When using the M90 the key to a successful repair is grinding out all loose material and creating "shoulders" for the repair material. It should have something to grab onto on all sides solidly. Unlike drywall finishing (which many of us have done so this process took some getting use to) you don't "feather" the material, it should sit flush with the surface surrounding it... 

Here's how the gau looked after grinding out the loose material. I was looking forward to getting this part filled with some M90, but it wasn't going to work out today... 

This is the bottom part of the gau. It was really extensive work, and I'm still not done. But we both looked it over, and decided it best to approach it one step at a time. You can see a large chunk came out on the right, the rest feels pretty solid though. Hopefully, once the large crack surrounding the gau is repaired this area may be more stable. We'll be keeping a close eye on this region over the coming year... 

The day ended with practice. The storm turned steady, making it impossible to continue repair work. I did try, but the mortar just liquified. : ) So, I transformed into my robes and was thrilled to hear tsog was going to be early today (yeah!) so Norbu and I joined in. The day was short, but we are making slow progress... 

June 8th Devotion and View...

I worked today, so wasn't out to see the actual progress that occurred. Norbu and Lisa are working out at the Stupa Park this week. I've heard things are going well, if a little slowly! Don't worry though, we're all committed to seeing this project through, however long it takes!

For myself, I'll be back out tomorrow. I'll be starting repairs on the Enlightenment Stupa, but will take a trip out to the Stupa Park to get some photos of the current efforts out there.

Below are a few photos spanning the project, from the beginning last year when I first realized how urgent the situation was, to the current time, when we're actively engaged in restoring these precious structures, so they may remain in the world to benefit beings for generations! May they remain in the world as a source of blessing and refuge throughout the dark times, for as long as there is suffering, so they may ceaselessly work to liberate all beings lost in confusion!

It is my hope that by sharing this process with you in this blog you may derive some comfort from knowing that there are people out there, ordinary folks like those you see on these pages, who are mustering their courage to do things they've never done before, who are rallying their perseverance to carry on through obstacles and set backs, who have made a conscious choice to set aside their leisure to work hard, in the rain, the heat, the cold, to remove the decay of neglect, and restore devotion. This is real work, on many levels. As we work to offer these Stupas to all of you, we are working to offer our devotion, our commitment to the end of suffering, to all of you. It is strangely simple, physical labor, yet such a profound practice. May you find comfort in knowing there are real people out here, really doing this for you! For you and every being suffering in the world. The Stupas exist only to bring comfort and healing, to bring blessings to beings without exception. They work whether you believe in them or not, just seeing them here they will benefit you, now and in future lifetimes!

If you'd like to see them in person please do come! If you'd like to help us in this precious work, we'd love to have you! Don't worry, no heavy commitment required, we'll walk you through every step! We're moving into an exciting phase! We're getting to actually repair them!

Some of you may be wondering what this blog is about. Having to work today I had no new photos to draw on, so I glanced through my files. I received an email from Norbu this morning updating me on the progress out at the Stupa Park, on the Auspicious Manifold Doors Stupa in particular. So I decided to post a series of photos of this particular Stupa, starting with this one. This was taken last year, after I had the experience with the Ngagpa Yeshe Dorje Stupa (see posts from the past week to get that story). The NYD Stupa (short for the above name) was in such disrepair, I wondered how the other Stupas were doing. Dawa, from Arizona, had me promise to look into it. This Stupa was by far the most damaged. Chunks of the gau were actually falling off. None of this is meant to inspire blame or admonishment. This has been a profound learning process, and an amazing opportunity. It has been a cutting view into my own attitude towards the sacred, the very embodiments of Enlightenment in form. So easy for ordinary beings to see everything as ordinary. So difficult to understand that just because it may look like an interesting concrete form, it is in fact, the very presence of Refuge, the very mind of Enlightenment!  

Here's a photo taken last summer, during my initial assessment of the Stupas. It was heartbreaking and scary. You can see how extensive the cracks and frank crumbling were! I couldn't bear it, so spent the next year struggling to learn how to repair them in a manner that would ensure these indescribably precious structures would remain in the world long after all of us are no longer even memories... 

Here's a close up of the Stupa on March 25th, fresh after being stripped of paint. You can see the caulk we'd used last year to hold it together. I knew it wasn't a good fix, but I also didn't know what else to do yet, and had to keep it intact as much as possible until I found out how to properly repair it. The caulk came out with the second application of stripper, which set the stage for real repairs... 

