<![CDATA[Palmo Center For Peace & Education

<![CDATA[Palmo Center For Peace & Education - News]]>Thu, 09 Jul 2026 17:23:03 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[A Palmo Center Community Update]]>Mon, 06 Jul 2026 22:51:53 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/palmocentersummerupdate2026

Dear Friends,

Over the past eighteen months, the Palmo Center has experienced a period of remarkable growth, activity, and blessing. So much has unfolded so quickly that the close of 2025 passed without our usual year-end reflection. Now, in the midst of continuing expansion and Dharma activity, we pause with gratitude to share some of what has been taking shape within our community.

The Kangyur Transmission
In 2025, Rinpoche spent more than three months at Benchen Monastery in Kathmandu receiving the rare and precious transmission of the Kangyur—the complete teachings of the Buddha—from HE Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche. During this time, Rinpoche also hosted a gratitude luncheon for Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche and over 200 monks.

This transmission further inspired Rinpoche to acquire a set of these precious teachings which had to be ordered from Tibet. These will be housed in the temple in Cottage Grove.

That same year also marked the completion of the purchase of retreat land in Namo Buddha, Nepal, future home of the Sukhavati Retreat and Wellness Center. Initial work began with roads and retaining walls, while Rinpoche continued offering practical, emotional, and spiritual support to local Nepali families and villagers.

Sukhavati Retreat and Wellness Center
In March 2026, the project reached a joyful milestone with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by more than 600 people. Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche presided over the blessing ceremony on a beautifully decorated hilltop adorned with marigold garlands and prayer offerings. Monks, local villagers, schoolchildren, dignitaries, and students from around the world gathered together in celebration and prayer.

Construction is now underway to complete additional retaining walls and roads, and eventually to build a temple, retreat residences, and guest accommodations. Situated in the sacred region where the Buddha, in a previous life, offered himself to a starving tigress to save her cubs, this retreat center is envisioned as a place for deep practice, healing, and renewal in a landscape with a panoramic view of the Himalayas.

Temple and Sacred Art
Rinpoche has continued supporting Nepali artisans through the commissioning of sacred statues, thangkas, and temple artwork for the Cottage Grove temple and gallery spaces. A five-foot Buddha statue is expected to arrive later this summer and preparations for its shrine are already underway.
The temple continues to evolve as both a place of practice and a living expression of the Dharma, and it will feature sacred representations of the Buddha, Guru Rinpoche, White Tara, Maitreya, and many others. The intention is to create a space that inspires all who enter, whether longtime practitioners or those encountering Buddhism for the first time.

Holidays in 2025
The Sangha once again joined together to celebrate Tibetan New Year at the temple — making traditional nine ingredient Guthok soup complete with dumplings that contained one’s fortunes for the new year. Each year we look forward to seeing who is labeled as “black hearted” or “two faced” or “gentle”. Each year we improve a bit with the quality of our khapse and donkey’s ears (a kind of fried dough) and everyone joins together to decorate the altar with countless vases of flowers and towers of offerings. It is truly a joyous time for all. In 2026 we were on the Sacred Journey but we were able to enjoy the Losar altars and offerings in many monasteries that we visited.

On December 14, 2025, we celebrated Ganden Ngamchoe or Butter Lamp Festival also known as Lama Tsongkapa Day at the temple. And December On Decmenber 25 we had a Christmas Celebration.

Karuna House, Metta Houses, and Upeka House
Spring 2025 marked the completion of Karuna House across from the temple. Its spacious gathering room has already become home to community meals, movie nights, retreat discussions, and sangha gatherings. Three residents now live there in a shared environment grounded in practice and community. Two more residents will come within the year.

The Palmo Center has also acquired adjoining land on Mount David, where plans include three retreat cabins for individual retreats, a carport, and an observation deck overlooking Cottage Grove.
Meanwhile, architectural plans for the nearby Metta Houses project—a small complex of four homes—have completed the city review process and are moving toward permitting and construction.

Upeka House, a historic Cottage Grove home, is being transformed into a dedicated retreat and study space. Its renovated gallery space will soon display sacred art and statues arriving from Nepal, allowing for more practice space within the temple itself.

Chöd Healing Ceremony
The “mandala” room, formerly the home of the Dharma store, will become a sacred space with a 4 foot statue of Madjik Labdron. This is particularly significant because Rinpoche has been told he was one of her sons in one of his former lives. Madjik is the founder of the Chöd practice. Those who attended the 2024 Sacred Journey received a Chöd empowerment from Rinpoche’s teacher, HE Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche in Kathmandu. Rinpoche plans to teach more on this practice in future months.

