waking companion
Departs reluctantly
As I rest
Ripening
Words and sounds separate
Revealing a subtle intelligence
Concealed by appearance
That flirts with the boundary between perception and imagination
With caution
I begin to discern points of light
Enriching the spaces within and without
Descending in a fine brume of sparks and blessings
Exploding from the seed syllables
Dancing overhead
As I continue to open
An ever more manifest realm of experience blossoms
I am washed, filled, and transformed
By the ineffable and the sacred
The chanted text of Mother Tantra
Becomes a covenant
Connecting me to a lineage of dream masters
Holders of the precious teachings
The salvation of sentient beings
Purified and perfected
I ascend within
As the points of light coalesce
Forming a fine braid of golden fire that wraps me in a nest of loose coils
As the momentum builds
I am spinning at the center of a spiral orb web
Layering itself in myriad angles of inclination
Until I am fully enclosed in a translucid armor of refuge
To my right hand appears a sword of diamond and thunder
The hilt offering itself from a collection of arms forged in the dream-time
Crafted with wrathful compassion
Whetted to cleave the illusions of appearance
And reveal what lies beneath
Appointed thus, I am a dream warrior
Eager to face myself in a dimension
Populated by unwitting forms that arise
From each identity and construct I take to be me
And as I am aroused by the stroke of a bell
I emerge from dream to dream
Bearing no visible armor or arms yet fully equipped
Buoyant and calm
Poised to embark on a voyage of self-discovery and perfection
In dreams of waking and sleep
Steven Friedman
6/28/15
Inspired by a vision during the transmission of Dream Yoga
from the Ma Gyu by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Dedicated to the masters of dreaming of all traditions
Ligmincha International's 2014 Annual Report Now Available
Highlights Include Upcoming Groundbreaking of New Serenity Ridge Facility
Ligmincha International's Annual Report for fiscal year 2014 was recently released. Read about what has been happening during 2014, and read a report about Ligmincha's finances.
This year's report has a more international focus than previous years, as the organization has changed its name from Ligmincha Institute to Ligmincha International, has a new board that includes members from around the world, and includes information about Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche's expanded teachings in various countries and online. Also read about changes at Serenity Ridge Retreat Center in Virginia, international headquarters of Ligmincha, including plans for a new building to meet expanding needs.
Read the 2014 Ligmincha International Annual Report
Ligmincha's Annual Fall Retreat at Serenity Ridge Oct. 21–25
Early-bird Registration Runs Until Sept. 22
Ligmincha's Annual Fall Retreat at Serenity Ridge on "The Five Elements: Connecting with the Living Universe" with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will be held Oct. 21–25, 2015. Early-bird registration will run until Sept. 22.
According to the ancient Tibetan spiritual traditions, the five natural elements of earth, water, fire, air and space are fundamental aspects of a living universe. Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will guide practices through which we can deeply connect with the elemental essences, and nourish and restore health and vitality.
Help in National Research Project on Finding Faith Today
Letter Requests Online Survey Participation
Ligmincha recently received a request from a professor and researcher at Boston University, Bryan P. Stone, requesting help in a national research project being carried out by Boston University called "Finding Faith Today." The basic research is looking at how people come to faith as adults in the United States. You can read more about the project; and you can review the survey by clicking on the Clergy button on that website.
Professor Stone writes in his letter that they are looking for adults age 18 and over, who have either converted to Buddhism or “returned” to Buddhist faith and practice from an earlier commitment in their lives, to complete the survey. All responses will be completely anonymous and confidential. The online survey can also be taken in multiple languages, as persons directed to it will easily discover.
Learn more about the survey on Finding Faith Today.
Three-Week GlideWing Online Workshop Sept. 19–Oct. 11
‘Tibetan Sound Healing’
In this three-week online workshop with personal guidance from Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, you will learn to use the healing power of five sacred syllables referred to as the Five Warrior Syllables. Guided by the mind and carried by the breath through subtle channels within the body, the power of sound will open the potential to bring joy and love to your life, facilitate personal healing, dissolve energetic disturbances and awaken positive action in the world around you.
