2023 in Lerab Ling - So much happens behind the scenes!
Rigpa
Many of us are familiar with the retreats that take place and the teachers who visit Lerab Ling each year, but so much more happens in one year in Lerab Ling! As we come to the end of 2023, it’s a great moment to look back, celebrate and appreciate!
Retreatants, seekers and tourists
As sangha members, many of us come to Lerab Ling for events, practices or the annual Summer retreats. But did you know that thousands of people come every year as tourists or to try out meditation for the first (or second) time. In 2023, in addition to the almost 10,000 sangha and public who came to participate in retreats and events, an additional 12,000 tourists visited the temple and sat in awe before the 7m high Buddha statue.
Other tourists who turn up by chance when the Community is doing the daily Tendrel Nyesel practice are often struck by the calm atmosphere in the temple and are curious about the colourful thangkas, drums, music and mudras. Others pass through Lerab Ling on the hiking trail that passes through the courtyard area, stopping for a picnic or taking a few photos of the temple as they pass by.
“An idyllic setting and environment for resting, meditating, growing in consciousness, freeing your soul from the frenzy of the world, a highly elevated energy for true peace of mind. Thank you to all those who contribute in any way to bringing this site to life - the world really needs it!” from a tourist visiting Lerab Ling in 2023
And then there are the workers from companies who come to do repairs, security checks and other work around the site who get a glimpse of this special place.
There is never a dull moment and always new faces around!
Photos above left to right: A team of electricity company workers who visited the temple after a day of work in Lerab Ling; Tourists exploring Lerab Ling
Several new programmes for the public were piloted this year, including a popular new addition called ‘Serenity Weekends’ where people come for a rejuvenating break in the tranquil natural environment, with no rigid programme or schedule, instead simply allowing them to take time for themselves. The reviews speak for themselves. It’s a joy to offer Lerab Ling as a place where anyone can come to relax and simply be!
“This weekend was great and so much more!!!! The welcome was perfect and I felt at home from the moment I set foot on the site. I stayed in the forest cabins opposite the temple which was a real treat—falling asleep with the lights of the temple and the stars is a real blessing, not to mention the food which was exquisite for the taste buds!!!”
Filling the temple with practice and visiting teachers
Every day the temple is alive with the daily community practices—many of which the sangha around the world follows on Zoom—the chopons and others taking care of the temple environment, through to large scale events with guest teachers and hundreds of people.
Photos: Lerab Ling’s chopons and other helpers
In 2023 Lerab Ling was blessed by visits of Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, Ringu Tulku Rinpoche, Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche, Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche and Chagdud Khadro. Moreover, a number of events were led by Rigpa Senior Teachers including Patrick Gaffney, Dominique Side, Valerie Baker, Ian Ives, Verena Pfeiffer and Sebastien Reggiany, and a number of practice events were led by Senior Practice Holders Pascal Rey, Claudia Thurn and Ane Sangye Chozom together with other practice holders.
Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche gave empowerments, oral transmissions and teachings in Lerab Ling, May 2023
The Great Enlightenment Stupa Project
The construction of the stupas in this project is a spiritual task dedicated to peace in the world.
Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche
The stupa project is THE BIG project taking place in Lerab Ling at the moment. Not only have we been preparing for the construction of the Great Enlightenment Stupa on the lawn outside the temple in Lerab Ling, but Tulku Rigzin Pema Rinpoche together with Rigpa’s monastic and lay sanghas are preparing the many spiritual materials that are needed to fill stupas that will be built in Lerab Ling, Dzogchen Beara, Dharma Mati, and Sukhavati outside Berlin. These include millions of mantras, thousands of tsa-tsas, the Kangyur and Tengyur, specially prepared mandalas that liberate upon sight, collected writings and works of the Nyingma lineage masters, precious and semi-precious jewels, medicinal herbs and other substances.
Photos left to right: Lerab Ling monastics and lay sangha members preparing zung; Ane Tsultrim painting the final touches on the mandala to be placed above the inner stupa.
Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche is a highly accomplished master in stupa building, and it was he who oversaw the reconstruction of the Great Stupa of Boudhnath in Kathmandu after the earthquake of 2015. We are incredibly fortunate that he is overseeing Rigpa’s stupa project.
In December 2022, he performed the consecration of the ground where the Great Enlightenment Stupa will be built outside the Lerab Ling temple and in May 2023, the foundation concrete was meticulously poured to prepare the base for the stupa that will be constructed in 2024.
Photo: Laying the concrete foundations for the stupa
During the August retreat to commemorate Sogyal Rinpoche’s Parinirvana, both Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinppoche and Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche gave illuminating teachings on the significance and importance of building stupas. You can find these teachings on Prajna.
This retreat also saw the consecration of Sogyal Rinpoche’s inner stupa by Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche and Khenchen Pema Sherab Rinpoche. The shape and structure of this type of stupa is called a “Stupa of Enlightenment”.
“When the stupa is constructed inside a temple, it makes the temple complete in terms of having the representations of enlightened body, enlightened speech and enlightened mind. A stupa represents enlightened mind.” Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche
You can make an auspicious connection with this project by making a donation. All gifts are deeply appreciated.
Building and renovations
It has been inspiring to see a number of other building projects reach fruition in 2023, including the completion of five accommodation studios just below the rows of chalets, as well as the complete renovation of five of our 30-year old chalets providing improved accommodation for several long term community members.
Photo: Five of the original Lerab Ling chalets have been fully renovated inside and out
Our inspiring monastic community
Our monastic community members are integral to the many spiritual activities at the heart of Lerab Ling. Their activity is often hidden but they can be found supporting visiting teachers, leading, participating in or teaching about the different Rigpa practices, translating written or oral teachings, caring for the more elaborate shrines in Lerab Ling, guiding sangha and public in their personal practice retreats, and even leading meditation sessions on Instagram. This year, in particular, the monastic community members assisted Tulku Rigdzin Pema Rinpoche in the preparation of the inner stupa that was consecrated in August, as well as helping create the many spiritual materials that are needed to fill stupas that will be built in Rigpa’s main centres. Their dedication is deeply inspiring.
When we asked them how they can hold all this on top of their daily commitments to the many different practices, events and activities, some of them said it’s all about helping each other, our community and everyone in need of support, especially during these challenging times we find our world in.
If you’d like to support Rigpa’s Monastic Community click here.
Lerab Ling is a place for the sangha - any time of the year!
Outside the busy sangha retreats, many sangha members took advantage of two newer programmes - Sangha Practice Retreats and the Sangha Resident Programme. A steady flow of sangha members spending short or longer periods of time in Lerab Ling is invigorating and refreshing for the whole community.
One Sangha Resident, Nico, a young ‘digital nomad’ who stayed for 3 months could be seen preparing the sang for Riwo Sangchö, gardening, learning to drum in the practice - all while continuing his regular employment online.
"The Sangha Resident Program offered me a wonderful opportunity to take time out of my life to rest, relax, and recharge when I needed it most! I was able to explore my own mind while working remotely amongst the wonderful Lerab Ling community - I will be coming back in the future!" Nico
Increasingly, sangha members are taking advantage of Lerab Ling to do their own practice retreat - in their own time, at a time that suits them, and with the crucial support of a personal retreat guide.
“I can strongly recommend doing a retreat in winter time in Lerab Ling. Besides the inspiring atmosphere of Lerab Ling, you receive valuable support from a very experienced guide.” Klaus
"It is wonderful, even magical! to be able to stay at Lerab Ling, without having to attend an event, and just do your own thing, at your own pace. Just being in a blessed environment of study and practice can lead to inspiration and new insights. You can choose to be in silence, or join the community and everything in between. We felt very welcome, heard, seen and cared for but also given the space during our stay. And we long for our next retreat!” Els
Find out more about the Sangha Resident Programme or Sangha Practice Retreats.
Lerab Ling Community who are retiring or moving on to new adventures
Lastly, we want to acknowledge some of Lerab Ling’s longest serving community members who are moving into a new phase. No doubt everyone who has been to Lerab Ling will know them all and appreciate the contribution they have each made over years of service to Lerab Ling and Rigpa.
There are no words to explain the detailed knowledge of the Lerab Ling site that Nico Wutzler holds! Nico has been living in Lerab Ling for almost 20 years. He worked on the building of the temple, took part in the three-year retreat and worked on the site team during all this time. In early 2024 he will leave Lerab Ling to live with his partner in the Pyrénées and see where life takes him next. We look forward to seeing him back in Lerab Ling for retreats.
Several community members retired this year and will continue living in Lerab Ling.
Edgardo Polla also stayed in Lerab Ling following the three year retreat. He contributed in many areas but is best known for his passion for the vegetable garden which thrives under his care.
Renate Handel brought her lively energy and Swiss organisation skills to managing hospitality and many other roles over the last 30 years.
Stephan Stadler tended the gardens of Lerab Ling since the three-year retreat and we can thank him for the incredible beauty he created, especially around the temple and stupas.
They will each now enjoy having more time to practise and do retreat, while also helping in smaller ways Lerab Ling.
Stefan Koehler has been a dedicated specialist practitioner in Rigpa for over 30 years in both Lerab Ling and Dzogchen Beara. Stefan retired earlier in 2023 and is now living with his wife in Taiwan continuing his commitment to dharma practice.
Looking ahead to 2024
We are looking forward to seeing many of you, either online or in person in the coming year. You can find some of the 2024 programme already on the Lerab Ling website or you might want to look into doing a sangha practice retreat or staying in Lerab Ling as part of the Sangha Resident Programme.
Lerab Ling is here for you - the sangha. We look forward to seeing you soon.
We wish you all a happy, healthy 2024
from all the teams in Lerab Ling (here are just a few of them)
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