The Gift of Impermanence
As many of you know, we underwent a huge change in 2022 when we closed our physical centre and restructured into a society with two primary focuses: caring for the Stupa at Spokin Lake and establishing a hybrid learning environment for students to access the dharma. We are embracing the opportunity offered by technology to reach students in their homes through Zoom or alternatively in person in a dharma host’s home.
Our team is excited to venture into this new existence!
Our 2022 fundraising campaign is focused on raising funds to re-establish our depleted Visiting Teacher Fund.
Why have a Visiting Teacher Fund?
We have been functioning rather well in this new hybrid reality of Zoom/Home Host but, as many of you know, there is no real replacement for actual in person teachings. Hosting a visiting teacher gives us the opportunity to gather together as a community, to strengthen our dharma family and to support one another in the dharma.
Bringing our teachers here also provides the opportunity for us to personally show respect to our teachers, and it strengthens the student/teacher relationship.
The actual physical presence of our visiting teachers is important in another critical way. Our teachers exist to help us understand the Buddha’s teachings, guiding us to make the behavioural changes that will improve our lives and the lives of those around us. Through this personal connection, they motivate us to pay closer attention to our thoughts and actions, leading to our becoming better people, of greater and greater benefit to others.
When they are here with us, our teachers have more opportunity to challenge our thinking, and help us to understand more complex topics.
Simply being in their presence, observing how they behave and how they interact with others, is humbling and inspiring. One cannot help but aspire to be more like them.
Many teachers do not offer vows or renewal of vows online and having them visit in person is a very special way to have them share this important moment right there with us as we embrace these commitments.
Therefore our fundraising campaign 2022 is focused on rebuilding this important fund. Costs for hosting a teacher can be approximately $2,000 with flight costs and accommodation, etc.
We hope to raise $3,000 to cover the costs of hosting our next visiting teacher as well as establishing a
foundation for ongoing opportunities in the future.
We have a rich history of hosting visiting teachers at Gendun Drubpa over the years and would very much like to continue to share these precious opportunities with you.
If you are able, please help us to make this a reality by offering what you can. No amount is too small and we treasure each gift entrusted to us.
There are several ways that YOU can help us to to bring teachers to Gendun Drubpa!