CTLP Blog

Monday Nights with Chogyam Trungpa Offers Sanity to End 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:03:00 +0000

The Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project, working together with the Shambhala Archives and the Halifax Shambhala Center, offers a Monday Night Class from September through June in Halifax, Nova Scotia, featuring the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The class has often focused on the DVDs of Trungpa Rinpoche teaching in the 1970s and 80s. Now, going into its fourth year, we have been experimenting with other formats. This fall we decided to offer a class on the book The Sanity We Are Born With: A Buddhist Approach to Psychology, a compilation of writings on mind, meditation and psychology that was put together in 2006 from Rinpoche’s writings.

The Sanity Class, as we came to refer to it, was facilitated by a group of more than a dozen psychotherapists and health professionals who are practitioners in the Halifax Shambhala Community, many of whom have a connection with Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. Some of the presenters taught there and helped to develop the psychology curriculum; others were trained there. Other presenters have made a connection with Trungpa Rinpoche’s teachings in other diverse ways. Each week one or more of the facilitators presented material on a topic from the book, also bringing in their experience with this material in their own work.

The headlines for the six weeks were:

Week One: Meditation and the View of Basic Sanity
Week Two: Mindfulness and Awareness
Week Three: Ego and the Six Realms
Week Four: The Five Buddha Families and Maitri
Week Five: Creating an Environment of Sanity
Week Six : The End of the Journey and Open Discussion

Each week between 45 and 65 people attended the class. Between 25 and 30 people were completely new to the Shambhala Center. Many were mental health professionals with an interest in Buddhist psychology. We are still reviewing the evaluations from the course, but in general, people were appreciative and inspired. One of the outcomes will be a syllabus to be used by other Shambhala Centers with an interest in presenting this material.

For further information, please contact Carolyn Gimian at cgimian@suchns.com. I can put you in touch with some of the facilitators or the coordinator of the class.

First Thought Photos Conclude Year Three of MNC

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:29:00 +0000

First Thought Great Thought

At the Monday Night Class in Halifax this past Monday, May 25, 2009,Andy and Wendy
Karr presented Part One of FIRST THOUGHT BEST THOUGHT: Photographs by
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. One hundred of the documentary and dharma
art slides of the Vidyadhara, Chogyam Trungpa's work were shown with introduction and
commentary by the Karrs, as well as audience participation. Andy gave
a brief introduction to dharma art and contemplative photography;
Wendy spoke about the scope of the Vidyadhara's photographic work and
read poetry to accompany some of the slides. However, there was a lot
of space and silence, so that the audience could fall into --
appreciate -- these extraordinary ordinary images.

The Vidyadhara's "subjects" in the photos included a very regal tiger
in Bhutan, taken from so close that one audience member asked whether
the tiger had been photoshopped into the slide. A tiny green frog in
closeup and a spider in her web were equally arresting. The eyes and
brows of a beautiful young woman (who will soon turn 60), a portrait
of one of Rinpoche's students who recently turned 70 (you know who
you are), and other "humanoids" were delightful. But nature stole the
show with grass, water, sky, rock, mountain, tree dignity. Early
slides from the 1960s, of the Young Lamas' Home School in Dalhousie
and from the Vidyadhara's trip to Taksang in Bhutan, were also included.

June first, Part Two of the slideshow will focus on the Five Buddha
Families in Trungpa Rinpoche's photography. Applying the buddha
families was one of the approaches to photography that Rinpoche
himself used. A completely fresh set of images will be shown.

Andy and Wendy have scanned and created a database for more than
1,500 slides of the Vidyadhara's work, using a film scanner
generously on loan from Michael Wood. Their work is being done under
the auspices of the Shambhala Archives and with financial assistance
from the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project.

Due to technical problems encountered with the scans, approximately
300 images will need to be rescanned in the next few months. Then, if
there is sufficient funding, the Archives would like to complete the
scanning of the black and white and color prints of the Vidyadhara's
work held in the Archives. This is approximately another five hundred
images. Many of these photographs were generously donated to the
Archives five years ago by Lady Diana Mukpo.

Scanning the photos is just the first step in the process of making
this material available. The Archives will post some of the images
on its website, and we are also in discussions about making a limited
group of prints available.

For interested groups, Andy and Wendy may be available to take this
show "on the road." They are senior students of Chogyam Trungpa
Rinpoche and are dharma artists as well. Andy has been a photographer
for many years, and is currently working on a book with Michael Wood
about contemplative photography, to be published by Shambhala
Publications. Wendy is both a student and a teacher of ikebana, whose
arrangements have been included in a number of shows and
installations. They bring love and sensitivity
to their work on the Vidyadhara's photographs, gently illuminating
and bringing out the emotional depth of the images. For further
information, please contact Carolyn Gimian, cgimian@suchns.com, or
Andy Karr, akarr@shambhalasun.com.

This work on the photographs of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche is a prelude
to the digital copying and preservation of the more than 60,000
photographs in the Shambhala Archives. If we are able to secure
funding and with the participation and approval of the photographers
whose work is represented in the Archives, we hope to launch this
huge endeavor within the next twelve to twenty-four months.

This wonderful feast of photographs concludes year three of the Monday Night Class. The MNC is sponsored by the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project, with support from the Shambhala Archives and the Halifax Shambhala Centre. The class is a kind of laboratory for curriculum related to the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa.

Year End Letter

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:10:00 +0000

November 27, 2008

Dear Friends of the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project,

We are expecting more than 500 students to gather together in Halifax, Nova Scotia this weekend for Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche's program presenting teachings related to TRANSCENDING MADNESS by Chogyam Trungpa. It seems to be a good time to review what the Legacy Project has been doing and planning. The future direction of the Legacy Project depends on the wishes of everyone who participates. The seminar this weekend is, among other things, a reflection of these intentions and desires. Our current projects include:

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR EDITORIAL PROJECTS:

* We are helping to raise funds for the Root Text Project (based on the Seminary Transcripts) and other forthcoming books by Chogyam Trungpa. We hope to support many future projects.
* In the future, we would like to start a fund for training young editors, so that they are well schooled in the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa and also prepared as editors of his dharma teachings, through apprenticeships and other means. This model could also be applied to other apprenticeships.

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND CURRICULUM:

* The program this weekend on Transcending Madness is in part the result of the efforts of the Legacy Project to invite lineage teachers to present the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa in our community and within their own. We hope there will be many more such programs throughout North America.
* Currently the Legacy Project is working with Nalandabodhi, at the request of the Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, to develop a course on the Essential Chogyam Trungpa for their centres.
* In 2007, the Nalanda Translation Committee invited the Legacy Project to be a co-sponsor of Karma Senge Rinpoche's presentation of the terma teachings of the Vidyadhara. We helped to select material for a booklet published in connection with the Avalokiteshvara Abhisheka presented in three locations in Canada and also co-sponsored a follow-up course in Halifax on the dzogchen teachings of the Vidyadhara in relationship to the Avalokiteshvara practice. We look forward to being involved in future visits of Karma Senge Rinpoche throughout North America.
* The Legacy Project has asked Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche if we may help in the future presentation of the Sadhana of Mahamudra and related teachings to other Buddhist sanghas, something he has expressed an interest in undertaking.
* The Monday Night Class in Halifax presents teachings of Chogyam Trungpa, via audio/video presentations, discussion groups, workshops and other formats. The class also serves as a 'laboratory' for the development of curricula and syllabi. The Legacy Project is working with the Shambhala Archives and Kalapa Recordings on curriculum development and the digital remastering of the material used in the Monday Night Class. A number of digitally remastered DVD sets have come out of this collaboration.

VIRTUAL ARCHIVES AND DIGITAL REMASTERING

The Legacy Project initiated discussions among the Shambhala Archives, the Chronicles of CTR and other parties interested in the development of an online archive of the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. We hope to be an important agent for the implementation of this project. Individual sangha members and centres throughout North America and Europe have expressed enthusiasm for seeing this project go forward.

SUPPORT FOR TARGETED PROJECTS WITHING THE SHAMBHALA ARCHIVES

* An important feature of the Legacy Project is to target projects within the Archives, such as the virtual archives, and to help fund and provide volunteers and staff for various initiatives. Currently, we are working on several projects and helping to fund them. Funds donated to the Legacy Project are providing support for work on the collection of the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa's personal and spiritual belongings from the Labrang, in preparation for its appraisal and donation to Shambhala.
* At the moment, we are working with the Archives and generous volunteers, photographers Michael Woods and Andy Karr, on the digital remastering and preservation of more than 1,000 of the dharma art photographs of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.

OUR LONG-TERM ASPIRATIONS
* These include the establishment of a library and museum to showcase and preserve the Vidyadhara's work. At the moment, we need to establish a good foundation from which we can build. Please join us. We need your ideas, your donations, and your passion to help support the legacy of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, which belongs to all of us and to many more sentient beings.

The Advisory Board of the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project

Helen Bonzi, Walter Fordham, Carolyn Gimian, Wendy Karr, Judith Lief,

Thomas Hast, Larry Mermelstein, Miriam Tarcov, Sara Bercholz, David Rome

* * * * * * * * * * * *

A Recent Message from Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, November 2008, (via David Brown): Rinpoche continues to support the concept and purposes of the Legacy Project and the commitment it represents to preserving and making available the teachings of the Vidyadhara. He appreciates the role of the Legacy Project in co-sponsoring last year's visit by Karma Senge Rinpoche, the audio-video classes being offered in Halifax, and the generous support the project has given to other activities.

****************************

Donations to the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project can be made out to the CT Legacy Project and sent to:

CT Legacy Project
PO Box 33035
Halifax, NS
Canada B3L 4T6

In the USA:

CT Legacy Project
c/o Ashoka Credit Union
525 Canyon Boulevard
Boulder, Colorado
80302 USA

Monday Night Class in Halifax Concludes Year Two

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 22:33:00 +0000

Last night, fifty of us gathered in the main shrine room of the
Halifax Shambhala Center to watch the final two talks of Journey
without Goal, the tantra seminar given by the Vidyadhara, the
Venerable Chogyam Trungpa, in 1974, the first summer of Naropa. As
the talk wound to an end, the group sat very still, transfixed it
seemed by the images captured in black and white more than 1/3rd of a
century ago. At the end of the tape, the screen became grainy and the
Vidyadhara's voice somewhat gravelly, and there was a sense that this
intimate portal into a time past was beginning to break up. Yes no
one wanted to leave the space. When the tape ended, there was almost
an audible sigh emitting from the Haligonian group of students, old and new.

At the same time, this "time capsule" was an up to date hard hitting
series of dharma talks, mind blowing and appropriate for these times,
in fact, in their intensity and the personal flavor of the teachings
being transmitted. Hearing the tantric concepts of nadi, prana and
bindu described as a radar system (bindu) mounted on a wheel (prana)
travelling along the railroad tracks of nadi was at once bizarre,
humorous, and illuminating. Even THIS was about our experience.

The Vidyadhara wondered aloud if it was dangerous to put this
information into people's hands. Would they use it to manipulate
their world in an egoistic sense? Could they truly appreciate the
value of doing nothing?

This original seminar was the basis for one of Chogyam Trungpa's many
books: JOURNEY WITHOUT GOAL: THE TANTRIC WISDOM OF THE BUDDHA. The
seminar replaying this material in Halifax -- which ran Monday nights
from March 2008 until last night -- was a testing ground for the
material, before distributing it to others. The lectures are still
being digitally remastered and copied to DVDs, while a study guide is
being written as we progress. Here, we watched old-fashioned VHS
tapes, which are of remarkably good quality. The new DVDs should be
available by Fall of 2008.

The Monday Night Class in Halifax began in the Winter/Spring of 2007.
We have now studied three seminars by Chogyam Trungpa from 1974: The
Tibetan Buddhist Path; Meditation: The Way of the Buddha; and Journey
without Goal. Additionally, during January and February of 2008,
about 100 Vajrayana students gathered every Monday for 6 weeks to
practice the newly transmitted terma from the Vidyadhara: the
Avalokiteshvara sadhana conferred by Karma Senge Rinpoche last year.
We paired the practice of the sadhana with reading, contemplation and
exposition of some of Trungpa Rinpoche's dzogchen teachings.

Starting in September 2008, the Monday Night Class will show DVDs of
a Dharma Art seminar by Chogyam Trungpa, alternating with workshops
taught by some of his senior students. Object arrangement, ikebana,
mudra theatre, and other aspects of artistic practice and process
will be explored.

Next winter, Vajrayana students will be invited to view and
contemplate videos of the EVAM seminary taught by Trungpa Rinpoche,
the basis for parts of GLIMPSES OF SPACE. And next spring, we will
offer some of the talks from the Wisdom and Skilful Means series
originally taught in Northern California in 1976.

The Monday Night Class is organized by the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy
Project to benefit the Shambhala Archives, the Halifax Shambhala
Center, and the Legacy Project itself. In the future, as the acting
director of the Legacy Project, I'd like to help other centers to
include more of this kind of programming. If you have questions or
need help with a class, you can contact me at cgimian@suchns.com. I
may be able to refer you to one of the people helping with the class
or offer you some support myself. Similar programs are being offered
in a number of other locations, including New York, Boulder, and
Margaree, Nova Scotia!

Another Boy without a Name Contribution

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 14:56:00 +0000

The Boy Without a Name continuation:

"Do you find food on your own" said the boy. He realized he was
terribly hungry and he felt,sadly, that with this up-tight sap,
perhaps he'd made enough of a fool of himself already.

Bah Humbug to you to then said the boy, and he headed down the road
toward the mountain.

The boy was terrified as he knew he could not find food alone. Terror
turned to panic as he contemplated participating in the production
system of the adults. He knew that somehow he had to sing them a song
that would help thm loosen their grip on their petty schemes.

Oh, what about his nice pleasent travels to the peak of the mountain.
He got an anxious feeling that the two tasks must be done if either of
them were to be done.

He thought about his song.

All the adults were afraid to stand still. That's as good as a start
as he could come up with after a long perplexing thought. If they
could do that, they could enjoy all kinds of things. What were they
so affraid of?

they wanted to take and own things from the hills, forests and meadows
around the mountain. Was that it?

If so he would have to try his best to give them what they wanted.

More Endings to "The Boy without a Name"

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:47:00 +0000

More story endings for “The Boy without a Name.”

Jabez Martin wrote:

Boy: but, I am not like most humans, Magpie. I live by myself and, if I could, I would fly free – like yourself. I live off of berries, greens and roots; and, drink the cool clean water of the streams – like you. I am not a meat eater. So, I will not kill you for food.

Magpie: I see you are a Boy who thinks I should take time to talk with you and believe you at your word. Tell me why I should trust the words you speak.

Boy: Magpie, I only want to learn why and how the snowmountain can be so compassionate, allowing us to use him~feeding off his body, and remain untouched by the changing seasons.

Magpie: Boy, you expect to learn the why and the how of snowmountain by simple questions. Do you even know how many seasons snowmountain has existed? Can you imagine all that has passed before you – taking shelter in the caves and trees, harvesting the berries, nuts and roots, listening to the quiet of the forest and marveling at how the clouds circles the top of snowmountain as if cushioning the top from entry into the crown of existence? And, you say you want to learn the why and how of compassion. You have yet to tell me why I should trust you, let alone what qualifies you to even ask such questions.

Boy: Magpie, you should trust me because as I look into your eyes you can see my intent is honest. And, as far as qualifying myself for receiving such teachings, I have spent this time on earth in aloneness, never being a part of the mainstream crowd nor yearning for

the silver coins they seek. I know that I have only had a few seasons; but, I have spent these seasons in alone time observing humans and nature; but, most of all, seeking truth.

I know that you are wise and in your flights you observe the happenings from higher level so you see and know much more than I. When you are high in the sky you can see far distances and, I believe, you know why snowmountain can be so compassionate and kind; and, how snowmountain can continue to be throughout the seasons.

Magpie: Listen closely, Boy. Compassion comes from being grounded and experiencing season after season, knowing that it takes real strength to be gentle and real gentleness to be strong. And, to continue to be so throughout the seasons comes from knowing it is the right thing to do for himself thus drawing the strength to be who he is. Go about your way, Boy and experience.

Boy: But…

Magpie (as he flys away): remember to stay grounded.

Pamela Kaur wrote:

"I haven't time to waste on chattering with you," said the magpie, "I'm busy looking for food. And in any case you humans are usually full of trickery and you might be planning to kill me....”

I know you have no reason to trust me - but, I'm not planning to kill you or to trick you. I'm new to the area and just wanted to ask a question. I promise not to take up too much of your time.

Well, okay - I can't promise to answer it - but what is your question?

I spent the whole morning looking at the mountain, but it's impossible to understand it all. Sometimes he seems to be smiling in the brilliant sunlight, and sometimes he stands solemn and aloof while snow storms rage around him. Occasionally he shows himself in all simplicity, without adornments, and at times like those, one sees him directly and feels very close to him. His stillness and dignity are always there and remain untouched by the changing seasons. The days and months of the year don't appear to affect him. This mountain seems to have a kind and compassionate nature, as he allows all kinds of birds and animals to live on him and to feed off his body. But I felt I should know more about him....

What more do you need to know? Is it really necessary to understand? He is what you perceive him to be. To you, he has grace; he is kind, compassionate, and giving to all who come his way. What more do you need to know? Does it matter who he is, or what others perceive him to be?

Paulette Callen wrote:

I understood his fear. I had seen grown-ups do many bad things to animals. I said, “I don’t want to kill you. I want to learn about the mountain. Can you help me?”
The magpie eyed me with his clear and brilliant gaze. I waited.
Then he said, “Ask the mountain.” And he flew away.
This wasn’t the advice I had expected, but I considered it and decided it was as good as any, so I sat and gazed at the mountain again, as I had been doing, only this time I tried to see with the clear and brilliant gaze of the magpie. I am sure that grown-ups had given this mountain a name, as they like to do with everything else, and I was very glad not to know it. It would only have come between the mountain and me. Without knowing what other people called the mountain, I could see it as it really is and perhaps learn its real name. As I was waiting to learn my own.
As I said, it is my way to stay no more than 10 days in one place. I had spent 10 days with the mountain and it was my time to move on. I stood and bowed deeply to the mountain, thanking him for his teaching, and continued my journey.

Madeline Schreiber wrote:

THE BOY ... part 3

Day two of my journey, and the days to come held incredible surprises for me. Creatures, people and circumstances began to gather around me whether I was on my way or just resting somewhere. I glanced at them all but this was the stuff of grown-ups, and since I did not have a name I did not need to participate. But I wondered at all the busyness and I learned how to feel sad; not the same dark sorrow of the grown-ups, but I felt a longing to show them the specialties along the way, and to listen with someone to the songs of birds and wind.

I made friends with my sadness, and hand in hand we sat down. We remembered our majestic snow mountain together. Somehow, that day I knew that my journey was complete; my sadness and I need never move again. We were still. To this day I don't quite know why our stillness drew so much activity to us. People took up settling on our slopes; grains and flowers blossomed; wars were fought; love was born and died. I am so grateful to my tibetan snow mountain and my sadness. Even though I still have never moved I have seen many sunrises and sunsets. And to be sure I have heard laughter as well as crying. If I have ever had a name I have forgotten it now.

Snowy peak to awaken splendor
Broad expanse of shoulders
draped with arms of friends
Caves for yogis in earth's granite bedrock
Snow mountain, you are all I ever knew

And finally, Jacqueline Gens wrote this:

Part III How the Mountain Became the Boy’s Home

Slowly, I continued on my journey to nowhere around the great mountain, now my only companion, whose changing face continued to intrigue me with its mystery. Wherever I stood, the great mountain seemed a multiplicity of presence with its moods changing moment by moment. Was it the mountain that changed or me? I needed to know more.

One day I came upon a Ki kee bird*

“Tashi delly”, I said.
“Tashi delly” the Ki kee said hurriedly.
"I wonder if you’d be very kind,"” said I, "and answer some questions for me.”
“What do I know, I’m just a silly bird running this way and that looking for my mate.”
“Ki kee Ki kee Ki kee,” the little bird chirped, “Stop bothering me!”

Although many beings passed near to the mountain, none seemed to regard its majesty. Just me. How sad, I thought.

My life continued for quite a few jolly years, I don’t even know for how long. There were so many things to experience as I circumambulated the base of the great mountain. Beings came and went like the seasons and always it was just the mountain and me together wordlessly braving the elements, sometimes harsh, sometimes lovely to bask in. I was never bored for I noticed everything.

One day, I came across a ferocious looking she-dog flea bitten with swollen teats hanging to the ground and wild yellow eyes. Although I doubted she would know much about the mountain since her sufferings might have distracted her perceptions, before I could say, “Tashi Delly”, the old she-bitch, herself said,
“Tashi Delly,” her canine mouth smiling widely. “Well, sonny boy, I ‘ve been waiting for you a long
time. What took you so long?”
Speechless, I could barely say, “Me?” in a tiny voice.
“But I’m the boy with out a name who lives alone. Why would you be waiting for me?” Thinking she might attack me, I stepped back a bit.

But then the she-dog stood on hind legs and sang this melodious song in a sweet voice.

Boy, you think you are happy here in this valley in the shadow of the great one.
It’s time you grow up and climb this peak.
There you will behold the majesty of all the worlds
beyond even your imagination.
There you will truly enter the company of gods
for you have a destiny to fulfill
Your days of playing with sticks and stones are long past.
Lolling in the summer grasses is mere child’s play.
Become the man that you are destined!
Go find your name.

Then, she vanished.

Everyday, I contemplated the old mother-dog’s words, as my heart was sore with longing to understand more. Was I going to circle the mountain my whole life or climb this Peak? Had the mountain indeed become my home? If I had a home, then maybe I had a name too, although I didn’t particularly need to have a name. Why did I need a destiny if I was perfectly happy alone and without a name? I wanted to stay a child forever instead of passing my time in useless and trivial grownup concerns.

