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January 23rd, 2009
From the Director . . .
Greetings from Milarepa Center!
I hope all is going well with you this winter.
On an exciting note, the Milarepa Montpelier Study Group has been
packing more than 80 people into the Kellogg-Hubbard Library in
owntown Montpelier on Thursday evenings to explore "Generating True
Happiness: How to Use Your Mind to Transform Your Life."
We've had a lot of fun and there are two sessions left of this five-week series.
Feel free to stop by even if you have not been able to attend previous sessions.
A component of this series is an Overnight Meditation this February 7-8
at Milarepa Center in Barnet.
This is a wonderful way to learn how to meditate and explore some fundamental meditations on the nature of mind. Meditation practice
can be a useful tool in dealing with stress, anxiety, overall problems in life
and no doubt lends to greater happiness.
The schedule for the overnight and general retreat information are included below. So hope to see you here!
Best wishes,
Amy Miller
Director
Thursday Eves in Montpelier;
Overnight Meditation Retreat in Barnet . . .
Generating True Happiness:
How to Use Your Mind
to Transform Your Life
(Montpelier Study Group)
Led by Ven. Amy Miller
A five-week series of teachings and meditation practice,
Thursday eves: Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29; Feb. 5. (6:00-8:00pm)
Location: Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library,
Main Street, Montpelier with an overnight retreat
at Milarepa Center, Feb. 7 (9:30am) to Feb. 8 (noon)
This juicy group has been delving into many topics of Buddhist
philosophy in a fun and informal setting. If you're new to Buddhism
or would like to invigorate your practice, this is a great program
to attend! Come to any or all sessions.
Perfect for all levels of students.
Free.
For more information please contact Donna O'Malley at
donna.omalley@gmail.com
*** *** ***
Overnight Retreat
Spend Some Quiet Time
with Your Mind
Saturday, Feb. 7 (9:30am) to Sunday, Feb 8. (12:30pm)
When winter activities get tiring and cabin fever sets in,
there's no better time to work with your mind.
Put some positive perspective on your winter and join
this special overnight retreat. Sample a variety of meditations
in our tranquil cozy setting. Sessions led by Ven. Amy Miller.
A component of the Montpelier Study Group
(see above), this retreat is open to all levels of participants,
even if you haven't been able to attend the study group.
The overnight lends a deeper experience to your meditation.
The schedule is as follows:
Saturday, February 7:
9am Arrival and Orientation
9:30-10:15am Intro to Meditation and Calm Abiding (Shiné)
10:15-10:45am Spaciousness of Mind
10:45-11:00am Stretch
11:00-11:30am Continuity of Mind
11:30-12noon Walking Meditation
12noon-12:30pm Mind as Knower
12:30-2:30pm Lunch and break
2:30-3:30pm Questions and Answers
3:30-4:00pm Break
4:00-4:30pm Shiné
4:30-5:00pm Spaciousness of Mind
5:00-5:30pm Precious Human Rebirth
5:30-7:00pm Dinner and break
7:00-8:00pm Video
8:00-8:30pm Visualization
Sunday, February 8:
7:15-8:00am Shiné
8:00-9:30am Breakfast and break
9:30-10:15am Transforming Anger
10:15-10:30am Stretch
10:30-11:00am Transforming Attachment
11:00-11:30am Walking Meditation
11:30-12noon Emptiness
12noon-12:30pm Visualization and conclusion
Like all things, meditations are subject to change!
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Weekend or Overnight Retreat Information
Thank you so much for joining this upcoming retreat. We put this information together to make your experience more meaningful.
THE PRACTICE: After a brief registration and orientation period
at the beginning of the retreat, we will begin with various teaching and/or meditation sessions.
SCHEDULE: See specific retreat schedule above
WHAT TO BRING: We include this list of personal items that are
useful for you to bring to help make your stay more comfortable,
however, many of these items are optional.
Please note that Milarepa Center will provide bedding and towels,
but a warm sleeping bag in winter is highly recommended.
1. Sleeping: Bedding is provided, however a warm sleeping bag is
recommended. If you have a favorite pillow, feel free to bring it.
2. Earplugs
3. Loose, layered clothing
4. Personal toiletries (pain relievers or something to rub into sore
muscles can be helpful)
5. Flashlight
6. Alarm clock
7. Additional vitamins
8. Medication if necessary (***Please let us know in advance if you
have any medical conditions)
9. Shawl or light blanket
10. Mala (we do some mantra recitation during some retreats and it
helps to keep focused if one is reciting while using a mala - these
may be purchased at the center bookstore, as well.)
