The 2011 Vajrayogini Fire Offering. Photo by Mike Smith.

Dorje Denma Ling is the primary land centre for Shambhala in Canada, and we will be celebrating 20 years of service to Shambhala in 2012.  During the past two decades the centre has grown from a small facility where groups from Halifax came to put on their own programs, to Shambhala’s fourth international land centre, hosting 40+ programs per year ranging in size from 10 participants to over 300.  People come here from all parts of the globe (and beyond!), and the core staff provides a strong practice and service container to support and inspire the programs.

Over the years there have been many improvements made to Denma Ling’s facilities to support the growth in programs.  At this point we would like to pay particular thanks to the participants, staff and teachers of last three programs: Chakrasmavara Retreat, Vajrayogini Fire Offering, Shambhala Guide Training and the Great Eastern Sun, Windhorse and Drala levels of the Sacred Path program.

The Shambhala Guides with our new generator.

The Chakrasamvara practitioners, who you can see and read about in the previous post, raised funds to build a properly sized platform and shrine box for  the main shrine room.  This is a much needed and long overdue renovation that will have us smiling and cheering when it’s complete.  Thank you to that exceptionally lovable group.

The Vajrayogini Fire Offering’s contribution will have us smiling and cheering with equal enthusiasm when our web site changes with style this spring.  Dorje Denma Ling has pioneered a creative solution to staying connected to the Shambhala International database, while braching off into new territory that allows us the ability to have more creativity with the layout and design of our website.  The same creative impulse arose simultaneously in other places in the mandala (New York and L.A were also seeking ways to freshen their websites), and this auspicious timing allowed us to share the cost of having Blue Mandala develop a WordPress template for the next generation of Shambhala Centre websites.  Thank you kindly to the Vajrayogini Fire Offering who has contributed to our ability to execute our creative flare which will enable others to do as well.The Chakrasamvara practitioners, who you can see and read about in the previous post, raised funds to build a properly sized platform and shrine box for  the main shrine room.  This is a much needed and long overdue renovation that will have us smiling and cheering when it’s complete.  Thank you to that exceptionally lovable group.

It is so inspiring to feel the warmth and generosity of our community, and to feel the incredible momentum of moving forward.  Four Cheers for our winter programs!

GES, Windhorse and Drala banquette.

The combined efforts of the Shambhala Guide Training program (which you can see gathered around the box to our new generator) and the Sacred Path program, (the attractive group sitting before a banquet) helped buy and install a 400- lb. generator.   It arrived, to our surprise and delight, three weeks early–the arrival day for the Shambhala Guide program!  We’ve just applied to The Mother Lineage Fund for a matching grant to pay for half the expenses of the generator, and its installation.  The Shambhala Guides rose to the occasion and pitched in for half the cost of the generator and the Sacred Path participants donated the money for its installation.  Way to go!  Dorje Denma Ling has never owned a generator for back-up power.   As we look toward hosting more large programs in the future, it is imperative to have a secure source of food and water for participants in an emergency situation.

It is so inspiring to feel the warmth and generosity of our community, and to feel the incredible momentum of moving forward.  Four Cheers for our winter programs!

The pavilion is getting bigger so it can accommodate simultaneous Scorpion Seal III and Scorpion Seal IV programs.

In order to make room for the expansion the facilities team had to move the big white pmh/dining platform 10 feet in the direction of the flagpoles.  We are talking about a pretty big platform, 20 feet by 70 feet.  Originally we thought that we could just haul it forward with the tractor, but after some thought it seemed like this approach would be difficult because the supports would no longer match the contour of the ground which would make getting the whole thing level again a nightmare, thus we sought after a different plan.

The approach we took ended up being quite simple.  We needed to move a 20 x 70 deck 10 feet so we just cut the whole thing in half along the length and moved the 10 x 70 section closest to the pavilion to the opposite side of the remaining 10 x 70 section in small sections.  This approach worked out really well because the 10×70 section that never moved was a level and supported reference point which saved us a lot of levelling headaches and time.

I would like to say that I am really proud of the facilities team for taking on this huge task.  They have been brave learning new tools and skills , carefully thinking through each step in the process, and working with each other in a warm, intelligent and inspiring way.

So that is it for Phase II.  Up next, phase III will be about the foundation that was poured for the expansion. Enjoy the photos!

Our budget for this expansion is $15,000-17,500.  If you would like to support this project by making a donation, please contact Serri, our fundraising manager at donor@dorjedenmaling.com.

