Kalachakra Initiation D.C. 2011

NEW! His Holiness The Dalai Lama will be live streaming the teachings leading up to the initiation! So, if you can't be there, you can watch or listen to these teachings either in English or Chinese right here, online. Here is the link to that:

http://dalailama.com/webcasts/post/191-live-webcasts-kalachakra-for-world-peace



For anyone attending this Highest Yoga Tantra Empowerment, there are several useful texts and websites for valuable information. I've read and studied because with this initiation, which lasts 3 days and concludes on the 4th day with the dismantling of the sand mandala, there is a lot of visualization of the Kalachakra Mandala.

I think having some idea of what will happen at this glorious event will make it easier to concentrate and be present for what His Holiness as Kalachakra will be instructing us to do and visualize. This initiation is different than all other Highest Yoga Tantra and has its own set of unique workings.

I highly recommend The Berzin Archives where he give his book away online in PDF format. This instructional manual is so understandable and the explanation makes perfect sense. Find it here in his Kalachakra text.


At the end of this text there is an outline of the entire initiation process which is excellent, but in the pages before, Dr. Berzin gives a detailed explanation of everything; from beginning to end, including commentary on all the vows. He further makes it clear that we should not be put off by the vows. These are things we already do in our lives to be a good person. However, when you make it a vow, it becomes more valid and when you acknowledge a vow, be it broken or kept, you have a different energy to immediately do something about it. He also explains the root downfalls, how we lose our vows, and how hard that is based on the teachings. Many things have to take place.

Here I found a short animation of the Kalachakra Mandala and how it is not only magnificent, but it is a fully 3D Mandala and is to be visualized as such. Take a look:



His Holiness will be giving two preliminary teachings. 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva, which you can download in the link below this comment. It is a thorough teaching given by Bhikkshuni Ven. Thubten Chodron. She gives a rather clear, concise commentary on these practices which are especially geared toward western students.

http://www.thubtenchodron.org/Commentaries/37_practices_of_bodhisattvas.html

In addition, His Holiness will be teaching on Middling Stages of Meditation. I found a video teaching by His Holiness Karmapa 17th from the Kagyu lineage. It is profound, especially the audience questions; I watched it in two parts. Here are the links for those teachings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfkBxvtKCP0&feature=list_related&playnext=1&list=SPB409791D2B504DBB

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Ssi14kceg&feature=relmfu

If you want a very detailed, easy to understand audio commentary on the actual Kalachakra Initiation to hear in addition to the Berzin Archives PDF on the subject, there is a concise version given by Geshe Ngwang Dakpa from Tse Chen Ling, the resident Geshe of an FPMT center in San Francisco:

http://www.archive.org/details/Tse_Chen_Ling_Geshe_Dakpa_Kalachakra_20040422

Last, but not least, a new book has just been released of the teachings by the (late) Holy Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche, who was the Master of Kalachakra! Here is a link to his book:
Principles of Buddhist Tantra

It may be too late to obtain and read this now, but I will own it because even after the initiation there will be much to understand and develop as the practice takes more meaning.

Further, if you want to actually hear the teaching by Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche which was given at Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California, please go here and listen online or download it for free:

Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche Tantra Grounds and Path Kalachakra

Click here on the word Kalachakra for the official website. There is a lot of information about the venue, empowerment, what you can or cannot bring and any questions on protocol need to be specific because outside of being mindful, respectful to monastic sangha, dressing appropriately, which means be comfortable, but not overly sloppy or overly exposed.

So, as you can see, there are many resources for this information and you can listen to and read all I've posted prior to taking the initiation. There are many places on the Internet to read or listen to tantra instruction, but a lot of it is restricted to those who have already taking the initiation. Please regard that strongly and wait.
If you are attending, please travel safely and I hope to see everyone I know who is going at the event and look forward to being your Vajra sister. This is for World Peace! This is not just for the self, it is for all sentient beings and is precious and special. May His Holiness be well and arrive safely and in perfect health. May He live a very long life in perfect health.

peace,
Victoria

Extensive Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha Mantra to help victime of all tragedy, everywhere!

Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche, my Holy Guru has asked all of us to recite this mantra as many times as possible, but at least three times to help the victims of the tsunami in Japan, or just about any horrible suffering, anywhere for any reason. But in particular for the fast help to the Japanese tragedy. Double click on the video to see it full screen and see the mantra. It is in HD and won't fit unless expanded.

Peace to you all...with big love, Victoria

Update on Highest Yoga Tantra in California in May!

JUST ADDED! Well, I did make it to Long Beach, but His Holiness got sick in Japan and did not make it to the initiation! Karma at work. But we were all so happy His Holiness was only sick in a minor way and he arrived the day after the scheduled arrival time. So now I have the great fortune to be attending the Kalachakra Empowerment in Washington D.C. in July 2011. Thank you again to all who helped me attend Long Beach. His Holiness has announced he will return to the States in 2012 to give the Solitary Yamantaka Initiation; date to be announced.

This is what Yamantaka looks like. He is the wrathful manifestation of Manjushri.


I want to thank everyone who indulged me and made offerings for my tsa tsas! I have my plane ticket, hotel and car rental and I will be attending His Holiness the Dalai Lama's Solitary Yamantaka Highest Yoga Tantra Empowerment on May 1, 2011.

I have not had the karma to make it to an HYT empowerment in the near 7 years since I've taken my lay and refuge vows. I did take bodhisattva vows last year with Geshe Soepa here in Austin, when he was with us teaching. I am forever thankful that now my karma has changed a little.

My tsa tsas are still available directly through me or there is a small selection of them being offered in the FPMT Online Foundation Store if you just scroll down on their page. Green Tara,Vajrayogini and Medicine Buddha. I also offer them wholesale to other non-profit centers and ashrams to further raise money to support my Buddhist practice.

Peace to you all and with love,
Victoria

Manjushri Tsa Tsa and others...

In this short video I am asking that people bring this and the other tsa tsas home for a very reasonable offering for my time and materials. I will use the offering to attend a Highest Yoga Tantra empowerment by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on May 1, 2011 in L.A. California.

I am asking for a 30 dollar donation, including shipping for the Manjushri Tsa Tsa. It is very large and beautiful. I hand make them as part of my Buddhist practice of purification. Below find more photos of other tsa tsas I make in my practice with the suggested offering for those. Shipping charges will be $5.00 for up to four smaller tsa tsas, and more than five, up to 10 items will $10.00 USPS Priority.








































Here are other tsa tsas I make and each of these are 10 dollars plus 5 dollars shipping for up to 4, up to 10 smaller tsa tsas will be 10 dollars for shipping. All are sent USPS Priority Mail.

Lama Tsongkhapa Tsa Tsa w/24k gold leaf hat.





















Vajrasattva Tsa Tsa





















Green Tara Tile Tsa Tsa


All the proceeds will go towards my trip to Los Angeles on May 1, 2010 to receive a Highest Yoga Tantra Empowerment by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Anything left over will go to Liberation Prison Project

I would never so this unless it was extremely important to me. I hope I am not being intrusive with my request.

Please send me an email at: animaux99@yahoo.com and in the subject use the term TSA TSA OFFERING.

Peace and prosperity to you all...

Big Love,
Victoria (Thubten Wangmo)

Benefitting Animals

Recently, I had the great opportunity to spend time with Geshe Soepa, who is a great Lama with deep compassion for animal welfare. Especially where meat eating is concerned. This is my opinion, what follows in an article Geshe Soepa has written to the directors of , he gives very specific sutra references regarding what the historical Buddha had to say about eating meat. His only cause for writing this is solely for the benefit of animals and for anyone else who benefits from reading it.

There is also a nice little video of Geshela with me asking him a few questions on the topic. The article follows the video.

Om Ah Hung,
Victoria

My Garden to Remind me Spring is Coming

To see this video I made in larger format click on the icon at the bottom of the video screen with the four arrows pointing outward. The video is already in HD.

Yesterday I went through all the seeds I collected last fall. The problem is, sometimes I find seed pods ripe on plants in parking lots and elsewhere, I take a few and when I get around to packaging them up I forget what plant it came from. So, there are many times I have no idea what a plant is until it flowers. Maybe it's fun!

I expect a very nice wildflower spring here in Austin, Texas. We've had quite a bit of winter rain and I don't recall when the ground has been completely dry. Let's hope it continues through the spring and then without incident of tornado's we have nice slow rain all through the spring and summer. Doubtful, but I can always hope.

I've included my wildlife certificates, they are not that easy to get and I encourage people to try and leave a bit of room in their gardens so wild animals can have some room. We move in, dig their habitat out, then kill them. Not good. Please be kind to all living beings and don't kill anything.

The Wolf Moon of 2010

This is a series of photos I took last night of the moon, nestled in the leaves and limbs of my trees. Intentionally, I tried to put the moon in positions where it would look like an illuminated egg or orb within the trees.

It is said that the Wolf Moon comes once a year in January in the Northern Hemisphere, and we are in the United States. Tides were at their highest as a result of this moon being closer to the earth than any other time during the year.

I then took the photos and worked with them to turn them into my impression or expression. Where fuzzy, it was intentionally. Where pixelated, also intentional.

I hope you enjoy my little short. I used the haunting title song from the Thomas Newman score for the film White Oleander. He is a great composer and I hope to play his music on my piano someday.

Peace-