Recently he presided over a Chöd Healing Ceremony where the temple was filled with students, lying peacefully on the floor as Rinpoche recited a blessing and performed a ritual over each one individually. This Healing is said to release negative karma. Everyone left feeling that the transformation of the healing had only just begun to penetrate.

Peace Activities and Community Engagement — Boomtsok, Peace Run, International Peace Day
The Palmo Center continues to deepen its connection with the broader community through peace-centered events and outreach. In June 2025, the Center hosted the annual Peace Run, welcoming runners and walkers of all ages. Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson joined the event and spoke movingly about the enduring inspiration of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 2013 visit to Eugene.

At the 2026 Peace Run, the mayor spoke of her journey to visit His Holiness the Dalai Lama and her subsequent visit to Kathmandu, Eugene’s sister city. The Mayor spoke of how this journey changed her life and opened her eyes to a completely different way of seeing the world.

The mayor was able to join part of the annual 2026 Sacred Journey to India and Nepal, where she met His Holiness the Dalai Lama and presented him with a certificate from the City of Eugene honoring his humanitarian work. Participants were deeply touched by her sincerity, openness, and engagement throughout the pilgrimage. Rinpoche also accompanied her to Kathmandu, Nepal, Eugene’s sister city where she was welcomed with garlands and was able to visit NamoBuddha, the site of the Sukhavati Retreat and Wellness Center that Rinpoche is establishing.

Rinpoche was a guest speaker at the commemoration of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings August 6, 2025 . Along with former mayor Kitty Piercy and Professor Mark Unno, Rinpoche delivered words on how peace begins with us.

Later that summer, the Palmo Center partnered with the Nobel Laureate Peace Park and the NAACP for a family event honoring International Peace Day and honoring His Holiness during his 90th birthday year. Community members gathered to celebrate compassion, peace, and service through art, dialogue, and shared activities. The Palmo Center hosted children’s activities and brought many smiles to the little ones faces as they printed prayer flags and folded origami cranes.

The ultimate Peace activity was Boomtsok, the 3 days of prayer for world peace, the long life of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and for the Tibetans still living in Tibet. This was a special opportunity for many of the Sangha to be immersed in Tibetan prayers at the NW cultural Center in Portland. In 2026, this annual event will take place on September 4,5 and 6 with the Venerable Jigme Rinpoche again presiding. We strongly suggest all students of the Dharma consider attending.

The Sacred Journey 2026:
India/Nepal
The Sacred Journey included Dehra Dun with a visit to Her Eminence Khandro Rinpoche who spoke on karma as the base of samsara. “karma can be changed and connected to nirvana”. Chewang Tulku Rinpoche also gave words on karma by saying our intention and aspiration are the result of past karma. Rinpoche requested an empowerment for the group but Tulku Chewang Rinpoche said that Jigme Rinpoche could give the empowerment himself. The pilgrims took a side trip to Mussoorie where the 14th Dalai Lama, at the age of 24,  first settled  when arriving in India.

In Dharmshala, the Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson, joined the pilgrimage. We were able to meet the president of the Tibetan government in exile, the head of the security council, a Tibetan doctor, Tibetan astrologer, and the head of the Tibetan archives. It seemed impossible that such  prominent figures would take time out of their busy schedules to share their experiences and shed light on  the history of Tibet  and the Tibetans in exile. The highlight was, of course, when the pilgrims were graced by being in  the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Receiving his blessing is a gift greater than any other. We were told that he met with  over 1000 people that day. Yet his composure never wavered. One could only wonder what karma we all had to be given so many teachings, insights  and experiences in such a short time.

Our travels then took us to Bodhgaya with its world heritage site Stupa and nearby Rajgir where the Heart Sutra was first taught. We sat with Rinpoche feeling  the presence of all those Buddhas and Bodhisattvas  who attended that first teaching, filling the sky. Rinpoche said that the the Heart Sutra has “most profound mantra that severs grasping ambition, aggression, and ignorance…and takes one directly into resting in reality as it is without any agenda.”

The following dthe  Ganges at dawn with the funeral pyres burning on its shores. The offering lamps set to sail on its waters. The walk through the narrow ancient streets city which has been continuously occupied for centuries. The devotion of the people and of the land itself was palpable. Offering a saffron shroud at Kushinagar to the giant statue of the reclining Buddha. Rinpoche said, “Buddha was an ordinary person who came and questioned–why birth, why  suffering, why death? We are after freedom and it starts with questioning. Examine the mind and its attachments. You must study suffering. Taste the flavor of suffering. Give rise to that questioning mind. Renunciation mind means renouncing the cause of suffering, stepping back and getting a perspective on how things are. Ask what can I do to distance this  mind?”