Special Teaching/Empowerment Sept. 19–20 at Serenity Ridge
With Yangton Lama Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche
Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche will offer teachings on the Invocation to Tapihritsa on Saturday, Sept. 19, and the Zhang Zhung Meri empowerment on Sunday, Sept. 20, at Serenity Ridge Retreat Center.
These teachings express the essence of dzogchen, the "great perfection," with Tapihritsa representing the realization of all the masters of the Zhang Zhung oral tradition and the true nature of reality. Lama Tashi is head lama of the Yanggon Thongdrol Phuntsog Ling Monastery in Dolpo, Western Nepal. Geshe Tenzin Yangton, resident lama at Serenity Ridge and Lama Tashi's nephew, will translate.
Learn more and register
Thanking Two of Our Volunteers
Service to the Sangha
At the end of every retreat at Serenity Ridge we make an effort to acknowledge the volunteers who supported the retreat. This past July during the summer retreat at Serenity Ridge, in addition to these thanks, we had the opportunity to recognize Vickie Walter and Vicki Wheaton for their years of service to the sangha. As thanks for their work, Rinpoche gave to each of them beautiful pieces of his calligraphy.
Both Vickie Walter and Vicki Wheaton have been students of Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s for many years, and service work is a significant part of their personal practice.
Vicki Wheaton
Vicki Wheaton is “Abadidi” to Senghe – Rinpoche’s and Tsering’s son – whom she has helped care for since he was very young. As an extension of her direct service to Rinpoche and his family, Vicki also is the Lama House Manager at Serenity Ridge. In this role Vicki works to ensure that the needs of Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and his family, Geshe Yangton (Serenity Ridge’s resident lama), and all visiting lamas and their guests are met. During retreats one can see Vicki working joyfully from early morning into the evening in service to our teachers.
Vickie Walter
Vickie Walter works behind the scenes, but everyone sees the results. Vickie is the Director of Communications for Ligmincha International. Vickie works with the editors as part of a small team, all volunteers, to create Voice of Clear Light, the newsletter you are reading right now. Vickie also writes, updates and does much of the maintenance of the ligmincha.org and serenityrdge.ligmincha.org websites, and she creates and places the advertising for both Serenity Ridge and Ligmincha International. She also writes much of and prepares our Annual Report.
The mission of Ligmincha is to preserve and present the teachings of Tibetan Bon Buddhism in ways that are accessible to Westerners. Everything that we do, from running retreats in our own centers and other locations around the world, leading practice sessions, offering live Internet broadcasts in multiple languages, publishing teaching transcripts and other support materials: all is done by volunteers. Without people like Vickie and Vicki, who find ways to use their skills and knowledge in service to others, the service we work to provide would not exist. To all of our volunteers around the world, thank you for all that you do. You have the entire sangha’s heartfelt appreciation for your work.
Spanish and Portuguese Translations of VOCL
Links to June Issue Now Available
Upcoming Retreats
Serenity Ridge Retreat Center
The retreats listed below will take place at Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, headquarters of Ligmincha International, located in Nelson County, Virginia. To register or for more information, click on the links below, or contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 434-263-6304.
Sept. 19-10, 2015
Special Teaching and Empowerment
with Yangton Lama Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche
Learn more/register
Oct. 21–25 , 2015
Fall Retreat – The Five Elements: Connecting With the Living Universe
with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Learn more/register
Nov. 5–8, 2015
Trul Khor Part 5: Post-Training
with Alejandro Chaoul-Reich, Ph.D., and honored guest Geshe Tenzin Yangton
Learn more
Dec. 27, 2015–Jan. 1, 2016
The Experiential Transmission of Zhang Zhung, Part 2: Introduction to the Nature of Mind
with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Learn more
To register for any of the above retreats, or for more information about teachings in the Bon Buddhist tradition of Tibet, please contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 434-263-6304, or visit the Serenity Ridge website.
