Carolyn Myers reflects on her experience at Orgyen Dorje Den.
I felt Great Hope attending the Decho. We students of Gyatrul Rinpoche who have vowed to carry on his legacy have often worried about who will follow us. And here they were: this wonderful retreat was managed by many people who do not have gray hair! The umzeds, the chopons, the compiler and reader of inspirational teachings, some of the lamas, and the producers of many of each day's activities: all young people, many with long experience in dharma, depth of practice, and devotion to Rinpoche. I was moved to tears. The lineage is passing to new generations.
I worked most days with the tsok, the ritual feast. I was assisted by a nun, Ani Phuljung from Bolivia. In 2015, she went to Nepal to help with the earthquake relief. There, she met Vajrayana Buddhism and now lives in India. Awaiting Visa papers to return to India, she found herself stuck in the Bay Area. She looked up Buddhism online, found out about Losar at Orgyen Dorje Den, and has temporarily moved in. Together with our much loved Ani Yeshe, I am certain we had two of the world's hardest working nuns! So Gyatrul Rinpoche’s legacy also continues to spread worldwide.
As for myself, well, dharma brothers and sisters, now it is time for confession. On the final day of the Decho, a wandering practitioner arrived with a lot of bags and a hacking cough. She sat down right next to me, alternately sleeping and requesting help with the text. When I returned from a break, she was wearing my clothes! - well, just scarf, shawl and sweater. I became obsessed with that sweater! It was all I could think about! After the woman grew louder in her requests and responses, others took an interest and moved her away from the seat next to me. Not until the end of the day, when my clothes were returned, did I realize how much I now wished I had given her that sweater. She was cold! I didn’t need it. But it was too late. She was gone.
Oh, Rinpoche, part of carrying on your legacy, the biggest part, is to practice and to become more compassionate. Here, inside, is where the real work still needs to be done.
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