Saturday 29 August 2015

Retreat Centre Appeal : Craft - Appliqué

The creation of appliqué thangkas and costumes for cham (dance) are examples of a form of craft which requires a permanent dedicated space for the object of the craft work to rest in whilst work is undertaken.

Such projects at present are necessarily subject to the demands of completion within allotted times frames – and are therefore do not lend themselves to long term development that more detailed work would require.



The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Wednesday 26 August 2015

Relaxing into Meditation

Relaxing into Meditation
By Ngakma Nor’dzin

What exercises and practices will help us to live a life free of stress? Ngakma Nor’dzin, a Western Buddhist Lama, guides us through relaxation and breathing exercises that lead into meditation.

The meditation methods are described in friendly and accessible language, and will enhance the lives of those who practise them. Ngakma Nor’dzin regards meditation as a life skill that creates happier and more fulfilling relationships, and increases well-being and psychological health.

For more information about Relaxing into Meditation please see http://arobuddhism.org/books/relaxing-into-meditation.html and for other books, please see http://arobuddhism.org/community/aro-books.html



The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Saturday 22 August 2015

Retreat Centre Appeal : Craft - Phurba

The phurba is three-edged symbolic weapon, which focuses the mind on the destruction of the three deluded perceptual states: obsession, aggression, and indifference.

In 2004 the (then) largest Phurba in the world was constructed in the Austrian Mountains by the students of Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen in Mainland Europe.






The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Wednesday 19 August 2015

Wisdom Eccentrics

Wisdom Eccentrics
rumours of realisation as told by
Künzang Dorje Rinpoche
with additional tales of the unexpected
By Ngakpa Chögyam

A rare account of remarkable Lamas in the final years of a lost era. The author finds himself the first Western disciple of Künzang Dorje Rinpoche, a highly reclusive master known for mercurial wrath and facility with Dzogchen. He received direct introduction to the nature of Mind through ruthless interrogation on the meaning of the stories from the lives of Lineage Lamas. He is separated from his Lama for thirteen years—but they meet again and their relationship resumes.

For more information about Wisdom Eccentrics please see http://arobuddhism.org/books/wisdom-eccentrics.html and for other books, please see http://arobuddhism.org/community/aro-books.html



The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.


Saturday 15 August 2015

Retreat Centre Appeal : Craft - gTér Bum

The Treasure Vase (gTér Bum) ceramics project is an example of our craft work. It was led by one of our qualified teachers, Ngakma Nor’dzin Pamo (left).

Completed in 2005 this project demonstrates the charity’s ability to create wonderful and unique works, in support of our charitable goals.

This particular project involved donation of many vases to charitable causes whilst selling all the rest of the vases to individual donors to generate a healthy return which covered all project costs fourfold.



The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Wednesday 12 August 2015

Moving Being

Moving Being
By Khandro Déchen

Khandro Déchen Tsedrup Rolpa’i Yeshé is a Nyingma Lama who teaches in the Dzogchen lineage of Aro Lingma. Her clear, direct and detailed handbook of sKu-mNyé (also known as kum nye) enables those with determination to embark on an adventure into the otherwise hidden dimension of energy revealed through Dzogchen long-dé – the series of space.

Thirty-five elemental exercises cover seven dynamic movements from each of the long-dé series of symbolic animals: lion, vulture, tiger, eagle, and garuda. Aro sKu-mNyé can be practised by almost anyone, whatever their body type, because the forms range from simple to challenging – from mild to strongly aerobic.

For more information about Moving Being please see http://arobuddhism.org/books/moving-being.html and for other books, please see http://arobuddhism.org/community/aro-books.html



The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Saturday 8 August 2015

Retreat Centre Appeal : Art

Facilities will be established for craft work in general, and thangka painting in particular.

Our Spiritual Directors, Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen, are both master thangka painters – but at present the number of their trainee painting students is limited not by the time of the teachers but by the size of the homes of the sangha members who host such events.

A larger, permanent, dedicated facility will enable the teaching of this rare art-form to be opened up both to a broader Buddhist population and the general public.



The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Wednesday 5 August 2015

Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon

Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon
By Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen

Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen explore vajra romance as the living application and dynamism of the ‘Nyi-da Mélong’ – a Dzogchen tantra from the cycle of visionary revelations, realised by the enigmatic Nyingma treasure discoverer Khyungchen Aro Lingma (1886-1923). The Nyi-da Mélong puts to rest the myth that celibacy holds demonstrable spiritual advantages over a natural life. It opens the door to those who are inspired by the desire to integrate every aspect of human life with spiritual practice.

Sexuality is portrayed as the pervasive stratum of the senses and sense-fields – and as such, it is appreciated as the life-blood of the creative arts. Although this teaching is common in its essential form to all Vajrayana traditions, it has never before been extrapolated in such detail with regard to how it is lived within romantic relationships.

For more information about Entering the Heart of the Sun and Moon please see http://arobuddhism.org/books/entering-the-heart-of-sun-and-moon.html and for other books, please see http://arobuddhism.org/community/aro-books.html



The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.

