Saturday, July 16, 2011

Dalai Lama in Washington, DC (Kalachakra)

Dalailama.com


Kalachakra for World Peace
Washington, DC: Last week, during the first three days of the Kalachakra (July 6-8), the Dalai Lama and the monks from Namgyal Monastery and senior lamas conducted rituals to prepare and consecrate the venue. These included chanting of prayers, the creation of a sand mandala [as shown below], and other rituals.


Creating a sand mandala symbolizing the universe

From July 9-11, he gave preliminary teachings on Gyalsey Thokme Sangpo's 37 Practices of a Boddhisattva (laklen sodunma) and Kamalashila's The Middling States of Meditation (gomrim barpa). On July 12, the Kalachakra Ritual Dance was performed by the Namgyal Monastery monks.

Then from July 13-15, the Dalai Lama conferred the Kalachakra Initiation. Today, July 16, a long life empowerment (tsewang) and a ceremony offering prayers for the long life of the Dalai Lama will be performed. Kalachakra 2011 is organized by the Capital Area Tibetan Association (kalachakra2011.com).


Public Talk in Chicago, Illinois on July 17: The 14th Dalai Lama will give a public talk on "Bridging the Faith Divide" in the afternoon at the University of Illinois, Chicago (UIC) Pavilion organized by The Theosophical Society in America (dalailamachicago.com).

Discussion in Chicago on July 18: He will participate in a conversation with religious leaders on "Building Bridges" in the morning at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance organized by The Theosophical Society in America. More