Have you ever wondered what a Weekend Retreat at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra Monastery might be like?

Well, these days, a retreat at KTD might include meditation, chanting – and Himalayan yoga, a walk in the woods, and even coloring sacred forms!

Below, we write about KTD retreats through a description of the recent “Chenrezik, the Buddha of Love and Compassion” weekend. Take a look, and better yet – share this article with your friends, so they can see the bright and wonderful work being done to benefit beings on His Holiness Karmapa’s mountain!

On May 6 -10 at KTD, His Holiness the 17th Karmapa’s Seat in North America, there was a one-week teaching and retreat on Chenrezik, the Buddha of Love and Compassion.

It was the sacred beginning of Holy Saka Dawa Duchen, the month-long observance of Lord Buddha’s birth, enlightenment, and parinirvana (death).

And, on top of all else, it was Mother’s Day in the United States.

Visiting KTD for a weekend retreat includes special elements of life at a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery; the schedule is very important, and certain practices are done every day for the benefit and auspiciousness of all beings.

You can see on the Retreat Schedule (below) that the practice of Green Tara takes place every morning, and you can observe the protector practice of Mahakala before dinner each evening and then participate in the Chenrezik chant after dinner.

The chance to observe and in some cases practice Vajrayana rituals with qualified lamas in the atmosphere of a sacred place by itself a precious component of any retreat.

These weekend retreats are quite varied – Himalayan Yoga often is featured, as is walking meditation in the woods, visits to the Woodstock Animal Sanctuary, cooking classes and demonstrations, and much more. The environment around KTD is very beautiful and peaceful, with ponds and lakes, mountains, paths through woods. A short slideshow about KTD can be found here.

A very relaxing and creative part of this retreat, shown in the three photos below, harmonizes with the current trend of adult coloring books; here, working with sacred imagery in a directed way, coloring images of Chenrezik.

How do I find a Retreat to attend at KTD and how do I sign up?

The upcoming KTD Schedule can be found on our website, http://www.kagyu.org, and in our monthly e-mails devoted to our programs and people. Sign up for the monthly email here.

You can sign up to attend one of KTD’s weekend retreats online at http://www.kagyu.org, but if it is the first time you’ve ever come to KTD, we would suggest that you call the KTD Office at 845-679-5906 ext.3.

We hope you’ll visit the beautiful mountains sometime this summer or fall, learn the meditations and spiritual practices that bring mindfulness to life. May all beings benefit!

In many ways, I have become a chaplain as a result of the deaths of my first three teachers on the Dharma Path: Ani Zangmo (a Sikkimese nun who was my first teacher), Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche, and Kyabje Pathing Rinpoche. There is something very firmly rooted in the Buddhist tradition about how difficulties, even trauma, can be imbued with great wisdom. In fact it was through their deaths that I was afforded the possibility of understanding that while the teacher may die, the essence of mind, that which they help to guide us to experience, never dies. An energy of connection, and interpenetration remains. This has been an important part of my own spiritual formation that provides me with resilience in working with others.

Long before Ani Zangmo died, she told me that she wished that I would have the opportunity to experience a long and painful life. Somewhat surprised and shocked, I asked her why she would say such a thing, and she responded by reminding me that the only way to be able to walk in the footsteps of Bodhisattva is to be witness to suffering, to understand it as best one can, rest in it, feel how it arises and is experienced, and from that place, allow the deep wisdom that accompanies true compassion to unfold.

All too often our reactions to pain and suffering are accompanied by a desire to disengage, to hide, or to fail to acknowledge the truth that is arising in this very moment. We tend to fall out of relationship to the true essence of what we are experiencing when we react to the fear and sadness and the need to protect or defend ourselves from what might be going on around us. It is the practice of entering into the path of the bodhisattva when we learn to remain with these difficulties, experience them, and then look at their origin, consider their footprint and the effect that they engender, and simply witness them. To be gently with them; to just be ourselves within our experience, naturally, with no need to change things. In moments like this there is nothing to do other than be present and allow oneself the ability to develop a sense of focused curiosity, a watchful knowing mixed with relaxed honesty.

