Nyima (Ruth Hampton) going on retreat in Toronto

Ruth Hampton writes:

Hello Portland Shambhala!

I am writing today to request your generosity and support.  I am raising funds to attend the Canada Open Retreat with Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche this October (11th-15th) in Toronto, Ontario.   For this particular teaching, he will be covering the practice of Dzogchen, which is similar to the Mahamudra practice.  I am using the Offering Bowl as a way to procure the funds.  Please go to this link to read more and to practice generosity.
http://theofferingbowl.com/index.php/petitioners/302-ruth-hampton

Here is a little more information that I did not include on the Offering Bowl page.  I learned of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche through the monastic residents here at Gampo Abbey.  One of our elders and main teachers, Lodro Sangpo, is a student of Ponlop Rinpoches, and together they helped to establish our monastic college/Shedra program here at the Abbey.  Some of you might be familiar with Ponlop Rinpoche’s monastic college called Nitartha located in Seattle, Washington.  Well, our curriculum here at Gampo Abbey is the same as the Nitartha’s program in Seattle.  After learning about Ponlop Rinpoche’s contributions to Gampo Abbey, I became curious about his teachings.

I have read several of his books now, Rebel Buddha and Wild Awakening being my two current favorites.  I also have been able to review his course books on the Hinayana path and Fruition of the Hinayana path.  It has become quite clear to me that Tibetan Buddhism is my path, and at some point, I will most likely choose to study Vajrayana teachings.  With that said, a student needs a teacher to guide them and pass along the teachings of the lineage.

The retreat is quite timely, and I am requesting an interview with Ponlop Rinpoche.  My wish is to meet him in person and see if there is a connection.  For those of you who have had an opportunity like this, such as connecting with the Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche or even perhaps Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, can understand the importance of the connection with your teacher.  For those of you who haven’t found a teacher and/or are curious, I welcome you to come to Ponlop Rinpoche’s retreat!  It would be lovely to see some sangha members from Portland in Toronto.

Here is the link for the retreat.   http://nbtoronto.org/schedule/   It is the Canada Open Retreat.

Lastly, when someone donates, I am not able to see who has donated.  Unfortunately, I am not able to say thank you or respond.  So, if you wish to say hello, there is an area at the bottom where you can post a reply.  If you feel called to do so, please share this with other Sangha, friends, and family of yours.  I very much appreciate whatever you have to give, be it $5, $10, $20 or $50 plus.  Or, if money is not where you can practice generosity, kind wishes and support through words are also welcomed!

With gratitude,

Nyima

(Ruth Hampton)

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”

-Rainer Maria Rilke