In Lumbini we passed through the gardens to arrive at the place where Buddha was born. Chanting in the rain, the group did kora before entering the sacred space. From here we moved on to Kathmandu. Kora around the Boudha Stupa grounded everyone even more deeply in the Dharma. A side trip to Pharping  brought the group to Guru Rinpoche’s cave where one could place one’s hand in his hand print in the stone. There was also a visit to Swayambu, the monkey temple where each monkey is said to be a reincarnation of lice on Manjushri.

These are but snapshots of the profound and moving experience, which led the group to the groundbreaking ceremony at Namo Buddha which was blessed by Sangye Nyenpa Rinpoche.

Bhutan
Despite travel challenges caused by flight disruptions in the Middle East, the first group of pilgrims was able to return home safely, while others were inspired to stay and participate in the Bhutan pilgrimage. The journey began with breathtaking views of the Himalayas from the plane.

Bhutan is truly a culture that embodies Buddhism. Circumambulating stupas (kora) is woven into daily life. We had the good fortune to visit two family homesteads, one for lunch and another for an overnight stay. The aesthetic beauty of the country permeates everything,  just as deeply as Buddhism itself. The pristine air, organic  food, ancient fortresses, and monasteries all paint a picture of a way of life that holds fast to  what matters most: wisdom and compassion.

To witness a people for whom prostration is a natural expression of devotion is deeply inspiring. There is a purity in both the air and the spirit of the people. Everywhere, one encounters a quiet sincerity and reverence that seem woven into the fabric of daily life.

And, of course, the famed Tiger’s Nest Monastery, perched impossibly on the face of a cliff, is itself an expression of devotion. Its very existence speaks to the faith, determination, and aspiration of those who built it and those who continue to make the pilgrimage  there. Standing before it, one cannot help but feel humbled by the depth of commitment and devotion that it represents.

The 2026 Sacred Journey brought not only the extraordinary blessing of an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, blessings from many lineage master, an immersion in the Buddhist culture of Bhutan, but a change to be more closely in Rinpoche’s orbit and experience the teachings through Rinpoche’s actions of wisdom and compassion as much as through his words. Even while traveling, he remained closely connected with the sangha in the US through regular online teachings and observance of important holy days.

Dharma Activities and Teachings
Throughout 2025 and into 2026, the sangha continued to gather regularly in person and online for Dharma teachings and practice, including Sunday teachings, Shamatha meditation, Soor practice, Medicine Buddha practice, Ngondro gatherings, and discussion groups. Rinpoche would often come to offer precious teachings but even when he wasn’t able to come, we were blessed with teachings from the recorded archives. Yet there was always time for movies at Karuna House, discussions, a picnic (complete with badminton and corn hole!), visits to Hendrick’s Park and other social activities. The Sangha met to see the exhibit of Himalayan art at the Schnitzer Museum of Art on the University campus with a lively discussion afterwards.

Rinpoche offered numerous retreats and teachings in Cottage Grove, including teachings on Tsongkhapa’s Three Principal Aspects of the Path, Chenrezig practice, Mahamudra, Vajrasattva, and many other profound topics. His teachings consistently emphasized the union of wisdom and compassion in daily life.

At the close of 2025, Rinpoche gave a public talk at Tsunami Books in Eugene titled The Gift of Forgiveness. The event drew longtime students, newcomers, and members of the wider community. Many expressed deep gratitude for the practicality, warmth, and clarity of the teachings.

European Tour 2025 and 2026
Rinpoche also continued his annual European teaching tours, returning to Switzerland and visiting Portugal for the first time, where he taught to an international group of students who  warmly welcomed him. The geodesic dome tents nestled in the Portuguese hills provided an isolated environment for the participants to sit and hear guidance to mediation that Rinpoche offered. Afterwards almost all of them committed to beginning a Ngöndro practice in order to go more deeply into the teachings.

Each teaching gave pearls of insight and wisdom that will grow and grow. But the essence of all the teachings was Rinpoche’s infinite patience, wisdom and compassion. Whether he was experiencing jet lag but still adding an extra  hour to his talk or speaking with a person new to meditation until late at night, Rinpoche’s compassion was limitless.

