news archive
Tara KMC news
archive 2007
- 19/12/07 - 'Stop the Week' attracts 85 people!
- 01/12/07 - Matlock's Heart Jewel Centre buys first property
- 24/11/07 - Matlock group becomes a new centre
- 17/11/07 - Main meditation room refurbishment
- 08/11/07 - Meditation room rejuvenation
- 01/11/07 - Green Tara Empowerment with Gen Jigme
Visit the Tara KMC news archive for 2009
Visit the Tara KMC news archive for 2008
19/12/07
'Stop the Week' meditation and meal
attracts 85 happy diners!
Diners in Tara KMC's main hall enjoying their pudding
Left: Gen Jigme and Kelsang Ringyal in the World Peace cafe.
Right: Tara KMC's own song bird Tess Rigby
entertaining the diners.
Yesterday evening saw this years second 'Stop the Week' event breaking records, with 85 people in attendance. It seems at this time of year there are a lot of people looking for a relaxing break from the Christmas rush and this is what was offered, as Tara KMC's Resident Teacher Gen Jigme led a meditation class with the theme of 'giving', before everyone headed up to Tara KMC's World Peace Cafe for a three course meal. Our main hall was re-arranged and decked out beautifully to accommodate all those who wished to take part. The atmosphere was jovial, helped along by Tess Rigby (see above) who generously shared her beautiful singing voice with us while accompanying herself on the piano. Food was provided by our increasingly popular Kitchen Co-ordinator Shirley, who laid on carrot and corriander soup, followed by a traditional Christmas dinner, then sticky toffee pudding and custard - compliments to the chef were heard from all directions. We have heard on the grapevine that Shirley's puddings are becoming famous in NKT centres all over the world!
It was lovely to see so many smiling faces as people made their way home at the end of the evening. Tara KMC's aim is to make everyone happy and as Gen Jigme said in his meditation talk, Christmas is an ideal opportunity for people of all beliefs to make an extra special effort to do this. Thank you to everyone who came for giving us the opportunity to give a little to you and in return helping us to help so many other people by flourishing Tara KMC's spiritual programme - this is your gift to all living beings this Christmas!
Tara KMC's final event of 2007 will be our New Year Course followed by 24hr Tara Chanting. If you're interested please click here.
01/12/07
Success!!! Heart Jewel Kadampa Buddhist Centre win auction bid for property in Matlock Bath.
Above left: the new property just purchased by Heart Jewel Centre.
Above right: a view of the beautiful town of Matlock Bath
where the property is situated.
It was only two short weeks ago that Tara KMC's Matlock meditation group decided they had a collective wish to create a residential Buddhist meditation centre in their area. Amazingly, in this short time, with the participation, hard work and generosity of many people, their wishes have been fulfilled!
On Thursday this week, the directors from the newly named Heart Jewel Kadampa Buddhist Centre and from Tara KMC attended a property auction in Matlock and made a successful bid for a property on Holme Road in nearby Matlock Bath.
The auction coincided with a prayer ceremony which all Kadampa Buddhist Centre's engage in on the 29th of each month called 'Melodious Drum Victorious in All Directions'. These prayers are an extensive version of the 'Heart Jewel' prayers which all Kadampa centres engage in every day and which share their name with Heart Jewel Centre! Heart Jewel Centre's recently appointed Resident Teacher, Kelsang Osung said, "It was heartening to bid while Kadampa's all over the country and even the world were engaged in prayers for the flourishing of pure Buddhadharma... obstacles were definitely removed, with some people people who had been intending to bid not bidding at all!'
The causes and conditions for the events of the last two weeks have been collected and nurtured by many dedicated people over a period of years. The trigger that ripened this carefully gathered good karma seems to have been the collective will of the Matlock group. Tess Rigby, Heart Jewel Centre's new Administrative Director said, "Once the Matlock group decided to request Venerable Geshe-la's blessings to create a residential Dharma Centre in the area, good karma just kept ripening at an apparently unstoppable pace! It was humbling and inspiring to experience Venerable Geshe-la emanating every condition required... we just had to try to keep up! It is wonderful to know that the people of the Dales will now have much greater access to the pure teachings of this tradition, giving them the opportunity to listen to, contemplate and meditate on Je Tsongkhapa's Holy Dharma and train in the methods for attaining inner peace. We thank everyone who has shown such commitment and generosity for helping this to happen. Please rejoice in the merit you have created!"
Of course the work does not end here. There is much to do before the property can begin to perform its intended function and help is needed. If you have any skills such as plumbing, electrics or carpentry, or can just spare a few hours to do a bit of painting please get in touch with Tess on the below number or e-mail address. And of course all of this good work requires funding so if you would like to make a donation please do get in touch.
We will keep you informed on this page of Heart Jewel Centre's progress and look forward to announcing her official opening some time in the next twelve months.
May all New Kadampa Centres flourish and continue to bring benefit to all living beings in this way.
To offer your help and support please contact Tess Rigby on:
mobile -
07515567059, land line - 01335 348475,
or e-mail - tessrigby@uk2.net.
24/11/07
Heart Jewel in the Dales: Tara KMC’s Matlock branch becomes a new Dharma Centre! Help needed with property bid!
Above left: Could this be the home of meditation in the Derbyshire Dales? Click here to view more information about this property.
