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FPMT spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche with CPMT 2014 meeting participants in the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, September 2014. Photo by Steve Alberts.
What will participants remember most about CPMT 2014? Judging by the feedback they provided, it’s getting a big dose of inspiration from an intense week of connecting with FPMT spiritual director Lama Zopa Rinpoche, the international FPMT community and FPMT’s distinctive Wisdom Culture. It seemed for everyone in attendance that the warmth of CPMT’s “family feeling” filling up the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, where the meeting was held, eclipsed the chilly meeting venue.
Offering khatas to Lama Zopa Rinpoche at the beginning of CPMT 2014, Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.
Here are a few positive things that stood out for CPMT meeting participants:
- “Rinpoche’s presence! Getting to interact with everyone over to course of the conference due to inclusive group work.”
- “Getting to ‘reboot’ my inspiration in working for FPMT and serving sentient beings.”
- “Hearing the stories of Ven. Gyatso (Adrian Feldmann) and other long-term students who were there from the beginning.”
- “I liked very much the group discussions and that Rinpoche came to some of the sessions.”
- “Putting faces to emails. “
- “Learning what other projects are happening was very inspiring. The [Vast Visions that] are up and running expands my perspective considerably.”
A space heater and a small group discussion at CPMT 2014, Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Australia, September 2014. Photo by Ven. Thubten Kunsang.
Claire Isitt, FPMT Center Services director and coordinator of CPMT 2014 commented, “What a wonderful CPMT meeting that was. Some said the best so far. We were supremely blessed with lots of time and advice from Lama Zopa Rinpoche, who also joined in some of the small group discussions. The meeting venue was completely inspiring – and the cold kept us alert! I’m enormously grateful to all who worked so hard to make the meeting so beneficial – the CPMT committee, the host team and volunteers, our wonderful facilitator, the presenters (including the wonderful older students who gave the very inspiring Wisdom Culture evening talks), small group facilitators, Ven. Joan Nicell for transcribing, the AV team who enabled so many to be present for Rinpoche’s talks via livestream – and all who made it to Bendigo, Australia, to participate in our amazing international meeting. Wow, wow, wow!”
According to the 88 meeting participants who completed the “CPMT 2014: Evaluation and Feedback” survey, the most common criticism of the event can be summed up as follows: “Too much happening, too little time to let things settle in.” The seven-day meeting’s schedule was full of talks by Lama Zopa Rinpoche, presentations and small group discussions, which for many didn’t leave much time for reflection or lengthy in-depth discussion. Other critical comments reflected some of the difficulties of hosting a large meeting in what is in essence a construction site – the unheated accommodations and meetings space combined with the cold temperatures of Australia’s early spring and the reliance on portable sanitation facilities drew many comments.
Participants from the Southeast Asia region at lunch, CPMT 2014, Australia, September 2014. Photo by Laura Miller.
But despite it all, participants overwhelmingly said that they would encourage others to attend the next CPMT. Here are a few things they would say to a center director or SPC considering whether to go:
- “Do join because is highly inspirational and informative and gives lots of ideas to implement in one’s own center.”
- “I would encourage them strongly as it is critical to align them with FPMT globally so there is a strong sense of the entire FPMT mandala, otherwise center personnel can feel they are operating in a vacuum.”
- “You’d be crazy to miss it! Having direct advice and input from LZR [Lama Zopa Rinpoche] is so, so, so special.”
The meeting minutes and other reports from CPMT will be made available as they are completed. Watch the CPMT e-group for updates.
The morning sun at the Great Stupa of Universal Compassion, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia, September 17, 2014. Photo by Laura Miller.
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You can find more coverage of CPMT 2014 on our blog.