Phillipa Rutherford, center director, organizing games at the thukpa picnic on the lawn outside of Geshe Jampa Tharchin’s house at Chandrakirti Meditation Centre, Upper Moutere, New Zealand, February 2019. Photo by Sarah Brooks, spiritual program assistant.

Chandrakirti Meditation Centre, an FPMT center in Upper Moutere, New Zealand, celebrated Losar in February 2019 with three days of activities: thukpa night at their FPMT resident teacher Geshe Jampa Tharchin’s house at Chandrakirti Meditation Centre on February 3; Guru puja with tsog, breakfast, a potluck lunch, and hanging prayer flags at the center on February 5; and prayers, a picnic, and hanging prayer flags at nearby retreat property Wish Fulfilling Land on February 9. Sarah Brooks, spiritual program assistant shares the story.

The Chandrakirti family spent several days welcoming in the Year of the Earth Pig. We started the traditional Tibetan way—a couple of days before Losar—with thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup) and chubas (Tibetan dress). The delicious homemade vegetarian thukpa was prepared by volunteers and cooked by Ven. Youdon, who lives at the center.

Volunteers making thukpa in the outdoor eating area at Chandrakirti Meditation Centre, Upper Moutere, New Zealand, February 2019. Photo by Sarah Brooks, spiritual program assistant.

Geshe Jampa Tharchin, our resident teacher, told the story of why thukpa is considered a very friendly food. Lama Atisha was served thukpa when he first arrived in Tibet. When Lama Atisha asked what the food was called, they told Lama Atisha the literal meaning of “thukpa”—“meeting of two”—which means two people meeting again after having met in previous lives. Lama Atisha said the meaning of the name was very good! 

We also played traditional Tibetan games around the table; each person chose a piece of paper and followed the instructions—from singing a song to telling their life story. For some reason, when we all embarrass ourselves in front of each other we feel even more like family!

Ven. Youdon cooking thukpa in Geshe Jampa Tharchin’s kitchen at Chandrakirti Meditation Centre, Upper Moutere, New Zealand, February 2019. Photo by Sarah Brooks, spiritual program assistant.

During dessert and socializing two of the members played ukulele and sang indigenous Māori songs, including a special song for Geshe Tharchin’s long and happy life.

The day before Losar we completed our ten-day retreat on emptiness, and also prepared for the big day.

Losar itself started auspiciously with an extensive Guru Puja with tsog. Geshe Tharchin brought special Tibetan substances, including tsampa (roasted, ground barley). These substances were passed around for everyone to offer and make special wishes for the New Year.

Then everyone enjoyed a bountiful community lunch cooked by very kind volunteers. To celebrate the life of our most precious Lama Thubten Yeshe, Paul Kelly, a student of Lama Yeshe’s who had met Lama, read Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s tribute to his guru Lama Yeshe aloud to us from the 1984 issue of Wisdom magazine.

Anton Weiersmuller, center translator, and Geshe Jampa Tharchin, resident teacher, hanging prayer flags, Chandrakirti Meditation Centre, Upper Moutere, New Zealand, February 2019. Photo by Sarah Brooks, spiritual program assistant.

In the afternoon, Chandrakirti Centre volunteers hung new prayer flags all around. This created an engineering challenge, resolved with creative solutions that allowed us to get high up in the trees. All the activities were joyous and harmonious, which created an excellent way to start the year.

Three days after Losar, everyone was invited to a picnic at the Wish Fulfilling Land, a joint project of FPMT and Chandrakirti Centre providing isolated long-term retreat cabins for meditators who want to realize the lamrim.

Geshe Jampa Tharchin, resident teacher, with a cell phone on his head, making everyone laugh, Wish Fulfilling Land, South Upper Moutere, New Zealand, February 2019. Photo by Sarah Brooks, spiritual program assistant.

Geshe Tharchin led the group in prayers on the site, and we shared a meal and laughter together. Geshe Tharchin said the best thing we can do is to make people’s minds happy, so relax and enjoy!

To make sure we made the most of each other’s company, everyone agreed to put their cell phones into the middle of the picnic blanket and not answer them—no matter what!

Phillipa Rutherford, Chandrakirti Meditation Centre director, Jislaine Santi, and Rafael Nami at Wish Fulfilling Land, South Upper Moutere, New Zealand, February 2019. Photo by Sarah Brooks, spiritual program assistant.

For more information about Chandrakirti Meditation Centre, visit their website:
http://www.chandrakirti.co.nz/

For more information about Wish Fulfilling Land, visit their website:
http://wishfulfillingland.nz/

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