Dear Friends,

We are delighted to announce the launch of the new Voice of Clear Light website. Some of you may remember that it was first published by Ligmincha in the early 90’s as a printed newsletter delivered by mail. Over time, the Voice transitioned into an email newsletter and gradually evolved from a plain-text version through many changes, leading to today’s version with a fresh design and enhanced features. We’ll be ironing out the remaining wrinkles in its transition to this new platform. And we hope you will enjoy it!

In this issue, we feature an excerpt from this past summer’s retreat at Serenity Ridge, where Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche encourages us to observe ourselves – our choices, decisions, and actions – and recognize which of those may be interfering with our well-being. He reminds us that while some choices may appear to offer forms of short-term happiness, upon reflection, they may actually be seen as destructive to our well-being. Therefore, he warns, don’t be fooled.

More news and events at Ligmincha:

• Still time to register for the Serenity Ridge Fall Retreat & Dialogues: Being Present to the Moment of Death, October 7-12, in-person & online
• Announcing a new three-year training program on the Five Elements with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche beginning in 2026
• Winter Dzogchen Meditation Retreat now open for registration
• Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s 2025 schedule
• New book just published! A Blazing Mala of Wish Fulfilling Jewels by Raven Cypress-Wood is a compilation of prayers and practices from the Yungdrung Bön tradition
• Help support Ligmincha’s mission
• Upcoming free CyberSangha events
• Ligmincha Learning’s new online course, Tibetan Sound Healing, is now available, plus more
• Celebrating Rinpoche’s 30th year in Poland
• 2nd global Umdze retreat held this past summer
• The 3 Doors upcoming events and programs include the Compassion project and an online weekend retreat with Rinpoche in October, plus more
• Spanish translation of the August VOCL

In Bön,
Aline and Jeff Fisher

In the West, generally when we talk about longevity, lifespan, and health-span, it’s referring strictly to the body. Also when we say well-being, the being part is not what is talked about, rather it’s just the body. And that’s fine, in a way. But for me, the whole idea of longevity, health and well-being has very much to do with the combination of these two – the spirit and the body. Because otherwise it’s not complete.

There is no doubt that we all want to support our well-being, and support our being well. There’s no one who wants to suffer; there’s no one who wants to get sick; there’s no one who wants to age faster. However, if you look at what many people do, it seems as if they actually do want those things. There is an obvious gap between what they know, and what they feel they’re capable of doing. That’s a very interesting and important concept, isn’t it? For instance, you know you should exercise, but you don’t want to exercise. You know that you should go to sleep earlier, yet you don’t want to. And regardless of the particular behavior change, you will come up with many, many reasons why you don’t want to do what would be good for you to do. As a result of this, many of the things that we should do in our life, we actually don’t do, even though they could benefit us if we were disposed to doing them. And, many of the things that we should not do in our life, we end up doing all of the time even though they may destroy us over time. That’s the way we are.

What I’ve been speaking of for the last couple of years is the idea of the self-destructive identity within us. Have you noticed that there is an identity in us who is disconnected, restless, and trying to gain some acknowledgment, recognition, or some illusory joy, some accomplishment? And do you see that it goes out of its way in doing all of these activities while trying to fulfill some deeper dissatisfaction, some incompleteness? And there’s nothing unusual there, because we all have it. But the problem is that when you don’t recognize it, then the entirety of your life is lived under the influence of that identity, which is not you, and which is suffering. And until you recognize that, you will not be able to do what you know to do, because that identity directly interferes with your doing so.

Okay, that last sentence I will repeat again. Please, listen carefully. Until you recognize that identity, then you’ll not be able to do what you know to do, because that pain identity will always interfere, even when you are just newly beginning to open up to doing something that you know is good for you to do. If so, then that identity will just ignore that new idea completely. It will say, No way! I know it’s a good thing to do exercise, but my getting up at six in the morning to do exercise? No way!

Can you recognize that there are two senses of self at play there? The one who knows: I have kind of an idea of trying to improve my sleep hygiene. However, then there’s also a deeper stronger voice which says, No way! Me? I love staying up late rather than lying in my bed. In this way, you are being totally influenced by your self-destructive pain identity which can operate over the course of an entire life. All the while, you see the wonderful things that you could be doing, that you are supposed to be doing, and the two views don’t correspond to each other.

