The past year has been a veritable rain of blessings for Gampo Abbey as various teachers and visitors made the effort to visit our remote community.

On December 18, 2004 as the house was preparing for Yarne, the Sakyong, Mipham Rinpoche paid an short visit to Gampo Abbey on his way to his new retreat cabin in Kalapa Valley. He was accompanied by Khenpo Gawang, who was visiting the Abbey for the first time.

In his address to the house, the Sakyong spoke of the importance of monasticism in the development of Western Buddhism and of the “cultural learning crevasse still taking place.” He said that the maroon robes represent contemplative tradition and a commitment to Dharmic activity. He compared his habit of wearing monastic robes, although he is not ordained, with his father, the Vidyadhara, once an ordained monk, who wore western style suits and ties for the latter part of his life.

The Sakyong also spoke at length of his most recent visit to Tibet, of the historical significance of his father’s home monastery there and how the people in the Surmang area near Dutsi-til are encouraged by the latest developments, especially with the reconstruction of the shedra building. Over 300 local young people have signed up to be monks and nuns once the shedra is operating.

Gampo Abbey was blessed with a visit by the Venerable Mingyur Rinpoche from June 13 - 17, 2005. In a series of daily teachings on shamatha practice and the union of shamatha and vipashyana, Mingyur Rinpoche introduced a series of exercises for developing mindfulness, emptiness, selflessness and how to see the true nature of mind through the possibilities of stillness, movement and awareness. He compared the practice of transforming mental consciousness into support for meditation to that of a peacock who transforms poison into colors which make his plumage brighter. Rinpoche also gave special teachings to the monastic community and performed refuge and bodhisattva vows for several residents.

Venerable Mingyur Rinpoche (center) his attendent (left) and Gehlek Rabgye (right)

Our community was treated to another visit from the Sakyong just in time for our mid-summer celebration on June 21, 2005. In this, his first official summer visit and just before taking part in an especially inspirational lhasang under a clear Cape Breton sky, the Sakyong spoke about how a lhasang connects us with the local drala energy. Dralas are energized and purified by a lhasang, he said, which is a great way to cleanse their container, the ground for all their blessings. He also spoke of how his father, the Vidyadhara, recalled how he was called to Nova Scotia by the dralas of this region.

The Sakyong also spoke of his recent address to the Second International Conference on Gross National Happiness (Rethinking Development) held at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, where he had the delegates all meditating, including the Lieutenant General. Thirty countries were represented at the conference including a large delegation from Bhutan.

Members of the monastic community and visitors from Bhutan performing a Lhsang

Several sunny days later an international delegation from that conference visited the Abbey where they were also treated to a special lhasang in their honor. The ex-prime minister of Bhutan, Lyonpo Jigmi Trinley, now the current home minister, was among the dignitaries along with leaders of his country’s government and business sectors including their only female judge. After the lhasang, the delegates joined the Abbey in the Sadhana of Mahamudra and feast at Sopa Choling. The highlight of the evening was an exchange of songs and poems from each of our traditions. The next day, before the delegation departed, a ceremony was held at the stupa culminating in a group circumambulation.


*Reproduced from the Fall 2005 Issue of the Lion's Roar