Above Right: Kelsang Osung - newly appointed Teacher of Heart Jewel Kadampa Buddhist Centre.
Yesterday evening Kelsang Osung (pictured), the Teacher at Tara KMC's Matlock meditation group, received an e-mail from Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, replying to the branch’s request for a name. He gave the name 'Heart Jewel Kadampa Buddhist Centre' to the Matlock group, thereby formally inaugurating it as a new NKT Centre! In the same e-mail, Venerable Geshe-la appointed Osung as the centre's Resident Teacher, saying how happy he is with the developments there.
Last week, after the sowing of many seeds and much patient development, the Matlock group galvanised behind the idea of creating a residential Dharma Centre in the area - and an appropriate property in Matlock Bath immediately arose! The property needs a lot of work, with plumbing, electrics, decorating etc. all needing attention, but the location, size and existing shop front which could be converted into a World Peace Café make it a tantalizing prospect.
Since 1977 Venerable Geshe-la has worked tirelessly to bring the methods for attaining inner peace to the western world, recognising that it is only through developing peaceful minds that the outer peace which every person desires can be realised. It is Geshe-la's wish that every person have the opportunity to train in the methods for attaining this peace so that all conflict may permanently cease. For this compassionate wish to be fulfilled everyone needs access to a qualified Teacher and a venue in which to receive teachings and to practice meditation. Having tasted the benefits of Buddha's teachings for themselves many people have put the Dharma into practice and come together as a community to develop the infrastructure necessary to bring this powerful medicine to others. Others have devoted their whole lives to gaining the inner qualifications needed to become full time Teachers of Kadam Dharma. It is this 'can do' attitude, motivated by strong compassion and Geshe-la's inspiring example which has motivated Osung and the Matlock group to bring a residential Dharma Centre to the Derbyshire Dales.
Having first carefully evaluated the feasibility of acquiring the above property and making it functional, Osung began making the necessary enquiries, phoning solicitors, estate agents and so forth in an attempt to bring the conditions together for a successful bid at auction this coming Thursday! Amazingly, those conditions are already very nearly within reach. Seeing the promise and potential of this extraordinary venture many people have been inspired to offer backing and about £60 000 has already been raised in loans and donations in less than a week, with a further £25 000 needed by the end of Wednesday(!) in order to go to auction. To make this dream of a meditation centre for the people of the Dales a reality it will take a lot of hard work and generosity. If you can help with donations or loans, or if you have any skills that might be of use in renovating this property should a successful bid be made, please contact Tess Rigby on mobile: 07515567059, land line: 01335 348475, or e-mail: tessrigby@uk2.net. Alternatively contact Tara KMC on 01283 732 338 or email meditate@taracentre.org.uk
17/11/07
Tara KMC's main meditation room: Then and now
Below is a photograph of our main meditation room as it was this time last year and below that are photographs showing how it has changed since we began renovating it this Spring. Thanks to the effort and generosity of many people this beautiful room is now set to see in another ten years blessing and inspiring all who visit. Though, as mentioned in the last bulletin, this is only the beginning. In this and Tara KMC's four other meditation rooms there are statues which need new clothes and polishing, cushions to be made for the many people who meditate here, walls that need painting and shrines that need beautifying. We look forward to keeping you informed of this auspicious project, as well as offering many ways to become involved!
Tara KMC's main meditation room before being re-furbished...
...and after!
Here we can see the results of Kelsang Drolma's efforts (see last bulletin below) and the in-laid brocade in the new picture frames which pays homage to traditional brocade surrounds.
Some details showing new furnishings and colours.
This picture shows the vajras (a symbol of Buddha's perfect mind) and auspicious symbols which were added to the shrine a year ago.
The view from the main meditation room bay window.
To appreciate this beautiful room it really is necessary to visit
- so we hope you do!
08/11/07
Meditation room rejuvenation gets under way!
.
Earlier this year Tara KMC began the refurbishment of her main meditation room, a project which, thanks to the kindness of many benefactors, is now nearing completion. The result is a room that looks fresh and vibrant - an inspiring place to meditate, pray and receive teachings. Watch this page for upcoming photographs of the completed work, or even better come and see it for yourself!
Having seen for ourselves what can be achieved with a little faith and effort and how everyone involved in this blessed project benefited so greatly, we have decided to extend this project to include the rejuvenation of our four other meditation rooms. It is our heartfelt wish that each of these rooms receive the love and care they need, so that they can continue to provide a perfect environment in which to find inner peace and true happiness. Over the coming months we will be telling you more about these activities and how you can help in this joyful task, from fundraising to donating your skills and time, as the above picture shows - all that is needed is a good heart and a bit of elbow grease to bring a shine to life!
WATCH THIS SPACE FOR FURTHER NEWS!
01/11/2007
Gen Jigme's grants Green Tara empowerment,
aptly his first empowerment at Tara KMC!
Last weekend sixty fortunate people received the blessing empowerment of Green Tara in Tara KMC's recently refurbished main meditation room. This is the first empowerment Gen Jigme has given since being appointed as the Centre's Resident Teacher earlier in the year. As well as giving the empowerment Gen Jigme gave teachings on 'compassion in action', explaining how we can best follow Green Tara's compassionate and wise example in helping the people of this world to develop peaceful minds. May we all take this to heart!