The issue here is that we are not giving enough time to exploring deeply enough, and asking the better question of, Who is it that is not willing to change? It’s been ten years that I have been trying to change this habit, and there are times that I get very serious, because I know the consequences, and then I forget about it for another few years. I totally forget about it. And anyone who reminds me again, well, I don’t like those people. And anyone who keeps me distracted from it, then those people are my friends and we connect, because we are good at destroying ourselves together. That’s kind of what we do, right?

So, in short, please do ask this question of, “Who?” as you listen with fresh ears to really hear in a new way those old familiar voices. If you say, I cannot go to bed at nine o’clock, or I cannot stay in bed for nine and a half hours, that’s fine. But listen to yourself, did you hear yourself saying that you cannot go to bed at nine o’clock, and yet you’re willing to stay up till one in the morning binge-watching a series? If that’s so, then just simply look at those two choices of nighttime activity. Which one is better? Ask your body which is better. Feel which activity will result in your having better energy the next morning. Or which one promises to create a better mood, or improve your power of making decisions the following day? Or improve your ability to learn, or to do some task? Or which has a more positive effect on your capacity for compassion? Which choice is better? Just ask yourself in that moment or at least in retrospect.

Now understand that I’m not talking only about sleep here. It could be the habit of consumption of sugar, or the habit of getting into activities or discussions which are not needed. Why do we do things like that? It’s because someone in us calls that behavior a joy. Someone in us calls all self-destructive behaviors that we engage in, joy. And if those identities are encouraged to go to bed earlier, say, or to eat more consciously, those identities would respond that it’s not fun to go to bed earlier, and it’s not fun to eat those kinds of foods! And they would proclaim, you’re just not up for having fun!

No, everybody is up for having fun. There is no single person in this universe that is not up for having fun. Everybody has a desire to be happy. But the sources of happiness vary. It’s just that some people are able to make the shift from destructive means to more healthier means of having fun and finding happiness, while other people are not able to make those shifts at the moment. That’s all it is. Some people are able to take the time and are willing to apply themselves using their inner strength to succeed in making those transitions.

So, the first step is to hear freshly that habitual voice, and to understand who that is that is making the claim, and ask yourself afterward, Did I say that? Did I say that I could never give up watching Netflix? Or give up drinking that glass of wine, or eating a nice steak, or whatever? Just think about the list of things that you’ve spoken of or felt that way about in the past or present in your life. Whatever it is, you don’t have to give it up. But you do have to hear yourself saying that you cannot give it up. That’s a good start – to hear yourself making those kinds of statements. And then in the following moment you can say to yourself, Did I say that? Wow, that’s not true; that’s maybe not true; I do love Netflix, but I can give it up.

So, asking the question, Who is it in me who is rejecting the idea that I can do it? Who is the one who is not even asking the question of, Might I possibly be able to overcome and give up drinking alcohol all together, or give up meat all together or sugar all together, or whatever it is? Whatever behavior it is that is not helping your longevity or well-being in terms of your diet, or movement of your body, or getting enough rest or sleep. Recognize the one who, instead of even asking the question Can I do this, insists that, No, I can’t really do this. I don’t need to do this.

Once again, we all want to live longer and healthier, and this retreat is especially focused on that. Personally, for me though, when I challenge myself with any particular improvement in my exercise, diet or sleep, my achieving a positive outcome is not what is most challenging for me. That outcome is the natural result of doing the practice. What’s most challenging for me is to actually see directly the one inside of me that is not willing to do those things. That’s more my journey: to recognize the one who doesn’t want to improve. Because someone in me is not willing to change, and nobody will address that except me. Nobody will care about that except me. Nobody will change that except me. My focus is on the one who is not willing to change, and trying to bring my attention there, my awareness there, and my joyfully trying to shift and to understand.

And it’s so enjoyable for me. To always acknowledge the pain identity in me who is not being open to understand, who is not open to learn, who is not open to change, and who believes that they cannot change because they are just not capable of changing. These are the fun things to deal with. So, if that now becomes your discipline, if that’s how you come to see the world and how you live your life, then the result is going to be good. It’s the natural outcome. You open to the knowledge and then the outcome is not forced. It is called the outcome because it simply comes out, as the result of some new knowledge and some discipline.