11. Dharma reading material for time between sessions
12. Journal and writing materials
OTHER HELPFUL ADVICE: Milarepa Center has a limited number
of dormitory sleeping spaces during the winter and only two cabins
for private accommodation so do be sure to register early.
If you are requiring private lodging with an attached bathroom,
there is an off-site option. Please call Gail at The Old Homestead
Bed and Breakfast (just across the street from the center), toll-free
(877) 653-4663 or (802) 633-4016. She can also be contacted via
the website at www.theoldhomestead.com. She has just a few rooms,
but if you book early, there may be something available.
While Gail does serve breakfast as part of your stay,
Milarepa will be serving breakfast during the retreat just after
our morning sitting session. This session is considered part of the
retreat so it's best for you to plan on attending to deepen
your retreat experience.
Most importantly, start preparing your mind for retreat.
One of the most fantastic things about this sort of practice
is that you have an opportunity to retreat from your delusions.
So taking the time to watch when negative mind states arise and
applying techniques to counter these states is a most powerful way
to create more peace and happiness in your life.
If we already start thinking about it, preparing the mind
for a focused few days ahead, and rejoicing at this great opportunity,
just this amount of intention prior to the retreat will make
the result more powerful.
Thank you so much for coming and see you all very soon!
December News
Director's Greeting
As the winter is setting in, we are very much looking forward to our New Year's Vajrasattva Retreat (please see details below). This special retreat is a great opportunity to use the holiday time in a most meaningful way.
Also, due to popular demand, we're hosting another Nyung Ne Purification Retreat in January during the long weekend celebrating
Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, Jan. 16-19. There is more information below about this practice weekend -- it's a most appropriate way to commemorate Dr. King's message of non-violence and compassion.
We also invite you to see the beginning of our cosmetic upgrades. Our manager, Jeff Garnette, has repaired all the Center's broken windows while giving them a much-needed cleaning. Jeff is also painting the
dining room, and with the help of Valeria Vasilevski and Phillip Trimble, we've begun re-framing some of the beautiful Buddha images all around the Center. (Many of the images didn't fit in their frames and were getting creased and warped; they'll now be preserved in a way most respectful to their imagery.)
Jeff (above) will be doing some strict retreat in January and I will be handling things on my own for the month, so if you have some extra time and would like to help at the Center, I'd greatly appreciate the support. Just give me a call at 802.633.4136 or send an e-mail.
While we're planning to have a quiet January at the Center, enabling me to do some program planning and organizing, I will be teaching in Montpelier on Thursday evenings (details below), so please feel free to join this wonderful group. I'm looking forward to setting-up an active and invigorating program beginning in May, 2009; we hope you can join our schedule of events.
And do have a look at our updated website (you are here) We still have a long way to go with it, but thanks to Ross Lasley's expertise, we're able to use this great tool to get more information
about our Center out to people.
I would also like to extend a huge thank you to Dick Herbert for his kind generosity as a great benefactor of the Milarepa Center. It is due to Dick's support that the new management transition has been as smooth as possible. And we are so hoping to make our Center shine!
With best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season!
Amy Miller, Director
Upcoming Programs
New Year's Vajrasattva
Purification Retreat
(led by Ven. Amy Miller)
December 29 to January 1
Ring in the New Year in a most
meaningful way by joining this
deeply purifying retreat. It is
appropriate for all levels of
practitioners and a great place to
gain familiarity with how to do
effective retreat. Videos of Lama
Thubten Yeshe, one of Milarepa
Center's spiritual masters, will be
screened throughout the retreat,
in addition to guided visualization,
mantra recitation and silent
meditations.
Vajrasattva is an aspect of the Buddha who helps us purify dissatisfied mind Vajrasattva
states and negative karma.
New Year's retreat schedule:
Mon (Dec 29): 6:00pm dinner; 7:15 orientation; 7:30 introduction.
Tues/Wed (Dec 30, 31): 7:00-800am 1st session; 8:00-9:30 breakfast;
9:30-10:45 2nd session; 11:15-12:30 3rd session;
12:30-2pm lunch and break;
2:00-3:00 questions and answers;
4:00-6:00 4th session; 6:00-7:00 dinner;
7:00-9:00 5th session
Note: on Dec 31 we'll do a shorter 5th session followed by a Tsog
(special ceremony) at 8:00pm. Others are welcome to
participate, and we welcome all and any musicians to join
our celebration!