This has been the long lasting legacy of Ani Zangmo, and her wisdom allows me to understand how the nexus of Buddhist spiritual practice when blended with the experience of daily life can turn every moment, no matter how painful, into profound blessings. Undoubtedly this is a difficult path to tread, but it also happens to be the path that we are all walking together, sometimes we know this and at other times we feel as if this is just happening to us individually and that we are alone. In a way, this is a profound aspect of spiritual practice: falling down and getting back up, over and over again, in different ways, and hopefully, over time learning true soft patience with what it takes to remain present, in this very moment, no matter what arises.

The retreat that Lama Kathy and Jan and I have developed is very much rooted in learning how to develop the skills needed to be able to expand one’s own sense of what impermanence, illness, and death are and how we might prepare either ourselves or others so that the richness of our own paths can be included into the experience of illness and death. We have also tried to create the causes and conditions to allow room so that a sense of great possibility might be woven into the experience of illness and death- moments that typically our culture teaches us to disengage from or even fight. It is a comprehensive retreat that has been a joy to teach and that has been very meaningful for its participants over the past two years. For me, on a very personal level this retreat is about maintaining a living samaya with Ani Zangmo, Kyabje Bokar Rinpoche, Kyabje Pathing Rinpoche, and especially with my living guru, His Eminence Goshir Gyaltsab Rinpoche. In this way, this retreat is about keeping the flame of authenticity and spiritual agency alive, both in myself and in others.

I encourage as many people as is possible to use this retreat to begin the journey of exploring what learning to cultivate compassion at the time of illness and death means for you as an individual dharma practitioner, and collectively as a member of whatever sangha you connect to. It is a wonderful way to come back to why we practice, to the fundamental preciousness of this life we have, as well as to refresh our intention to attain realization, and to realign ourselves to the power towards awakening that is present in every moment.

— Lama Repa Dorje, Justin von Bujdoss

Lama Tsultrim Yeshe is a Lama of many accomplishments; among these is building furniture, in this case puja tables for use in Tibetan Buddhist prayer and chant practice. He lives and has the Karma Thegsum Choling dharma center in Ridgeland, Wisconsin.

These photos show his process for building the sustainable puja tables that he donates to KTD during Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche’s yearly Ten-Day Teaching. (Usually they are auctioned.)

Lama Tsultrim Yeshe starts with the tree: sustainably harvested trees, his trees from his land – see photo of the neighboring farmer with a sawmill sawing up one of the logs. 

I just made 3 puja tables that will be donated to KTD for fundraising during the ten day teaching. The last few years they have auctioned the puja tables I donated. They are solid walnut. They are about 26″ wide, 12 1/2″ deep and 15″ high. I do not make them to sell, I let KTD handle that, so please don’t ask me. Also, they can be disassembled for shipping. I’m shipping all three out in one box.

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I use wood from trees on my land. There is a picture of a neighboring farmer with a sawmill sawing up one of my logs.

The other two pictures are of young walnut trees. The bare trees are about 35 years old and the smaller green walnuts with me in front are 15 years old. There are many more young walnut trees not pictured. All the trees in the last pic are older walnut. So it is sustainable.

August 6, 2016

In July, I had the great privilege of attending a week-long chöd retreat for Spanish speakers taught by Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche at Karma Triyana Dharmachakra. The retreat was a remarkably international gathering. The teachings were offered in three languages and attendees came from all over the world. Between Rinpoche, the retreatants, and the Karme Ling lamas who came to help teach the practice, attendees were from mainland USA, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Tibet, Canada, Taiwan, China, Nepal, India, Singapore, and I’m probably missing a few more. So even as a non-Spanish-speaking Canadian nun, I felt right at home as a member of the world community that had gathered to receive these rare and precious teachings.

The nuns of Comunidad Dharmadatta, led by Tsunma Lhündup Damchö, and some of their lay community members skillfully organized the retreat. This was the third year in a row that they have requested Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche to give teachings and empowerments for their Spanish-speaking dharma community. In 2014 Rinpoche gave the empowerment and teaching for Chenrezik practice, in 2015 for Green Tara practice, and this year for the Lüjin Chöd practice. Each year, the Comunidad Dharmadatta has asked the Gyalwang Karmapa to choose which practice they should request Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche to teach, so His Holiness has been directly involved in guiding the sequence of these teachings for his Spanish-speaking followers.

