The Wisdom Age - Issue 55

The Wisdom Age Newsletter of Drogmi Buddhist Institute A Tibetan Buddhist Centre in the Sakya Tradition Issue 55 December 2020 Dear Dharma friends, This year has been a year with great difficulties, such as the bushfires and COVID-19, which have affected many people’s lives. We are so fortunate to have the Dharma in our lives. What we have heard and practiced this year is the best medicine, so our minds are not affected as much. Those who do not have the Dharma experience physical and mental stress. More than ever, they need our love and compassion. I sincerely wish that 2021 will be a better year for all beings. Thank you for supporting us in 2020, and I pray for your good health, long life, peace, and happiness, and may we continue to work together to have this platform which will benefit all beings. Yours in the Dharma, Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe And all at Drogmi Buddhist Institute NEWS FROM DROGMI BUDDHIST INSTITUTE Excerpts from the 2020 Annual General Meeting of Drogmi Buddhist Institute Khenpo la’s Opening Motivation: “The AGM today is for the dharma centre, the purpose of the dharma centre is to free our own negative mind and to help others who are trapped in their negative mind, this being the main task of the centre. We are all willing to support and help, through this effort may it be the cause of all of us to attain Buddhahood to benefit countless sentient beings. For this purpose, we are attending this Annual General Meeting.” Read More for Khenpo la's Address and the President's Address Zooming in for Dharma Khenpo la is one of those teachers one would climb over mountains to hear the dharma teachings from. This year it was not mountains that were the obstacle, it was COVID-19 and closed borders. Realising early on the great need for the dharma especially during these difficult times, Khenpo la embarked on his own journey of discovery, that being the online world of Zoom and live Facebook. Read More Dharma Path Appeal – Mission Accomplished and New Road Completed We rejoiced to report that we achieved our goal to raise $30,000 to build a new roadway at our Kamalashila Centre at Tilba, within just a few weeks of launching the appeal. We hope that our many kind donors – along with many others – will be able to traverse the road in person and follow in Khenpo la’s footsteps. Thank you for smoothing the path to the Dharma! Read More UPCOMING COURSES & EVENTS HEALING & PURIFICATION RETREAT WITH KHENPO NGAWANG DHAMCHOE Sunday 27 December 2020 to Friday 1 January 2021 Since late 2019 so many people have suffered due to the pandemic. The best remedy to help ourselves and others is medicine healing and purification. Khenpo will bestow the Medicine Buddha and Vajrasattva transmissions and will give teachings on these practices. Due to the current circumstances if for any reason you cannot attend retreat in person please contact us for attending via Zoom for the full retreat or daily. More Information and Registration MIND AND BODY MEDITATION WORKSHOP WEEKEND WITH DR TONY RICHARDSON Friday 5 February to Sunday 7 February 2021 On this weekend retreat, Dr Tony Richardson will lead us in a meditational process. We will look at ways to work with our bodies and make friends with our emotions, thoughts, and impulses. We will improve our spiritual practices, bringing tolerance and effectiveness to all aspects of our ordinary lives. More Information and Registration NGÖNDRO RETREAT WITH KHENPO NGAWANG DHAMCHOE Thursday 11 March to Sunday 14 March 2021 Ngöndro refers to the preliminary or ‘foundational’ practices of Vajrayana Buddhism. These practices are most profound and powerful means effecting a deep purification and transformation, at every level of our being. More Information and Registration RECENT EVENTS First Mentoring Course at Kamalashila Khenpo la and Carole so skilfully guided participants through Dharma study and mentoring opportunities this first weekend of the start of a three-year program. Each session challenged everyone with this new learning, but both the content and structure of the course were so inspiring that the time flew! Read More Karma’s Farewell Today was Karma la’s farewell luncheon at Kamalashila. Karma will be returning to New York for around 6 months. It was a beautiful send off for Karma, with a delicious lunch prepared so lovingly by Zara. A group of friends joined Karma on a beautiful sunny day, to share this time with him. Karma has contributed so much to the centre over the past year alone. Read More Annual Shamatha Retreat 2020 In these difficult times, Khenpo la’s teachings on the Four Foundational Thoughts that Turn the Mind Towards Dharma encouraged us to appreciate how fortunate we are in many regards:. “Just like the sun is not separate from sunlight, a kind mind radiates peace to all beings who encounter it.” Khenpo la Read More FROM OUR MASTERS “Protecting the environment is not something only a few individuals or a few organisations can accomplish. Everyone has responsibility because we are all human beings, and we must think about future generations of human beings. For the sake of future generations’ well-being, we must act now. Otherwise, our future generations will have to live as though they are in a land of hungry ghosts. This would be a tragic outcome. Therefore, while we are alive, we should make efforts to protect the environment. First, it is important to feel in the depth of our hearts how precious life is and how important it is to make this life healthier, happier, longer, and more sustainable. In this way, I think it is especially important to adopt the teachings of the Buddha, who possesses omniscient wisdom. The Buddha’s wisdom is infinite. He sees all of the past, present, and future just like we see our own palms, very clearly, knowing each and every cause and effect. Therefore, the teachings he gave are great, wondrous, and most authentic. The teachings of the Buddha encourage us to work for the benefit of the world and the environment. This will be of great benefit. Therefore, I sincerely hope everyone will make some effort to preserve and sustain the environment.” ~ The 41st Sakya Trizin, Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche Photo & Quote credit – Padmamalla Instagram Find out more by visiting our website. Home Courses & events Venue hire Support us Contact Home Courses & events Venue hire Support us Contact We only use this list for The Wisdom Age newsletter. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list below. To unsubscribe from general mailings from Drogmi Buddhist Institute, please email [email protected]. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

The Wisdom Age

Newsletter of Drogmi Buddhist Institute

A Tibetan Buddhist Centre in the Sakya Tradition

Issue 55 December 2020

Dear Dharma friends,
This year has been a year with great difficulties, such as the bushfires and COVID-19, which have affected many people’s lives. We are so fortunate to have the Dharma in our lives. What we have heard and practiced this year is the best medicine, so our minds are not affected as much.