Rinpoche has done such a tour for some years but this year it seemed as if he  had more seeds take birth in hearts where it had not been before. There were many people who came who were completely  new to meditation. But even those who had some experience were touched in places where they had never been touched. Indeed the excellent Boddhicitta took birth where it had not done so!

Rinpoche  is preparing  to embark on yet another European Tour in  the fall of 2026 which will again include Portugal where he will teach on Lorig (Understanding the Mind). The Portuguese center (Quinta da Libelula) will have its temple constructed for the teachings this year. Rinpoche is assisting them with acquiring statues and thangkas from Nepal to enhance their space.

Rinpoche will return also to Karuna Haus in Unterwasser, Switzerland which is in the shadow of Mt Säntis, the location of a Stupa erected as a heartfelt tribute to the Swiss people, honoring their humanitarian support and asylum to Tibetan refugees  over the decades. Here he will teach on the Ngöndro.  Rinpoche’s last retreat will be on Mahamudra and Chenrezig in Churwalden. In addition to the retreats, there will be public talks in Zurich, St Gallen and Bern on the Three Higher trainings, an introduction to Vajrayana and Finding Our True Identity Beyond Work and Recognition.

The Sangha Expands to Include Nepal
In June, a dedicated group of Nepalis, requested Rinpoche to offer a formal teaching. For the first time Rinpoche transmitted the Dharma in the Nepali language and offered a refuge ceremony. It was said that no other teacher had ever taught in such a way that was as inspiring or as applicable to daily life the Nepali language. We can include these Nepalis as part of the Sangha devoted to Rinpoche and his vision.

2026 Forecasting
While the new year is already half over, Rinpoche set the stage with Riwo Sangchöd practice at the temple, both in person and online, followed by extensive teachings on purification, karma, and Vajrasattva practice. Rinpoche reminded us that while “new year” exists only on the relative level, it still offers an opportunity to begin again with Dharma as our guide. Even now we can begin again — and again, and again.

The New Downtown Cottage Grove Branch of the Palmo Center
Most recently, the Palmo Center purchased the former Bank of America building on Main Street in downtown Cottage Grove. This space is envisioned as a welcoming secular and cultural presence within the broader community, supporting future programs, outreach, and service activities. Fundraising efforts for this project will begin in earnest this summer.

With deep gratitude to all who have offered support, practice, encouragement, and generosity, we rejoice in all that has unfolded and dedicate whatever merit has arisen to the benefit of all beings.

And while not significant, the Palmo Center now has a new PO Box. This is perhaps a small sign that we are establishing a visible presence in Cottage Grove.

Palmo Center for Peace and Education
Box 340
Cottage Grove OR 97424

May you be happy. May you be peaceful. May you be free from suffering.

With prayers and appreciation,
The Palmo Center Community

]]><![CDATA[Day 6 — February 12 and February 13 — Arrival in Dharmashala and a blessing from His Holiness Dalai Lama]]>Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:00:27 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/day-6-february-12-and-february-13-arrival-in-dharmashala-and-a-blessing-from-his-holiness-dalai-lamaArriving in Dharamsala was literally a breath of fresh air. We anticipated our audience with His Holiness Dalai Lama the next day. From our hotel we could see his residence and employees of the hotel said that they could sometimes see him walking outside from the back of the hotel. Just looking out over the foothills thinking HH Dalai Lama was so nearby was awe inspiring. We couldn't imagine what the next day would bring.

Our first glimpse of His Holiness Dalai Lama's residence

His Holiness residence at night

The next morning we dressed in our best and walked to the complex where His Holiness greets visitors. We passed through security and surrendered out phones and cameras so the impressions had to be in our hearts rather than in our files. Because we were with Jigme Rinpoche we were brought close to the front of the line. This was the 10 year anniversary of His Holiness Dalai Lama's visit to Eugene so it was particularly special that we were now able to come to visit him in Dharmasala.
After waiting, we saw His Holiness enter. At first it seemed surreal that this was really the incarnation of the Boddhisattva of compassion. One by one we were led in front of His Holiness to pay our respect and to receive his blessing. His Holiness sat on a throne in the Tibetan style. We were told by attendants how to place our hands and even if we were bowing, we were told to look up. In front of His Holiness some asked a question, others a blessing. For that brief moment we were each transported into his presence. It was like an eternity and a nano second all at once. Perhaps we had a brief moment of feeling what emptiness truly feels like. We were back in our reality in no time but something was different. Something had changed, even if we didn't feel it or know it.