Hadn’t the mountain** already taught me so much—From a distance, I perceived its greatness; moving around it, I experienced it’s myriad moods about the nature of change. The mountain became for me a living breathing entity alive with all the elements. The mountain was my only friend.

Part IV How the Boy Got a Name

Since I was no longer interested in the stupid pursuits of humans dwelling among the dusty plains always in search of food, wealth, and worldly distraction, there wasn’t much for me to do except wonder even more about the mountain.

One day at the peak of my longing, I just began to climb my old friend the mountain—just like that. Every day, the mountain offered me its bounty of sweet smelling grasses and alpine flowers, medicinal herbs for sustenance. Now, I really was alone since I could no longer see my mountain and I was truly happy. With each step, I neared the summit, which was now beyond my view and sheathed in misty clouds. I had become the mountain. Was this destiny the old she- dog sang of—to become inseparable from the mountain?

On my ascent many marvelous animals crossed my path. In the deep forests, tigers roamed with ease,
moving purposefully with keen senses. Further up the mountain, the elusive snow lion frolicked playfully among the snow peaked ridges in the crisp air and dazzling sunlight. Inwardly, I leapt with the joy of fearlessness in meeting these creatures far from the dominion of men. As I approached the high summit, giant garudas circled overhead, their huge wings spanning continents and I was filled with awe. After many days, I reached the summit. I don’t even know how I did it since there was no longer any path to follow, neither foothold nor places to grab on to. Inch by inch, I slowly made my way sometimes resting my mind on the bare rock until the mountain presented itself to me or other times, gazing at the great expanse before me until my body and mind moved in perfect unison.

When I reached the summit—to the west, I saw glorious sunsets; to the east, I saw the sun’s first rays; in the north, I saw legions of storm gathering clouds swirling furiously; to the south, breaking through the mist, I saw numerous villages and towns,

Above me space was filled with the dragon clouds.
How wondrous, I thought. I felt that I could do anything, even fly!

After some time, seeing the villages below through the parted mist stirred in me a deep sadness that the people below did not know what I knew. Then, I understood my destiny. I had to join the company of grown-ups down below and tell them of my journey-- how they too could become one with the mountain. That was how my journey began and so I needed a name for the others to call me. There at the peak of glorious Meru, I heard the sound of my name-through the wind…Oceans….Oceans..Oceans..Oceans.. Oceans…of dharma. That’s how I got my name.

Jacqueline Gens
Brattleboro, VT
12.26.07 & 1.1.08

* Sorry, folks I made the name of this bird up based on recollection that there is a Tibetan “two note” bird.
**To see the greatness of a mountain, one must keep one's distance; to understand its form, one must move around it; to experience its moods, one must see it at sunrise and sunset, at noon, and at midnight, in sun and in rain, in snow and in storm, in summer and in winter and in all the other seasons. He who can see the mountain like this comes near to the life of the mountain, a life that is as intense and varied as that of a human being. Lama Govinda (48K) Mountains grow and decay, they breathe and pulsate with life. They attract and collect invisible energies from their surroundings: the forces of the air, of the water, of electricity and magnetism; they create winds, clouds, thunderstorms, rains waterfalls, and rivers They fill their surroundings with active life and give shelter and food to innumerable beings. Such is the greatness of mighty mountains....
In the dust-filled valleys and low plains of our daily existence we have forgotten our connections with stars and suns; and therefore we need the presence of these mighty signposts and milestones to shake us up and arouse us from the slumber of self-complacency. Not many are there who hear the call or feel the urge to rise from under their thick blanket of petty self-interests, of money-making or pleasure-hunting, but the few whom the call has reached, and in whom the longing for greater things is still awake, form a steady stream of pilgrims who keep alive the traditions and knowledge of these sources of inspiration.

The Way of the White Clouds, Lama Govinda,
Hutchinson, 1966

Boy without a Name: Some endings

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 00:45:00 +0000

THE BOY WITHOUT A NAME, Part Two by Chogyam Trungpa

....I don't really have a home and I never spend more than ten days in one place. Originally I came from East Tibet and I traveled westwards to the lands of Lho and Mon. Grown-ups tend to stay in the same place for a long time and when they do travel they're so busy they never have time to look at the valleys and mountains around them. They don't even notice the interesting stones on the road, or the flowers, but just trample over them.
Of course they never have time to play and all they talk about is how many silver coins they've got and how many yaks their neighbor has. If you ask them to tell you about Lhasa they only know about the big shops in the Barko Market and things like that. They don't seem to know about the birds' nests under the edge of the roofs and the millions of insects that live in the city, beside themselves. So the only way I can see them is by going there myself.
Tibet is such a beautiful country and each part of it has its own particular quality. There are lots of mountains and lakes and trees and things. There are so many things to see that my journey may take me a hundred years. The grown-ups race and fight against time, but for me time is a friend and I have no need to hurry.
Today is the first day of my journey, so here I am, playing in the road. I've only traveled 50 yards or so, but it would take the grown-ups ten years to learn what I've learned in this one day. When I looked up and saw the snow'mountain on the other side of the river, I composed the following song:
O pillar of the sky, you high-peaked mountain of Tibet,
You're surrounded by hills with flowering shrubs and many kinds
of herbs,
But your all-aloneness and your stillness still show through
As you wrap your peaceful cloud around your neck.

The peak of this mountain pierces the sky and his snowcap glitters in the sun. The clouds move slowly across his shoulders, and when you see him, it's as though you see the whole of Tibet in one glance. I spent the whole morning looking at the mountain, but it's
impossible to understand it all. Sometimes he seems to be smiling in the brilliant sunlight, and sometimes he stands solemn and aloof while snow storms rage around him. Occasionally he shows himself in all simplicity, without adornments, and at times like those, one sees him directly and feels very close to him. His stillness and dignity are always there and remain untouched by the changing seasons. The days and months of the year don't really affect him. This mountain seems to have a kind and compassionate nature, as he allows all kinds of birds and animals to live on him and to feed off his body. But I felt I should know more about him, so I stopped to ask a magpie who was perching
on a rock.
Tashi delly, I said. (Thats how we greet people in Tibet.)
Tashi delly, said the magpie in a rather suspicious tone of voice.
"I wonder if you’d be very kind," said I, "and answer some questions for me.
"I haven't time to waste on chattering with you," said the magpie, "I'm busy looking for food. And in any case you humans are usually full of trickery and you might be planning to kill me....

Part Three as contributed by Ocean of Dharma subscribers.

Kate Abato’s ending:

If I kill you, you wouldn't be able to answer my questions.

Frank Reynolds wrote:

THE BOY WITHOUT A NAME, Part Three

By Frank Reynolds

I reached into my bag and drew out a handful of assorted seeds I’d collected on my journey. Sometimes I scattered these seeds so that the trees, bushes, and flowers that had generated them could journey and grow in new places, but sometimes I would eat a handful, so I knew they were tasty. I placed them on a rock a few paces away from the magpie, and a few paces from the rock on which I’d been sitting, then I returned to my rock and sat again.

“Now you don’t have to look for food,” I said, “nor do you need to worry about me harming you because the rock where the seeds are piled is well beyond my reach. I have more seeds if you’re still hungry after eating those, and all I ask in return is that you answer a few questions for me.”

The magpie cocked her head for a moment and scrutinized me with one gleaming eye, but this posture left her other eye aimed directly at the delicious seeds. Soon her appetite overcame her wariness and she fluttered to the other rock and began pecking voraciously at the seed pile, always keeping me in view. She gobbled up the entire pile of seeds so quickly that she seemed almost embarrassed to then ask, “So you say you have questions? And more seeds?”

“First a few questions,” I said, “and then a few seeds.” I told the magpie what I’d observed about the snow mountain, and sang the song I’d just composed, then asked her what more there might be to know about the mountain.

“Oh, there’s much more,” she said, “much, much more.” Now I became the suspicious one, wondering if the bird might fabricate or embellish her stories in quest of food, but since I was more inquisitive than suspicious, I dropped a few more seeds on the rock where she had first perched, resumed my seat, and said, “Then please tell me what you have to tell.” Hopping from rock to rock this way, devouring seeds and chirping out her story, here is what the magpie said:

“This mountain is very unusual in that it has no name, but it changes appearance so much from day to day, from season to season, and when viewed from different sides that no name seems to apply, except “nameless mountain.”

But it is even more unusual because it did not start out with a mountain but as a man, a man with no name. This man once had a name, and owned a big shop in the Barko Market in Lhasa with his name on the front in large letters. Since he was a clever merchant he amassed many silver coins and built a big house near the Potala and married the most beautiful maiden in Lhasa and fathered several children. He was also quite generous, as merchants go, donating to monasteries and extending credit to herders after a hard winter. But then one year after the harsh icy winds had become mild breezes and flowers had begun to bloom in the highland meadows, his wife took their children out for a picnic in the mountains while the merchant worked in his shop. An avalanche roared down and buried the family with barely a trace – all that was found was a scrap of the cloth on which they had been sitting and shards that the merchant recognized as his wife’s favorite cup.

“This event left the man desolate. His prosperous life in Lhasa lost all meaning. He stopped tending his shop, so soon it was looted of all its wares. He left his home, which became an encampment for nomads and a nesting place for birds and squirrels until the walls weakened and the timbers gave way, rendering the former mansion a pile of rubble. By then the merchant was long gone, however, travelling the world as a man with no name and no fixed abode, but noticing everything – noticing more and more, it seemed. What started out as flight became a journey.

“Though he no longer had a name or anything to sell, people who encountered the man on his travels began to notice that this strange wanderer radiated qualities which attracted them: wakeful appreciation of the world, openness, simplicity, vast freedom, and dignity suffused with humor. His laughter, it was said, seemed to emerge from some deep cavern in the earth itself.

“So people often gathered and offered hospitality to the man with no name as he journeyed through their villages, asking him questions and listening to what he had to say, and thus learning a great deal that eased their confusion and suffering. Almost everywhere he travelled the villagers would try to get him to take up residence, but the man with no name was never tempted to settle again, until he realized that his life was coming to an end and that he would have no choice in the matter.

“That was when he came here. It is hard to imagine now, but this was once a dry and desolate place, ravaged by wind so relentlessly that practically nothing grew and no animals or people could be sustained here. Yet the man with no name came here nonetheless and simply sat in meditation posture on the barren plateau. It is said that sitting this way, he died with the wish to be of great benefit, for this great mountain appeared around the very spot where he had taken his seat and died, diverting the ravaging winds, gathering rain and snow clouds which water the surrounding desert and make it verdant, providing homes and sustenance for birds and animals, offering meadows where nomads graze their herds and snow lions romp in the fragrant air. The mountain connects earth and sky in a way that is ever-changing in appearance yet indestructibly constant in essence.

“It is said that of all the benefits offered by the mountain with no name, the greatest is inspiration,” the magpie summarized. “A wise woman came here once and discovered a jeweled case embedded in an obsidian wall of a cavern in the mountain’s very heart. She opened the case and drew out a scroll on which a prophecy was written proclaiming that one day someone would come who would fully appreciate the mountain’s qualities, embody them, and be able to draw these qualities forth from others.

