Though we didn't have the practice out here as we'd planned (it rained all day) many offerings were made to the Long Life Stupa! 

This is a Parinirvana Stupa, representing the Buddha's complete victory over death. It is one of the eight Stupas surrounding the Long Life Stupa for our Teacher. Much work has gone into getting the Stupa Park cleaned and repaired, so it is our hope that those of you who can will brave the wooded hike out to it. It is, from this Stupa gal's perspective, the most peaceful place on the property. Fully consecrated by His Holiness Penor Rinpoche himself, it offers ceaseless blessings to the countless beings who encounter it. We hope you'll make the journey out!

September 23....challenges and perseverance

With our Teacher, Jetsunma Ahkon Lhamo, relocating here to remain in residence and teach, some of the students from Arizona have decided to relocate as well. This is a truck rented by Dawn, who is moving here. Though her needs were modest, she took upon herself the great responsibility of transporting items for the temple as well. That included some Stupa related items....all the molds for the artwork on the Migyur Dorje Stupa. Fortunately, we had Norbu and Tashi available to help unload!

So there they are. They may not look like much, but those are the molds for the artwork on Migyur Dorje! There are also pieces from which 3 foot Stupas can be made! Though the shed isn't the perfect long term solution, we're relieved that at least they are shelted from rain. These things were HEAVY, so it will be an adventure learning to work with them.... 

Our planned project for the day was getting the Long Life Stupa ready for the ceremony tomorrow (a food offering ceremony) in celebration of the enthronement of our Teacher. Here Yeshi applies fresh paint to the throne in the shed. The shed was a disaster, and Tashi, a monk who recently moved here from Arizona, worked hard for days to create a space where we could work... 

After the unloading of the truck, we headed out to the Stupa Park to continue working on mounting the brocade... 

Ani Yeshi worked on removing the old caulk...but unfortunately we purchased the wrong replacement! We'll pick up the right stuff tomorrow. Many clear caulks apply white and dry clear in a week or so. Our experience has been it is often not the case. The white remains pretty white. So we'll hold out for a caulk that applies clear....the fit of the plexi is good enough to protect from all but the worst rain, and if we're lucky, it won't rain... 

Knowing Mom was worried, here's a shot of her handiwork in the Stupa. It fits! 

Here you can see Amitayus in his newly decorated home, in the center of the Long Life Stupa in our Stupa Park. Finally the gau is complete. This is where the whole renovation started, with removing the old tattered brocade from here. Now it is restored to a state befitting its' precious nature.

Whether you come here to pray, or just to find some peace, it is our sincere hope you will take advantage of these amazing sources of blessings!

September 22nd...Devotion....

Now that the major renovation is done, we thought we might not have anything to do. Well, much to our relief, we're finding we will never run out of services we can offer to the Stupas!

Here (they may look tiny) you can see we've already put out some little flags to mark out proposed dimensions for the wall we will be erecting. We're using them to get some measurements so we can work up a needs list. : ) They should also reassure those regular visitors who fear the retaining wall (needed to bring the earth up to the "earth hugging layer) might interfere with the ability to circumambulate (walking clockwise around a Stupa is a traditional, and potent, form of prayer). But that's a pending project....We've got immediate tasks to tend to!

The past few days I worked, and didn't have a chance to update. But here's a look at what we did earlier this week. We've had a sign for Migyur Dorje for quite a while now, prepared by our devoted artist Ashby North, and finally got out to mount it! This is a shot before the sign went up.

Here is a glance at my supplies. That leatherman is almost a required accessory for this team! In the community shed tools are hard to keep track of, so it's always handy to have one of these in your bag.... 

As is the case of many of our projects, this one was long overdue. However, finally, there is a sign with some information on the Stupa and a place to make secure offerings out by Migyur Dorje! There's more fiddling I want to do with the box when there is time, but for now our naked mounting post now looks like it has a purpose! 

On Wednesday, the last day I was free (worked in the hospital for two days), I stopped by and picked up the brocade for the Long Life Stupa. Mom has worked diligently so we could hang it Saturday, in time for a special event this weekend. Here she is in her workroom, with our makeshift wire pattern draped over her model (she has one of the 3-D models seamstresses use). It is, of course, inside out here, but it gives you a sense of what it will look like! 