We are planning to have from 250 to 275 people for Scorpion Seal III & IV in 2012. The current pavilion can only seat 185. So with the help of the Dorje Denma Ling development team, we have made plans to expand the pavilion by 10 feet on three sides, which will create space for 130 additional seats. This additional space will also accommodate future growth and make the space much more comfortable for larger programs.

In addition to the general expansion, we are making a few other changes. We plan to move the 2 diagonal braces that are on either side of the centre of the platform where the throne sits. This improves the space around the teacher and also make the teacher more visible for the right and left sides. We are also removing the current outer 6.5 feet of floor, levelling it, and replacing the treated decking with hemlock decking purchased from the mill that is nearby.

This expansion plan also means that we have to move the big white deck that supports the PMH/food service tent for Scorpion Seal 10 feet. I’ll take some pictures and let you know more about that in the next post.

During the Scorpion Seal retreats at Dorje Denma Ling in 2009 and 2011, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche met with the staff community to express his appreciation for the efforts and spirit that were supporting the retreats. Here are few excerpts from his remarks:

It’s when you are actually engaged in working in a practice center that, as we say, ‘rock meets bone’—that it really comes through what your conceptual idea of practice is and what real practice is. So it is very important, I think, for some of you who have been engaged in this way to go further with your own practice and study. It’s important to understand how valuable is the opportunity to live here and work here. When you’re engaged in this kind of work that is benefiting a lot of people, the result is beyond what you can imagine. It’s not ordinary work in that way. It really depends on your attitude and how you begin to approach it. So I think that’s part of the notion of service, that’s part of the path.

One of the greatest joys and practices as a bodhisattva, a warrior, and also as a practitioner, is giving your whole being over to the teachings and working for others. So as I came here, I was reflecting on how we have all given our life over to the situation, even though you may just be here for a few months. A lot of us have been engaged in this a long time… But [in either case] there is no greater teaching than to do that. At the same time there is no greater challenge, because you give your time, your space, your emotion. But that also makes it very interesting to receive and learn.

A lot of what happens when you’re working and practicing in a situation like this is that you are already caught in the karmic stream of the energy of the teachings, and you receive at an exponential rate. So everything’s coming at you and everything’s putting you on the spot. So the training from that point of view is unsurpassed. And I think a lot of times it’s just a matter of whether we’re ready for it and able to handle it. So it’s important to try to balance some kind of healthiness of your own self, in terms of your state of mind and your health. Because once you’re here there is really no stopping the energy. And at the same time, when we’re here we become a conduit, and we become a part of that process of how to express the energy.

Especially here [at Denma Ling] where we’re small—there are very few of you—you’re having to, in a sense, do more than would be normally be expected because you can’t just blend in. Here everybody is very much individual, and so I think it’s a good opportunity for the notion of the enlightened society, where there is a level of trying to respect and understand. And it’s also very good in terms of maintaining your own “wangthang”, your own power, force field, as you stay here.

And I think right now with a lot of transition happening in our own mandala and in the world, [even though] it’s busy here it could become very cozy and protected. That could be beneficial sometimes but it also can become an obstacle, so I would really recommend constantly refreshing your view and understanding of the teachings and who you are. Especially try not to get into a comfort zone, which is very often the case when you’re living in a place like this, to try to find your comfort zone. But remain like the tiger; the tiger is always careful, appreciating and watching everything.

It’s interesting for us culturally, I think because—as you know—this isn’t a vacation. I don’t know if you’ve realized that. [Laughter] This is not retirement either. At the same time it’s not necessarily school. So it is a very interesting culture we’re building. I think sometimes it is difficult because we don’t know what it’s supposed to be—there is no blueprint of “it’s like this.” Part of what we are doing is trying to create an environment where the values of what we consider very important are up front and are constantly being applied. So when you’re working with kindness, when you’re working with mindfulness, and when you’re working with aggression—all of these elements—when you are working with that, it is important to realize that you are actually transforming our culture, you are transforming the culture around you, and you are also transforming the bigger culture. A lot of times you feel like it’s unnoticed. So it’s important to appreciate what is actually happening.

]]> http://dorjedenmaling.org/rock-meets-bone/feed/ 0 http://dorjedenmaling.org/the-best-family-vacation-i-never-had-chakrasmavara-group-retreat-with-acharya-larry-mermelstein/ http://dorjedenmaling.org/the-best-family-vacation-i-never-had-chakrasmavara-group-retreat-with-acharya-larry-mermelstein/#comments Thu, 10 Feb 2011 20:02:32 +0000 Sharon_Allen http://shambhalanetwork.org/dorje/?p=908 Continue →]]>

Imagine  yourself  dressed in apron and a chef’s hat. You are in charge of  producing a twenty-two course banquet according to  complicated family recipes handed down for generations. But you only know how to make toast.