“Aha,” the bird concluded, “since it seems that both your seeds and my story are exhausted, I’ll be off.”

I watched the magpie fly straight as an arrow shaft toward the mountain’s glimmering peak, become a dot against its radiant snow cap, and disappear. Then I resumed my journey, alone.

John Eberly wrote:

THE BOY WITHOUT... part three/the end
by John Eberly 12/26/07

This was exactly the answer I thought I'd get and it delighted me when the magpie flew away toward something tasty.

Although I had not traveled far, I knew that traveling means going from here to there and when you get there its here and you're always looking there so I decided to just stop and be wherever it was that I found myself.

And so here I am, and here I stay, living alone but with everything at the same time, without time or space, or name or place. You may decide to travel like I did, and and if you do, you will no doubt see many wonderful, beautiful, extraordinary things, but if you find me, I think you will be disappointed!

THE END

Mark James Fischler wrote:

Yes Magpie our self absorption is a painful part of the human story. If I may though, what does the mountain do that we don't?"

"The answer is in the nothingness that the mountain does, "said the Magpie. "You see there is no mountain. Ask the mountain it's name and it replies as the nameless. Ask the mountain what it does and it will share that it just is. The beingness let's the mountain share its riches, without getting caught up in the human tragedy. That's why the mountain and I walk the same path. Now let me sing, eat, fuck, shit and die."

As the nameless I too will float through the universe on a cloud of dharmic fumes living the life of a bodhisattva.

Lynn Johnston wrote:

In my opinion it would be a shame to give this story an ending.

She offered this continuation:

I was sad to learn that magpies become adults too. I turned away without a reply and continued on my journey that has no end. My eyes wonder at the beauty surrounding me and I am filled with peace and joy as I stop a few steps up the road to watch a bee gathering nectar from a flower.

More endings coming in the next few days!

The Boy without a Name, Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 15:21:00 +0000

Cheerful New Year to all!

On Christmas Eve, Part One of a story by Chogyam Trungpa was posted to Ocean of Dharma Quotes of the Week. This story appears in the archives of Chogyam Trungpa's unpublished poetry. There is no date given for when it was composed, and no one seems to remember the circumstances behind the writing of this story.

Subscribers to Ocean of Dharma were invited to submit story endings. Several people submitted additions or endings to Part One. What follows is Chogyam Trungpa’s Part One, followed by the OD contributors. Tomorrow I’ll post Part Two of the story as written by Chogyam Trungpa and several of the endings written by Ocean of Dharma readers. I’ll continue to post these to the Legacy blog until they’re all posted by the end of the week.

THE BOY WITHOUT A NAME or THE BOY WHO LIVED BY HIMSELF

By Chogyam Trungpa

Part One

I am the boy who lives by himself. I don't do anything in particular, I just live that’s the way I am. I spend my life playing and I make up my own toys. I have no one to play with. The sort of things that interest me are stones and rivers and trees and clouds. Since long ago I have had no parents or brothers and sisters, so I just live alone. Sometimes I want to do like the grown-ups, but then I realize there's no point in that. I have my own world to live in, and I'm known as "the boy who lives by himself.

When I was born, no one gave me a name. Perhaps my parents did give me a name, but somehow it never entered my mind. So I remain nameless. Grown-ups like giving each other names. And they like inventing names for objects as well, without stopping to consider whether the name really fits the thing or not. They learn these names by heart and write them down.

Once a friend of mine was given a name by his father and a different name by his mother. His father's friends called him by one name and his mother's friends called him by the other, and this rather confused him. As a result he wasn't quite sure which was his real self. This bothered him for a long time, until one day I suggested to him that he should be nameless like me. At first he didn't like the idea. He said, "If I didn't have a name, how would I know who I am?" I found it difficult to explain to him in words, so I just said "Well, why don't you give it a try and see what it’s like?" So he did. But this upset is parents very much because he no longer answered to the names they had given him.

Now he was able to see what his nameless self was really like and he became like a tiger who has broken his chain....

End of Part One.

Rochelle Weithorn wrote the following ending to part one of the story:

In the summer, I enjoy sleeping under the stars along the river bank. The cool breeze washes over me and I feel refreshed. I look up at the moon and it smiles back at me. I once heard someone say there is a man that lives in the moon so I try to make out the lines of his face, a smile, a twinkling of an eye, The moon is my friend. Grass feels so soft to lie on and I love smelling the sweet green scent it exudes. Sometimes my friend the tiger comes and brings her cubs to drink the cold refreshing water the river has to offer. Then we cuddle up together and just relax. Being a boy with no name and no home means no one is waiting for me to return at a particular hour or any particular place. So I just stop where I am and rest there for the night.

There is a magical time in the wild just between dusk and nightfall when things get very still and the silence fills my heart with longing. I long to understand why my heart beats faster when I run or why hugging a tiger cub makes me so happy. My heart bursts with joy when I see wild things grow in the forest and the purity of nature around me. I feel so free and happy here with my friends who also have no names.

In the morning, my friend the sun greets me with a smile. I sit up and thank the sun for warming us here on this beautiful planet we live on. I wonder if the sun knows that's what we call her? Perhaps the sun is just like me with no name? I enjoy resting my mind in the early morning light. It feels so good to just be still. After a while I enjoy eating some berries or fruit and drink fresh water from a nearby waterfall. For a boy with no name and no place to call home, my world is always filled with discovery and laughter. If you want to see what I look like, just look up at the moon and see my reflection smiling back at you!

Kate Abato added this to part one::

and experiences for the first time the breeze of delight. . .

Beth wrote this to add to Part One:

Now he was able to see what his nameless self was really like and he became like a tiger who had broken his chain....At first he was stunned not to have that chain around his neck any longer. Although it had weighed him down and it was cold and heavy, it had become a part of him. As the chain was removed he felt as though he suddenly had the kind of power he had never felt before. It was such a strange feeling. Now nothing or no one could hold him back; no one could scare HIM any more. He paraded around his home feeling so strong and powerful that he almost scared himself. He had never before felt this way. When his mother or father looked at him he was able to look right back at them knowing that there was nothing to be afraid of any longer. Now he had the power; now he could scare them and not they him any more. -!

At the same time however he was missing that chain. That chain which had given him a sense of belonging and security, almost a feeling of Love. He knew that his parents loved him, but now, that he was this free, how could he be so sure?

Stay tuned for more of the story in days to come!

Year-end Update and Appeal

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:46:00 +0000

About 10 days ago, the Leadership Group of the Legacy Project met in Maine at the home of Martha Bonzi. We were hosted by Martha and Helen, longtime Shambhala community members who have done an enormous amount for the Shambhala world! I drove a van full of legacy people: Wendy Karr, Walter Fordham, Ben Moore and myself; while Judy Lief, Cheryl Campbell, and Julie Martin drove from various East Coast locales. Helen and Martha provided enormous hospitality and warmth, which gave us the space in which we could discuss the present and future of the project. Out of this came the letter below, which reviews briefly what has been done in the last year, and suggests how people can support the project at this time. This is offered on the eve of Thanksgiving in the U S of A. May all beings be happy and at their ease.

Letter going out this week:

Dear Friends of the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project,

I am writing to 108 of you in the week of American Thanksgiving. I know that all of us on the Legacy Project's Leadership Group feel a tremendous sense of gratitude for all of you who have shared your energy, generosity, and interest in the project.
This last year, which is now coming to an end, was set aside as a year of consultation and contemplation on the future of the project. During this period, we have held meetings with more than 500 members of Shambhala and senior students of the Vidyadhara to hear your views and aspirations for the project, as well as your concerns. In addition to group meetings in major centers in North America and Europe, we have had many one-on-one meetings and informal discussions.

Informal legacy committees in Boulder, New York, and Halifax have discussed the project in more depth and have helped to sponsor events such as the observation of the 20th anniversary of the Parinirvana of the Vidyadhara. We have also quietly been undertaking small pilot projects, involving a number of volunteers: We are helping to raise funds for the Root Text Project, to edit and publish books based on the Seminary Transcripts. We have helped to write the curriculum and provide the format for two DVD courses presenting Chogyam Trungpa teaching at Naropa. In the Spring of 2007, the Nalanda Translation Committee invited the Legacy Project to help promote and enrich the visit of Karma Senge Rinpoche, who was presenting terma teachings of the Vidyadhara to our community in Canada. Partnering with the Shambhala Archives, we have also been working on a feasibility study for an on-line archive of teachings of the Vidyadhara.

The Leadership Group has just completed a retreat in Maine. The meetings were inspiring for all of us, and we felt a sense of family, common purpose, and a renewed commitment to move forward. We have a draft of a mission statement and the beginnings of a mandate and other documents that will be the basis for our by-laws as a charity in Canada and a non-profit corporation in the United States. We had extensive discussions of governance, which we will continue in the coming weeks. I have been talking with members of the Mukpo family and with the President of Shambhala International, Richard Reoch, discussing the issues of governance and the appropriate relationship of the Legacy Project to these entities. Lady Diana Mukpo and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche have offered their blessings and support for the project.
We are now ready to move forward with the legal work and the negotiations that will allow us to file for our charitable status in Canada and nonprofit status in the United States. We would like to submit an application in at least one country before April 4th, 2008, the next anniversary of the Parinirvana.

To do so, as well as to maintain and expand our modest activities at this time, we need financial support. It is premature for us to undertake fundraising on a large scale; therefore, the support of those who already share our sense of mission is all the more important. Those of us on the Leadership Group are discussing our financial support, and now we are also turning to you.

A gift of any size will help at this time. This is what we need to fund now: 1) Our legal work and the costs of filing in the US and Canada ($5,000 estimated total) ; 2) minor support for our acting Director (yours truly) to the tune of $500/month; 3) modest support ($300 month) for an administrative assistant (Wendy Karr); and $100/month for office expenses. We would also like to fund work on our website and the completion of the on-line archive feasibility study. We hope that gifts over the next few months will yield around $10,000 to keep us going at this critical time. Even a gift of $25 goes a long way in such a small budget!

This past week, following the retreat in Maine, I was able to present the vision of a Chogyam Trungpa Library during a planning meeting for capitol projects of Shambhala International. A number of quasi-independent and forming organizations with links to Shambhala were invited to attend, along with the center representatives. I suggested that in the future, if the Halifax Shambhala community were to acquire another building (something under discussion), the current center on Tower Road would make a wonderful museum, archive and library. This is also the last shrine room and building consecrated by the Vidyadhara, and it has tremendous emotional and spiritual value for his students. There was quite a lot of enthusiasm expressed for a project of this sort, which was quite gratifying to see.
Who knows if, when, or where this will happen? Such a project would be a good step in the establishment of the Legacy Project. The first such center could inspire other ventures. Perhaps fanciful now, this may be a good vision to hold in mind as we take our first baby steps towards establishing the Legacy Project. At our retreat, we playfully suggested centers in Halifax, Boulder, New York, Bodhgaya, and Surmang. It could happen.

On that note, I wish you the best of the end of the year. If you are able to contribute to CTLP at this time, please do so! And please keep us in mind for the coming year. Your contributions will be gratefully received and put to good use.