Thurs (Jan 1): 8:00-9:30am final session; 9:00-10:00 Dorje Khadro
Fire Purification; 10:00 New Year's brunch.
To register for this retreat, please contact Milarepa Center
at 802.633.4136 or by e-mail at mailto:Milarepa@milarepacenter.org
This retreat is free of charge and donations are welcome.
We are looking for musicians who may want to join us at 8pm
on New Year's eve to enhance our special celebration, so please do
pass the word. If you would like to join this part of our program,
please contact us at the phone number or e-mail address above so
that we may properly coordinate. You are all invited to our party!!
Amy Miller (Ven. Losang Chodren) was born in 1959 and first encountered
Tibetan Buddhism in the spring of 1987 during a 10-day course at Kopan
Monastery in Nepal. Since then, she has spent a great deal of time engaged
in meditation retreats, study, teaching and Buddhist center management
in India, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun
in June 2000 by the great Tibetan master, Ven. Choden Rinpoche,
and has been teaching extensively since 1992. Her teaching style
emphasizes a practical approach to integrating Buddhist philosophy
into everyday life. Ven. Amy completed a three-month Vajrasattva
retreat in 1998.
*** *** ***
Montpelier Study Group -- led by Ven. Amy Miller.
Five Thursday eves: Jan. 8, 15, 22, 29; Feb. 5. (6:00-8:00pm),
with an overnight retreat at Mlarepa Center, Feb 7-8.
This juicy group has been delving into many topics of Buddhist philosophy
in a fun and informal setting. If you're new to Buddhism or would like to
reinvigorate your practice, this is a great program to attend.
Topic of study to be announced at a public location in downtown Montpelier;
if you'd like for more information please contact Donna O'Malley at
mailto:donna.omalley@gmail.com
*** *** ***
Nyung Ne Purification Retreat
Jan. 16-19; led by Ven. Amy Miller
Nyung Ne Retreat is a Chenrezig (the Buddha
of Compassion) practice from the Kriya
(Action) class of Tantra. In each of the four
daily sessions we practice the sadhana of
Chenrezig, which involves meditating on
bodhicitta (the aspiration to attain
enlightenment in order to benefit all beings),
visualzing Chenrezig, reciting prayers and
mantras, and performing prostrations.
A Nyung Ne Retreat includes periods of fasting
and strict silence and is a powerful, quick and
Chenrezig effective method to both purify an enormous
amount of negativity while collecting vast merit.
You do not have to have had any initiations prior
to this retreat, but pre-registration is required to attend.
Nyung Ne Retreat Schedule
Fri (Jan 16): 6:30pm check-in at Milarepa Center;
7:00-8:30 orientation and introduction to Nyung Ne.
Sat (Jan 17): 4:00am wake-up; 4:30-8:00 Eight Mahayana Precepts
and session one; 9:00-11:30 session two;
11:30 lunch and rest; 3:00-6:00pm session three;
6:30-7:30 questions and answers (optional).
Sun (Jan 18): A day of silence and no eating or drinking.
4:00am wake-up; 4:30-8:00 Eight Mahayana Precepts
and session one; 9:00-11:30 session two;
2:00pm sutra reading (optional) 3:00-6:00 session three.
Mon (Jan 19): 4:00am wake-up; 4:30-7:30 final session;
7:30 breakfast - End of Retreat.
*** *** ***
Overnight Retreat:
Spend Some Quiet Time with Your Mind
Saturday, Feb 7 (9:00am) to Sunday, Feb 8 (12noon)
When winter activities get tiring and cabin fever sets in,
there's no better time to work with your mind.
Put some positive perspective on your winter and join
this special overnight retreat. Sample a variety of meditations
in our tranquil cozy setting. A component of the Montpelier Study Group
(see above), this retreat is open to all levels of participants,
even if you haven't been able to attend the study group.
The overnight lends a deeper experience to your meditation.
Schedule to be announced.
*** *** ***
Skiing to Enlightenment
Meditation/Ski Package
(Really . . . What Could Be Better??)
Friday, March 6 to Sunday, March 8
Would you like to have a more meaningful time skiing this winter?
Why not combine it with some meditation practice at Milarepa Center.
Introducing a unique way to enjoy winter activities . . .
