Sandblasters, Reliefs, Scaffolding, Lifts...

Sunday, as you may know if you've been following the blog, is usually devoted to attending teachings and engaging in group practices. The temple has group practices daily, but the Stupa Crew sets Sunday aside for it. So no work today...

I've posted a few photos from our Prayer Room, not by any means representative of the beauty of it, but a glimpse...

We did have time to do some planning over lunch though. We're going to be picking up a sandblaster on Monday (tomorrow) and depending on how long that takes, we might even fire it up and give it a try out at the Stupa Park on the stubborn paint clinging to the Long Life Stupa base. That base is roughly finished to begin with, as the intention has always been to eventually cover it with stone or marble (we'll get there eventually...). Since it is already rough, we can get a feel for the sandblaster before trying it on the Enlightenment Stupa. Wish us luck! Chuck has worked with sandblasters before, but he admits it's been a long time. We've done a lot already we had never done before, so we feel up to the challenge!

I'll also be getting up on a ladder and taking a closer look at the reliefs on the Migyur Dorje Stupa (will post photos tomorrow). Trying to get a handle on what we'll be facing out there. It is most likely we will work on stripping paint off of both Stupa bases, then set up some form of access to the higher areas of each. We had been planning on a boom lift, but a practitioner from another center up in Frederick happened by a week or so ago and offered to help us set up some form of scaffolding. That would save us money, and still provide safe access. It would also allow more people to work at one time. That's one of our goals-to share this tremendous opportunity with as many willing participants as possible! So we'll see how that goes.

Either way we'll be working on removing paint this week, and continuing with repairs in the Stupa Park.

I'll also be ordering some gold leaf starter kits, so the crew can get a feel for applying gold leaf. It is our plan to use real gold leaf on the Enlightenment Stupa!

Everything you see on these pages, all the work we've done, with the exception of the Soda Blasting, has been done by volunteers. No one gets paid, and few of us has any prior experience with any of this. It is a labor of love, a passion for the Stupas and all they represent. Thus, it takes no prior knowledge, understanding or experience to participate in this! Please do join us if you can, it is more rewarding that we can express. It brings benefit in the short term, and in the long term. It's fun too.

For references on the benefits of Stupas and their amazing power, see the links on this page. A great book on the subject is Lama Zopa Rinpoche's "Benefits and Practices related to Statues and Stupas". Remember though, you don't have to know anything about them to benefit from them, and you don't have to know anything about them to join us as we work to restore them to a condition reflecting their immense spiritual power. All of this is within driving distance of our nation's capital!

If you cannot come out physically, join us here, and share your prayers with us. If you'd like to help in a tangible way, you can contribute from the link on this page or view our wish list. If you do contribute, whether prayers or in a material way, dedicating that offering to whatever person or cause is dear to you will bring them great benefit! That is what Stupas are for, to ease the suffering of beings, no strings attached.