And in this age that we are living in, and the conditions that we are in, it seems like that’s really what to do. That’s personally how I feel. I need to pay attention to my well-being and health, and serve other people- that’s it! Nothing more to accomplish for me. And everything that I do has to be joyful, creative. So, the idea here is that whenever someone is interfering with that, then that’s the time to listen freshly and see who it is. This chocolate cake – I could never give it up. I might be able to give up my rainbow body, but NOT my chocolate cake [laughter]. Just listen closely and you can hear that loud voice with a new ear. Because now somebody has finally heard it. And that is a powerful transformation. At least the beginning of a powerful transformation.

There is still time to attend this year’s Fall Retreat and Serenity Ridge Dialogues! Join us in exploring spiritual wisdom and practical guidance for getting ready for death with awareness, compassion, and presence. You can attend in person on online on Zoom.

Morning sessions with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will focus on Powa, the ancient Bön Buddhist practice of transferring consciousness at the moment of death.

Afternoon dialogues feature:
• Dr. Leslie Blackhall – pioneer in palliative care & cross-cultural medical ethics
• Dr. Nikki Mirghafori – Buddhist teacher & scientist bridging wisdom and compassion
• Dr. Tenzin Namdul, TMD, PhD – medical anthropologist & Tibetan Medicine doctor
• Father Francis Tiso – Catholic priest, scholar & inter-spiritual teacher
• Alejandro Chaoul, PhD (moderator) – scholar, researcher, and teacher of Tibetan mind-body practices

Engage directly in interactive conversations and open Q&A with Rinpoche and our guest presenters. Teachings are accessible for all levels—whether you are new to these practices or wish to deepen your understanding.

Learn more/register

We are excited to share that Rinpoche will be launching a new three-year training program in 2026: Healing the World, Healing Ourselves: The Five Elements and the Living Universe. This groundbreaking program will combine in-person retreats and online teachings, guiding participants through the study, reflection, meditation, and practice of the five elements—Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space—at their physical, energetic, and innermost levels.

• Year One will focus on healing our relationship with the natural world. Participants will learn rituals to honor the elements, restore balance in the environment, and harmonize the elements within themselves. This year also includes the practice of working with the elemental goddesses (khandro).

• Year Two will emphasize the energetic dimensions of the elements.

• Year Three will explore the profound perspective of dzogchen, opening the way to the deepest realization of the elements.

Participants may join for a single year or commit to the full three-year program. Those who complete all three years will be eligible for certification to share these practices with others, extending the benefits of this training into their communities.

We warmly invite you to be part of this new program and to embark on a transformative journey of healing and discovery with Rinpoche in the year ahead.

The schedule for the first year is as follows:
April 8-12, 2026: Spring Wellness Retreat (Five Elements Training Program participants are strongly encouraged to attend!) 
April 14-19, 2026: Five Elements in-person training at Serenity Ridge
 
Online training dates TBA for June, August, September, October, November, January 2027, and February 2027.

Details about the program, certification process, and registration information will be available in November 2025 at Ligmincha.org.

To let us know you are interested in the training program, click here to fill out this form, and we will be in touch when more information is available.

Registration is now open for the Winter Retreat! Come and practice Dzogchen meditation with true masters of the Bön tradition!

Drupdra Khenpo Tenzin Tsultrim Rinpoche is the abbot of the meditation school at Triten Norbutse Monastery in Nepal. Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will join via Zoom every other day to offer additional guidance and commentary.

The weekend teachings will open with the Invocation of Tapihritsa, a beautiful prayer that evokes and honors the natural state. During the weekdays that follow, the teaching will be on excerpts from the Twenty-One Nails, one of the most profound Dzogchen texts pointing directly to the clear light of awareness. 

The retreat will be held in-person at Serenity Ridge and online on Zoom. Participants can choose between a nine-day retreat from January 2-10, 2026 or a weekend option from January 2-4, 2026.

Learn more/register

Learn more/register for weekend only option

Here is Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s upcoming teaching schedule. Rinpoche will be traveling to Virginia and California in the upcoming months.

You can find the latest listings and any changes in the Events section of the Ligmincha website or the Serenity Ridge website. Please register for these online retreats through the specific Events box on the website. Updates will be provided on the website as they become available.

• September 30-October 5, 2025. Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Shipman, Virginia. In Person Silent Dzogchen Meditation Retreat or Online
• October 7-12, 2025. Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Shipman, Virginia. In Person Fall Retreat & Serenity Ridge Dialogues: Being Present to the Moment of Death or Online
• October 24-26, 2025. Berkeley, California. Living with Joy, Dying in Peace In person or Online
• November 3-7, 2025. Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California. Sleep Yoga
• November 23, 2025. ONLINE only. The Invocation of Tapihritsa
• January 2-10, 2026 or January 2-4 (weekend only option). Serenity Ridge Retreat Center, Shipman, Virginia. Winter Dzogchen Meditation Retreat. (Rinpoche will join online for some sessions. Other sessions will be taught by Drupdra Khenpo Rinpoche from Triten Norbutse Monastery.)

(A Blazing Mala of Wish-fulfilling Jewels, is a compilation of daily prayers from the Yungdrung Bön tradition, written by Raven Cypress Wood, published by Sacred Sky Publishing. Below we share a little of Raven’s story about how the book came to be written.)

In 2024, Gary Freeman was on pilgrimage in Nepal with a group of Geshe Sonam Gurung’s students and had seen some beautiful murals of various manifestations of Sipé Gyalmo. Inspired by these images, he contacted me and generously offered to sponsor translation of prayers related to these specific manifestations. In the past, Gary and his wife Adriana sponsored the English translation of the healing waters practice of Sigyal Drakngak. Because of their request and sponsorship, this practice was translated into multiple languages, published, used by disciples worldwide during the Covid-19 pandemic, and continues to be used by regular practice groups. So, even though I was in the midst of finalizing translations for a forthcoming book on the MA TRI tantra, I set that aside to happily translate a few prayers. After sending the finished translations to Gary, I thought that it would be wonderful if they were also available to with the worldwide Yungdrung Bön community. With that in mind, I decided to create a small booklet of prayers focusing on female protectors that could be used by the faithful while on pilgrimage.

After a couple of weeks, I decided that the booklet was finished and went back to working on the MA TRI translations. However, I was constantly considering other prayers that would be beneficial additions. I would then add an additional prayer and again decide that it was complete. After doing this a few times, I surrendered to totally focusing on the pilgrimage booklet. Weeks turned to many months and the booklet grew to a 200 page book. And so, A Blazing Mala of Wish-fulfilling Jewels was born. It is a compilation of prayers and practices of the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition with an emphasis on female buddhas, protectors, and yogis. Being composed by enlightened ones or realized masters, these prayers carry power beyond that of ordinary words. When performed with faith and devotion, their profundity is inconceivable. When performed in conjunction with instruction and oral transmission from an authentic Yungdrung Bön master, their power and effectiveness are exponentially multiplied. These prayers are used for awakening the heart and mind, offering devotion, accumulating merit and wisdom, removing obstacles, protecting and increasing the life force, making aspirations, and so on. The book is formatted similar to a traditional Tibetan prayer book in that one prayer seamlessly follows another in an unbroken way. Thus, it is like a mala with each prayer like an individual bead being connected by the strong thread of Bön wisdom within the verses. When used with faith and devotion, the prayers become like blazing, wish-fulfilling jewels.

Most of the compositions are from my personal collection of Tibetan language prayer books and were translated over the course of many years. Some were translated in response to a request from a single individual, others were translated from a request by a Yungdrung Bön lama to be used for a one-time teaching or event, and others are prayers that have become part of my own practice. A select few were translated specifically to be included in the book. I am delighted to now share them with the worldwide Yungdrung Bön community.

The English language translations in the first half of the book are followed by the Tibetan language text with corresponding phonetics. The end of the book contains a brief Glossary of Terms and Notes section but there are no explanations of the meaning of the prayers or instructions for their use. In that way, use of A Blazing Mala of Wish-fulfilling Jewels assumes that the reader has at least some basic familiarity with the material, the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, and with the language and terms used within the prayers. The book follows the traditional structure of beginning with prayers of homage and supplication to the lamas, followed by supplications and invocations of the peaceful and wrathful deities, and concluding with prayers of aspiration and dedication. My wish is that this book will be a support for happiness and spiritual development for generations to come.