Arrive after dinner on Friday evening, wake up to a
morning meditation and breakfast before heading out
to nearby slopes for skiing or snowboarding.
Or put on your snowshoes or cross-country skis
and explore the beauty of Milarepa Center.
A packed lunch will be provided, and enjoy a simple dinner
when you return in the evening. Then enjoy some
evening meditation and a video from our Buddhist library.
It's morning meditation again on Sunday followed
by brunch. We afford you a less expensive -- and more beneficial --
alternative to the ski resorts. Bring your friends and family.
Meditations will be led by Ven. Amy Miller.
Food and lodging: $125 per person for the weekend.
*** *** ***
Please register in advance for all programs,
which will enable us to plan accordingly.
To register, contact us at 802.633.4136
or by emailing: milarepa@milarepacenter.org
*** *** ***
Additional Practice Days in Jan/Feb . . .
Each month there are days set aside in the Tibetan calendar which are
auspicious for specific practices. It's very helpful for Milarepa Center
and its community to do these practices whenever possible. Group
practice leads to a greater sense of overall harmony. These practices lend
benefit in clearing obstacles to different activities (Tara practice),
for healing (Medicine Buddha) and for overall center health and prosperity
(Tsog, etc.)
We invite you to join us for the various rituals we have scheduled.
These practice days are open to all levels of practitioners. It's very
easy to participate, you don't need to know the practices in advance
as we have practice booklets available. It's nice to bring offerings that
can be set-up on the altar and shared with others such as fruit, chips,
pretzels and any other snacks you enjoy. Flowers are always welcome.
Jan/Feb Practice Day Schedule:
Sunday, Jan. 4, Tara Puja, 10:00 to 11:30am
(A puja is a ceremony in which prayers are offered to the Buddhas and holy beings to request their help.)
Tuesday, Jan. 6; Milarepa Tsog, 6:30 to 8:00pm
Wednesday Feb. 4; Milarepa Tsog, 6:30 to 8:00pm
Twice each month, on the 10th and 25th of the Tibetan calendar, a tsog is offered that represents assembling all of the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in a visualization of a sacred dance. Those practicing highest yoga tantra normally have a commitment to do this practice twice each month. Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Milarepa Center's spiritual director,
has encouraged us to do Milarepa tsog on this occasion.
Sunday, Jan. 11; Medicine Buddha Puja, 10:00 to 11:00am
Monday, Feb. 9; Medicine Buddha Puja, 1000 to 11:00am
A tremendous healing practice, Medicine Buddha is seen as the
King of Doctors. This practice can be enormously helpful for
your own illness or perfect to participate with someone else in mind. These are also full moon days which enhance all of our positive and negativities, so these are great days to practice. (February 9 is also a lunar eclipse which further multiplies positive and negative activities.) At right, Medicine Buddha
Tuesday, Jan 20; Vajrayogini Self-Initiation and Tsog, 6:00 to 10:00pm
This unique practice is only open to those who have completed the 100,000 mantra retreat of Vajrayogini along with the great fire puja. A highest yoga tantra practice,
Jan. 20 is the special Vajrayogini Day of the year and a particularly auspicious day to do this practice.
Tuesday, Feb. 3; 6:30 to 8:00pm
Four mandala offerings to Cittamani Tara is a great way to clear out obstacles to work, relationships and general disharmony in your life.
We hope to see you at some of these events . . . please let us know
if you are interested in helping set-up some of these activities.
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Notes:
-- February Winter Warming Music Night may not be happening, but we
will let you know in our next e-letter if we're able to host this event or not.
-- Coming this June: Three Nyung Ne's to celebrate Saka Dawa (Buddha's
birth, enlightenment and paranirvana). June 1-8, 2009. Don't miss this
fantastic opportunity to practice leading up to this full-moon holiday,
June 7. Look for more details in an upcoming e-letter.
Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice!
We are most grateful . . .
To our recent donors:
Jeana Malachowski
Dick Herbert
David Scribner
Mike Scanlon
And recent members:
Larry Howe
Debra Thornburg
Bob Zimmer
William Slammon
Wendy Hobbs
Dick Herbert
Pamela Jowis
And we greatly appreciate:
Pam and Steve Cowan and Linda Wheatley for precious offerings of saffron;
Valeria Vasilevski and Phillip Trimblefor supreme cleaning, framing and advertising assistance;
Ross Lasley for dynamic website updates;
Larry Bienemann for helpful financial analysis;
Eryn Bordes for all the wonderful things she does;
Dick Herbert for an amazing supply of tea lights;
Keana Malachowski for grand flyer and advt designs;
Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project for glorious e-mail updates.
And to all supporters who help with cleaning,
flyering and many other things.
Please forgive us if we have mistakenly omitted your name.
THANK YOU!!
Long-Life Practice for Most Venerable Geshe Tsulga
We told you in the last e-letter about Geshe Tsulga's illness.
Pascale Philibert suggested a practice that's suggested to help those with severe illness -- animal liberation.
Pascale had this practice in mind to help Geshe-la and sent along this website for additional information:
You may also find other information on the practice of animal liberation by contacting Ven. Gyaltsen Mindrol in FPMT Education
Thank you.
Wish List
Goods
:: 4-wheel-drive truck or tractor in good working condition;
:: used snowmobile in good working condition (enabling us to make paths for
cross-country skiing trails.
Volunteers
:: to help with Practice Day set-ups, cleaning, cooking and various
maintenance tasks;
:: Summer Volunteer Crew: consider spending one, two or a few months
this year in residence at Milarepa Center by joining our Work/Study
Program -- begining in May, 2009.
November News
Putting Out Fires!
A message from new director of Milarepa Center, Ven. Amy Miller: During my first day as the new director of Milarepa, the fire inspector came out to check if our facilities were up to code. They had last visited prior to 1994! Fortunately a number of the things that they had asked us to do long ago were in place, however, three major things now have to be upgraded that will cost the center a total of $3,630.55:
•The first is the wood stove in the dining room needs to have a metal plate installed beneath it and around it along with a top coating of cement. The cost of the materials for this was $198.00 with labor donated by Larry Howe.
•The second is the ladder which serves as a fire escape from the second floor dormitory needs to be replaced. The fire inspector was less than enamored with this sort of system! So a proper wooden stair needs to be built. Through the help of Larry Bienemann, builders Bill and Kevin Cole have offered their time to build these steps, but the materials will cost us $632.55.
•Finally, the most staggering expense is from having to hard wire 5 battery-operated smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Due to the old wiring system in the house, this is extremely expensive and has to be done by a licensed electrician. However, we want to complete this to ensure our guests safety. The cost of this is $2,800.
The deadline for completing this work is November 2, but we are getting a one month extension. These expenses were a really exciting part of my first day as director of Milarepa! Ha! More seriously, however, we urgently need your help. Again the total cost to the center is $3,630.55. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution at this time to help us cover these expenses. I am aware of the difficult economic times we are all experiencing, however, generosity is one of the fundamental practices in Buddhism.
“Generosity brings happiness at every stage of its expression.
We experience joy in forming the intention to be generous.
We experience joy in the actual act of giving something.
And we experience joy in remembering the fact that we have given.”
-The Buddha
Donations can be made through PayPal by visiting our website www.milarepacenter.org or by sending a check made payable to Milarepa Center and mailing to us at Milarepa Center, 1344 US Route 5 South, Barnet, VT 05821. Please designate on your check that it is for “Fire upgrades.”
We greatly appreciate your help at this time to help us “put out the fire” of these additional unexpected expenses. Thank you so much, Amy Miller
Director
REJOICE, REJOICE, REJOICE!
Thank you so much to the following individuals for their huge support during the past few weeks:
All of our donors and members
Dick Herbert for file cabinet and secretarial chair
Mark Winwood for designing and sending out our lovely email updates
Larry Howe for bringing our wood stove up to code
Larry Bienemann and Andrea Patten for coordinating and joining our recent autumn work party
All work party participants for your great enthusiasm stacking wood, washing windows and lending help in many areas of winter preparation and to make our center shine
Martha Tack for precious food preparation during the recent Nyung Né Retreat
Bill and Kevin Cole for building new fire escape steps
Jeana Malachowski and Pascale Philbert for flyer design
Drop in to the Montpelier Study Group on Karma, Thursdays, 6-8pm
Beginning October 23 for 4 weeks, Ven. Amy Miller will teach a series on Karma: What Goes Around Comes Around in Montpelier. Find out all you have ever wanted to know about karma. No problem if you can only attend one session as drop ins are welcome. Address: 28 Wheelock St., Montpelier, VT. For more information, call Donna O’Malley at (802) 223-5863. Course dates: October 23, 30, November 6 and 13. |
