There was a sublime feeling of déjà vu when Chagdud Rinpoche suggested to John Swearingen that working on the stupas might generate more merit than sitting in the drubchen. The wheel of activity quickly shifted into high gear around the six remaining stupas as many of us were integrated into the project. Our goal was to set the bell form of the eighth stupa, the stupa of complete victory, fill it with concrete, as well as make and assemble all of the spires in the remaining four days of the drubchen. Rinpoche’s intention was that the blessings of the retreat and of all the lamas praying together would strengthen the stupas’ consecration.
For those of us whose guru yoga seems inexorably linked with construction, we found ourselves in a familiar situation, at a familiar place, and among familiar practitioners. As all the pieces of the stupas came together, it again became clear to us how precious the sangha is as an extension of Rinpoche’s precious body.
On the final full day of the drubchen, as sunlight faded, we considered the consequences of stopping work versus staging the lights and continuing on. It was a brief discussion. Just before midnight we sat on the forms around the top of the bell stupa and dedicated any merit our work had generated and prayed that Rinpoche may have a long, long life.
Mike McLaughlin
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“In Tibet a lot of the stupas were built at crossroads on high mountain passes, places where nobody would ever go except on their way to somewhere else. Tibetans knew that no matter what stupas looked like on the outside, they contained incredible blessings. Just to see them was a blessing. To touch them was a blessing. To hear the sound of the wind blowing around them was a blessing. And that was why they built them—for the blessings, just the blessings.”
Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche
There was a sublime feeling of déjà vu when Chagdud Rinpoche suggested to John Swearingen that working on the stupas might generate more merit than sitting in the drubchen. The wheel of activity quickly shifted into high gear around the six remaining stupas as many of us were integrated into the project. Our goal was to set the bell form of the eighth stupa, the stupa of complete victory, fill it with concrete, as well as make and assemble all of the spires in the remaining four days of the drubchen. Rinpoche’s intention was that the blessings of the retreat and of all the lamas praying together would strengthen the stupas’ consecration.
For those of us whose guru yoga seems inexorably linked with construction, we found ourselves in a familiar situation, at a familiar place, and among familiar practitioners. As all the pieces of the stupas came together, it again became clear to us how precious the sangha is as an extension of Rinpoche’s precious body.
On the final full day of the drubchen, as sunlight faded, we considered the consequences of stopping work versus staging the lights and continuing on. It was a brief discussion. Just before midnight we sat on the forms around the top of the bell stupa and dedicated any merit our work had generated and prayed that Rinpoche may have a long, long life.
Mike McLaughlin
-----
“In Tibet a lot of the stupas were built at crossroads on high mountain passes, places where nobody would ever go except on their way to somewhere else. Tibetans knew that no matter what stupas looked like on the outside, they contained incredible blessings. Just to see them was a blessing. To touch them was a blessing. To hear the sound of the wind blowing around them was a blessing. And that was why they built them—for the blessings, just the blessings.”
Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche
There was a sublime feeling of déjà vu when Chagdud Rinpoche suggested to John Swearingen that working on the stupas might generate more merit than sitting in the drubchen. The wheel of activity quickly shifted into high gear around the six remaining stupas as many of us were integrated into the project. Our goal was to set the bell form of the eighth stupa, the stupa of complete victory, fill it with concrete, as well as make and assemble all of the spires in the remaining four days of the drubchen. Rinpoche’s intention was that the blessings of the retreat and of all the lamas praying together would strengthen the stupas’ consecration.
For those of us whose guru yoga seems inexorably linked with construction, we found ourselves in a familiar situation, at a familiar place, and among familiar practitioners. As all the pieces of the stupas came together, it again became clear to us how precious the sangha is as an extension of Rinpoche’s precious body.
On the final full day of the drubchen, as sunlight faded, we considered the consequences of stopping work versus staging the lights and continuing on. It was a brief discussion. Just before midnight we sat on the forms around the top of the bell stupa and dedicated any merit our work had generated and prayed that Rinpoche may have a long, long life.
Mike McLaughlin
-----
“In Tibet a lot of the stupas were built at crossroads on high mountain passes, places where nobody would ever go except on their way to somewhere else. Tibetans knew that no matter what stupas looked like on the outside, they contained incredible blessings. Just to see them was a blessing. To touch them was a blessing. To hear the sound of the wind blowing around them was a blessing. And that was why they built them—for the blessings, just the blessings.”
Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche
There was a sublime feeling of déjà vu when Chagdud Rinpoche suggested to John Swearingen that working on the stupas might generate more merit than sitting in the drubchen. The wheel of activity quickly shifted into high gear around the six remaining stupas as many of us were integrated into the project. Our goal was to set the bell form of the eighth stupa, the stupa of complete victory, fill it with concrete, as well as make and assemble all of the spires in the remaining four days of the drubchen. Rinpoche’s intention was that the blessings of the retreat and of all the lamas praying together would strengthen the stupas’ consecration.
For those of us whose guru yoga seems inexorably linked with construction, we found ourselves in a familiar situation, at a familiar place, and among familiar practitioners. As all the pieces of the stupas came together, it again became clear to us how precious the sangha is as an extension of Rinpoche’s precious body.
On the final full day of the drubchen, as sunlight faded, we considered the consequences of stopping work versus staging the lights and continuing on. It was a brief discussion. Just before midnight we sat on the forms around the top of the bell stupa and dedicated any merit our work had generated and prayed that Rinpoche may have a long, long life.
Mike McLaughlin
-----
“In Tibet a lot of the stupas were built at crossroads on high mountain passes, places where nobody would ever go except on their way to somewhere else. Tibetans knew that no matter what stupas looked like on the outside, they contained incredible blessings. Just to see them was a blessing. To touch them was a blessing. To hear the sound of the wind blowing around them was a blessing. And that was why they built them—for the blessings, just the blessings.”
Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche
There was a sublime feeling of déjà vu when Chagdud Rinpoche suggested to John Swearingen that working on the stupas might generate more merit than sitting in the drubchen. The wheel of activity quickly shifted into high gear around the six remaining stupas as many of us were integrated into the project. Our goal was to set the bell form of the eighth stupa, the stupa of complete victory, fill it with concrete, as well as make and assemble all of the spires in the remaining four days of the drubchen. Rinpoche’s intention was that the blessings of the retreat and of all the lamas praying together would strengthen the stupas’ consecration.
For those of us whose guru yoga seems inexorably linked with construction, we found ourselves in a familiar situation, at a familiar place, and among familiar practitioners. As all the pieces of the stupas came together, it again became clear to us how precious the sangha is as an extension of Rinpoche’s precious body.
On the final full day of the drubchen, as sunlight faded, we considered the consequences of stopping work versus staging the lights and continuing on. It was a brief discussion. Just before midnight we sat on the forms around the top of the bell stupa and dedicated any merit our work had generated and prayed that Rinpoche may have a long, long life.
Mike McLaughlin
-----
“In Tibet a lot of the stupas were built at crossroads on high mountain passes, places where nobody would ever go except on their way to somewhere else. Tibetans knew that no matter what stupas looked like on the outside, they contained incredible blessings. Just to see them was a blessing. To touch them was a blessing. To hear the sound of the wind blowing around them was a blessing. And that was why they built them—for the blessings, just the blessings.”
Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche
