Ligmincha Costa Rica

A Growing Sangha Looks Forward to Rinpoche's December Visit

This December 14–16, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will be teaching in San Jose, Costa Rica on “Sleep and Dream Yoga” in English with Spanish translation. All are welcome to attend! This will be Rinpoche‘s second time teaching there, with Alejandro Chaoul-Reich translating.

Ale has been to Costa Rica many times, not only as a translator and a teacher himself, but also as a son-in-law! His wife, Erika, is from Costa Rica, so they have visited there often to see family. VOCL talked with Ale about his connection to this enthusiastic sangha and their beautiful country: 

Ale and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche at Serenity Ridge during Ligmincha’s 25th anniversary.VOCL: Can you tell us a little about your connection to Costa Rica and how you came to teach there? 
Ale: My initial connection to Costa Rica is through Erika, my wife, who is a "Tica" (meaning someone from Costa Rica). In December 2008 we went to spend the holidays with Erika's family and met Oscar Jimenez, who was very enthusiastic about bringing teachings there from the Bön tradition. I spoke to Rinpoche, and he suggested that I do a teaching and see how the group develops, and then he could come later as well. So, my first time teaching there was in 2009. Since then I have gone almost every year. We also had Rinpoche teach once in 2011. Everyone is so much looking forward to having him there again this year, and I will be translating again into Spanish for him.

VOCL: How would you describe your experience teaching and being with the Costa Rican sangha?
Ale: It is a very warm and joyful sangha, and sometimes a little informal, too! They are really committed to practice and are a very welcoming community. We have had people from Mexico and Guatemala coming to the teachings, and the sangha members are always ready to help.

VOCL: Have you explored and enjoyed that beautiful countryside? Is it a support for practice?
Ale: Yes, it is a beautiful country! And even San Jose, the capital, is so lush. I love sitting in the garden of my mother-in-law's house, meditating and practicing trul khor surrounded by the deep greenery and sounds of the river and birds.

With Rinpoche's upcoming visit I think it is a great opportunity to be with Rinpoche in this setting, and maybe while you're there, take the opportunity to explore Costa Rica, particularly if you like nature. It not only has beautiful beaches, but also volcanoes (some active), and rainforests with myriad animals and birds. In many of my conversations with H.E. Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, the topic of Costa Rica comes up, since he is a bird lover!

VOCL: And lastly, Ale, what do you most enjoy about teaching?
Ale: I enjoy being with people, sharing what my teachers taught me and allowed me to teach, and to contribute to the learning and spiritual growth of individuals and the community. I enjoy spending time in the teaching role, but I also enjoy spending informal time at meals, walks, visits and talking about different aspects of life. 

I look forward to translating for Rinpoche when he returns to Costa Rica this December 14–16. And then the weekend after, December 22–23, I will be teaching some trul khor there, too.

Learn more about the December retreat:

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Learn more about Ligmincha Costa Rica:

• In a previous issue of Ligmincha Europe Magazine, Ton Bisscheroux interviewed sangha members Oscar Jiménez and his son Jeal Jiménez as a way to introduce the Costa Rica sangha. Read that interview here.
• Watch a beautiful video made for the 25th Anniversary of Ligmincha International composed of music and photographs of teachers of the Yungdrung Bön tradition on their visits to Costa Rica.
• For more information visit Ligmincha Costa Rica Facebook.
• Contact Ligmincha Costa Rica by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .