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Voice of Clear Light

Volume 14, Number 1 / February 2014

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A Message for the Sangha


Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche Explains How to ‘Nurture Sacred Community’

TWRflowersPhotograph by Maria Aurelia Kulik

On Dec. 29, Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche gave a special live webcast directed specifically to the sangha, the community of spiritual practitioners. The recorded webcast, “Nurturing Sacred Community,” can be viewed in its entirety here.
 
As Rinpoche explained to his viewers, there is nowhere you can go on earth where you will not find conflict or tension, and this is true even of spiritual communities. His message: Building a spiritual community requires openness to others’ opinions, awareness of the challenges others are facing and the ability to take actions from a space of warmth.
 
These universal principles are commonly practiced in the teaching hall, Rinpoche pointed out; but they also need to be brought into the office of the spiritual center. Especially during interpersonal challenges, taking just a moment to connect with the stillness of the body, silence of the speech and spaciousness of the mind can help all members of the community act with more openness, clarity and warmth.

Rinpoche also discussed the importance of:

  • Knowing when to step back from helping in the spiritual community while giving space for others to step in.
  • Being aware of your own “pain speech”—one of the biggest obstacles to building a spiritual community. Are your words spreading harmony or disharmony?
  • Not turning personal problems into group problems—or, vice versa: allowing group conflicts to affect your personal commitment to the practice and the tradition.
  • Maintaining an attitude of service toward the spiritual community—“This is not about me, it’s about my being here to serve.”

Approximately 440 computers worldwide viewed the Dec. 29 live webcast, which was translated in real time into as many as 12 languages. Ligmincha International, the organization of spiritual communities founded by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, is composed of a wide range of local sanghas, practice groups and retreat centers. In many cases, groups of members and friends were gathered around a single computer—for example, 14 people met in Málaga, Spain, to view the broadcast.
 
Based on chat-log sharings by participants, countries represented included Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, U.S.A. and the United Kingdom.

As with nearly all of Ligmincha’s offerings, volunteers play a major role in Rinpoche’s live webcasts. Contributing volunteers include international webcast coordinator Lourdes Hinojosa and webcast producer Polly Turner. Volunteer translators include:
Blanca Liane (Portuguese)
Brita Carmen Sommer (Danish)
iLker Bekarslan (Turkish)
Jahrek Kotas (Polish)
Jozef Szmuda (Czech)
Katalin Jacob (Hungarian)
Lidia Castellano (Italian)
Lourdes Hinojosa (Spanish)
Mai Linh Leminhbach (French)
Mangalananda Giri (German)
Nathalie Duchanois (French)
Olli Erjanti (Finnish)
Pavel Kuzmin (Russian)
Vagid Ragimov (Russian)
 
Ligmincha International’s coordinators also play an ongoing role in promoting live webcasts and hosting group events. These coordinators include:
Alejandro Chaoul-Reich (U.S.)
Alejandro Torrealba (Spain)
Anna-Kaisa Hirvanen (Finland)
Beatriz Helena Vega (Colombia)
Begoña García (Spain)
Blanca Liane (Brazil)
Bob Anger (U.S.)
Elena Ochoa (Mexico)
Emanuel Amador Muñoz (Costa Rica)
Frank Jeri (Peru)
Hanna Stegmüller (Austria)
Heide Mitsche (Austria)
iLker Bekarslan (Turkey)
Johan Smith (Denmark)
John Jackson (U.S.)
José Ignacio Acosta (Spain)
Jozef Szmuda (Czech Republic)
Katalin Jacob (Hungary)
Lidia Castellano (Italy)
Mauricio Fredes (Chile)
Nathalie Duchanois (France)
Oliver Wirtz (Germany)
Pavel Kuzmin (Russia)
Ryszart Adamiak (Poland)
Zeyno Agyen (Turkey)
 
Locate the Ligmincha center or sangha nearest you
 
View the full Dec. 29 webcast, “Nurturing Sacred Community” (78 min.)

To view recordings of all of Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche’s free live webcasts go to the Internet Teachings page of the Ligmincha International website.