Summer Teachings Worldwide

I just got back from working on the land [throat-clearing noise] to find an email from the Worldview org waiting in my inbox.  The email lists dozens of events happening all over the world this summer.  Most of the events are remarkable Dharma teachings and/or courses.  According to my count Worldview teachers will be doing their holy things in 32 different cities in 10 countries over the next 4 months and I'm sure there are more which haven't been listed.  There are classes on meditation in Tucson, yoga seminars in Germany, relationship talks in LA, business classes in China, ACI courses in Canada, and more.

I've taken the email and posted it for your information and viewing pleasure.  I hope this makes your summer dreams come true.

Worldview Events Summer 2008

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Summer: The Diamond Mountain Fitness Program

At Diamond Mountain we aim to be well-balanced Buddhists.  And nothing balances three terms of homeworks and quizzes like four months of hard labor under the Arizona sun.  This summer there is plenty of work to go around and thus plenty of virtuous-merit-goodness mind-seeds to be planted.  For those unfamiliar with Buddhist ideals we believe that happiness, and in fact all good things, comes from serving others.  So if you ever wanted a nice cottage in which to do a three-year retreat, this is your chance to get one (by building one for someone else).

For the month of June most of the work will be on Geshe Michael and Lama Christie's new retreat home.  Work will be five days per week (off Tuesday and Wednesday).  That work will continue in July during which time work may also begin on the 'test cabin' for the three-year retreat houses.  Both projects will continue through August and perhaps September as well.  For more info on details of the work schedule email Bert (bertscott2000 at yahoo.com).

See you on the mountain.

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Spring Term, Group Retreat Come to End

As many as 100 people have just completed a 10-day group retreat at Diamond Mountain thus drawing Spring term 2008 to a close.  The retreat was a four-session-per-day Tantric retreat for those in the Tantric Course Series and took place in the valley of the future 3-year retreat with almost eveyone staying in tents.  Here's a run down: it was hot, really hot, then it got windy, very windy, then cold, then rainy, some sleet, after that the weather was nice and the retreat ended.  Any questions?  As for the actual meditation sessions, well that part was superb.  By all accounts the retreat was a momentous event for Buddhism in America.  The goal was to lay the karmic groundwork for the great retreat on 2010 and that most certainly happened this past week.

New York Times Covers Geshe Michael and Lama Christie, DM

About two weeks ago a New York Times reporter and a photographer showed up at Diamond Mountain, walked around the land, attended classes and made us all feel giddy.  Well, the wait is over, and in today's Home and Garden section of the New York Times, is the article about Geshe Michael and Lama Christie that we've all been waiting to read: Making Their Own Limits in a Spiritual Partnership.  The piece is nicely written and seems quite balanced regarding all the relevant issues.  I especially like the audio/images slideshow.  And most importantly the article discusses the ideas of karma and emptiness, just barely, but it's there in the New York Times!

Have a read.

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Worldview Travel and Teachings Blog

Tireless servant Venerable Jigme Palmo has setup a Worldview Travel and Teachings blog to showcase all the events and teachings happening around the world as part of the Worldview organization. If you don't know what I mean by Worldview organization it is, in a way, the name of our big family that includes Diamond Mountain, the Yoga Studies Institute, all of the regional Asian Classics Institutes, Star in the East, the Asian Classics Input Project, Visiòn Sentido, The Three Jewels, and basically anyone else who's teaching karma and emptiness.  With these myriad projects and organizations it's difficult to keep track of all the good people are doing.  Enter the aforementioned blog.  It's a great place to read up, listen up, and/or look up what's been shaking in Worldview.  If you're a teacher, you can send your recordings, images, etc. to Ven. Jigme to post on the blog for everyone to see.

Worldview Travel and Teachings

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Spring in Swing, KMT Webcast

Ah, Spring at Diamond Mountain.  The birds are chirping.  The sun is shining.  And the yogis and yoginis are sweating.  And there are many of them.  Last night at the community meeting we all got a chance to meet each other again or for the first time and hear some never-before-told stories about our own journeys to DM.  It was quite inspiring and left many feeling even more grateful for the chance to live their dream.  And thus begins Spring term 2008.

Sure there are many new courses and happenings to report, but I'll stick to just one for now.  Now in its fifth term, Geshe Michael's Karmic Management Training course will be webcasted via streaming video live this term!  Anyone around the world will be able to log on, watch the classes and learn all about staplers, transparencies, and logo design, i.e., how to get enlightened.  If you want to watch you've got to register.  I've told you to do it before, now you have to sign up.  Online registration is still open at DMU.  Do it.

Update: You can watch the video live at Justin.Tv/HighestWorldview or watch previous classes at Worldview.Blip.Tv.

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Help Find the Next Khen Rinpoche

In Buddhism lineage is vital.  For 2500 years the precious teachings have been passed down from generation to generation with care and precision.  Without a teacher to pass the words to us, there is no way to progress.  Such is the case with Diamond Mountain and Khen Rinpoche Geshe Lobsang Tharchin.  He is DM's spiritual grandfather.  Without his decades of tireless efforts there would be no Diamond Mountain, no Asian Classics Institute, and no Rashi Gempil Ling in New Jersey.

By being appointed abbot of Sera Mey by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Geshe Lobsang Tharchin became a Rinpoche.  In 2004 Khen Rinpoche left the world.  But this past January, our great spiritual friend Geshe Lotar, former vice abbot of Sera Mey, met with His Holiness and got approval to begin searching for the rebirth of Khen Rinpoche.  This is a vast and exciting project and you can aid.  The monks of Sera Mey need resources to complete this mission.  Geshe Michael and Lama Christie have written a letter telling of Khen Rinpoche and how we can help find his emanation.  It is a touching request.  You can download the letter below.

Help Find Khen Rinpoche (PDF)

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