Next, imagine  the master who translated the recipes AND compiled a collection of helpful hints stands at the kitchen counter with you, offering encouragement and practical “how-to” advice.

If you substitute “practitioner” for “chef,” and “sadhana” for “recipes,” you’ll have a pretty good idea of the  Chakrasmavara retreat, led by Acharya Larry Mermelstein. Of the twelve participants, some had received the Chakrasmavara abisheka two years ago, or like me, two decades ago.

Rising rather blearily in predawn darkness, I was surprised to feel fresh and open— eager even— once I was in the shrine room. Through four practice sessions each day,  we had the chance to deepen our experience of the text by studying the manual and asking questions as snow fell across the valley and drifted through the trees. During the coming week, our group became a family, settling into the ease that develops between those who practice together.

On a  few evenings Acharya Mermelstein offered teachings and  stories from  lineage gurus  who had clearly known just what might come in handy for a future  a practitioner—like me.  Plus, practicing the Chakrasamvara mandala of compassion added an unexpected depth and balance to my  understanding of  the Shambhala path—the sanity of compassionate  society.

Though perhaps not exactly profound, I had the rarest of retreat experiences: I was never cold! The shrine room was warm( though we gently fought about opening windows), there was hot water for showers , the bed was more comfortable than mine at home—and the staff keeps the place as clean and shining as a hotel. Plus, three meals a day arrived like clock work.

So, sure, everybody gets stressed out, and everybody needs a break. But instead of chasing relaxation in a tent in the woods or a resort on the beach, why not meet your family in the shrine room at Dorje Denma Ling? And learn to prepare a fabulous banquet.

One of my favourite exercises was eye-gazing, which we did on Vajra day.  This lasted about five minutes (I didn’t want to stop), and was followed by partner and then group discussion. Another one I liked was verbal Aikido, where we explored three styles of reacting to aggression by acting them out with simple Aikido exercises.  We did that on Karma day.

Actually, the format of the Aikido exercise is a pretty good example of the format of the entire week: we explored energies and feelings not by talking about them, but by invoking them in our bodies and experiences. I was astonished over and over again as we moved through each day, and found myself submerged in the wisdom energy that we invoked. For me this took the form of strong emotional experiences. There was a lot of sharing and opportunities for conversation, and it felt great to explore what I was experiencing publicly and in private conversation with people who I now feel very close to.

By Rebecca Abavi    

Ven. Changling Rinpoche is from Shechen Monastery and is the holder of the ‘Northern Treasures’ lineage. Rinpoche holds a khenpo degree and teaches the senoir students at Sechen College and those in a traditional three-year retreat.  Rinpoche protects the integrity of the ritual tradition of Sechen and teaches ritual and Nyingma tantra to senior students, and is dedicated to helping translate the Tibetan Buddhist teachings into English and other languages. When he taught at Dorje Denma Ling last year we were very honored to be granted a staff audience with him, where he gave us some diamonds of wisdom about living at a dharma centre. This is one excerpt, and we will post more later.

Ven. Changling Rinpoche: When we have a drupchen it’s for 10 days, and for 24 hours a day the practice goes on. On the last day, when the drupchen finishes, still the monks are very, very active. They’re not exhausted, they’re very, very active. If you come to the monastery you’ll see the monks are full of energy. What brings us all that strong energy is that we clearly understand what we are really doing there. When we know that, that is what brings all the energy, knowing clearly what we are doing. In the monastery monks are not doing work because they are being paid with a good salary; there is no salary in the monastery. So you have to work and face all the problems and complaints and everything, and there is nothing for you, it is all service for others. But we know why we are doing this. It is all related with the Buddhist principles. I won’t say that we don’t know the word “exhaustion,” but we hardly get something called “exhausted”; and when I look at why this is, the reason is that we know what we are doing, and for what we are doing it, so it doesn’t make us get exhausted or depressed, or want to give up. So being on staff means that when you face a problem, you become more active. So therefore when we are facing a problem we do not run away. The main thing is to recognize why you are doing it.