Thank you so much for your support,

Carolyn Gimian, Acting Director
November 20, 2007

The Leadership Committee of the Chögyam Trungpa Legacy Project:

Acharya Judith Lief; Acharya Larry Mermelstein; Walter Fordham; Wendy Karr; Ben Moore; Tom Hast; Cheryl Campbell; Julie Martin; Maron Greenleaf (inactive); Carolyn Gimian.

DRAFT: The Mission of the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project is to support and enrich the view, practice, study and application of the teachings of the Vidyadhara the Venerable Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, in order to foster wisdom, compassion and sanity for individuals and society.

Thanks to Molly Nudell for the CTLP letterhead design, a work in progress.

If you would like to contribute, please send your donation: in Canada,to:

CT Legacy Project
PO Box 33035
Halifax, NS
Canada B3L 4T6

In the USA:

CT Legacy Project
c/o Ashoka Credit Union
525 Canyon Boulevard
Boulder, Colorado
80302 USA

Latest DVD Course: Chogyam Trungpa on meditation

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 16:11:00 +0000

Tonight is the second Monday for MEDITATION: WHAT THE BUDDHA TAUGHT, a DVD course at the Halifax Shambhala Centre that features Chogyam Trungpa teaching meditation at Naropa Institute in the summer of 1974. Last week the meditation instruction given by Trungpa Rinpoche was shown. The quality of the video image is a bit weak in this first tape -- and there's only so much that can be done to improve it. Starting with week 2, the quality is much better, although still the old black and white. The Instruction itself is quite penetrating and profound -- while still very simple and direct.

This week is a talk on mindfulness meditation, or shamatha, in which Chogyam Trungpa speaks of shamatha or basic meditation as building a staircase to enlightenment.

The course is being sponsored by the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project together with the Shambhala Centre. These are newly remastered DVDs, with much improved sound and image. The idea is to have this course in Halifax as a pilot project and then to encourage other centres and individuals to present the course.

A poster and flyer were designed by Liza Matthews, of the Shambhala SUN staff. Beautiful poster -- which we put up at a number of locations around Halifax.

Last week there were about 8 to 10 new students, just starting to meditate, and several dozen people with a long-established practice, and everything in between. The material seems to speak to both new and old. After the tape, we had discussion groups that are being run by experienced teachers and meditation instructors. I was quite impressed with the sense of "Group Mind" or intelligence among the instructors - -several of whom attended the original course 30 some years ago.

We are hoping to build on the success of the TIBETAN BUDDHIST PATH class that was shown to audiences of more than 100 in Halifax in the spring. AFter this meditation course, we're looking at the TANTRA course from Naropa in 1974 or a course on SKILFUL MEANS AND WISDOM from California, 1976.

Hoping to revive this blog now that the Fall is here. Next on my agenda: a report about an interview with Khandro RInpoche concerning the Legacy Project.

Musings from a Feast

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Sun, 20 May 2007 23:20:00 +0000

While waiting for an image of the dharma protector Ekajati to load -- and it may not -- I'm musing about the feast that was held this afternoon to conclude and mark the abhisheka conferred by Karma Senge Rinpoche. He was passing on teachings from Tibet received in 1958 by the Vidyadhara the Venerable Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, concerning the mahasattva Avalokiteshvara. These were terma, or treasure teachings, that the Vidyadhara received before having to leave Tibet due to the Communist incursion.

The question I was contemplating was: what about the argument that is sometimes put forth that we, his disciples, should move on and not wallow in nostalgia for the past? Well, of course we shouldn't wallow! But when that is equated with not being "attached" to teachings that were given by the teacher at some point in the past....well, doesn't that seem a bit absurd after receiving a text like this in this manner? A wonderful sharing with dharma brothers and sisters. These teachings were, it is said, originally given by Guru Rinpoche in the 8th Century. They were hidden in a crystal cave, to be revealed in a future age when they would be relevant. They were found, again, by Chogyam Trungpa, who revealed them in 1958. Through the amazing perserverance and dedication of Karma Senge Rinpoche, they were recovered from disciples of Trungpa Rinpoche who had held on to the text and understood the practice. NOW they have been translated and are being presented to Western disciples. Out of date? Nostalgic? Please! Couldn't be more powerful, up to date or relevant.

Wouldn't it be nice to put that particular argument to bed, for a long long sleep! E Ma Ho. Wonderous marvelous dharma. Oh well, I give up on the illustration of Ekajati. Maybe she will want to appear tomorrow. So far not. But, as far as the feast is concerned, an amazing time was had by all. And lo and behold Ekajati is there. This print of a painting by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche was published by Trident Publications and is copyright Diana J. Mukpo. Used by permission.

Terma from Tibet

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Sat, 19 May 2007 17:27:00 +0000

I'm posting this over the lunch break from a program in which Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche's nephew, Karma Senge Rinpoche, has been presenting a terma (treasure) teaching that CTR received in Tibet in 1958. KarSeng Rinpoche arrived about 10 days ago from the Surmang area of East Tibet. This is Trungpa Rinpoche's birthplace and the site of his Tibetan monastery. This is his nephew's third or fourth visit to the West. I learned today that he's learned at least one English word: "okay?" He asked us that during the program.

The story goes that the dharma protector Ekajati, a fierce woman with one tourquoise lock of hair, one eye, one fang and one breast, appeared to Chogyam Trungpa in a vision and presented him with a casket that had been hidden by Padmasambhava, the crazy wisdom teacher who helped bring Buddhism to Tibet. He left many such treasures for the future ages. This casket spontaneously opened to reveal letters written in dakini script, which Trungpa Rinpoche decoded within a few days. From this sprang a dzogchen Avalokiteshvara text. This is what we were receiving in the shrine room in Halifax. If that is not totally decoded for you -- well, this is a text about compassion, openness and the space of mind, which Chogyam Trungpa envisioned in Tibet.

For many years, Karma Senge--who never met his uncle--has travelled all over the Surmang area, locating students of Trungpa Rinpoche who kept copies of the texts they had received from CTR and studied as his students. KarSeng Rinpoche got the transmissions for all of these texts, gathered them, and now is bringing them to the West, presenting them slowly to Western disciples with a connection to Chogyam Trungpa.

Understandably, the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project is delighted to participate in planning these programs and publicizing them.

The abhisheka brought 300 of us to the Halifax Shambhala Centre. The more than capacity crowd seemed very happy to be together in such tight quarters. Karma Senge gave us three hours of preliminary instruction last night, followed by about 4 1/2 hours today. At the end of the empowerment, he said that unfortunately he hadn't been able to give us the long, complete version but that at least we had received the medium level version. He apologized for how long it took, and also mentioned that this program/empowerment was in part being offered to mark the 20th anniversary of the death, or parinirvana, of Chogyam Trungpa.

This abhisheka is available to all vajrayana students who have received vajrayana transmission from Chogyam Trungpa, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the Vajra Regent Osel Tendzin, or at the Vajradhatu Seminary. KarSeng Rinpoche plans to present the empowerment in June in the United States, in Philadelphia, Boulder, and Berkeley.

I'm heading back now to learn the practice. Tomorrow, we have a tri, or talk, by Karma Senge Rinpoche and in the afternoon a feast. For more coverage of Karma Senge Rinpoche's visit to North America, check out the Chronicles website: www.chronicleproject.com

California Dreaming and Legacy!

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Tue, 15 May 2007 23:06:00 +0000

Last Thursday, I left Halifax in the wee hours of the morning and flew through Toronto to Los Angeles. I was picked up there by an old friend, Darryl Burnham, who drove me to the home of Carol Sheehan, who was hosting Diana Mukpo for two nights. Carol lives in Tarzana in a home with an amazing garden that must be close to an acre of beauty in the middle of the populous San Fernando Valley. I arrived in time for lunch, followed by a viewing of the new trailer for Johanna Demetrakas's documentary on the life of Chogyam Trungpa, a doc in progress. Moving footage, a preview of a powerful film to come. Following the showing, Lady Diana was interviewed for the film for several hours. I have to confess that I was jetlagged and took a nap! We set out later in the afternoon for the new Shambhala Center in the LA area, which is close to Glendale, I believe. An old architects office/studio makes a lovely space for meditation/offices. An audience of approximately 50 gathered to hear Lady Diana speak and read from Dragon Thunder. She was a turquoise dragon in a, yes, turquoise jacket with white flowers on it. Quite lovely. Her talk, as I remember, was on similarities in the transmission of Buddhism by Chogyam Trungpa in North America to the transmission of Buddhism to China by Bodhidharma and to Tibet by Padmasambhava. She told the story of how the local forces in Tibet would tear down the walls of Samye Monastery that were being built. Every night the walls would be torn down. Finally the king sent for Padmasambhava who tamed the wild beasts and after that they helped to build Samye while everyone slept. So too Chogyam Trungpa tamed the wild Hippies and got them to help him build Buddhism in America. Short version of a great talk -- Book signing followed, I talked about the Legacy Project with Claude Zachary and left him some pledge cards, and then we were off to the residence. The next morning, everyone rested. Afternoon, following some great Mexican food, we headed to the Burbank airport. Southwest airlines to Oakland.

We were late into Oakland and whisked away to a restaurant on Shattuck Avenue for a quick dinner. We met up with Amy Conway, head of the Bay Area centers, and others including Marc Matheson, visit Coordinator, and Jesse Miller, Old friend and senior student/teacher. The Berkeley Center is STILL in the Oddfellows Hall near the University of California. About 80 came to the talk and book signing. The signing itself was in a new streetfront space, below the hall. I felt that I was having a big deva vu being back in my first center -- and it was deja vu because I was there before! Anyway, following the talk, which brought out many old and new faces, Lady Diana headed to Marin where she was staying and I went to my sister-in-laws in Oakland.

On Saturday afternoon, about 30 members of the Bay Area community attended a Legacy Meeting. Lady Diana read the Sakyong's letter endorsing the project. We had a lively discussion that focussed mainly on TIES. I had mentioned the Vidyadhara's ties in passing when I was speaking of all the things of his that we want to conserve and exhibit. One of those attending questioned why on earth we would display his ties as something meaningful. This was provocative -- and led to discussion of how we view the objects he owned, what our responsibility is to give them meaningful context, and was a sort of reality check.

Saturday night, Lady Diana, Lisa Fiore and I had the pleasure of joining Steve Silberman, a journalist, for dinner at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in San Francisco. I have to think about what we discussed. That's how good the wine was. Lots of fun. Throughout the weekend, Diana was teaching on the topic of Shambhala world and lineage. As time is short, I won't give the synopsis! Monday, following the conclusion of the program, we drove up to the Sonoma Mountain Zen Center where Lady Diana was escorted by Kwong Roshi and Shinko, his wife, to the stupas for Suzuki Roshi and Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Power spots indeed on a mountain side that is tamed by all the discipline and meditation that Roshi and Shinko and their students have put into this place. At lunch, I sat between Roshi and his son Demian. The discussion ranged from Roshi's visits to Iceland and Poland -- he is the first Buddhist teacher to visit Iceland, so I teased him about being the father of Buddhism in Iceland, not really a joke -- to the materialism of this era and how difficult it is for students to commit to a life of dharma practice. It was really a gift to spend this time.

