We have had an incredible time here in Edinboro. Our precious organizer was Joanne Rowcan of the Unity in Edinboro church. This is the second time they have hosted the monks and we plan one making it a fixture on the tour. 

Friday night we did the Chay Drol ritual. This is a tantric ritual in which the Lama, in the form of Tara, binds the participants negativities and obstacles to five colors of yarn which is tied around then. Then the Lama severs these obstacles, removing them from the participants and sealing them with protective rays of light. We had a large turnout and even got to meet one of the main participants in the film that we showing on the tour, Dalai Lama Renaissance. I just looked up and there he was in the audience.  We had a little visit and it turns out that even though he has a significant role in the film, he has not been able to see it yet. Hopefully he will make it to Slippery Rock where we will screening the film on Monday night.

Saturday night Venerable Geshe Norbu gave a talk on World Peace and the Unity of all Religions and on Sunday we close with the very special Dukar Empowerment. This is an extremely powerful protective diety that cleanses away the conditions that would allow any negative karma to arise.  It also was well attended and we met so many wonderful people (as usual). Diane thank you for that delicous apple sauce =). Thank you all for your kindness and generosity.

We also need to give a special thanks to Annette for opening up her home to us while she was away. We had the run of the place to ourselves and even got caught up on our practice – woo hoo!

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By tonight the mandala will be swept up, and the sand dissolved into the Colorado River.

The monks will begin a sweeping up prayer ceremony at 6:30 p.m. at the Art Center, 1803 N. Seventh St., followed by a release of the sand into the Colorado River from Eagle Rim Park on Orchard Mesa.

Every few years, monks from Gaden Shartse Monastery in India tour the United States to share their culture and religion, and raise money to support their Tibetan Buddhist monastery.

The Gaden Shartse Monastic College was originally founded in Tibet in the 15th century. After China invaded the country in 1959, thousands of Tibetan cultural and religious centers were destroyed and many Tibetans fled to India, where the Indian government donated land to establish a monastery there.

The monks create sand mandalas twice a year at the monastery to symbolize Buddhism’s different deities. The Green Tara mandala being created at the Art Center is representative of the celestial home of the Buddha of activities, said Jangchup Chophel, an American monk and member of the monastery.

“As we create it we keep in mind the teachings of the benefits and sacred nature of this Buddha,” Chophel said. “Just by looking at it people receive vast amounts of benefit, positive imprints in their consciousness and mind.”

The monks meticulously create the mandala by scooping sand into two hollow cones and rubbing one on top of the other, carefully guiding the amount of sand released from a small hole in the cone.

Once the mandala is completed, it is dissolved quickly, within half an hour.

The dissolution ceremony is important, Chophel said.

“At the ceremony we invite the Green Tara along with her entourage — the celestial beings associated with her — to inhabit the mandala to help purify all the negativities of the area.”

Chophel has practiced Buddhism for many years and became an ordained monk three years ago. He taught high school history in Long Beach, Calif., from 2001 through 2008; he wore the traditional crimson monk robes for the past three years.

Chophel retired from teaching in July to join the monastery and direct the U.S. tour. His high school students continue to keep in touch with him via texting.

Ninety-five percent of the 1,500 monks who live in the monastery are from Tibet, said Tenzin Losang, one of the monks currently in Grand Junction. Some were born in India, but are of Tibetan heritage.

Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen, one of the last lamas remaining who was born and trained in Tibet, runs a Buddhist Center in Long Beach. He sponsors the monks to come to the United States in order to raise money to fund its monastery in India.

Peggy and Ray Pilcher of Grand Junction met the monks 11 years ago, when they were touring here. The Pilchers host the monks in their home whenever they visit Grand Junction. The Pilchers are among a group of local Buddhists who study with Gyeltsen.

The monks of Gaden Shartse Monastery travel to where they are invited and offered a place to stay, and a place to build the mandalas. The mandala being created in Grand Junction is sponsored by the Art Center and Bank of the West.

In Oregon, the monks created a mandala at a coffee shop in the hub of town.

In Glenwood Springs, they used meeting rooms in the Hotel Colorado.

Last week the group was in Aspen, where they created a mandala at a downtown art gallery.

The intention of this tour is to raise funds for the construction of a hospital near the monastery in southern India.

The hospital is for other refugees, lay people and Indians, as well as for the monks of the monastery, Chophel said.

“It’s open to all for free medical care,” he said.

The monks will be in Grand Junction for two more days. They will conduct a Green Tara Empowerment ceremony Tuesday at the Academy of Yoga at 8 p.m.

A dinner is planned with the monks at the Art Center on Wednesday. A limited number of tickets are available.

Tibetan astrology sessions, personal healings, house and business blessings are also being offered through Wednesday.

Grand Junction Free Press

After Yachats, we headed off to Aspen, Colorado. There was a buzz in town because His Holiness the Dalai Lama was coming to give some talks at the Aspen Institute. The energy was electric and we had a great time. The tour has been visiting Aspen since the early days and our long-time friend and organizer Dennis had a busy, thoughtful schedule ready the moment we touched down. Since His Holiness was coming we created a Chenrezig sand mandala. This was hosted by the kind people at the Elliot Yeary Gallery where we were surrounded by some amazing art. Dennis put together a schedule of teachings and empowerments to fill the week for so many that were unable to attend His Holiness teachings. This worked out wonderfully as we were there to help fill the void and people were still able to receive teachings and many blessings. Our kind friend Adam put us up in his wonderful home. Both Dennis and Adam have been helping us for almost 20 years and we cannot thank them enough for their generosity.

Our amazing friends Ri and Renee from Oregon traveled with us from Yachats and, like brave troopers,  helped us throughout our stay in Aspen. They are also shooting film of our tour/adventures with the thought of putting together a film one day. Also joining us in Aspen were long-time friends and organizers Peggy from Grand Junction, Bob and Candi, from Crawford, and new organizers Hannah from Gunnison, and Louise from Durango, as well as our old friend Charlie. So our time was filled with blessings, teachings, friends, and lots of fun.  We even had the blessing of attending the public talk given by His Holiness on Saturday.

In addition to the sand mandala, Venerable Geshe Norbu gave a teaching on the Four Seals of Buddhism, conducted a Vajravidaran Healing, and a Dukar Empowerment.  As always there were many business and house blessings along with personal healings to fill out the day.  One great event was blessing the County Fair. So many people came after that to thank the monks saying that the energy totally changed and from that point everything was wonderful. As usual we met so many wonderful people it is impossible to fit them in. Please feel free to add any comments you might have.

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