June 1, 2010

Milarepa Center

1344 U.S. Route 5 South
Barnet, Vermont  05821
(802) 633-4136

www.milarepacenter.org
milarepa@milarepacenter.org

Affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT)

Greetings from Milarepa Center!


Some very exciting news has just come our way: Milarepa Center has been awarded a $3,000 grant from the FPMT Merit Box Fund for the completion of one of our Guru Rinpoche statues. This statue is being made in Nepal of Guru Rinpoche or Padmasambhava who first brought Buddhism to Tibet in the 8th century.

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Milarepa Center's Spiritual Director, advised us to have this statue made to help eliminate obstacles to the development and flourishing of the Center. The statue is nearing completion and we are hoping to have it shipped to the Center this year. The photo here shows the progress on the statue as of last winter.
 

We are also grateful to all of you who contributed an additional $1,500 to our being able to commission this statue, ship it, consecrate it, and house it in a proper shrine. The total budget for completion of this project is $6,400 so we are just $1,900 away from reaching our goal. Please let us know if you are interested in helping us get there.

Now even more wonderful news:
Milarepa Center's spiritual director,
Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche,
is scheduled to visit us this September! 
Please see details below.
 

On May 2 we hosted a lovely Open House and enjoyed a beautiful afternoon with friends and neighbors. We sadly had to bid farewell to April work study participant Marion Drew who came to us from South Africa and helped organize our entire library. We have been so excited about the library reorganization, that it prompted us to do a little rearranging of furniture in the library and the Bakula Arhat shrine room. So do come by for a look at the lovely spaces we have created with the limited furniture we currently have. Repotting a few plants and shifting a chair here and there can work wonders.
 

Program Changes: Ven. Dagri Rinpoche's program in July has been  changed to October 1-3. Rinpoche (pictured above) is scheduled to  give a Manjushri Jenang and commentary on the Heart Sutra. Rinpoche has been requested to participate in some special rituals and pujas in India for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's long life.  Therefore, his attendant asked if we could move the program. So our autumn work party will shift to October 22-24.
 
Ven. Amy Miller's weekly programs continue on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings along with our first ritual training class (see below) later in June. She will also be a panelist at the Gross National Happiness Conference at Champlain College in Burlington on June 2. The conference is titled: Changing What We Measure from Wealth to Well-Being (GNH2010) and takes place June 1-3. For more information, please contact Linda Wheatley at linda@sweetmangotours.com.
 
Please see our other wonderful programs and events on our website: http://www.milarepacenter.org.
 
We are also very excited to welcome back carpenter supreme and old friend of the Center, Fred Fickera, from his winter in Thailand. Fred is currently finishing a Yamantaka retreat at Milarepa and then plans to spend the summer with us helping to complete our Tiny Houses. We also have a number of work study people signed up and hope you will enjoy meeting them this summer. We're delighted to have found some cooks from this delightful group.
 
Also, don't forget our Family Camp July 29-August 1.  Registration information is available on our website.
 
Our season is just heating up so we hope to see you soon.
 
Please see below for information on the following:

  :: Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche to visit Milarepa this September;

  :: Death and Rebirth Series with Ven. Amy Miller starting in
     Montpelier, June 3;

  :: Spring Work Party Overnight - June 5-6;

  :: Meditation Daylong with Ven. Amy Miller - Sunday, June 13;

  :: Qigong Daylong with Mary Sturtevant - Saturday, June 19;

  :: 1st Ritual Training Course with Ven. Amy Miller - June 30;

  :: Introduction to Tantra with Khensur Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang
     Jampa in July;

  :: Kalachakra Sponsorship Update;

  :: Road Trip;

  :: Rejoice!;

  :: Wish List;

  :: Practice Days in June.

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche
to visit Milarepa Center
this September

We are delighted to host Milarepa Center's spiritual director
and leader of the FPMT, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, for a
Milarepa Initiation and Retreat from September 2-5, 2010.

There is nothing quite like being on retreat with Rinpoche.
Don't miss this wonderful Labor Day weekend treat.
 
The initiation will be held at approximately 7:00pm on
Thursday, September 2 followed by a three-day retreat
on the practice of Milarepa.

Registration opens June 1.
Please see additional details about this retreat on our website.

