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| Message from the Sunray Peace Village |
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Greetings!
To our hosts: Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo and the people of Sunray Meditation Society and the Sunray Peace Village.
To our precious Elders and presenters: Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo, Grandmother Sylvia Jordan, Grandmother Elena Ixcot, Grandmother Nanatasis Bluto-Devental, Mike Bastine, Dr. Rudy Schild, Dr. John Carlton-Foss.
To our focalizers: Dechen Rheault, Josie Jordan, and Andy Tobey in the kitchen.
And to all the volunteers, Gadugi members, and attendees who made this year's event possible. We give thanks to all the donors who sponsor the Elders' Gathering each year. This years' donations included over $5,000 in food and cash to purchase food for the Elders and staff! Thank you, Vermonters, for supporting us with food from your farms. Additionally, there were sponsors for presenter travel, housing, and care-giving. With this generosity, we are able to keep registration fees as low, making it possible for more people to come to the Elders' Gathering. Special thanks too to Kilian Keller from Germany for his contribution of the five Platonic solid geometric shapes to the Peace Village.
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WHITE TARA STATUE IS BEING PREPARED FOR THE PEACE VILLAGE
THE WHITE TARA ARRIVES IN VERMONT
The Vajra Dakini Nunnery's White Tara, created and donated by Maury Lowe, Professor Emeritus, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Fine Arts and an internationally known sculptor, has completed her journey from New Mexico to Vermont. White Tara is known for her blessings for long life and healing!
We will then fill the cavity in this bronze sculpture with mantras and prayers. We have found a beautiful glass temple to house her at the Peace Village. This will be a most auspicious pilgrimage site.
FILLING THE WHITE TARA WITH MANTRAS AND JEWELS
As a sculptor I am interested in the role of statues in Buddhist stories. For instance before Atisha went to Tibet he prayed before a statue of Tara and the statue spoke to him! She said that although his life would be shorter if he went to Tibet, the benefit to sentient beings would be great. I have often wondered how statues seem to come alive.
Part of what makes these statues unique is that they are filled in a very special way. Inside the statue, a life force stick runs through the central channel area. Relics are attached at the spots where the body speech and mind chackras would be. Then mantras are rolled very tightly to fill all the spaces. In large statues even the fingers are filled. In between the mantras are herbs like powdered juniper. All rests on a bed of offerings of jewelry and precious stones. Then a bottom is placed on the statue with a mandala of crossed vajras representing the four enlightened activities. The statue is then ready to be consecrated. In our tradition the  consecration is not the outer ceremony but the mind of the lama focused on pure loving kindness as he gazes at the statue. Then we view the statue as the embodiment of that pure loving kindness or buddha nature.
I have been told that if someone's karma is such that teachings are needed and there is no teacher present then the statue or stupa is able to give the necessary teachings. We cannot imagine all the beings that will receive inspiration to practice, or comfort by seeing the image of our White Tara. This is why people love helping to sponsor and fill statues.
H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche is sending relics for our White Tara. Many great Teachers are sending blessed objects inside. I have offered jewelry my mother once wore as a way to remember my parents after their death. I like to think of my mother being a tiny part of all the ceremonies that will take place in the future! We will be filling our White Tara this Fall. You are welcome to send jewelry and stones to be included and dried herbs, especially juniper. You can also join in the mantra rolling. Check our website for dates.
HOW YOU CAN HELP US COMPLETE THE PROJECTWe invite you to assist with in creating a pilgrimage site at the Peace Village, the Tara Temple. It is considered significant to sponsor a statue because the devotion it inspires, and all the future ceremonies done at the temple housing the statue bring blessings to the sponsors - this is why when a loved one dies it is auspicious to have a thangka or statue made.
 Created by Professor Maury Lowe, this Tara was a labor of love. It took two years to make. He has donated this invaluable artwork. We would like to offer to him the cost of casting the bronze, and the shipping costs. We have found a beautiful Asian style, glass outdoor temple. We will place it on the blessed Vajra Dakini land within the Peace Village creating a place of pilgrimage.
We are delighted to include offerings to be stored with the relics when Tara is filled. You can send jewelry, precious stones and dried herbs, especially juniper.
Donations can be made online at our secure website or mailed to:
Vajra Dakini Nunnery
PO 382
Bristol, VT 05443
Please specify Tara
Khenmo Drolma, Abbess, Vajra Dakini Nunnery |
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| In addition to our Peace Village and Sunray Meditation Society blogs, you can find Facebook pages on the Peace Village, the Elders Gathering and Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo. It is way to connect with other members of our community if you are not already doing so.
Please forward this e-mail to let others know about the Peace Village. Thank you. |
May all beings benefit,
Sunray Peace Village |
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