—Raven Cypress Wood

(A Blazing Mala of Wish-fulfilling Jewels is available at Ligmincha’s store, Windhorse.)

The Bön teachings, especially in the way Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche presents them, give us the tools that bring peace, joy and meaning in our lives. His unwavering dedication to preserve the Yungdrung Bön teachings for future generations and share them in ways that positively impact our world is the foundation of Ligmincha. Our mission is to share how a kind mind, an open and gentle heart, and a resilient spirit can bring peace, balance, and well-being in our lives and in the world around us.

“No matter how long the room has been dark, an hour or a million years, the moment the lamp of awareness is lit the entire room becomes luminous. You are that luminosity. You are that clear light.”
— Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

Our work to manifest his vision relies on financial support from our global community. This support maintains retreat centers, pays teachers and staff, develops programs and implements innovative technologies that allow Ligmincha to better share the ancient Yungdrung Bön teachings. Donations also allow us to meet the evolving and changing needs of our community and to overcome challenges brought in with the covid era and current economic realities, such as higher labor and material costs, deferred maintenance, and more. For the generosity of those who have given in the past, we offer our deepest gratitude and thanks! 

Joining our monthly MALA giving circle or making a three-year pledge is a powerful way to create lasting impact and ensure the sustainability of our mission. Your continued support helps us plan for the future, address new needs, and invest in lasting solutions.  By committing regularly, you become a vital partner in our work, helping us build a stronger, more resilient future together. We also warmly welcome donations of any size, whether one-time or ongoing, as every gift makes a meaningful difference. If you wish to make a gift of stock or learn more about leaving a bequest, you will find more information here.

CyberSangha is delighted to continue our fall program with two new dialogues and more teachings centered on “training the heart” as support for your meditation practice. We warmly invite everyone to join and share these experiences & teachings to deepen our collective spiritual journey.

24-Hour Full Moon Practice, “Finding Refuge Within”
Begins Monday, October 6, 2025, at 10 a.m. New York time
Our next Full Moon Practice begins soon! Join us via Zoom at any time during the 24 hours — drop in whenever you can, for one or more practice sessions — as we acknowledge both personal pain and our collective challenges, all while abiding in the open, clear warmth of presence. This is a chance to discover the space of inner refuge: the ultimate protection and a source of genuine compassion.
Learn more and register now

Flight of the Bön Monks: An Author Dialogue with Harvey Rice & Jackie Cole
Tuesday, October 14, at 12 noon New York time
Featuring authors Harvey Rice, Jackie Cole, & host Alejandro Chaoul
Join us for a special conversation about the making of an award-winning 2024 book that tells the remarkable true story of three Bön monks — Tenzin Namdak (who later became known as H.E. Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche), Sangye Tenzin (H.H. Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche), and Samten Karmay — who left Tibet after Chinese forces entered and went on to rebuild their nearly extinguished spiritual tradition in exile. Their journey of survival, resilience, and cultural renewal offers a rare inside account of Tibet’s oldest religion at a moment of profound upheaval.
Learn more and view live

The Direction of Tibetan Youth in the Creative World 
Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at 1 p.m. New York time
Featuring Shenpenn Khymsar, Jangbu, & Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Join us for this special Tibetan-language broadcast. Explore the evolving role of Tibetan youth in literature, film, and the arts in a conversation between an award-winning Tibetan filmmaker, an acclaimed poet and filmmaker, and a renowned Tibetan meditation teacher and author. Hosted by Jhama Lhamo, this event brings together leading voices to inspire new generations to engage creatively with Tibetan identity, culture, and global issues.
Learn more and view live

Inner Smile of the Heart, Part 3: Cardiac Coherence as a Portal to Meditation
Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. New York time
A live online dialogue with HeartMath practitioner Guy Desbiolles & host Alejandro Chaoul 
Across cultures and throughout history, the heart has been seen as the center of consciousness, emotion, and wisdom — a bridge linking body, mind, and spirit. The practice of cardiac coherence reveals that when our heart rhythms are in harmony, our minds become clearer, our emotions steadier, and our sense of well-being deeper. Might this practice also bring us closer to the heart’s inherent intelligence and wisdom?
Learn more and view live

We are pleased to announce several upcoming Ligmincha Learning online courses. On September 1, 2025, Ligmincha Learning released a new self-guided course, Tibetan Sound Healing, based on Rinpoche’s book of the same name. The course introduces participants to the transformative practice of the Five Warrior Syllables—Ah, Om, Hung, Ram, and Dza.