From there, we buzzed off to the Santa Rosa Shambhala Center where Lady Diana had tea and brief discussion with about 30. From there, she left for the airport.

I am writing this the next day, before my evening flight back to Halifax. I hope the formatting comes through but for some reason....it often doesn't. Many in the Bay Area and LA seem inspired by Chogyam Trungpa's teachings and very connected. The Legacy Project seems a natural connection for many people here. In Berkeley they have been doing an extensive study of Seminary Transcripts for about 6 or 7 months -- just one of many connections with the Vidyadhara's work. which brings much more work for all of us to do. Good thing. Signing off.

New York in Springtime

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 01:00:00 +0000

First, I have to apologize that the photos from the Installation didn't work. But Blogger kept preventing me from posting photos and it got complicated and I gave up. Maybe this weekend I'll try again... Also, Blogger refuses to accept my formatting. So if this is one interminably long post with no paragraphs, I apologize but I can't seem to figure out how to get it to leave a space....

Friday, April 6th my husband Jim Gimian and I flew to New York City. It was freezing the entire time we were there. We arrived at 8 am so imagine what time we left Halifax....We both had lunch dates at the same restaurant but with different lunchmates. Jim with Jane Kolleeny to discuss the program that he and I were going to teach at the NY Shambhala Centre and other business; me with Tina Meyerhoff and Ellen Green to talk about their work with the New York Center's Audio Recovery CD collection -- which 25 centers are getting. In New York's case, these two very capable and dedicated women are working with others to catalogue the material and figure out the best system for making it available for classes, individual study, etc. Great talking with them. We spoke about establishing an online space where they and others can exhcange information on what they're doing with the material, ideas for contributing to an online catalogue, etc. We were in a Korean restaurant called Ban Hat, I think.

Later in the afternoon, we met up with Tendzin Parsons at the Tibetan Study...I'm getting it wrong-- Center next to the Rubin Foundation offices, where Gene Smith directs the amazing work to gather, organize and often online the teachings of many Tibetan masters. Tenzin had photos and stories from the 60s to share,(quite extraordinary) and then he, Gene, Jim and I went to a nearby bar where we met Jane Kolleeny for drinks and talk. I've exchanged e-mails and several calls with Tenzin over the years, but this was our first meeting. Also first time to meet Gene Smith, to whom we all should do some very deep bows -- he has saved so much of the heritage of Tibet through his efforts.

Later that evening, Jim and I went to a pre-opening for Lynn Davis's show at the Rubin, called Illuminations. Photos of sacred spaces around the world. Luminous, amazing photos. Written up in the New York times on Monday, the show is something to be experienced. Lynn and her husband Rudy Wurlitzer were there, and we shared some egg rolls and wine in the Rubin cafe with Rudy. Friday nights are free at the museum and the place was humming.

The next day, Jim and I conducted a program on the life and teachings of the Vidyadhara at the Center. In the morning, we arrived at the NY Shambhala Centre to find it very very active and full of people practicing. Inspiring. A Level ONe conducted by Arawana Hayashi was going on in one shrine room with about 40 participatns and our program in the other, with an audience that swelled to 60 and dropped to 35 -- and up and down again as people went in and out. Very active and New Yorkish. In the morning, Jim gave a talk on a number of characteristics of how Chogyam Trungpa taught. He illustrated the points with stories -- while also cautioning about the problems of stories and story tellers. Among his points: how much Trungpa Rinpoche trusted his students. It was heartfelt, direct stuff -- mixed with some practice and intense discussion period.

Over lunch, a group of 12 to 20 (it kept changing) met in the shrine room to discuss the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project. Somehow, we got from an overview of projects now being discussed to a grand visioning of a building in New York that would house the Legaacy Project in the US. Rochelle Weithorn asked "How big does it have to be?" I kept saying, "How big is your vision?"

After lunch, I presented an activity based on the idea of dharma fortune cookies. Those who hate the active learning approach headed out of the room. But I think for many people, espeically newer practitioners, this was not a bad approach. With help from Wendy Layton, we had reproduced about 40 OCean of Dharma-like teachings by CHogyam Trungpa. They were cut up, folded and put into glass bowls. Each group had one bowl and each person in each group drew a teaching. They read it to themselves; if it wasn't "for them" they could turn it in for a different teaching -- but just once. Everyone contemplated their teaching. Then they shared it, reading it aloud, and talked about its significance to them. Then they selected someone else in the group to comment on the teaching. Then the next person...etc etc. There were 4 groups of about 12 to 15 each, and all groups had to meet in the shrine room because all other rooms in the center were being used by the Level One -- so there was quite a buzz in the room. But we got beyond that. It was an experiment -- seemed ok.

That was followed by slides of VCTR, which Jane Kolleeny, the maha coordinator of the program, had really wanted. I showed them in somewhat random order, and asked people to contribute one word or one line after seeing the slide -- a response to the slide. So more active learning. Also, stories were told about many of the photos. David Rome was there and told a couple of great stories. Jim Gimian, Agnes Au, Jane Kolleeny and others told some good ones too --

In the evening, we had a Sadhana of Mahamudra feast, which opened with watching a 20 minute clip of the Vidyadhara talking about Crazy Wisdom and the Sadhana. Derek Kolleeny was our fearless umdze and Irene Woodard was the feastmaster food master general. During the feast, I told a slightly outrageous story about learning elocution from the Vidyadhara in an abandoned old mansion in rural New Hampshire, where he saw a panoply of ghosts. He was there for a month long retreat. I wondered if I went over the line with this story, although it's outrageousness had nothing to do with the usual projections of crazy wisdom. It wasn't about drugs, sex or alcohol, but ghosts and a Japanese emperor did figure prominently. Too late to take it back....this was followed by several other senior students talking about the Vidyadhara's reasonability and ordinariness most of the time. And right they are.

Lots of great energy in New York -- as the New Yorkers know. A pleasure to be there. Always a humbling experience somehow.

Photos from an Installation

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 02:32:00 +0000

Tonight in Halifax more than 300 gathered to commemorate the Parinirvana, or the death, of Chogyam Trungpa by practicing the Sadhana of Mahamudra and sharing a feast together. Over the last week, there were numerous events to mark the 20th Anniversary of the Vidyadhara's death. As part of a weekend of videos, demonstrations, discussions and other activities, a number of senior students mounted an exhibit of items from the Labrang, or sacred treasury of objects, that belonged to the Vidyadhara the Venerable Chogyam TRungpa. Here are some images from that show, from photographer Marvin Moore.

Where Rock Meets Bone

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 09:05:00 +0000

Where Rock Meets Bone
[A poem written ten years ago today; offered now in honour of the Parinirvana]

Ten years have passed,
Ten years gone by.
As the date approaches,
I am haunted by your absent presence.
Your death, unbearable, so real,
Now, far away, it seems so near,
How will we pass the day?
On April 4^th where will we be?

Let us be together,
Not alone.
Let us mix our tears,
Let us feast, let us practice, let us cry,
Let us pledge our loyalty,
Let us mix our minds with yours.
Let us honour your existence with our own.
Let us gather where rock meets bone.

Let the Mukpopa's cooks a great feast prepare.
Let Kusung serve.
Let the Makkyi Rapjam's Kasung march,
Colour Guards the Colours raise.
Let the Dorje Dradul's singers sing
Dancers dance,
Drummers drum.
Let elocutionists pronounce their vowels.
Let lovers love,
Doctors prescribe,
Let flower arrangers beautify.
Let storytellers tales be told.
Meditators meditate,
Contemplators contemplate.

Let us feast, let us practice, let us cry,
Let us pledge our loyalty,
Let us mix our minds with yours.
Let us honour your existence with our own.
Let us gather where rock meets bone.

Now, ten years later,
Still the full moon rises,
Still ice on the walkways,
Still strawberries in June.
Cape Breton still a magical island.
Nova Scotia still our homeland.
Still your face,
Still your breath,
Still your love,
Still our duty,
Still a little time to act.

If ten more years without you we must live,
Then let us make it worth our while --
And yours.
Let us celebrate a feast of grief
A feast of joy
A feast of longing
To launch the next ten years of catastrophe.
Is KOS a dream gone by?
Let us spend our lives finding out.
Let us gather where rock meets bone.
Let us speak the truth:
That Nova Scotia is Shambhala.
Is our home.

Let us simply shout amidst our tears:
Mr. C.T. Mukpo, Chogyam Trungpa, Chokyi Gyatso, Vidyadhara, Lord and Vajra Master, Sakyong Dorje Dradul, Makkyi Rapjam, Sovereign and Commander of the Three Times,

We adore you, and we will die fulfilling your command.

April 4 1997

I am here Mukpo

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 08:07:00 +0000

This is two panels from the inside wall of the building where the first Shambhala meditation center met in Halifax, Nova Scotia in the 1980s. Chogyam Trungpa visited the center and calligraphed "I am here MUKPO" on the wall. When the center moved, they wanted to take the panels with them. It was only possible to take the last two panels, which say "UKPO." The Shambhala Archives has plans to recreate the whole calligraphy at some point in the future. Someone commented this looks almost like graffiti -- which in fact it is, sort of!

Sixty Attend Tibetan Buddhist Path Video Class

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 01:43:00 +0000

I'm just back from the Halifax Shambhala Center, where we had the first of 11 classes presenting DVDs of THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST PATH course taught by Chogyam Trungpa at Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado in June 1974. He got an audience of around 1,500. Tonight at the center there were around 60, and that felt like a BIG group. The DVDs have been lovingly and painstakingly remastered by Gordon Kidd, the Technical Director of the Shambhala Archives and Kalapa Recordings. Gordon found additional footage from a second camera of the first talk and used that to provide some terrific close-ups of the Vidyadhara. The soundtrack also had to be replaced -- and now there's very little buzz and a lot more clarity. All the work we've been doing in the Archives to digitize sound recordings for the Audio Recovery Project has certainly paid off in helping us to improve the sound on these early videos.

Talk One, which we saw tonight, is a hard hitting exposition of spiritual materialism, something CT is famous for exposing. Most of the audience at the Shambhala Center tonight were fairly new practitioners. Some old dogs, but a lot of new people. We played the talk, without the questions and answers, and then broke up into three discussion groups. Then we came back together for the Q and A on the tape. It was interesting to hear the current audience and their concerns, versus the questions asked in 1974 of the Vidyadhara. Spiritual materialism seems to be applicable as much now as then, and there was considerable discussion in our group of how it applies to one's experience whether beginning practice or continuing to practice for many years. Two women newly back from India spoke about their gratitude to Chogyam Trungpa for not making us into an overly religious community. Well, highly spiritual but not prone to religiosity, perhaps they would say.

The syllabus for the whole TIBETAN BUDDHIST PATH course is available online at shambhalashop.com. You click on Recordings/ then on VCTR Video/ then on Tibetan Buddhist Path and FINALLY you get to an order form for the DVDs, where you can click on the study guide or syllabus and it opens an abode file. So check it out.

