by Camellia Xin Wu and Jeaneen Bauer
Just over a year since her last visit to Santa Barbara, California, Her Eminence Dagmo Kusho returned with Ani Dolkar on Friday, September 27, 2013 to a warm reception at the home of Joel and Joanne Shefflin in Montecito.
Saturday morning, September 28th, Dagmo Kusho spoke to the Tara Ling Santa Barbara students about Guru Yoga in the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. She included some wonderful stories of her life and teachings. The afternoon session was a question and answer session with Dagmo Kusho followed by private interviews.
Sunday, September 29th, Dagmo Kusho, joined by Lama Jamyang, the resident teacher of Tara Ling San Gabriel, blessed us with An Ocean of Compassion Chenrezi practice, followed by a Refuge ceremony, in which 8 students took refuge. Two students had just relocated from Mexico and one was from Argentina! The afternoon session was the Heart Sutra practice followed by a rousing question and answer session. Afterwards at the Shefflin home, Dagmo Kusho gave the children blessings and taught them special mantras.
On Monday, September 30th, Dagmo Kusho reserved the morning and afternoon for private interviews at the Shefflin home. The setting for the interviews was glorious, outside in the cabana, with Joel and Joanne offering their Shrine room for students to meditate and pray before or after their interviews. Following the interviews, Joel treated Dagmo Kusho to his collection of “Holy Earth” – a collection of soil from his many pilgrimages to Holy sites. Dagmo Kusho picked some soil to use in the Statues at Sakya Monastery. One of the precious offerings Joel made was a photo of the Nga Dra Ma Padmasambhaya Statue at Samye Monastery. Monday evening, Dagmo Kusho met with the Tara Ling students at their regular Monday meditation practice. Dagmo Kusho gave instruction and led the practice. Tara Ling Santa Barbara students graciously requested that Dagmo Kusho return soon and she accepted. Dagmo Kusho enjoyed all of the meals and atmosphere offered by the Tara Ling Santa Barbara students.
Tuesday, October 1st, we left Santa Barbara and headed to our next destination in Malibu, to the home of Dagmo Kusho’s longtime student, Carol Moss. Dagmo Kusho led a Buddha Dharma practice with questions after the practice. Don Farber came to videotape the event and when asked if he liked the talk, he said, “It was everything I had hoped for and more.”
Wednesday morning, Dagmo Kusho and Ani Dolkar arrived at the home of Erin Hess, another student of Dagmo Kusho, for a house blessing. After the blessing, Dagmo Kusho arrived in Beverly Hills at the home of her eldest son, H.E. Khondung Minzu Rinpoche and Dagmo Carol Hamilton for the night.
Thursday, Oct. 3rd, Camellia Wu took H.E. Dagmo Kusho and her assistant Ani Dolkar to the Tara Ling Center in San Gabriel, California. They were welcomed by Maria Shaw, longtime student and benefactor for the San Gabriel center.
Lama Jamyang made a beautiful arrangement in the Shrine room, as he has always been devotedly doing, maintaining Tara Ling San Gabriel Center. H.E. Dagmo Kusho led the Sangha in the Chenrezi Practice dedicated to Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva. On the evening of Oct. 4th, Dagmo Kusho gave a general Dharma talk at the center. H.E. Dagmo Kusho chatted with some old members and new students about their families, and answering questions of Dharma. Amazingly a 3-year old girl PeiChen received Green Tara mantras word by word from Dagmola, now she can chant on her own every day, according to her mother.
Oct. 5th, Dagmo Kusho bestowed Green Tara Empowerment at 7:30pm. It is very auspicious to receive this empowerment with permission to practice. Dagmo Kusho said the practice of Green Tara is considered one of the most universal and important within Tibetan Buddhism. Our small center was packed with members; most of them drove about an hour or so to attend the event. We were also very honored to be joined by H.E. Khondung Minzu Rinpoche and Dagmo Carol Hamilton.
With a certain percentage of new Dharma practitioners, H.E Dagmo Kusho gave us a brief introduction of her family and background. She said as a lady of her family, her mission is committed to serve H.H. Dagchen Rinpoche, the Sakya Khon Lineage and giving some Dharma teaching to benefit sentient beings. She said “I respect all religions; they are all for benefiting people in the world. I am a Buddhist in this life because my karma had a connection to the Buddha Dharma. Tibetan Buddhism is a tool to use, making our lives meaningful and creating a good rebirth for our next life. It is like we are all climbing to the top of the mountain, there are many ways to get there, as long as we focus and are on the right track.”
Sunday, Oct. 6th, H.E. Dagmo Kusho led a daily mid-length Sadhana Tara Meditation Practice on Green Tara. Throughout the practice sequence, H.E. Dagmo Kusho gave additional instructions and advice to new Tara practitioners.
We are blessed by H.E. Dagmo Kusho’s kindness for making this trip to Tara Ling Santa Barbara, Malibu and Tara Ling San Gabriel Center.
Working at her age as a loving mother to all, I believe we will make Dagmola’s trips very rewarding if we hold fast to Dharma practice, cultivating ourselves and benefitting others.
Dagmo Kusho would like to thank Vidya Gauci, Lama Jamyang, Jefferey Chang, Camellia Wu, Maria Shaw, James and Sangay Elliott, Joel and Joanne Shefflin, Carol Moss, Candace Tysdall, Jeaneen Bauer and many others for their devotion and taking care of the Tara Ling Centers and us during their California visit.
With a certain percentage of new Dharma practitioners, H.E Dagmo Kusho gave us a brief introduction of her family and background. She said as a lady of her family, her mission is committed to serve H.H. Dagchen Rinpoche, the Sakya Khon Lineage and giving some Dharma teaching to benefit sentient beings. She said “I respect all religions; they are all for benefiting people in the world. I am a Buddhist in this life because my karma had a connection to the Buddha Dharma. Tibetan Buddhism is a tool to use, making our lives meaningful and creating a good rebirth for our next life. It is like we are all climbing to the top of the mountain, there are many ways to get there, as long as we focus and are on the right track.”
Sunday, Oct. 6th, H.E. Dagmo Kusho led a daily mid-length Sadhana Tara Meditation Practice on Green Tara. Throughout the practice sequence, H.E. Dagmo Kusho gave additional instructions and advice to new Tara practitioners.
We are blessed by H.E. Dagmo Kusho’s kindness for making this trip to Tara Ling Santa Barbara, Malibu and Tara Ling San Gabriel Center.
Working at her age as a loving mother to all, I believe we will make Dagmola’s trips very rewarding if we hold fast to Dharma practice, cultivating ourselves and benefitting others.
Dagmo Kusho would like to thank Vidya Gauci, Lama Jamyang, Jefferey Chang, Camellia Wu, Maria Shaw, James and Sangay Elliott, Joel and Joanne Shefflin, Carol Moss, Candace Tysdall, Jeaneen Bauer and many others for their devotion and taking care of the Tara Ling Centers and us during their California visit.