Four Programs, Four Victories, Four Cheers
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!