Some of the pilgrims and Jigme Rinpoche meeting His Holiness

The pilgrims after meeting His Holiness

The Swiss Pilgrims with Jigme Thrinley Rinpoche

Buddha in one of the shrine rooms at His Holiness" complex

The throne of His Holiness

In one of His Holiness's shrine rooms, adjacent to his throne, Rinpoche gave an impromptu teaching, reminding us of His Holiness' main commitments: Promotion of human values. Preservation of endangered Tibetan culture. Promotion of inter-religious harmony. Revival of the ancient Buddhist culture and wisdom in India. Rinpoche also referred to His Holiness' resonance of innocence—we need to nurture that innocence. "We have to share that with others. This is our responsibility, to share this message of non-violence, goodness, kindness, joy. Prayer alone is not enough to affect change. We have to act.” Rinpoche reaffirmed his aspiration to fulfill His Holiness’s vision, in gratitude to what His Holiness has given the world.

Pilgrims pose with Jigme Thrinley Rinpoche in the shrine room.

Afterwards there was time to shop or rest and some pilgrims did kora around His Holiness' residence.

A Mani Prayer Wheel in Dharmasala

Dharamshala

]]><![CDATA[Day 5 — February 10 2024 — Dehra Dun to Dharamsala]]>Mon, 12 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/day-5-february-10-2024-dehra-dun-to-dharamsalaThe pilgrims boarded our luxury bus in Dehra Dun to begin the 9 hour ride to Dharamsala. The ride was so filled with so many new sites and sounds that it seemed as it we arrived in Dharamsala in no time.

Getting ready to board the bus in Dehra Dun

Street scenes along our journey

]]><![CDATA[Day 4 continued — February 11 2024 — Visit to the Sakya Monastery and Chewang Tulku Rinpoche]]>Sun, 11 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/day-4-continued-february-11-2024-visit-to-the-sakya-monastery-and-chewang-tulku-rinpocheWe walked from our hotel to the Sakya Monastery. His Holiness Sakya Trichin resides in Dehra Dun but we would not see him until Bodhgaya where he was visiting with his family. Instead, at the request of Jigme Rinpoche, we were gifted with an empowerment from Chewang Tulku Rinpoche. The precious ritual of the long life empowerment left a lasting impression on all the pilgrims. Just to be in the presence of a master who spent 27 years in retreat studying Vajrayonini takes the expression "beyond words" to yet another level. He left retreat only at the request of his teacher, His Holiness Sakya Trichin, and he now rarely leaves his quarters at the monastery. To have him come into the shrine room for us was an extraordinary blessing. It is a testament to his kindness and generosity and to the respect that he paid to Jigme Rinpoche. Even as he walked into the shrine room, we could feel the radiance of his being. Most people said they had never been in such a joyous presence.
Jigme Rinpoche reminded us that in seeing and hearing such a being, a seed was planted in us so that we could be inspired to emulate his life of practice.

Sakya Center — Dehra Dun

Chewang Tulku Rinpoche

On an upper level of the temple, in a room with masks and painted images of wrathful protective deities Rinpoche spoke of their role and symbolic meaning in the context of Vajrayana.

]]><![CDATA[Day 4 — February 10 2024 — Dehra Dun — visit to Her Eminence Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche]]>Sat, 10 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/day-4-february-10-2024-dehra-dun-visit-to-her-eminence-jetsun-khandro-rinpoche

The pilgrims were granted a meeting with Her Eminence Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche. This was on the date of the Tibetan New Year called Lama Losar, when students traditionally go to pay respects to their teachers. She was very kind and generous to delay a scheduled puja in order that we might hear her words of wisdom. Jigme Rinpoche and Her Eminence exchanged khatas.

She contrasted the Dharma in the East and the West and spoke of how learning is important but it requires practice and heart. Empathy is not compassion. Devotion is hard to explain as one needs to come from something that can’t be put into words. Her Eminence also drew a distinction between kindness, which is very easy to connect to, and bodhicitta which is “an entirely different stratum.”
On Jigme Rinpoche’s request, Her Eminence spoke on pilgrimage. She said it was “one skillful method which leads you to meeting those challenges of a rather linear perspective and brings you to embrace something that is much more profound, subtle, and can’t be put into words”. She spoke about how it could come in the form of a stomach ache or in meeting all the challenges of travel or to "really feeling a depth and profundity of just connecting to what buddhadharma is in a very subtle inexpressible level" such as when one sits under the very Bodhi tree where the Buddha actually sat or one circumambulates a stupa or when one sees a monk or nun meditating, these produce experiences that books and lectures cannot provide. When you are brought to tears, you feel that you open a very important gate to really understanding what it means to be a practitioner. Until then we are merely students

Jigme Thrinley Rinpoche and Her Eminence Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche

Happy pilgrims pose with Her Eminence Khandro Rinpoche and Jigme Thrinley Rinpoche

We walked the grounds of the monastery complex with 300 resident monks. They included a World Peace Stupa and an inspiring statue of Guru Rinpoche. We went inside the stupa and heard teachings from Jigme Rinpoche. Each teaching immersed us yet more fully into the Sacred Journey.

