Sharing the Timeless Joy
Summer Retreat 30 Years Ago, from the VOCL Archives
One of the first retreats with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche took place in the mountains of Virginia near Charlottesville at the home of Victor and Virginia Torrico. Some of you may have been there! Here is an edited article from the Voice of Clear Light Fall 1993 newsletter written by Alejandro Chaoul-Reich after attending the 1993 summer retreat, 30 years ago! Alejandro's dedication and service continue to inspire today.
Ki ki so so lha jalo! I say this with a great feeling of joy and some sadness too. Joy because it was an incredible retreat and still I have no words to express how fortunate we were, and a little sadness because it's over.
I hope I can transmit to you how inspiring and fun filled this retreat was. Many unique things contributed to this occasion. First, three Tibetan Bonpo lamas were there, Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, Khenpo Nyima Wangyal Rinpoche and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Second, this three-week retreat is part of a unique seven-year program which will create a strong base in the conceptual understanding, in the practice and in being together as a family, as Tenzin W. Rinpoche emphasized on the first day. Third, the fantastic location in the mountains of western Virginia thanks to our great hosts Victor and Virginia Torrico.
Some people started arriving on Thursday, July 1, and setting up their tents on the wonderful spots prepared by John and Cindy Jackson, which made it much easier and less exposed to our beloved friend (if it stays out of touch) poison ivy.
The retreat started on Friday afternoon with a brief introductory talk by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, after which John inaugurated the series of announcements that were bound to happen after every teaching. By Saturday noon we were all ready to receive Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche and Khenpo Nyima Wangyal Rinpoche, who were arriving from Nepal. As our honored teachers walked up the hill over the Tibetan auspicious symbols drawn in chalk, we lined the road with bowed heads and burned incense and juniper branch offerings. Everyone then offered a khata, ceremonial silk scarf, in this simple and emotional welcoming ceremony .
The first week was mainly dedicated to the tenet systems. We started every day at 6:30 a.m. with a sitting meditation (trying to be in contemplation) with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, then Jamyang and Whitney prepared our breakfast so we could be ready for Lopon's morning teachings at 8:30 a.m. Not only the teachings were great, but it was also very nice to hear Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche debating fine details in Tibetan with Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, and then tell us the outcome in English. That and the possibility of asking our own questions during the talk made the teachings active and fun. At 10:30 a.m. we enjoyed meditation outside with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. The techniques taught were very simple and direct, and seem to adapt very well to the western mind.
After meditation we had lunch and time to rest. Sometimes we used this time to picnic and swim at a nearby river and to have private audiences with any of the teachers. Also at this time Belita (and then Laura) would put the Bookstore out, complemented by Tibetan imports from Pema along with t-shirts and thangkas that Nyima Wangyal brought from Nepal to raise money for the construction of the Triten Norbutse Monastery and Education Center.
All these activities would go on until the 3 p.m. afternoon teachings with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. These sessions were very active since Rinpoche constantly asked us questions to make sure we understood. Then, after a quick tea break, we did the Short Meditation Session in Six Parts, which, after the second week, we did outside as well. It was really nice to do it outside!
Immediately after, we had discussion groups, and were those great! This was the first time I had heard of this in a Buddhist or retreat context, and I feel they helped a great deal. Most of the time we would divide in two groups, people who were new to the teachings and older students. Some days we would share our experiences during the different meditations, and other days we would discuss what was taught by both Rinpoches. It was interesting to hear the different perspectives and points of view of different people and how that could be used to enhance one's own experiences and understanding. It was also interesting to hear what some of the Tibetan scholars who were there, like Anne Klein, John Reynolds, David Germano and Arthur Mandelbaum, had to add. At the end we would get both groups together with both teachers to clarify whatever doubts were still unresolved. It was also a nice opportunity to ask and talk to them about nearly any subject.
To conclude the day dinner was prepared by our great cooks. After hours, and in between teachings, massages, yoga and healing techniques were offered.
The second week was dedicated to lo-rig, the study or science of the mind, mainly from the Sautrantika School point of view. We were very lucky to have Professor Anne Klein from Rice University teach us for three afternoons, sometimes together with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche.
The lo-rig study was presented in comparison and contrast to the nature of the mind teachings from the dzogchen point of view. Starting this second week and throughout the rest of the retreat we learned the special preliminary practices, unique to dzogchen teachings, of body and speech at the 6:30 a.m. meditation with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. Also during this week we started going more often to the river at noon and having a refreshing bath before the afternoon teaching, many times with a stopover at McDowell for ice cream.
The third week was dedicated mainly to the Bon shamanic teachings, and we started early in the morning of the first day with the sang purification ritual, which helps increase the energy. This ritual consists of burning juniper branches and other offerings while reciting the appropriate prayers and mantras. At the end everyone stands around the fire and throws tsampa up in the air shouting, ki ki so so lha jalo! This is an expression of happiness of being purified and an offering to the deities.
This week also included the ritual and explanation of the soul retrieval practice, and the making of a prosperity and wish-fulfilling vase and a dadar. These can be used in our everyday practice or whenever we feel the need for any of those practices. It's incredible how much we did in this retreat! And I haven't even told you yet about two of the main teachings .
We were very fortunate to have Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche give us the lung (oral transmission) and teachings contained in his recent book Heartdrops of the Dharmakaya, which are the Teachings of the Progressive Great Perfection by Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen, and the Meri initiation and explanation of the sadhana, which is essential for the study and practice of the Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud teachings.
The retreat finished on the morning of the 22nd with the initiation of Yeshe Walmo, one of the main Bon protectors, after which whoever wanted could join for the skygazing weekend. We went to the George Washington National Forest, and as Bill Millard said, it was the icing on the cake. We camped there, did a little practice, for which it was hard to find the right time and place, but managed to do some anyway, gave and received massages, swam in the lake and slowly said goodbye to all the members of this big family.
On the final afternoon we drove to a sheer rock cliff high in the mountains to practice skygazing. As we sat in contemplation the sky grew darker and darker while a summer storm approached. As Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche gave us our final words of encouragement, drops began to fall. We all parted with tears and hugs as lightning flashed and rain began to fall over the mountains. With joy and a little sadness, ki ki so so lha jalo!