Here's a shot from April 9th, you can see the first repair next to the gau. Even with the damage evident, it looks much, much better!  

Here's how the Stupa looked last Sunday, before Norbu and Lisa continued the repairs. I'll go out tomorrow and get a photo of it's current state. Norbu reports he was able to make some solid progress over the past few days (while I worked). This is, by far, the most challenging repair work we've had to face so far. As you can see from the posts here though, it is coming along! 

New York Retreat Center...

As you may know, we were in New York last week to learn formally how to fill statues. We've received instruction over the years from many Lamas, but this time we learned directly from a text (thanks to Khenpo Norgye's willingness to teach us, in English!). As I worked today (and will tomorrow) I'll give some glimpses into what we were up to last week...

Thanks Dawa for the great photos! What I post today was taken by Ani Dawa, now back in Arizona...

There are vows taken, dietary restrictions to observe, prayers to recite and many, many precious offerings and supplies needed to do this kind of thing, so these photos and descriptions are intended only to enhance your understanding of the depth of symbolic meaning in statues. The universe they contain may not be visible once they're sealed, but it is all in there. Nothing that goes in them is ordinary, and in an ideal world, neither are those that fill them, or the prayers that accompany their filling. It is a form of profound practice. There are many aspects not documented here, so this is not intended as a "how to" kind of thing, but just as a way of showing you how the internal is as detailed and profound as the exterior. Stupas are filled in a very similar way, only even more elaborate, with even more ceremonies and precious offerings....

So as you see this small statue being filled below, know that the Stupas on these pages are filled with millions or even billions of prayers, precious substances, mandalas, relics, all placed according to exacting instructions given by qualified Lamas. Nothing about them is ordinary. All of this effort, all of the preparations, the vows, the collecting of substances, all of it, is done to bring a source of refuge into the world, a visible manifestation of boundless compassion and wisdom, so any being can come into contact with the Enlightened Mind. That contact can be as simple as an accidental bump by insect, or as profound as a sincere practitioner making offerings and wishing prayers to liberate all beings from suffering before it. The Stupas, and statues, will offer blessings without restraint. They exist only to lead beings out of suffering, and provide a ceaseless source of blessings!

We have many statues as well as Stupas at our center in Maryland, so if you'd like to experience them in person do come out. We're open 24 hours a day, every day, always. We're here for you, for anyone needing relief...

The preparation phase...mantras are being brushed with saffron water, cut, rolled, covered in cloth and then wrapped in 5 colored string. The other offering substances we'll need would take a book in themselves to show. Once mantras are rolled, the statues are cleaned, and the shok shing is cut, carved and painted, the actual filling can begin.... 

Here's a shot of the shok shing after the seed syllable are painted on... 

The interior of the statues are purified using saffron water and smoke from certain herbs and resins... 

Mantras are wrapped around particular levels of the shok shing... 

After being wrapped in mantra it is then wrapped in cloth... 

It is then wrapped in five colored string.. 

The shok shing is placed in the central channel... 

Each level of the interior receives mantras. They are placed in a specific order according to levels in the statue.. 

Here you can see there are many, many mantras placed in even a small statue like this one... 

Many offerings are placed in the base, or lotus seat... 

Cloth is placed to seal in all the offerings. It is used through out the statue as well to separate levels of offering... 

The bottom is then fitted... 

Norbu holds the statue while Christine works with a hammer and chisle to close the bottom. She's trying to bang out tiny spurs from the edge of the statue to hold the bottom in place, a technique we learned from Lama So Cho. This is how they closed statues before the days of epoxy... 

The last thing that gets placed is the vajra seat. Placed outside the statue, on the bottom, facing down... 

Today we got back to work. Ashby was thrilled! He's hooking up the long hose to connect to the power washer. We're going to clean the Enlightenment Stupa today, in preparation for repairs. The sandblasting left quite a residue of sand, enough to make the power washer a good idea. Norbu was off in the Stupa Park working on the Auspicious Manifold Doorways Stupa repairs. We're both care taking the prayer vigil (24 hour a day prayer, every day!) with Holly, so between the three of us we have to cover whatever shifts don't get taken by volunteers. It makes scheduling difficult for work, but Ashby is flexible. : )... 

The next few shots are "before shots", so you can see what the bumpa looks like before we repair it! : )