In this course, Rinpoche guides participants to work with the healing power of sound. When carried by the breath and directed through the body’s subtle channels, these sacred syllables open the door to greater joy and love, support personal healing, clear energetic disturbances, and inspire positive action in the world.

This course offers the flexibility of self-paced learning, allowing you to experience and return to the practices whenever it best supports you.
Learn more/register

Who Am I: A Journey to Self-Realization
Open at all times, self-paced
This self-guided course, is an extended teaching and meditation on Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s beautiful poem, “Who Am I.” Rinpoche begins by laying a strong foundation of the essential points of meditation. Then, step by step, he points you to an understanding of who you are not, followed by the deepest truth of who you truly are and can be.
Learn more/register

The Three Heart Mantras
October 3 – November 9, 2025 with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
The Three Heart Mantras are used in many different meditations in the Bon tradition, and play a major role in the ngondro practices. They are said to be the essence of enlightenment in sound and energy, and as we sing or chant the mantras our awareness is transformed to be in union with the buddhas. They are used for purification, protection and as primary practices toward self-realization.
Learn more/register

Sleep Yoga: The Yoga of Clear Light
November 14 – December 14, 2025 with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
We spend one-third of our life in sleep, yet for most people sleep is a period of unconsciousness. Through the practices of the Yoga of Clear Light we can learn to be completely aware during our sleep, open, clear, resting in deep meditative presence. But how do we get from our current stress and disrupted sleep patterns to the state of clear light?
The course will introduce simple techniques to enter into sleep in a healthy, balanced way.
Learn more/register

Sherap Chamma Mother of Wisdom and Love
November 14 – December 14, 2025 with Marcy Vaughan
In this online course, participants will learn a beautiful and simple meditation practice enabling each to directly connect with the divine feminine energy. Within the support of the group, we create an environment to promote profound healing of physical, energetic, emotional and spiritual dimensions of life. With visualization, the sound of mantra and deep contemplation, we make a personal connection to this sacred form of the universal mother, Sherap Chamma, and are guided through this connection to our innate wisdom and the love and compassion that naturally radiate from that wisdom. Those experienced in meditation as well as those who are beginning are warmly welcomed.
Learn more/register

Meditation, Breath and Movement: Tsa Lung External Internal and Secret Practices
November 28 – December 28, 2025 with Alejandro Chaoul
Tsa Lung is a series of ancient yogic practices that brings balance and harmony to our physical body, energy, and mind. The term Tsa Lung can be translated as the energy-winds (Tibetan: Lung, Skt. Prana, Chinese, Qi) in the Channels, for these practices are designed to open the subtle channels, guiding the healthy flow of the energy-winds so that we can enjoy good health and reconnect with more calmness to a quiet, peaceful mind. These exercises are easy to perform, and are beneficial for everyone. They are a beautiful complement to any meditation practice, and particularly to Dzogchen.

It is open for beginners and those who wish to deepen their practice. This course is multi-lingual with all resources being available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.
Learn more/register

Free courses; enroll at any time. Starting a Meditation Practice; The True Source of Healing; Living with Joy, Dying in Peace

Learn more at ligminchalearning.com

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Ligmincha Poland, one of the most active centers of the Yungdrung Bön tradition in Europe. What began as a small group of practitioners in Warsaw in the mid-1990s has grown into a flourishing community with its own retreat center, Chamma Ling, located in Wilga, about 50 kilometers south of the capital.

The roots of the association go back to 1989, when the idea of inviting Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche to Poland was first suggested by O. Lalek, co-author of Dzogchen: The Path of Self-Liberation. In 1995, Rinpoche visited Poland for the first time, giving a lecture on Sleep Yoga in Warsaw. That same year, the newly formed association was officially registered under difficult political circumstances, a milestone credited to the determination of Kama Gandys, the group’s first president.