The World Peace Stupa

Inside the World Peace Stupa at Mindrolling Monastery

Guru Rinpoche on the grounds of MIndrolling Monastery

]]><![CDATA[Day 3 -Transit from Delhi to Dehradun]]>Fri, 09 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/day-3-transit-from-delhi-to-dehradunThe pilgrims boarded an early morning first class train for just over 5 hour ride to Dehradun near Himalayan foothills.

]]><![CDATA[Day 2 continued - The Stepwell- Agrasen ki Baoli]]>Fri, 09 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/day-2-continued-the-stepwell-agrasen-ki-baoliTo end the day the pilgrims made a stop at Delhi’s famous stepwell. This ancient structure from the 14th century was used, not only to store water, but as a community gathering place. Now, hundreds of years later it still serves as a cool quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of the streets of Delhi.

]]><![CDATA[Day 1 continued -the Ghandi Memorial]]>Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/day-1-continued-the-ghandi-memorialRinpoche took some time to elaborate on the meaning of Ghandi in relation to the Sacred Journey. Even though Ghandi was secular, his moral code was a model for anyone on the path to enlightenment.
"What we can take from Ghandi is his sheer dedication and commitment to doing something...not giving up...that's what being on the path means. Mahatma Ghandi knew where his destination was—peace and not violence. Speed, aggression and violence are very quick and expedient in solving problems but fundamentally are not long lasting or stable. Peace, the path of nonviolence, though arduous and tiring and difficult...(is the only path that is) fundamentally strong, stable and long lasting.

Ghandi is a world wide known figure yet he was not particularly notable until one day his first class passage on a South African train was questioned due to the color of his skin. Rinpoche explained that such a pivotal moment often occurred in the lives of great public figures. Ghandi worked tirelessly for Indian freedom and equality for all. The memorial honors him with an eternal flame on a base of black marble which marks the spot of his cremation after his assasination in 1948. The expansive gardens included blooming dahlias of all colors and trees planted by prominent world leaders including Nelson Mandela.

The pilgrims walked Kora around the flame and contemplated Gandhi’s last words “Hey Ram”.

]]><![CDATA[Day 1 A Teaching by Geshe Dorji Damdul at Tibet House in New Delhi]]>Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/day-1-a-teaching-by-geshe-dorji-damdul-at-tibet-house-in-new-delhiArrival in India was in Delhi on February 7 early in the morning and wasted no time in immersing the group in the Journey. Within hours we were treated to a special opportunity to meet with Geshe Dorji Domdul, the director of Tibet House in New Delhi and a former translator for His Holiness Dalai Lama. Rinpoche had requested that he speak on the meaning of pilgrimage and the importance of merit.

We were introduced to something that would become a theme of the Sacred Journey — humility. Geshe-la explained how he became the translator to His Holiness as if by accident, giving himself no credit for all of his learning and expertise. The teaching helped us all to see the importance of the Journey we were beginning and how it will affect our lives. Afterwards Rinpoche elaborated on the teachings. We forgot all about jet lag and were ready for our Journey.

Geshe Dorji Damdul with Jigme Thrinley Rinpoche

The pilgrims with Geshe Dorji Domdul and Jigme Thrinley Rinpoche

Jigme Thrinley Rinpoche teaching in the tea room after the talk by Geshe Dorji Damdul

]]><![CDATA[Day 1 —The Sacred Journey Visits the National Museum In New Delhi]]>Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMThttps://www.palmocenter.org/news/day-1-the-sacred-journey-visits-the-national-museum-in-new-delhiSeeing the artworks of ancient India, including many representations of Buddhist figures, while impressive, was nothing compared to the highlight of the museum, a relic of the Buddha’s tooth. Rinpoche gave a meditation and teaching on purification of negativities. We recited Praise to the Twelve Deeds of the Buddha, chanted and walked kora around the shrine. It was particularly touching to be in a supposedly secular setting yet it seemed almost expected that there be teachings and chanting in a museum.

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