More than 75 Shambhala Centers have ordered the DVDs to play. This being the 20th anniversary of the Vidyadhara's death, there seems to be considerable interest in studying his teachings. Getting to see him teach: that's a treat.

The Blog Beginneth Again

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 14:21:00 +0000

I note that it has been more than two months since the last posting to the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project Blog. After the last posting from Budapest, I spent a week enjoying the company of my daughter, who had been studying Mathematics there at the Budapest Seminars in Mathematics. It was also a week of drinking in the beauty and culture of this grand old city. Tours of the castle district led us to the Hungarian National Archives -- where I had my picture taken. A bit of a busman's holiday that day. Following the time in Budapest, we flew to Rome and from there took a train to the ancient walled city of Lucca, where we spent the Christmas holidays. We also connected with the Shambhala community of Lucca, in particular Roberta and Sergio, who are somewhat the mama and papa of the sangha there. We were invited to the Shambhala Center for an evening, where there was discussion of the Legacy Project and also of the relationship of old and new within the Shambhala world. Lucca would be a great setting for a mystery novel, one that I just might write one day!

From Italy, we trained back to Paris, where we spent New Year's Eve. I had tea with Arnaud, one of the members of the Parisian community who had coordinated my teaching visit earlier in the month. We debriefed about the visit. Before leaving Paris, I also had dinner with Fabrice at his new home in Defense. We talked about past and future publishing projects.

But now, back to the present....This is the painful truth of blogging: the blog doesn't write itself! I'm starting back up today, somewhat like emerging from hibernation. I'm still a bit groggy from my long winter's sleep, so don't expect too much. Or maybe you'll get a flood of sleepy thought. I'm thinking about being a bit reflective, which is a rather funny thing to say. I mean, just by saying that, I'm doing it. Such is life. Why has there been no blog? Well, in part because the grand tour ended, or took a long breather. But I think that the "lack of blog" is also a reflection of my lack of clarity at the moment about where the project is headed and how to proceed. More about that in future blogs. And, quite frankly, the reality is setting in that it has been twenty years since the death of the Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. It's more monumental than I expected. In the meantime, while I've been inward gazing without much useful content, outwardly a number of things have proceeded. In Boulder, a Steering Committee has met several times. I think I should let them speak for themselves. Perhaps one of them will send a blog contribution that I can post. But lacking this, I would say that they too have been looking at their direction and what it is that they actually want to do to support and further the Legacy of Chogyam Trungpa in Boulder. Ideas are emerging.

In New York, a group of about twenty met when Judy Lief was in the city. Here is the outline of what they discussed at the meeting (we'll see how all this formatting comes through on the blog) :

Notes from Meeting
· Special programs for the parinirvana:

· Art show/exhibition

oTibet House? Japan Society or Asia Society?

· Literary/poetry festival or Art performances (plays, ikenbana, painting/calligraphy)

o Chasma.com free gallery space; St. Marks? Rubin?

o Catholic Museum in East Harlem Beatnick Show Re: Buddhism

· Program on his teachings at the center

·       Audio Archives Project
·       Monthly donation towards administration?
·       Program around The Teacup and The Skullcup book with Judy and a Zen teacher?
·       How to make the non-concrete legacy available to others the mood, the students as teachers, etc. This is the heart of the matter. Keep his individual terma alive!
·       Present continual courses on his teachings
·       NY version of the chronicles Jean Thies
·       Support to new VCTR students?

I'm going to be in NYC in early April and I hope to get together with the group supporting the Audio Recovery Project (Audio Archives).

There are plans afoot for a meeting in Berkeley in May. It would coincide with book signings in the Bay Area for DRAGON THUNDER and a program taught by Diana Mukpo.

In Halifax, we have yet to establish a formal steering committee, but I hope to meet with a small group in the next few weeks to plot our course. In the meantime, Lynn Friedman continues to devote time to a feasibility study for an online archives of Chogyam Trungpa's teachings. Amanda Horsman, a student at Dal, is working on the project as well. Through the joint efforts of the Archives and CTLP, a group has come together to care for the personal belongings of Chogyam Trungpa and to plan several exhibits of items from the collection, as well as artwork and related photos. The first exhibit will take place in Halifax on the weekend preceding the Parinirvana. Then, we are working with Cologne to send a small exhibit to the international sangha conference in May. Other exhibits are being researched.

The Audio Recovery Project in Halifax is entering its third year. This project is digitizing all of the lectures of Chogyam Trungpa and providing digital libraries on archival quality CDs to more than 20 dharma centers. I think a future post on this project would be timely, since we need additional support to complete the project by the Summer of 2008.

Also, in connection with Kalapa Recordings, the first seminar given by Chogyam Trungpa at Naropa -- entitled THE TIBETAN BUDDHIST PATH -- has been remastered to DVDs and the sound and picture have also been improved as much as possible. I wrote a curriculum for the course and more than 75 Shambhala centres have ordered the DVDs to show this year. I think I'll also devote a future blog to this project. I hope that "old dogs" will attend the showings as well as the young pups and all in between.

Finally, Karme Senge Rinpoche is coming all the way from Surmang, Tibet, to give an abhisheka to Trungpa Rinpoche's students, presenting an ati terma text on Avalokiteshvara that CTR received directly from the protector Ekajati. CTLP has been invited by the Nalanda Translation Committee to help shape a weekend program around the presentation of this terma. After I meet this week with Larry Mermelstein, head of NTC, I'll blog on about this. I think it could be quite exciting.

All right. I gave myself 20 minutes to blog and this is it. I am going to press send --

The tour endeth in Budapest

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Sun, 17 Dec 2006 15:31:00 +0000

I am sitting in my hotel room listening to Hungarians on the street in Budapest singing Christmas
music. Delighted to have made my way here, where my daughter is finishing a term studying
Mathematics. In London the meeting about the Legacy Project drew about 45 people to the London
Shambhala Centre, which is located in the Oddfellows hall in Clapham. Students of Rigdzin Shikpo's
Longchen Foundation joined the Shambhala crowd for a lively discussion. I have been showing a set of
120 slides from the Archives collection. These have been very well received in Europe and give a
sense of yet another treasure trove in the Archives -- more than 100,000 images to be preserved.
London was enthusiastic about the on-line Archive project, especially the possibility of using
volunteer help with transcribing and cataloging of material. "Brilliant," said one chap. Thursday
morning I awoke at 4 am to take a flight from Gatwick to Cologne, where I was met by the Cologne
centre director, dear friend Yeshe Fuchs. Cologne is also the headquarters of Shambhala Europe. They
have quite a large facility, many many rooms on two floors of a kind of cultural centre. They would
like to have an exhibit of clothing and other objects belonging to Chogyam Trungpa, to be displayed
during the Congress they are hosting in May 2007. Yeshe and I discussed all the intricacies of sending
the Vidyadhara's belongings to Europe. We'll see if it's possible in this time frame. About 50 came to
the meeting on Wednesday night. People were animated and asked many questions. We had
translated the Sakyong's letter into German -- we being Katrine, who translated for me throughout
the evening. Friday morning I also arose at 4 am to take a German Wings flight to Vienna, where I was
met by Ernest Steininger. I stayed at the home of Otto and Irine Pichelhofer. In the late afternoon,
Sybille Putze picked me up and we took the underground into the city for a tour of the stables of the
Spanish Riding School. I didn't make it into the arena, but I was able to come nose to nose with the
Lippizanners, a great treat for me after working on DRAGON THUNDER with Diana Mukpo. After a
coffee and pastry in the cafe, we made our way through the brilliant lights of Vienna before Xmas --
to the very impressive Vienna Shambhala Centre. The group that came to hear about the Legacy
Project was quite small, less than 10, but they included a number of quite senior students with very
strong connections to the Vidyadhara. I also very much enjoyed the bar they have downstairs, and I
am promised a copy of a picture of several Viennese having a drink in the centre. I'll post it when I get
home. Travelling through Europe has given me much to think about vis a vis the Legacy Project. But
for now, I put my thoughts away and turn to spending time with my family. From the road, Cheers and
best wishes for the holidays.

The Legacy Project en France and in the Churchill Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 12:48:00 +0000

I left for Paris a week ago. Only now have I found access to a computer and internet. A lot to report. In
Paris, I spent the weekend at the Paris Shambhala Centre, where I was presenting a Shambhala
Training level. Rohini Schiff came from Corsica to translate for me, and I had a number of interesting
discussions with her about the translation of dharma into French and in particular how the CT Legacy
Project can connect with the needs of the European sangha. On Saturday night, the centre hosted a
presentation on the project, which concluded with my showing a series of slides about the
Vidyadhara's life and work. A number of those who attended ( in total about 25) expressed interest in
learning more about the project. it is amazing to see how Chogyam Trungpa has touched such a wide
range of people -- here at the Shambhala Centre in Paris, there was a great deal of heart connection
with his teachings. I was introduced Saturday nigth by Laurance Poublan, the director of the centre,
who was also very kind and helpful to me throughout my stay. The coordinator for the weekend,
Arnaud, is involved in theatre in France and also very involved with ikebana. His arrangements were a
wakeful and beautiful part of the weekend. On Monday, I had lunch with Fabrice Midal and two
publishers from Editions du Seuil, a major publisher of Chogyam Trungpa's work in France. Vincent
Bardet and Jean Luc Girodine expressed a passionate connection to Chogyam Trungpa's work and
impact on Buddhism in France, over foie gras and wine. Vincent published CUTTING THROUGH
SPIRITUAL MATERIALISM in France in 1973. France has the largest collection of books in translation.
After lunch, I went to the Hotel Lutetia with Fabrice, an old, elegant and well known French hotel,
where Fabrice and his group Prajna and Philia put on a reception in honor of the Chogyam Trungpa
Legacy Project. Around 90 people attended, including publishers from a number of French houses,
journalists, television producers, philosophers and some French spiritual teachers from other
Buddhist traditions. Very very interesting and lively group. Fabrice gave an introduction to Chogyam
Trungpa and his importance, then introduced me. I spoke with translation about the work of the
Legacy Project and also expressed appreciation for how Chogyam Trungpa is coming to be seen in
France. I was able to offer thanks to Fabrice for the books he has written and his work and also to
Vincent in particular for his very long commitment to publishing Chogyam Trungpa's work in France.
Vincent and Jean Luc also spoke. Afterwards, as we had cocktails and discussion, I met a number of
those present. I was invited to do an interview for the new French internet channel presenting
Buddhism in France, which perhaps I or someone else can do in the future. I think it was all together a
very good event for presenting the Legacy Project, and in particular, sharing it with a larger cross
section of people. A great deal of effort and good energy was expended by Fabrice and the Prajna
and Philia students. I am grateful for this opportunity. Then yesterday I said good bye to my lovely
and generous host in Paris, Claire, who introduced me to a charming old part of Paris in the 20th
arrondissement. I took the Eurostar train to London, where I was met by Sylvester, who walked with
me to the Churchill Museum and War Rooms. Barry Boyce suggested I see this museum, dedicated to
the life of a great man and also showing the history of a very important era. It was really interesting
for seeing how we might create exhibits using the Vidyadhara's collection of clothing, books, furniture
and other things. I'll have more to say about this later. Last night, dinner at a London restaurant with
Sylvester and Claire, one of the Shambhala center directors, Angie, plus Peter Conradi and Francesca
Freemantle. I was especially glad to talk with Francesca, who knew Trungpa Rinpoche in England in
the very early days. I fear my battery may run out -- so I will close. Tonight, a CT Legacy meeting at
the London Shamabhala Centre. Tomorrow I awake at 5 am to catch a flight to Cologne. I'll try to blog
from there.