Here Mom displays her handiwork. Tomorrow (or today at this point) early in the morning we'll be heading out to work on mounting the brocade in the Long Life Stupa. As usual, our schedule does not leave much room for leisure. Sunday our temple is slated to do a practice (set of prayers) out in the Stupa Park, complete with smoke offering, in celebration of our Teacher's enthronement! More tomorrow, but for now, please do come out and enjoy these amazing structures! All the work you see on these pages is devoted to keeping them here for you, whoever you are! 

September 18th...Remembering Impermanence

Well, finally updating in a reasonably timely way! We spent the past few days working on Migyur Dorje, applying a clear coat over the artwork. As you can see, we ran into our usual problem of forgetting tools...the handle of one of our brushes had to serve as a stir stick as well!

Our goal was to protect our work...this relief required a lot of fine detail, not something we want to repeat often. The last application stayed up for 10 years without being repainted. Of course, it was peeling off by that time, but we are hoping for a few years of useful life out of this application... 

For those of you that end up here looking for ideas...here's the product we ended up chosing for the clear coat. What we found as the result of some calls to various vendors was that there are very few clear coats for acrylic paint that have an exterior application. Almost all are interior only. Now we don't know for sure if there is a big difference, but we do know this stuff cost a pretty penny! The vendor we use, Monarch in Chevy Chase, assured us however that the price reflected the specialized application and that it is a quality product. We're happy with how it covered without distorting our artwork, now we just need to see how it holds up against the Maryland weather! 

Pema (James) joined us Sunday. His long reach made the job a lot easier...it's tricky up there without the platform! We got two coats on yesterday, and I returned today to get the last coat on. Fortunately, the weather was cooperative...it's getting chilly once in a while now! 

Once again I was at the Stupa at the totally worst time of day for the camera, mid-day sun. But, I still captured the evidence that I did indeed complete the clear coat and took down our ladders, so it is once again ready for visitors! So please do come on out and take a few turns around this amazing Stupa! 

September 17th....Back online...

Okay, okay...it's been difficult getting updates to the blog...But I've finally gottem my computer reconnected to the internet, so should be able to keep the window into the Stupa Work here in Maryland open now! Last week (which is where I'll start...more about up to the minute work tomorrow!) we stepped into a different role (though we're realizing it's all connected) and conducted a Tsa Tsa Workshop. Tsa tsas are small devotional images of the Buddha, and can take many forms. In our case we were using molds which had been created many years ago by previous Stupa gals. The process was simple enough to appeal to children...and we had a whole crew of youngsters getting their hands dirty in the sacred arts!

As you can see, this was a "hands on" process! 

We had cast some on previous days so folks could start working on "finishing" the casting with a little sand paper while we waited for the new casts to set. From here we moved outside... 

Everyone got a chance to spray paint some of the tsa tsas gold, with a little assistance for the younger members of the team... 

At the end of the workshop we helped folks wrap their tsa tsas for the trip home (everyone got to take a few). Though Ani Yeshi and I were new to the process it was a very forgiving venture. We were able to create many images of the Buddha, despite our lack of experience and uncertain process!  

So this is a glance at the tiny images we created!

Of course, we've realized the Stupas will be an ongoing opportunity. Now that we've gotten the base renovations completed, the sangha (spiritual community) is beginning to utilize them more! So next weekend, there is actually a puja, or prayer practice scheduled to take place at the Stupa Park!

It seems our situation is such that we never have the luxury of time. : ) So, Mom, if you're reading this, we need that brocade your sewing by Saturday! Don't fret, we've ordered the fabric, it should be at your door by Wednesday at the latest!

Tomorrow I'll be back out at Migyur Dorje completing the clear coat over the artwork. I'll post photos of that process and our chosen product tomorrow...for now I'll leave you all with the usual invitation to come on out and see these amazing structures for yourself! They are here for you whether you are Buddhist or not, offering blessings and peace. It is our sincere hope you will take advantage of this amazing opportunity!