Death and Rebirth: Understanding Life's Ultimate Transition with Ven. Amy Miller

  A three-week series at the Montpelier
  Library, Thursdays: June 3, 10, and 17,
  6:00-8:00pm.  Free.
 
  Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard
  Library, Main Street, Montpelier, VT

 
We will explore the death process according to Tibetan Buddhism and will also discuss more practical methods to best support those who are actively dying. Preparing ourselves for this major life change will also be included along with applicable meditations. Drop-ins welcome.

  Spring Work Party Overnight, Tara Puja

 Saturday, June 5, 9am - 5pm with evening activities
 Sunday, June 6, 9am - noon followed by lunch and Tara Puja
 
 Pre-registration required.
 
The work party weekends are a great way to support the center and enjoy time with dharma friends. We need help this time of year in our organic garden (which helps to nourish our program participants and staff!), washing windows, chopping wood, cleaning, and getting ready for our fantastic summer programs. Feel free to bring work clothes and gloves, chainsaws, and anything else than could be useful working in the house and garden.
 
Lunch and dinner will be provided on Saturday and breakfast and lunch on Sunday. Please feel free to come either day if you are unable to spend the night.

 
Meditation Daylong with Ven. Amy Miller
   Sunday, June 13, 9:30am - 4:00pm
   -- By donation. Potluck lunch.
 
This year we are continuing to offer our meditation daylongs for all levels of students. If you are interested in learning about meditation or are a regular meditator who would like to recharge your practice, please join us.

A perfect component for weekly study groups, the meditation daylong affords you the opportunity to get to know your mind while exploring some relevant discussion.

Pre-registration required by calling (802) 633-4136 or by e-mailing us at milarepa@milarepacenter.org. Please bring a main vegetarian dish to feed four people (they can be heated on-site).
  

Summer Solstice Qigong
Saturday, June 19, 9:00am - 5:00pm
with Mary Sturtevant, M.Ed.,
 Certified instructor of Qigong, Reiki and Taiji. 
Suggested donation: sliding scale of $50 to $125 per person includes lunch.
 

 
From spring cleaning to summer light!
  As the yin flow of winter abates during the spring season
and the yang energy of summer rises, a very auspicious
period for healing work occurs.

 Spring is the season of rebirth, of new growth, of new beginnings.
This is a wonderful time to open to the new and to cleanse stale qi
(vital energy) from our body, mind, and spirit. The gentle, yet powerful
 movements of Qigong incorporate a relaxed posture, deep breathing
and focused attention. Qigong is all about health and healing, relaxation
and letting go, clarity and inner peace. A rich variety of Qigong forms and
 practices that focus on health and healing will be taught in this workshop.

 Come join us and learn to play with the qi!  Please wear loose,
comfortable clothing and bring a ball (volleyball, soccer ball,
playground ball) and a ruler or dowel of similar length.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Mary Sturtevant is Associate Professor Emerita, Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts and a practitioner of eastern philosophy, healing modalities
 and movement forms for more than 30 years. She served on the Boards
 of Directors of the National Qigong Association and Guang Ping Yang
Tai Chi Association. Presently, she serves as chairperson of the Ethics and
Integrity Committee of the National Qigong Association. In addition,
to presenting workshops, Mary is a hospice volunteer and served on the
Littleton, New Hampshire Hospice Board of Directors.

We are delighted to welcome Mary back to Milarepa Center.

Ritual Training in the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition
with Ven. Amy Miller -- Wednesday, June 30, 6:30 - 8:30pm
 
While study and meditation are essential on the Buddhist path, ritual practice is enormously helpful for clearing away obstacles and setting up the proper conditions for attaining higher realization.

This workshop demystifies the rituals of our tradition and offers instruction on water bowl and mandala offerings, prostrations, hand mudras, use of bell and dorje, and recitation of mantras with a mala (Buddhist rosary).

Get all of your questions answered during this practical, lively and fun workshop.

Introduction to Tantra with Ven. Gyumed Khensur
Rinpoche Lobsang Jampa

July 9 - 11

Through the practice of Tantra, the goal of enlightenment can most
 quickly be realized. This powerful approach brings the future
result of full awakening into the present moment of spiritual practice.
Please join this wonderful program for those interested in taking tantric initiation such as the Kalachakra Initiation this August.
We are delighted to host Rinpoche for this precious program. 