Each morning, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche taught the lüjin chöd practice using a commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye called The Garden of All Joy. In the evenings, before dinner, Rinpoche spent an hour answering questions. His teachings were profound, precise and at times humorous. I spent a good portion of the week marveling at our good fortune to receive these precious teachings that have come down to us through the enlightened masters of our lineage.

Chöd practice was propagated by Machig Labrön, who was a renowned meditation master and yogini, brilliant scholar, and mother who lived in the 11^th Century in Tibet. She was a contemporary of Milarepa, and there is evidence that they exchanged songs of realization. Today, chöd is widely practiced across all the schools of Buddhism, and is also a daily practice of those in three-year retreat at Karme Ling. There are many sadhanas, or forms, of chöd practice, of which lüjin is one.

Rinpoche spoke in Tibetan, which Lama Yeshe Gyamtso translated into English over FM radio. Wearing large earphones, Tsunma Damchö picked up the English and simultaneously translated into Spanish. So while only Tibetan and Spanish were heard through the loud speakers, a few of us who didn’t speak either of those languages fluently were able to tune into the English translation with radio devices. The audio set-up team did a remarkable job keeping all the wires and microphones straight (and working!).

We were incredibly fortunate to have eight lamas from Karme Ling come to KTD for the whole week to help us learn to the instruments and melodies that are a unique and essential feature of chöd practice. The instruments include a chöd drum, bell, and kangling horn—which at some moments in the lüjin practice are played all at once! There are also several different melodies to chant in the lüjin practice. Each of the 45 retreatants was assigned to a small group with one of the lamas, who helped us for two hours each day with our instruments and chanting. These small group sessions were indispensable for learning the practice. They were also a wonderful opportunity to spend time with our amazing Karme Ling lamas, many of whom have just come out of three-year retreat, and/or are about to go back in this fall.

Each morning and evening, we did the lüjin chöd practice together with the Karme Ling lamas. At the beginning of week we sounded a bit like a cacophony of drums, bells and voices. And our horns were either making yelling cattle sounds, strange high-pitched squeaks or whoopee cushion noises. So by the end of the week, as our voices, bells, drums and horns started to come into harmony and make beautiful sounds, I think we all felt a great sense of joy and accomplishment.

By far the most moving and tear-provoking moment of the week came right at the very end, during the body, speech, mind offering for Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. The story as I heard it is that when Rinpoche offered the first Spanish-language retreat three years ago, the Comunidad Dharmadatta asked him if there was anything he wanted. Rinpoche said there wasn’t anything in particular he wanted, except for a monk’s walking staff, called a kharsil. It is a staff with a special metal part on the top, with rings that hang off and make a jingling sound one walks with it. Along with an alm’s begging bowl, a kharsil was an essential part of a Buddhist monk’s possessions in ancient India. Rinpoche had received one as a gift from Thrangu Rinpoche once, but part of it had been lost. It took three years for the Comunidad Dharmadatta to have one made by a statue maker in Nepal. The statue maker had never made one, and he worked closely with the Comunidad to find images and designs from ancient times. Tsunma Tenzin Dapel told me that the statue maker agreed to make the staff and worked extremely hard on it because he had so much respect for the lineage and gratitude for being part of making this offering to Rinpoche.

When Rinpoche saw the kharsil and alm’s bowl approaching him during the body, speech and mind offering, tears started to stream down his face—and then everyone else’s in the room. Rinpoche was so happy. With tears still in his eyes after the offerings had been made, he said that he felt receiving these gifts guaranteed that he will have use of them in his future lives. In other words, Rinpoche felt that these gifts meant he will be a monk again in his next lives. Rinpoche added that it was incredibly auspicious to have been able to make these offerings to him. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the shrine room. Rinpoche was also offered a beautiful thangkha of Medicine Buddha by Gelongma Karma Yeshe from Argentina, which Rinpoche offered back to the center in Argentina.

While the retreatants have now returned to their different corners of the globe, through the power of the internet they will continue to practice together. Starting with the Chenrezik retreat three years ago, members of the Spanish-speaking community have set up a website for each retreat they have attended at KTD. So there is now an online website and group for those who attended the Chenrezik retreat, the Green Tara retreat, and now the chöd retreat. The chöd website will have transcripts and audio from the retreat, resources, links, chat room, and a way to practice together via group webcast (all in Spanish). Each online group has made a commitment to practice together on the third day of each Roman calendar month via webcast.

The first online group practice happened on August 3. Lama Lodro Lhamo led the practice at Karme Ling, as three members of the Comunidad Dharmadata had stayed an extra week there. Three of us from KTD drove out as well, and two other Karme Ling residents joined. In addition to the 9 of us practicing together at Karme Ling, I heard that 36 people tuned in online. Some were at home alone, and others had driven to their local center in Puerto Rico or Mexico to practice together. Given that there were only 45 people at the retreat, it was an astounding turn out. I’m inspired by the devotion and dedication of the Spanish-speaking students, and the way they are using the internet to connect with the dharma and with each other.

May the merit of this practice and retreat benefit all beings throughout space!

Written by Tsunma Karma Lodrö Gangtso

Photos by Lorena Orozco

August 13, 2016

New Release from KTD Publications:

ESTABLISHING VALIDITY

by the Seventh Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso, translated by David Karma Choephel

The book comprises the first chapter of Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso’s Ocean of the Literature on Logic, which is his commentary on the first chapter of Dharmakirti’s Compendium of Validity. That is in turn an extensive explanation of the verse of homage from Dignāga’s Compendium of Validity.

Includes forewords by the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa and Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche.

Within the Tibetan tradition, the most highly regarded proof of rebirth is Dharmakirti’s long treatment of it in the chapter “Establishing Validity” from his Commentary on Validity, which is presented in this book along with the Seventh Karmapa Chodrak Gyatso’s commentary on it from The Ocean of Literature on Logic.

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

“The great Indian paṇḍitas Dignāga and Dharmakīrti founded a system of logic and epistemology that revolutionized Indian thought by systematizing the Buddha’s teachings on the way mind sees its world. Their thought remains an indispensable pillar of Buddhist studies to this day. Through the centuries of Indian and Tibetan commentary upon the seminal works of these two masters, few texts, if any, can compare to the profundity and breadth of Ocean of Literature on Logic by the Seventh Karmapa, Chödrak Gyatso. By commenting on the line-by-line meaning of Dignāga and Dharmakīrti’s verses, as well as providing a wealth of in-depth analysis of their implied meaning, the Seventh Karmapa’s magnum opus stands as one of the finest accomplishments of Tibetan scholarship. I am therefore very happy that, under the sage guidance of the great Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, David Karma Choephel has made available to the public an English translation of the first chapter of the Ocean of Literature on Logic, the chapter that deals with establishing the Buddha as a source of authoritative knowledge. I rejoice in this wonderful contribution to the field of studies of valid cognition; I am confident that students of Buddhism, as well as other sciences of knowledge, will derive great benefit from this book.”

Publishing Details

Published by KTD Publications 2016

Hard cover

6 x 9, 400 pages

Designed and typeset by Gopa & Ted2, Inc.

Jacket design by Louise Light

Printed on acid free 100% PCR paper, FSC, GPI

The 10-Day Teaching has been part of KTD’s summer schedule since 1989. It is taught by Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche for a large group of happy and loyal students. Each year Khenpo Rinpoche teaches important texts and helps students connect to their practice – whether it’s Shamatha, Tonglen, Chenrezig or Ngondro. It’s also a time and place for students to renew friendships and build their dharma sangha community.

This year, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche taught the Inner Autobiography of Karma Chagme, sharing the dreams and visions of the great 16th Century master who lived at the time of the 10th Karmapa. Participants said they felt a powerful blessing from hearing these stories, and Rinpoche himself said he was sharing them to inspire students in their faith and confidence in dharma and the great masters.

During the program, several photographers were on hand taking pictures for us to share. Here are some links to our photo albums – we hope you enjoy our “KTD family reunion” as much as we did!

Stephanie Colvey’s photo collections, organized by day:

10-Day Teaching August 30

10-Day Teaching September 1

10-Day Teaching September 2

10-Day Teaching September 3

10-Day Teaching Birthday Party!

10-Day Teaching September 4

Amber Roniger’s Facebook photo album link:

Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche’s 93rd Birthday

Photos, Stephanie Colvey

Chamgon Tai Situpa’s first visit to KTD in 17 years began with his arrival September 30th, followed by his teaching on October 1, 2016.

Some of us could attend, and some could not.

However, we all can experience (or re-experience) the visit through the lenses of our photographers, who covered the event in stirring detail.

Many thanks to Amber Roniger, Stephanie Colvey, Robert Hansen-Sturm and Sarite Sanders.

Click on photos or links to view each slideshow below.

Amber Roniger

Greeting at the Airport 

Before Arrival at KTD; Getting Ready

Arrival!

Tea and Rice Ceremony

Arrival of Tulku Damcho Rinpoche

Mahamudra Teaching

Departure for KPL

Stephanie Colvey

Robert Hansen-Sturm

Sarite Sanders

— Michael Erlewine

Karma is the result of our previous intentions and actions that is ripening. And karma trumps genes, the accidental, and circumstantial. To use an analogy, karma is like rolling a pair of loaded dice, where karma is the “load.” When the dice are rolled, the tendency will be determined by the load.

If we continuously dig a groove by underscoring over and over again through repeating the same action, our tendency to fall into that inscribed groove is more probable. The deeper the groove, the more pervasive and long-lasting the karma. And what most folks don’t seem to understand is that micro-karma, the tiny actions (cringes, shocks, reactions, prejudice, etc.) we perform hundreds of times a day, accumulate beyond our imagination. And this accumulated karma, just like the more major actions (kill, steal, etc.), is also exactly recorded, ripens without fail, and inevitably arises to further obscure our awareness. 

— Michael Erlewine

The “Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind” made an indelible impression on me on contact, but they were really driven home to me by the time I spent as chauffeur for the Ven. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. What can I say; meeting Trungpa Rinpoche was a profound experience, an island of sanity in the crazy sea of my life. I believe that Trungpa was a siddha, a very highly realized being. At least he had me rapt, coming and going, from first to last contact.

We wanted to share some news about His Holiness’s next book, called Interconnected: Embracing Life in our Global Society.

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Interconnected: Embracing Life in our Global Society is based on a second series of interactions with American university students, and the book is now available for pre-order from Wisdom Publications.

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The book will be published on February 28, 2017 and Wisdom Publications is kindly offering a special discount of 20% for students of HHK. When you order the book, enter the code INTER20 and then click “recalc.” This offer is valid only until December 31, 2016. 

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Here is the link to the Wisdom webpage of the bookc

As it explains, in this book, His Holiness “teaches how we can move from a merely intellectual understanding of interdependence to a fully lived experience of connection. By first seeing, then feeling, and finally living these connections, we can become more effective agents of social and ethical change.

The Karmapa shows us how gaining emotional awareness of our connectedness can fundamentally reshape the human race. He then guides us to action, showing step by step how we can change the way we use the earth’s resources and can continue to better our society. In clear language, the Karmapa draws connections between such seemingly far-flung issues as consumer culture, loneliness, animal protection, and self-reliance.”

The book was endorsed with wonderful praise from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Chede-Meng Tan, Richard Davidson, Jonathan Rose (author of Well-Tempered City), Chief Arvol Looking Horse (head of the Sioux Nations and leading figure in Standing Rock), Professor Janet Gyatso from Harvard, John Stanley, Pema Chodron, Sharon Salzberg and Kichin Paley Ellison (Zen teacher and social activist).

Here is the link for the praise for the book

Karmapa Khyenno!

10 December 2016

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Dear dharma friends:

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KTD Spring 2017 Program Schedule here

KTD Spring 2017 Program Schedule Biographies here

Transcript of Khenpo Rinpoche’s remarks at the conclusion of the Mikyo Dorje Retreat at KTD in March, 2017

Translated by Lama Karma Drodhul; edited by Lama Kathy Wesley

As you may know the Columbus KTC in the last year was burned by fire; it was completely destroyed by fire. The Columbus KTC means a lot to Khenpo Rinpoche; it was founded during the time of the 16th Karmapa, and you could say it was the first KTC ever started (in the United States).

Now the center has started the process of rebuilding. This (work) is mainly the responsibility of Khenpo Rinpoche and Lama Kathy, but Khenpo Rinpoche says that he himself is not able to put forth a large amount of effort (toward the rebuilding project0. However, he wants everyone to know that the rebuilding of the Columbus KTC is very, very important, and he would like to see it rebuilt.

Khenpo Rinpoche says he is not worried about KTD Monastery, because Tenzin Chonyi is here and Khenpo Karma Tenkyong is here and many lamas and sangha members are supporting it. Khenpo Rinpoche says he is also not worried about the Karme Ling Retreat Center, because there are four retreat masters there taking care of the center and its students.

However, Rinpoche says his biggest worry is about the Columbus KTC. If it is not rebuilt before he dies, he will not be happy; he wants to see it rebuilt soon.

As Lama Kathy is putting all her effort toward this cause, Khenpo Rinpoche is encouraging her to please continue to take this effort and responsibility; and (he encourages her) that instead of just asking individuals for donations, that she ask friends who might have money, or who might own a business, to give to the cause. Never get discouraged.

Even if you don’t know such people personally, you can ask your KTC members to help you find business people and those with wealth who you can approach to ask for donations.

You (have an advantage in that you) speak the language and know how to talk to people. Sometimes Americans hesitate to ask other people for money (for projects such as these); it is something they are not used to.

But Khenpo Rinpoche would like to remind you that this (rebuilding project) is something that will serve the Buddha’s teachings and something special that will be of benefit to all beings. Raising money for the dharma is not something new; this is something foundational. People making offerings (to benefit the dharma) has been happening since the time of the Buddha. This is something that is essentially connected to the dharma and to the benefit of beings. There is no reason for us to hesitate to ask for donations for such a cause as this.

Emily McNutt very kindly documented the stages of making Tsa Tsas for us.

KTD Protector Lama Thendup demonstrates the process while making tsa tsas to be placed in the eight small KTD small stupas.

Karmapa Khyenno!

The Process of Making Tsa Tsas for the Stupas

Tsa tsa assembly line in full swing!

The first step: make the mix

Next: pour the mix into molds

Then carefully place rolled texts inside each mold

The tea tsas are ready to take out

Once removed from the mold, smooth out the rough edges on each tsa tsa

Our fresh new tsa tsas  are ready to paint!

Tsa tsas of different sizes are being prepared

Healing Emotional Trauma has been a heartfelt exploration of how we can benefit from Buddhist wisdom, no matter how dark and difficult our history.

Retreatants have shared their stories of both pain and peace, challenge and courage. Lama Yeshe has brought his usual mix of wise methods to heal and lots of humor.

Trish Malone shared how western Psychology and science are validating this 2,500 year old body of precious knowledge.

“The pain and suffering of trauma is a sign that we need to go in a new direction. By looking inward we begin to see and then make friends with how we magnify and hold o to the pain. We then purge the suffering with wisdom and apply loving kindness to the wound. — Lama Tsultrim Yeshe

It was a terrific weekend.

“Karmapa: 900 Years” has been updated and produced as a new e-book under the Guidance of His Holiness the 17th Gyalwang Karmapa.

This beautifully illustrated authoritative guide to the Karma Kagyu lineage (and Tibetan Buddhism in general) was first published by KTD Publications on the 900th anniversary of the birth of the first Karmapa Dusum Khyenpa (1110 – 1193) and has since been translated into over a dozen languages.

The Gyalwang Karmapa has instructed that the revised 3rd edition now be made freely available on the KTD Publications website for the benefit of all.

Click on the link below to download the e-book and please use the links on the e-book page to share this classic volume with others.

Download or view the “Karmapa: 900 Years” e-book here

“… May this 900th anniversary likewise bring people together, no matter where they live in the world, on a shared spiritual journey. I aspire that you Dharma brothers and sisters, and friends living all over the world, may view from afar the land of our ancestors and the beauty of nature, as our hearts and minds soar freely in flight through the unchanging and unending sky, bringing along our hopes and melodious songs of praise as we call out together in pure and perfect song.”

– From “Introduction to Karmapa 900” by His Holiness the Seventeenth Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje

Emily McNutt very kindly documented the stages of making Tsa Tsas for us.

KTD Protector Lama Thendup demonstrates the process while making tsa tsas to be placed in the eight small KTD small stupas.

Karmapa Khyenno!

The Process of Making Tsa Tsas for the Stupas

Tsa tsa assembly line in full swing!

The first step: make the mix

Next: pour the mix into molds

Then carefully place rolled texts inside each mold

The tea tsas are ready to take out

Once removed from the mold, smooth out the rough edges on each tsa tsa

Our fresh new tsa tsas  are ready to paint!

Tsa tsas of different sizes are being prepared