Those who do not have the Dharma experience physical and mental stress. More than ever, they need our love and compassion.

I sincerely wish that 2021 will be a better year for all beings.

Thank you for supporting us in 2020, and I pray for your good health, long life, peace, and happiness, and may we continue to work together to have this platform which will benefit all beings.

Yours in the Dharma,
Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe
And all at Drogmi Buddhist Institute

NEWS FROM DROGMI BUDDHIST INSTITUTE

Excerpts from the 2020 Annual General Meeting of Drogmi Buddhist Institute

Khenpo la’s Opening Motivation: “The AGM today is for the dharma centre, the purpose of the dharma centre is to free our own negative mind and to help others who are trapped in their negative mind, this being the main task of the centre. We are all willing to support and help, through this effort may it be the cause of all of us to attain Buddhahood to benefit countless sentient beings. For this purpose, we are attending this Annual General Meeting.”

Zooming in for Dharma

Khenpo la is one of those teachers one would climb over mountains to hear the dharma teachings from. This year it was not mountains that were the obstacle, it was COVID-19 and closed borders. Realising early on the great need for the dharma especially during these difficult times, Khenpo la embarked on his own journey of discovery, that being the online world of Zoom and live Facebook.

Dharma Path Appeal – Mission Accomplished and New Road Completed

We rejoiced to report that we achieved our goal to raise $30,000 to build a new roadway at our Kamalashila Centre at Tilba, within just a few weeks of launching the appeal. We hope that our many kind donors – along with many others – will be able to traverse the road in person and follow in Khenpo la’s footsteps. Thank you for smoothing the path to the Dharma!

UPCOMING COURSES & EVENTS

HEALING & PURIFICATION RETREAT WITH KHENPO NGAWANG DHAMCHOE

Sunday 27 December 2020 to Friday 1 January 2021

Since late 2019 so many people have suffered due to the pandemic. The best remedy to help ourselves and others is medicine healing and purification. Khenpo will bestow the Medicine Buddha and Vajrasattva transmissions and will give teachings on these practices.

Due to the current circumstances if for any reason you cannot attend retreat in person please contact us for attending via Zoom for the full retreat or daily.

More Information and Registration

MIND AND BODY MEDITATION WORKSHOP WEEKEND WITH DR TONY RICHARDSON

Friday 5 February to Sunday 7 February 2021

On this weekend retreat, Dr Tony Richardson will lead us in a meditational process. We will look at ways to work with our bodies and make friends with our emotions, thoughts, and impulses. We will improve our spiritual practices, bringing tolerance and effectiveness to all aspects of our ordinary lives.

More Information and Registration

NGÖNDRO RETREAT WITH KHENPO NGAWANG DHAMCHOE

Thursday 11 March to Sunday 14 March 2021

Ngöndro refers to the preliminary or ‘foundational’ practices of Vajrayana Buddhism. These practices are most profound and powerful means effecting a deep purification and transformation, at every level of our being.

More Information and Registration

RECENT EVENTS

First Mentoring Course at Kamalashila

Khenpo la and Carole so skilfully guided participants through Dharma study and mentoring opportunities this first weekend of the start of a three-year program. Each session challenged everyone with this new learning, but both the content and structure of the course were so inspiring that the time flew!

Karma’s Farewell

Today was Karma la’s farewell luncheon at Kamalashila. Karma will be returning to New York for around 6 months. It was a beautiful send off for Karma, with a delicious lunch prepared so lovingly by Zara. A group of friends joined Karma on a beautiful sunny day, to share this time with him. Karma has contributed so much to the centre over the past year alone.

Annual Shamatha Retreat 2020

In these difficult times, Khenpo la’s teachings on the Four Foundational Thoughts that Turn the Mind Towards Dharma encouraged us to appreciate how fortunate we are in many regards:. “Just like the sun is not separate from sunlight, a kind mind radiates peace to all beings who encounter it.” Khenpo la

FROM OUR MASTERS

“Protecting the environment is not something only a few individuals or a few organisations can accomplish. Everyone has responsibility because we are all human beings, and we must think about future generations of human beings. For the sake of future generations’ well-being, we must act now. Otherwise, our future generations will have to live as though they are in a land of hungry ghosts. This would be a tragic outcome. Therefore, while we are alive, we should make efforts to protect the environment. First, it is important to feel in the depth of our hearts how precious life is and how important it is to make this life healthier, happier, longer, and more sustainable.

In this way, I think it is especially important to adopt the teachings of the Buddha, who possesses omniscient wisdom. The Buddha’s wisdom is infinite. He sees all of the past, present, and future just like we see our own palms, very clearly, knowing each and every cause and effect. Therefore, the teachings he gave are great, wondrous, and most authentic. The teachings of the Buddha encourage us to work for the benefit of the world and the environment. This will be of great benefit. Therefore, I sincerely hope everyone will make some effort to preserve and sustain the environment.”

~ The 41st Sakya Trizin, Kyabgon Gongma Trichen Rinpoche

Photo & Quote credit – Padmamalla Instagram

Find out more by visiting our website.

We only use this list for The Wisdom Age newsletter. You can unsubscribe from this mailing list below. To unsubscribe from general mailings from Drogmi Buddhist Institute, please email [email protected].