Responding Creatively to Tightened Budget

Northwest Dharma Association responded flexibly to a challenging funding environment in 2012, maintaining services for members despite decreased revenues.

At the same time we moved forward, with one of the most exciting developments the upgrading of the online “Northwest Dharma News,” which we publish four times a year, into a new and more contemporary format. The new version is less costly to produce, more interesting and readable graphically, and more user-friendly and searchable.

Thanks go to to Stephen Schildbach, our erstwhile webmaster and the talent behind the production of the News, and Steve Wilhelm, our News editor, and former board president.

The theme of the 2012 Annual Gathering, held on the campus of Seattle University on March 17, was “Buddhist…

Tibetan Resettlement Project, 20 Years Later

Kesang Chokyi cannot believe it’s been 20 years since she first stepped off a plane and arrived in Seattle from India. As part of the U.S. Tibetan Resettlement Project, she was among 1,000 Tibetan refugees living in India and Nepal, who were selected through a lottery to immigrate to the United States.

Most of the immigrant Tibetan families, like Chokyi’s, have grown numerically and economically since then. Not only have they been able to re-unite with their families…a few of them have also been able to help their relatives and their families immigrate as well.

At an annual Seattle event this past November to mark the anniversary of the awarding of Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama,…

NW Women Dance Praises to Tara in India

Six women from the Pacific Northwest spent six weeks in Thailand and India earlier this year, performing the “Mandala Dance of the 21 Praises of Tara,” to many appreciative audiences.

The women timed their pilgrimage to coincide with the 13th Sakyadhita Conference on Women, Jan. 5-12 in Vaishali, India, which was coordinated by Sakyadhita International President Christie Chang, and founder Ven. Karma Lekshe Tsomo.

This was the fourth pilgrimage led by our teacher Prema Dasara, who has upheld the Taradhatu dance tradition for many years. Taradhatu’s mission statement is: “Uplifting Humanity With The Sacred Arts,” and our name tags read, “A Delegation of Love and Inspiration.”

This time 20 of us from three countries traveled together across India from the…

Victoria Zen Centre Teaches Online Globally

Since 2009 the Victoria Zen Centre in Victoria, B.C., has been developing quality training resources and programs to support individuals who are interested in Zen Buddhist practice and meditation, and making them available online to the public, mostly for free.

Most recently, in the fall of 2012 the center began posting video recordings of dharma talks that Eshu Martin, abbot of Victoria Zen Centre, gives each week at the “Zen Open House.” This event is held in collaboration with the University of Victoria, on the VZC YouTube channel.

“What we are finding is that different people connect more strongly with different media,” Martin said. “Some folks like audio, some video, and some text. My hope is to make genuine Zen…

His Eminence Garchen Triptrul Rinpoche Teaches Many at Seattle Event

On a January weekend enshrouded by fog, Drikung Seattle greeted 2013 with a visit by His Eminence Garchen Triptrul Rinpoche to Seattle, Wash., where he turned the wheel of dharma.

This was Drikung Seattle’s first event, and one sure to be mentioned for a long time by those who participated. We would like to thank H.H. Dagchen Rinpoche, and his family and the dignitaries, staff and students of the Sakya Monastery, for hosting us so graciously.

As the eighth incarnation of Garchen Triptrul Rinpoche, His Eminence is a highly regarded Buddhist teacher and yogi in the Drikung Kagyu tradition, who is also deeply respected by all Buddhist lineages.

His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche, the head of the Drikung Kagyu…