Update and on the Road

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 02:21:00 +0000

Tonight I was just ready to push "send" with a blog entry when the lights
flickered off and then came back on. It was just enough time to completely
erase my latest blog entry as well as two months worth of mail in the "out"
box of my e-mail program. Impermanence in cyberspace. Reminded me of the
importance of the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project all together. Obviously,
you can't fight city hall or impermanence, but given that reality, the
dharma is especially precious. Dharma, in the sense of the teachings, seems
to have an amazing ability to survive in difficult circumstances. The
communist Chinese invasion of Tibet would be one such circumstance. A lot
was lost, but so much was also preserved, both within the country and by
those who carried the dharma out with them -- including the Venerable
Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. By that standard, our circumstances are not at
all difficult. However, considering that this is the Darkest of the Dark
Age and looking at what's taking place in the world, indeed the teachings
that Trungpa Rinpoche worked so hard to give us should be guarded and
transmitted by us as well. Hmmm. How did I get so philosophical here? What
I sat down to write was simply that I will be leaving for Europe on
Wednesday, December 6th, where there will be CT Legacy Project meetings in
Paris, London, Cologne and Vienna. I'll do my best to keep up the blog on
the road. I would like to say a bit about the work on the online archive
project that Lynn Friedman has been investigating, but at any moment, the
power might go out again, so I think I should press send soon. Lynn has
been setting up a space for discussion of the project, on line, and we'll
soon try to invite others in for commentary and discussion. There was also
a lunch last week at Curry Village here in Halifax, taking advantage of
Judy Lief being in town to teach "Making Friends with Death." Eight of us
had lunch together to brainstorm ideas for a mentoring/apprentice program,
in part inspired by comments made by Barry Boyce and others at the Halifax
consultation, but also inspired by Judy Lief undertaking a set of three
books based on the Vajradhatu Seminaries, in depth, contemplative teachings
given to advanced students by the Vidyadhara over a span of 13 years. A
great project for an apprentice or two or three. In Boulder the Steering
Committee is meeting; elsewhere lots of conversations about the Legacy
Project. Still somewhat in the "yogurt" phase, for those who know that
expression of Chogyam Trungpa's. All right. Time to press send. I'll write
from the road.

Around the Table at Dorje Denma Ling

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 22:52:00 +0000

Following the two days of consultation on the online project for the
Shambhala Archives, on Wednesday, November 15, I drove up to Trident
Mountain House, a farm near Dorje Denma Ling practice center, where I often
come to work on books or for retreat time. From now until Monday, the 20th,
I'll be here in semi-retreat working on a manuscript (seven talks on The
Line of the Trungpas, Karme Choling, 1975) and preparing a syllabus from
videos of a course taught at Naropa in 1974 by Chogyam Trungpa: THE
TIBETAN BUDDHIST PATH. A short but sweet little work retreat. Last night, I
drove over to DDL to present the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project to the
staff and any interested neighboring sangha members. About ten of us
gathering around a table in the dining room, quite a contrast to the big
meetings in Halifax and Boulder. It was mainly the staff, with one
neighbor, Billy McKay, in the mix.Nice to have this small, intimate group.
Acharya Jeremy Hayward introduced me as one of the old old old students of
the Vidyadhara. I felt older on the spot.We chanted the Light of Blessings
and then I briefly introduced the project, encouraging people to read the
description on the CTLP website, as well as the Sakyong's letter. I went
through a list of projects and also paid homage to the other old old old
students in the room. In addition to Jeremy, Director Pat Hayward was there
as well as Jeanne Riordan, who cares for the relics or personal belongings
of the Vidydhara, which we also call the VCTR "Collection". Jeannie had
just arrived to lead a one-month sitting, or dathun, practice. Other staff
were new or newer to me, although I knew Bear Halliday a bit. At the end of
the evening, a young woman named River -- who's on the staff -- came up to
talk about an interest in transcribing. Margaret Longthorp also expressed a
lot of enthusiasm for the project. In the general discussion, a number of
ideas came up, some from me, some from them. We talked about the idea of a
Chogyam Trungpa weekthun or dathun and how this might "play" at Denma Ling.
The staff seemed to like the idea of transcribing programs, combined with
practice and study,and Director Hayward mused about incorporating
transcription into the schedule for DDL during "down times." Do they really
have those? Bear and others were enthusiastic about story telling and
gathering, and the idea came up of inviting Chronicles' director Walter
Fordham to visit and be in residence for a few days, to gather stories
and/or broadcast his Dispatches from Denma Ling. At the end of the evening,
I promised to send pledge cards in the mail -- this was a request -- and a
copy of the Spiritual Materialism DVD just published last month. Jeanne
hopes to show this at the dathun. She is also planning to use an MP3
recordings of talks from CUTTING THROUGH SPIRITUAL MATERIALISM (available
from Kalapa Recordings at shambhalashop.com) in the dathun.

Visionaries

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 16:27:00 +0000

Monday, November 13th, fifteen of us gathered in the Snow Lion Room at the Halifax Shambhala Center to discuss the prospects for "onlining" Chogyam Trungpa's teachings and other records related to his life and legacy. Martin Janowitz spoke about the power of the Vidyadhara's household and practice objects, which are stored by the Archives in the hopes of creating both actual and virtual exhibitions. Marty also talked about the power and breadth of the Vidyadhara's world and how to respect and include all aspects, audiences, etc. Howard Harawitz spoke about podcasting and creating radio shows and expressed his appreciation for what the Chronicles of CTR is already doing in this area. Joanne Fordham talked about the power of the Vidyadhara's audio and video teachings, and the possibility of reaching out to people who are not that book oriented but experience the power of the spoken word. Mark Szpakowski talked about the end of personal computers within 10 years and how to have a vision that includes such a future, and other possible futures. Ben Moore and several others talked about the importance of connecting people's personal and practice experiences with their online experience. Larry Mermelstein spoke about the power of using the Vidyadhara's audio/video teachings in practice and study programs. Chris Levy spoke about how the Audio Recovery Project, which is currently digitizing more than 2,000 of the Vidyadhara's dharma talks, was originally conceived as a 20 year project, yet by bringing energy, staff and financial resources to bear on it, we are now completing the project in 3 or 4 years. These are but a few of the remarks our visionary panel offered.

After everyone made some introductory remarks, Alan Schwartz took us through a vision for Onlining the Shambhala Archives and other collections, which he has been thinking about for a long time and recently in quite a lot of depth. His ideas sparked more ideas from those gathered in the room. We talked a lot about atmosphere -- people had been quite moved/affected by visiting the "concrete" first world Shambhala Archives and wondered how we can communicate a sense of sacredness and spaciousness in the online realm.

We spoke at length about a pilot project for the 20th parinirvana year, 2007, to put a fraction of the teachings in the Archives online in a way that would enable all of us to see the possibilities. We also talked about what kind of online collaborations the community could join in. To Wiki or not to Wiki was a major theme. The afternoon session was chaired by Lynn Friedman, who is the director of the feasibility study about the online archives. She both advanced the visionary talk and also brought it into the realm of feasibility, earth. Throughout the day, Amanda Horsman documented the meeting and joined in with her perspective. Sandra Kipis gave us a hospitable environment and spoke to her passion for the photograph collection in the Archives. (She took the photo that appears here.) Gordon Kidd, just back from the onlining Shambhala conference in Boston brought the perspective of the hands-on manager to our meetings, while also sharing his enthusiasm and vision.

On Tuesday, Alan, Lynn and I (joined briefly at the end by Walter Fordham) spent the day talking in greater depth about the feasibility study and the pilot project we'd like to undertake. We hope to establish an online space for the discussion and planning of this project, which should be up within a week at most. I'll post information about that space and how to join it, as soon as details are forthcoming.

We hope to have a project plan and budget ready to post on the Chogyam Trungpa Legacy Project website by Shambhala Day. At that time, we'd also like to launch the website -- with a logo, improved graphics. Something more than a place where a few documents are posted!!!

I'm off now for a few days of semi-retreat, to work on the manuscript of a small book on THE LINE OF THE TRUNGPAS, which Vajradhatu Publications will publish next year, if the editing is completed. The Nalanda Translation Committee will also contribute to this volume, providing translations of chants to the Vidyadhara and possibly a translation of other Tibetan material on the Trungpa tulkus.

Vision Meeting about the On-Line Archive

noreply@blogger.com (Carolyn Gimian) — Sat, 11 Nov 2006 16:12:00 +0000

This week, the staff of the Shambhala Archives met to discuss the upcoming
meeting, or mini-conference, Monday, November 13th, to envision an on-line
component to the Shambhala Archives. In addition to the Archives staff (Ben
Moore, Departmental Director; Gordon Kidd, Technical Director; Chris Levy,
ARP Technician; and Sandra Kipis, Archives Assistant) we were joined by
Lynn Friedman, a long time programmer, now a Systems Engineer and Manager
who is directing the Feasibility Study of the project; and Amanda Housman,
Young Canada Works student who is assisting with the feasibility study.
Lynn is graciously volunteering her time to head up the study, adding to an
already demanding day job as the managing director of a large project in
Halifax.
We talked about people's expectations, their concerns, the menu for lunch,
and how to make the most of the limited time we will all have together.
Alan Schwartz is coming all the way from California to discuss his vision
and view of implementation for this project. He has an extensive background
in working with systems development and implementation. We will also be
joined by several self-described computer geeks, who have a lifetime of
experience in the computer and online worlds. (I don't have the lingo down,
but just wait until after the meeting and I'll use some impressive cyber
vocabulary on the blog.) Our guests on Monday include Mark Szpakowski, John
Gorman, Howard Harawitz, Martin Janowitz, Larry Mermelstein, and Joanne and
Walter Fordham. It will be quite a full house. Several of those attending
have related projects that would interface with the online Archives. We
also hope that Helen Bonzi, who heads up the Great Transcription Project,
may be joining in.
The day will begin with a tour of the Archives collections and work room.
The Archives currently has a project to digitize more than 2,000 lectures
and other audio "events" recorded by Chogyam Trungpa. Digital libraries of
this material are going to 30 centers both within the Shambhala mandala and
several closely connected groups. Each group is offering financial
assistance to the project. In addition to making material available, the
libraries will become mini-archives in their own right. If we think in
terms of centuries rather than decades, having copies of archival material
in different locations is an important archival strategy. It is a little
bit like creating time capsules all around the world. The ARP digital
libraries will in fact be located on 4 continents.
Next week: a report from the On-Line conference.