The Shedra experience 2020: turning challenge into opportunity
Chantal Bergers, Rand Littlestone & Verena Pfeiffer
Rigpa Shedra East was in a unique situation when the news of the coronavirus started to spread. We were studying in Nepal, a country bordering China, that has a very weak health care system, was not able to do much testing and did not restrict travels from hot spots for a long time.
One morning one of our staff members who happens to be a doctor, sought the advice of a sangha friend, who is a public health physician, to see if we are doing enough at Shedra to stay safe with washing our hands and limiting trips to the city. This quickly turned into the realisation that it might not be a good idea to keep a Shedra programme running in a developing country with a group of students, when half of them are considered at risk because of being a bit older or having some pre-existing medical conditions.
The Shedra staff came together the same evening and started to visualise different options and scenarios, looking at the situation from all different angles: health, dharma, practicalities. It was amazing how everyone in the team stepped up and got engaged. We were so lucky to have so much expertise in the room, a doctor, a former WHO worker, two of Rigpa’s Vision Board members and Khenchen Namdrol right next door when we needed him.
Deciding to close the Shedra season early
The decision to stop Shedra early was not an easy one. The weather was nice and sunny, getting warmer every day. The teachings were incredible and we had a lot of fun together as a group. But in the end, it felt like we were all on the same page: sad to leave but confident that it was the right decision.
Having said that, the impact on the Shedra sangha was significant. What really helped us was to make sure everyone had the opportunity, in an atmosphere of deep listening, to express how this major decision was affecting each of us. And before we all dispersed, we had a great Shedra party, with lots of music and dancing to celebrate the special Shedra family relationship we shared.
Continuing to study from afar and online
Shedra Study Retreat in France
Even though we decided as a group to leave Nepal five weeks earlier than planned we have continued to study together online as well as connecting on zoom and WhatsApp. Five of the Shedra students couldn’t or didn’t want to go home immediately after the end of Shedra and decided to do a retreat together in France where they continued their studies for another 4 weeks.
Thanks to the support of Rigpa’s US online team we are able to now review the teachings that we had received in Nepal, by using the Rigpa US Online Moodle platform. We are working with study questions, reflections, discussions and debate.
We also have an active Whatsapp group where we share news, inspiring teaching quotes and the occasional corona meme almost on a daily basis. It’s amazing that we are also managing to connect on zoom across three different time zones checking in with each other and talking about our studies and practice.
In recent weeks, we challenged each other to make a video recording of ourselves reciting the key verse of Longchenpa’s text that were studying. We compiled all the different recordings from Shedra students all over the world into a movie for our teacher, Khenpo Tashi Tseten. It really helped to stay connected as a group and inspire each other to keep studying and practising.
The teachings became even more relevant
Many students have remarked that the teachings by Longchenpa on the four thoughts that they had received in Nepal are now an incredible support in the current situation. In his last teaching, our Shedra teacher, Khenpo Tashi Tseten, told that us that he could have kept teaching us for a few more weeks, but much better than that is what is happening to us now. Having to let go of our plans, adapting to a challenging situation with what we have studied and practised is the greatest teaching.
Khenchen Namdrol has always advised us to spend a month in retreat after our Shedra studies, going through our notes from the teachings and reflecting on them. It feels like a blessing to be able to do that this time with the entire group connected online.
Rigpa Shedra group 2020 with Khenchen Namdrol Rinpoche