Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche wrote the following letter to Ligmincha sangha members and friends. Rinpoche is on sabbatical until February.
Dear Sangha and Friends,
Greetings! As 2020 comes to a close, a new door opens with 2021. I hope no matter what this year has brought you that your practice has been a support and a refuge during this time. It has been a very difficult year for all of us for sure. But by seeing all of our present conditions—sick or not sick, employed or unemployed, happy or unhappy—we have learned so much about our individual and collective fears, our anxieties, our doubts. And when we rest and reflect, we can give space to everything. It is through being challenged that we truly have an opportunity to learn and grow.
My year was completely transformed by Covid-19. In March, I was just preparing to begin traveling. Teaching, sharing the practices, and being with my students in person is a source of great joy for me. I miss seeing you all very much. Unable to travel, I took my planned sabbatical early. I stayed at home with my wife, Tsering, and our son, Senghe. Being together for such an extended period has been a truly enriching experience, nourishing my entire being. I’ve also been connecting deeply to the natural elements: practicing, hiking and camping in the mountains and by the ocean in California and beyond.
People tease me that a sabbatical is supposed to be a time when one doesn’t work! And I certainly did not plan on being so active teaching retreats and online with the CyberSangha. But I could see such a need for the teachings. The Ligmincha and the CyberSangha teams made being online an effortless and joyful experience. I feel that in many ways social distancing has brought us all closer together. It has sparked creativity and innovation, collaboration and a collective energy that is even greater than what we knew we were capable of.
My deepest wish is that this new year will bring you completely new opportunities, new situations, new energy, new possibilities and new doors opening into life and your own inner refuge. I hope that the new year will bring personal and collective growth. May all the positive qualities increase in us each and every one: more love, more joy, more compassion and more peacefulness.
As with every organization, this has been a challenging year for Ligmincha International. If our efforts have supported you in this time, and you feel drawn to contribute toward our work, that would be very much appreciated. You can read more information on Ligmincha’s situation in the letter from Rob Patzig, Ligmincha International’s president, in the last issue of the Voice of Clear Light.
I will be on retreat for the month of January and will not be on Facebook during this time. I look forward to reconnecting with you all in February.
With all my blessings,
Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche