The Place of the Awareness-holders

The main building at Rigdzin Ling, Junction City, Ca--Tara House

I arrived at Rigdzin Ling on the 30th, checked into my room and rested, then circumambulated the stupas for a while. I made positive wishes, and reflected on the amazing work that has been done here.

This place was an open mine, and Chagdud Tulku saw the potential in it some 30 years ago. From a moonscape, they made a flat area. They have dorms, a store, offices, houses and a multi-use building called Tara house that includes the shrine room, the kitchen, the dining hall and more.

A Stupa

I think the roww of stupas on the edges of the flattened area of the center is the most striking thing on the land. You really get a walk in when you migrate clockwise in the traditional way, reciting mantras, generating the intent that everyone will be free of suffering, and happy.

Many stupas, and a distant Guru Rinpoche statue

Electric prayer wheels

I hadn't noticed the electric prayer wheels the last time I was here. I am sure those cannisters contain billions of mantras, that are believed to radiate blessings to the area as they turn. Being a venter organizer myself, I tend to think about the work that goes in to making even one of those. Wow, these people are really meritorious.

Later in the evening I went to help the staff and neigbours paint and butter tormas for a retreat that was starting soon for them. A torma is a ritual offering cone shaped food offering, made of dough. The dough is skillfully sculpted into various symbolic representations and placed on the shrine during a group practice. When the system is working well, as it was this evening at Rigdzin Ling, making elaborate tormas can bring the artists closer together--in my observation--fostering harmony in sangha. The Rigdzin Ling people really go all out--making the flower ornaments out of butter in a traditional fashion, using their iced fingertips. There were about 7 people working on this continuously, and they were very warm to me, and kind to each other.

It rained all night, and let up only briefly as I departed on Halloween morning.