From these beginnings, local practice groups in Warsaw, Poznań, and Katowice began to form. The association promoted Tibetan culture and Bön teachings through publications, newsletters, and retreats. In 2004, a major breakthrough came with the purchase of the Chamma Ling retreat center in Wilga, financed through community donations and international support. Over the following years, the center became home to a growing sangha, hosting annual retreats with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche as well as visits from eminent Bön masters.

Among those who have taught at Chamma Ling are His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche; His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche; His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dargye Rinpoche; Khenchen Tenpa Yungdrung Rinpoche; Menri Ponlob Trinley Nyima Rinpoche; Ponlob Tsangpo Tenzin Rinpoche; Khensur Nyima Wangyal Rinpoche; Geshe Yungdrung Sherab; Lama Sangye Monlam; Geshe Yungdrung Gyatso, the center’s first resident lama; and most recently Geshe Sherab Palden, the current resident lama.

The community also completed significant projects at Chamma Ling: the construction of a stupa (consecrated in 2006) and the building of a gompa (consecrated in 2013 during a major international gathering). More recently, the center has expanded to include guest cottages and has adapted to hybrid in-person/online teachings, ensuring continuity through the pandemic.

In August 2025, the sangha marked its 30th anniversary during the summer retreat with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, gathering practitioners from across Poland and abroad to celebrate three decades of practice and community. 

From a handful of dedicated practitioners in Warsaw to an established spiritual community with international reach, Ligmincha Poland’s history reflects both resilience and devotion. Thirty years on, the association remains a vibrant gateway to the living tradition of Yungdrung Bön in Poland.

Jaroslaw Kotas, who has been translating for Rinpoche for many years, recounts some of the special events from this past summer’s retreat at the Chamma Ling center in Poland. Enjoy a few photographs from the retreat, many of them taken by Maciej Czuchra.

This year’s retreat with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche at the Chamma Ling center in Poland was special for many reasons.

Firstly, it has been 30 years since Rinpoche first came to Poland and since our organization – which has survived to this day under various names – was established. Rinpoche has never disappointed us, visiting us tirelessly throughout this time, and there were even years when we welcomed him twice in Wilga.

One could say that the atmosphere was relaxed, yet still festive. Rinpoche called out people from the audience who have been following him for 25 or even 30 years. There are not many such individuals, but they remain, persevering and enriching the sangha with their presence and the roles they undertake. And so, year after year, we continue to enrich one another, while the organizers take better and better care of the practical matters, such as the kitchen or the organization of evening events.

Thanks to the organizers, we were able to spend two evenings watching preview screenings of films dedicate to the life of Lopon Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, the enlightened lama, our dear Yongdzin Rinpoche. One evening featured the movie “Ponse Lama,” and the next, another film, “Lopon.” I also had the pleasure of giving an evening lecture on early monasticism in the Bön tradition. The retreat was therefore exceptionally busy for me, especially considering the daily live translation of Rinpoche’s teachings, which I have been happily doing for the thirteenth year in a row.

Secondly, Rinpoche presented the logo of the new, fully secular Kunsang Foundation and shared the mission of this newly emerging organization. It is beautiful and sublime that the foundation’s goal will be to provide help beyond religions, beliefs, and spiritual traditions – compassion that needs no further justification.

Thirdly, the teachings from the series he began, authored by Dru Gyalwa Yungdrung (1242-1290) and entitled Gyalwa Chaktri, will be spread over a period of five years and will not be repeated in this lifetime by our Rinpoche.

At the ceremonial conclusion of the retreat, the Board of Ligmincha Poland presented Rinpoche with a beautiful gift: a grant of 2,500 euros to support the new foundation, and something more personal – an amber mala in a beautifully crafted case.

We warmly invite you to Wilga. Please feel free to come to our center and take part in the next editions of teachings from the Gyalwa Chaktri text.

— Jaroslaw Kotas

Following the positive feedback from the first global umdze retreat in Valle de Bravo, Mexico in 2023, Ligmincha International, in partnership with Ligmincha Poland, organized the second international umdze retreat on August 24–27, 2025.

This year’s gathering was a little different from the first one. The retreat was designed as an open space—welcoming not only authorized Umdzes and instructors, but also sangha members and those interested in the Umdze path and training. Participants came from Poland, Germany, Hungary, Spain, the UK, and Ireland.

