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Foundation Service Seminar attendees during visit to Kachoe Dechen Ling, Aptos, California, January 2015. Photo by Laura Miller.
By Laura Miller, Mandala managing editor
In late January, I had the pleasure to be among the more than 40 people who attended the FPMT Foundation Service Seminar held at Land of Medicine Buddha (LMB) near Santa Cruz, California. The five-day seminar brought together staff and dedicated volunteers from several FPMT centers, projects and services in North America and Mexico. In addition to sessions focused on the worldwide efforts of FPMT, we spent time developing skills in speaking kind words, resolving conflicts, avoiding burnout and turning all aspects of working at a center into authentic Dharma practice. Ven. Drimay, a resident Sangha member at Land of Medicine Buddha, and Drolkar McCallum, coordinator for FPMT North America, skillfully facilitated the instructive sessions.
On one day, we had an afternoon field trip, which included an inspiring visit to Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s house, Kachoe Dechen Ling. After Ven. Holly Ansett led us on a tour of the house, many commented on how incredible and mind-blowing it was to see all the beautiful holy objects, altars and offerings throughout the house and gardens. Ven. Tsering, a Kopan monk who lives at the house and is writing out the Prajñaparamita Sutra in gold, showed us his beautiful work and talked about his process. And Ven. Anet baked delicious cakes that accompanied a relaxed tea break on the back deck. After leaving Rinpoche’s house, we watched a lovely sunset over the Pacific Ocean on a nearby beach and had an informal and friendly dinner at a local vegetarian restaurant.
Another highlight of the seminar was an evening of stories about FPMT founder Lama Yeshe. Robbie Solick, Jon Landaw and Karuna and Pam Cayton took turns sharing memories of some of Lama Yeshe’s incomparable qualities like kindness, humor and wisdom. The informal program of stories was more than a nostalgic walk down memory lane, it was a transmission of FPMT Wisdom Culture that palpably energized the room and the rest of the meeting.
Felicity Keeley, director of Milarepa Center, with Jon Landaw, Land of Medicine Buddha, January 2015. Photo by Laura Miller.
Land of Medicine Buddha was a generous and accommodating host for the seminar and the FPMT North America Regional Meeting that followed. LMB director Denice Macy gave a tour of the center’s extensive grounds, which has many prayer wheels, incredible artwork and holy objects, and the amazing Mahabodhi Stupa that is being built.
The two-day FPMT North America Regional Meeting, which followed the seminar, was attended by 30 people, representing 17 centers, projects and services in the United States and Canada and one person from Mexico! FPMT Education Services director Tom Truty attended and led an engaged discussion on possible updates to the Discovering Buddhism program and other Education Services initiatives. Other agenda points included fundraising, good governance and updates from the 2014 CPMT meeting.
“I felt that the most significant and important thing accomplished at the Foundation Service Seminar and the FPMT North America Regional Meeting was a sense of community and the realization that all center, projects, services and study groups are facing very similar problems and challenges,” Drolkar McCallum told Mandala. “By coming together, supporting each other and sharing information and problem solving techniques we can inspire each other to continue our amazing work. Everyone came away from the seminar and meeting with a better understanding and sense of Rinpoche’s large mandala and the realization that we are not alone in our work, that there is a fabulous FPMT family to inspire us and a local regional group to help every step of the way. People left refreshed with renewed sense of purpose and armed with information and the enthusiasm to continue work for all sentient beings. Service is our practice!”
Denice Macy leads some Foundation Service Seminar participants on a tour of Land of Medicine Buddha, California, January 2015. Photo by Laura Miller.
Mandala brings you news of Lama Zopa Rinpoche and of activities, teachings and events from nearly 160 FPMT centers, projects and services around the globe. If you like what you read on Mandala, consider becoming a Friend of FPMT, which supports our work.