Saturday 1 August 2015

Summer in the City - Fundraising in München

[This is a bilingual message, please scroll down for the English version]



Summer in the City
von Ngakma Déwang Pamo

4. Juli 2015 in München. 38 Grad Celsius, 100 Grad Fahrenheit. Summer in the City. Wir hatten aber nicht geplant, schwimmen zu gehen oder faul in der Sonne zu liegen – es war der Tag unseres geplanten Gartenflohmarkts um Spenden für Drala Jong zu sammeln.

Schon mehrere Monate zuvor hatten wir gemeinsam mit Nachbarn beschlossen, an dem jährlichen Gartenflohmarkt in unserem Stadtviertel teilzunehmen. Die Idee dahinter ist, dass alle, die mitmachen, in ihrem eigenen Garten oder Hof verkaufen können, was sich für einen Flohmarkt so angesammelt hat. Je mehr Nachbarn mitmachen, desto besser. Jede Adresse, die mitmacht, wird in einem Plan gekennzeichnet, die in den lokalen Geschäften verteilt wird und auch online verfügbar ist, um diese Initiative bekannt zu machen.

Die Vorbereitungen für die Veranstaltung waren sehr geschäftig. Die Mädchen hatten Poster gemalt, Ballons aufgeblasen und fleißig Dekorationen gebastelt. Außerdem hatten sie ihre Spielsachen und Bücher durchforstet und entschieden, was sie verkaufen wollten. Ich hatte unsere Kleider und Schuhe gesichtet und aussortiert, was nicht mehr passte und verkauft werden konnte. Wir hatten auch von anderen Mitgliedern der Sangha Gegenstände und Bücher zum Verkaufen bekommen, so dass wir im hellen Sonnenlicht ein vielfältiges, buntes Aufgebot präsentieren konnten.

Da die Sonne vom frühen Morgen an heiß herunterbrannte, mussten wir von Beginn an Sonnenschirme aufstellen. Schon unsere ersten Kunden klagten über die Hitze, und es wurde schlimmer. Bald stellten wir Eimer mit kaltem Wasser auf, um die Füße zu kühlen, und schleckten Eis, um auch innerlich abzukühlen.

Die Mädchen harrten wild entschlossen an dem Tisch aus, auf dem sie unsere selbstgebackenen Zitronenmuffins verkauften, die wir mit Zuckerperlen dekoriert hatten. Manche der Muffins sind wohl in ihren eigenen Bäuchen verschwunden, wenn gerade keiner hinsah, aber auf jeden Fall waren die Muffins der Verkaufsschlager unseres kleinen Flohmarkts. Für diejenigen, die widerstehen konnten, die Muffins gleich zu essen, wurden auch welche zum Mitnehmen eingepackt.

Am frühen Nachmittag war es dann so heiß, dass wir nach drinnen gehen mussten, um uns abzukühlen. Unsere Kunden waren wohl ähnlichen Impulsen gefolgt, denn der Strom der potentiellen Käufer schmolz dahin wie Eis in der Sonne.

Am Ende des Tages zählten wir unsere Einnahmen und belohnten uns mit Mozzarella und Tomaten. Cool town, evening in the city... und wir sind Drala Jong einen sonnigen Schritt näher gekommen!




Summer in the City
by Ngakma Déwang Pamo

4th of July 2015 in München. 38 degrees Celsius, 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Summer in the city. We didn’t plan to go swimming or lie lazily in the shade, however – it was the day of our planned garage sale to raise funds for Drala Jong.

Some months ago, our neighbours and we had decided to participate in the yearly district fleamarket. The general idea is that everybody can sell their items in their own garden or yard. The more neighbours participate, the merrier! Every address that participates is promoted on a general map oft he district that is distributed in local shops and online to market the event.



The run-up to the event had been very busy. The girls had painted posters, inflated balloons and diligently engaged in handicraft to produce decoration. They also had a look through their toys and books to decide what they were prepared to sell. I went through the boxes with clothes and shoes that didn’t fit anymore. We also received some items and books from the sangha to sell, so that were able to present a dazzling and colourful array of items in the bright sunlight.

As the sun was hot from early morning, we had to install umbrellas right away. Our first customers already complained that they could hardly stand the heat, and it got worse. Soon, we got buckets of cold water ready to get cool from the outside and had to rely on ice-cream to cool down from within.

The girls were adamant in their will to stay at their table where they were overseeing the sale of our home made lemon muffins, decorated with little sugar beads. Some of the muffins must have disappeared in their own stomachs when no-one was looking, but otherwise the muffins were the best selling items by far. We also packed muffins to take away for people who could resist eating them straight away.

By early afternoon, the heat was such that we had to go inside and rest. Customers must have been following the same impulse, as the stream of prospective buyers was melting away like ice in the sunshine.

At the end of the day, we counted the coins together and rewarded ourselves with mozzarella and tomatoes. Cool town, evening in the city... and one sunny step closer to establishing Drala Jong!



The Drala Jong project seeks to create a home for the Aro gTér Lineage. Please see the Appeal page for more information about the Drala Jong project and how to help.