Some of my friends come to the monastery and see this, and what you can learn is monks don’t know what it is to be overwhelmed, they don’t know at all. We don’t call it exhaustion; we say, “I’m really tired.” [Laughter] In the monastery monks don’t know the meaning of being overwhelmed. “Overwhelmed” is a word that is seen when we have a strong clinging on self, a person who strongly thinks about ME. That idea gives us recognition of something called “overwhelmed.” That is what I find. If we can reduce something called ME, it is less overwhelmed. In a certain celebration in Sechen monastery we had over 10,000 people, but everybody was handled by only 35 monks for the three days. I think the one thing we understood was why that was happening and what was happening. When you understand that, it makes for joy. When you have joy, I guess that is how you handle it with only 35 monks for over 10,000 people.

When you come here as a volunteer you should not think you have come for a vacation—you must know that. When you know that you are not here for a vacation, it is much better. Sometimes we go and volunteer because we just need a break from what we are doing, but normally volunteering means to help, to serve and help another. When we want to volunteer we want to do more. When we come to help it is not that we are taking a break, we are coming here to help. When you are here to help, that means there is work. [Laughter] When you recognize that, then you are less tired.

 Raising the colors on a crisp winter morning during the

Winter Family Gathering and Practice Intensive

After morning chants with the children in the main shrine room

the adults continued with their practice of choice

Kelvin Mansaray playing the violin on New Year’s Eve;

what beauty and heart, we all felt the dralas smile

Learning to drum during the Heart Sutra

I went to the Holiday Practice Intensive this past week at Dorje Denma Ling with my almost 11 year old daughter – it was my first program there. This program was one where families were welcomed as well as non families.  Indeed while all adults were involved in their practice of choice, children were formally looked after by gifted Juliana Barnard and Odessa Spore in the mornings, and invited to participate with their parents, if they chose, for afternoon activities. Meal times and morning chants gathered both generations and never once was there screaming or kicking. The gentle sparkle of Shambhala shone throughout the week with the children, alive, happy, alert, sculpting the snow for creative sledding rides for each other and waiting patiently in line to take turns, (evolving independently almost in a fully functioning parallel universe) and the adults slowly coming to, (I am talking only for myself here!) in their selected programs cradled by the DDL ground, staff, coordinators and teachers, David and second generation teacher, Julia Sable… Some evenings, adults and children spontaneously shared their musical talents, and this all the way to theatrical offerings on December 31st – it worked brilliantly.

Dorje Denma Ling is a Tibetan name meaning “Indestructible (Dorje) Place (Ling) of Denma.” In True Command: The Teachings of the Dorje Kasung, “Denma” is defined as follows:

[Denma is] one of the great generals who  commanded the troops of the Tibetan warrior king Gesar of Ling. Denma was particularly known as a master archer and strategist. The Dorje Dradul [Trungpa Rinpoche] suggested Denma as the name and inspiration for the Dorje Kasung leadership training college.

In 2008 Dorje Denma Ling commissioned a thangka of Denma from the renowned thangka painter Ngodrup Rongae, which resides in our main shrineroom. According to Jigme Rinpoche, Denma was the direct emanation of Saraha, one of the greatest Indian siddhas. Denma was a young boy at the time of Gesar of Ling’s birth, and continued to live after Gesar passed away; thus, he was reported to have lived for a long time, nearly 200 years.

Denma is described as the one who is ahead of the regiment of warriors, always leading it, and thus is called the hawk who sees what is ahead. He is gifted with intelligence and skillfulness in ensuring victory by knowing what is needed and using his power accordingly. It is said that Denma lived the longest of all the warriors of the mandala, and was the one who did the last ritual ceremony for all of the warriors, including Gesar.  Jigme Rinpoche said, “It’s like the whole mandala of the wrathful warrior manifested when there was a mission, a purpose; they completed it, and then they began to dissolve as well.”

Since King Gesar never had a son, he was succeeded by the son of his brother (Gyatsa Shelkar), whose name was Drala Tsegyal. Denma remained with this heir to the throne, and what continued Gesar of Ling’s lineage is from Drala Tsegyal onward. The Dege area in Kham is now called Lingsam, which means the place of Ling, and is the location of the Kingdom of Ling.

His Eminence Namkha Drimed Rinpoche said that the Mipham lineage is the emanation of Denma (manifested in our Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche), and that Trungpa Rinpoche was an emanation of Gesar of Ling’s nephew, Drala Tsegyal. His Eminence is, himself, the incarnation of Gesar’s brother, Gyatsa Shelkar. In these ways we are directly descended from the noble and magical lineage of Gesar and the Kingdom of Ling, whose warriorship and compassion continue to be manifested, practiced and proclaimed.