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Jampa was born in 1937 and entered
 Sera May Monastery in Lhasa at the age of 10.  In 1959, he received full
ordination from His Holiness Ling Rinpoche (the senior tutor to His Holiness the Dalai Lama),and then fled to India following the Communist Chinese
invasion. Rinpoche completed his studies at Sera Mey Monastery in
South India and received the Geshe Lharampa (with highest honors) degree in 1986. Four years later, Rinpoche received the advanced degree of Ngagrampa (highest degree in Buddhist Tantra studies) from Gyumed
Tantric College after extensively studying the secret teachings of the Mahayana tradition. In 1996, His Holiness the Dalai Lama appointed him as
the Abbot of Gyumed Tantric College, a role he fulfilled for three years.
Since then,Rinpoche has taught extensively around the world and now
  resides at Guhyasamaja Center in Washington, D.C. and Do Ngak Kunphen
 Ling in Redding, Connecticut.

Road Trip

The path to enlightenment is often full of obstacles
and we plan to keep it as smooth and clear to make
your way as easy as possible, so another essential
cost for Milarepa Center this year is maintaining
our driveway and access road. We did not have the
funds last year to do some of the work needed, but
urgently need to make some improvements this year.

We are planning to have the road graded and ditched,
add one culvert, and lay a substantial amount of rock
down in order to build up the deteriorated surface.

We have received three bids and good references and
 have selected a company to do the work as soon
as we have the necessary funds.   It will cost
Milarepa  $5,300 for everything.

If you're someone who prefers to support
the more practical work to keep the Center moving
forward, please consider making a generous donation
at this time.  Again, all donations are tax deductible.

Please see the donation information above under
the Kalachakra sponsorship and just indicate on
your check that this is for the road. If you are making
 a donation via PayPal, please send us an email or make
 a notation with your contribution that it is for the road.

We greatly appreciate the support and know that this
road will greatly support your practice!

Rejoice!

We would like to thank all of you for your great support in making Milarepa Center flourish. It would not be possible without you:
 
  :: New Kalachakra Initiation Program Sponsors: Anonymous (2), Sandi and
      Will Manson, Lily and Ed Noon, and Shelley and Jim Hagan.

  :: FPMT for the $3,000 Merit Box Grant toward one of our Guru Rinpoche
      statues.

 :: General Donations: Theresa Bessette.

 :: Neighbors Patrick and Patricia McWilliams for farm fresh eggs and cookies.

 :: All of our members for their continued support

And to:

-- Sheila Cohill for her wonderful design efforts with our new brochure (check
     out a copy the next time you visit) and ads;
-- Greg Cundiff for his supreme website updating;
-- Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project for fantastic production of our
     e-letter;
-- Jeana Malachowski for wonderful flyer design;
-- John Keaveny for printing gorgeous color flyers; and
-- The Dedicated Loving Staff at Milarepa Center.
 
If your name was omitted, it was not due to our not appreciating your support, but solely the fault of the editor.
 

 Wish List
 
This is a great way to sponsor a specific item for the Center and feel a part of our family. We respectfully request that you not bring anything to the Center that is not on the list without checking with us. If there is something on the list below you are interested in helping us with, please call Amy Miller at (802) 633-4136 or email her at milarepa@milarepacenter.org to discuss the specifics.

Thank you so much.
 
-- 1 twin bed frame in good condition
-- 3 twin mattresses in good condition
-- 3 dressers in good condition
-- Snow plough
-- Army tents for guest accommodation
-- Long range portable phone system with 3 phones
-- Good quality saffron (represents pure morality and
   is placed in our water offerings each day to create
   prosperity for the center)
-- Reading lamps
-- Septic safe recycled toilet paper and paper towels
-- Good quality tea lights
-- HP Inkjet cartridges 94/95 and 97
 

Practice Days in June
 
June 7      Milarepa Tsog, 6:30pm
June 19    Tara Puja, 6:30pm
June 21    Lama Chopa Tsog, 6:30pm
June 26    Medicine Buddha Puja, 1:30pm
 
More details and registration information can be found on our website: www.milarepacenter.org.
 

www.milarepacenter.org

(802) 633-4136