The retreat took place at the beautiful Chamma Ling Retreat Center in Wilga, Poland, offering a special opportunity to deepen practice, strengthen connections, share experiences, and cultivate greater support in service to sanghas worldwide.

Geshe Yungdrung Gyatso and Geshe Sherab Palden, resident lamas of Ligmincha Poland, actively took part in the retreat. The program was led by senior instructor Alejandro Chaoul, with group practices guided by Anna-Kaisa Hirvanen from Finland together with Polish instructors Jacek Trzebuniak and Ryszard Adamiak.

Ligmincha International continues to develop resources, support, and practice opportunities for Umdzes, including materials in various languages. Many valuable ideas and suggestions emerged during the retreat, and these will be carefully reviewed in collaboration with our instructors.

Special thanks and deep gratitude go to Ligmincha Poland for their excellent organization—especially to Barbara Baczyńska, head of Ligmincha Poland, and board member Krzysztof Nowak.

The 3 Doors is an international nonprofit organization founded in 2010 by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche with the mission of transforming lives through meditation practices grounded in wisdom and compassion from the Tibetan Bon tradition. Upcoming opportunities include: The Bön Compassion Project; An Online Weekend Retreat with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and 3 Doors Senior Teachers; The 3 Doors Latin American Academy begins in September in Brazil. 

The Compassion Project: A comprehensive 9-month exploration of meditation as a pathway to compassion for self and others 
Taught by 3 Doors Senior Teachers Marcy Vaughn and Gabriel Rocco 
October 2025 – June 2026
Online via Zoom
Open to all

This course offers clear instruction for those new to meditation and support for those looking to deepen their practice. In nine months of online teaching, guiding, group discussion, self-study, and personal reflection, you will find support to build a meditation practice that enlivens your well-being and activates inner resources to meet the challenges of your life and the people around you with clarity, confidence, and compassion. 
Learn more
Listen:  The Compassion Project, First Class of the 2022 program. Senior Teacher Marcy Vaughn welcomes students and outlines key meditation practices and their transformative benefits.

The Heart of Self-Transformation: The Medicine of Breath, Awareness, and Being
An Online Weekend Retreat with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and 3 Doors Senior Teachers: Gabriel Rocco, Marcy Vaughn and Tonny Maas
Offered in English and translated into Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian and Ukrainian
October 18-19
Online via Zoom
Open to All

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and 3 Doors Senior Teachers offer a special weekend retreat with the international 3 Doors community. Each day will include a teaching session with Rinpoche, instruction and guided practice with 3 Doors Senior Teachers, and small group gatherings for sharing the experiences of life and practice hosted by 3 Doors teachers and presenters. 
Learn more

Free Online Global Practice
On Sunday afternoon of the retreat, there will be a free global practice led by Senior Teacher Marcy Vaughn. You do not have to participate in the full retreat to join. As our world continues to shift in unpredictable ways, this shared practice offers a space of refuge, renewal, and collective presence. It is an opportunity to gather in the warmth of community across borders and time zones. 

Sunday, October 19 – Online Via Zoom
2:00 – 3:00 pm New York Time 
Free and open to all
Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, and Ukrainian translation available

Registration information will be coming soon on our program calendar:
https://the3doors.org/program-calendar/

The 3 Doors Academy – Latin America
The 3 Doors is delighted to offer its signature program in Curitiba, Brazil beginning in September 2025 with teachers Alejandro Chaoul, Rosario Arellano, Lourdes Hinojosa, Patricia Vigil, and Carlos Villarreal! The 3 Doors Academy is an immersive 2 ½ year program that provides participants the opportunity to engage deeply in the process of self-discovery. Participation involves both online and in-person components, including monthly group Zoom sessions, individual mentor sessions with the teachers, personal retreats, and four on-line and two in-person week-long group retreats.
Offered in Spanish and Portuguese
Learn more

8th North American Academy
The 3 Doors is just beginning to plan the next North American Academy. If you are interested, please reach out to Emily Light, Program Coordinator, at emily.light@the3doors.org to express your interest and be added to the list to receive future updates.

To see the entire list of 3 Doors programs visit: https://the3doors.org/program-calendar/

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