September 2, 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!

It's been a fantastic summer and hard to believe it is coming to an end. Lama Zopa Rinpoche is due to arrive within the hour so the "music" never stops! We hope you can join us for a wonderful program soon.
 
See below for information on:

     :: The Glory of the Kalachakra Initiation with
          Ven. Choden Rinpoche

     :: Summer Work Study Farewells

     :: Greg Cundiff, Web Updater Extraordinaire

     :: Program Updates

     :: Rejoice

     :: Practice Days

With huge love from everyone at Milarepa Center!
 

The Glory of the Kalachakra Initiation with Ven. Choden Rinpoche

 
Ven. Choden Rinpoche's visit was a glorious blessing for Milarepa Center as well as the entire region. It was the first time the Kalachakra Initiation was given at the Center and the 150 participants enjoyed a wonderful weekend. People flew in from all over the world (including several guests from Malaysia) and many of them took the Kalachakra Initiation for the very first time.
 

 
We were also delighted to host Geshe Tsulga-la during the weekend. It was so perfect to see Geshe-la back in His room. When He was requested to please live long and return to Milarepa to teach, Geshe-la's face lit up and He said, "Maybe I'll get better and come back and teach at Milarepa!" So we're all praying this can happen.
 
During the break times at the Kalachakra weekend, guests browsed our outdoor bookstore and fund-raising tables, enjoyed a stroll in our organic garden, and sampled meals and beverages in our dining tent.
 
Rinpoche and his attendants, Geshe Gyalten and Ven. Rabten, were shown the scenic beauty of Vermont and New Hampshire during the week. They enjoyed so much that Rinpoche said He would like to return during the magnificent leaf turning season next year! So we requested a Chakrasamvara Initiation along with Lam Rim teachings and hope that Rinpoche will be able to be with us again.
 

It was a fantastic program and we are most grateful to all of our sponsors, staff, and volunteers who created a Buddha Paradise here at Milarepa Center. We could not have done it without your fine support.

Summer Work Study Farewells

This summer's work study participants were an extraordinary group of people who never lost their enthusiasm and dedication to serve others. It was an enormously harmonious collection of individuals. One of them, who had served many centers and retreats before, even commented that just prior to the Kalachakra weekend, when normally tensions are high and people are extremely tired, we were all sitting around laughing and enjoying each other's company.
 

 
However, now that summer is ending, so, unfortunately is their time at Milarepa Center. Thank you to: Fredric Byarm, Jim Fellows, Fred Fickera, Emily Fuller, Elvia Olmeda, A'lynn Hayward, Heather Park, and Chela Graciela Rebozo. We wish you all the best on your onward journeys and hope you will return to Milarepa again and again.

Greg Cundiff, Web Updater Extraordinaire

We were delighted when Greg Cundiff said he had some time to come and visit us this summer. Greg lives in Baltimore, Maryland and has been updating Milarepa's website as a remote or off-site volunteer for more than a year. The Center has a number of off-site volunteers, such as Ross Lasley in Maine, Mark Winwood in Florida, and Sheila Cohill in New Jersey. However, as these people live quite a distance away, we don't often get to see them or in Sheila's case, even meet them! So having Greg around for a couple of weeks has been a rare treat. Greg not only maintains our website (after Ross's initial relaunch nearly two years ago), but is now working to put teachings online, update photos, and make some interesting interactive uses of the site. We have had such a strong response to our website and many accolades about it, that we're not sure what we would do without Greg and will be very sorry when his visit comes to an end. Thank you, Greg, for being "Our Man in Baltimore."

Program Updates

 
  Don't miss our next program during the peak leaf
  viewing weekend, October 1-3, with Ven. Dagri
  Rinpoche. Rinpoche will teach commentary on the Heart
 Sutra and give a Manjushri Jenang (blessing).
 For more details on this program and to register,
 please check our website at
 http://www.milarepacenter.org/programs.html#TrvlPth.

 
In addition, Geshe Gelek returns to lead a Green Tara Retreat, October 9-17, so we are delighted to host these group activities during this beautifully scenic time of the year.

 

  Professor Jan Willis returns this November for a
  wonderful weekend course on A Guide to the
  Bodhisattva's Way of Life. November also has Ven. Amy
  leading a Tuesday evening series starting November 9
  for three weeks on Dealing with Holiday Stress and
  don't miss our Light Offering Holiday, Lama Tsong
  Khapa Day, on Tuesday, November 30.
 

You can also sign up now for our Annual New Year's Vajrasattva Retreat which is a wonderful way to start off the new year.
 
Registration forms for all of these events can be found at http://www.milarepacenter.org/documents/MilarepaRegistrationForm.pdf.
 

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:
 

Venerables Choden Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche for coming to Milarepa Center and bestowing their wonderful blessings;

Venerable Geshe Gyalten for his fantastic interpretation during the Kalachakra Initiation weekend;

Milarepa Retreat Donations: Dave at Upaya Solutions, Jeff Caspari,
Freddy English, Staci Feger, Laurence Guillaumie, Van Knight,
Jin-Ling Kwang, Michael Scanlon;

General Donations: Ross Lasley and Patricia Veuter;

Snow Plow Donations: Heather Smith;

Gail Warnaar for her supreme hosting of Ven. Choden Rinpoche and entourage at the Old Homestead Bed and Breakfast;

  :: Anonymous donation of event tent;

  :: Ross Lasley for web transmitters;

  :: Sheila Cohill for fantastic flyer design efforts;

  :: Greg Cundiff for wonderful website updates;

  :: Mark Winwood of the Chenrezig Project for great production of our
     e-letter;

  :: John Keaveny for printing wonderful color flyers;

And to our wonderful staff and residents.

 
If your name was omitted, it was not due to our not appreciating your support, but solely the fault of the editor.
 

Practice Days in September and October

 
September   3:  Milarepa Tsog, 7:00pm (retreat participants only)
September 15:  Tara Puja, 6:30pm
September 17:  Lama Chopa Tsog, 6:30pm
September 23:  Medicine Buddha Puja, 6:30pm

October   3:  Milarepa Tsog, 6:30pm
October 15:  Tara Puja, 7:00pm
October 17:  Lama Chopa Tsog, 4:00pm
October 22:  Medicine Buddha Puja, 6:30pm
October 29:  Lha Bab Duchen (Buddha's Descent from Heaven)
                       A major holiday in the Tibetan tradition, Shakyamuni Buddha
                        Puja, 6:30pm
 
For additional information on upcoming programs, please see the programs section on our website at: http://www.milarepacenter.org/programs.html.

www.milarepacenter.org

(802) 633-4136