Lama Jampa’s visit to Yorkshire, September 2015

Lama Jampa’s second visit to Yorkshire this year was a joyful mixture of formal and informal teachings. On Saturday he taught at St Aidan’s C of E High School, where their new Sixth Form concert hall made a beautiful setting for the occasion.  Lama Jampa discussed the special contribution of Gampopa to the nascent Kagyu tradition, combining as he did his Kadam ‘graduated path’ inheritance with the Mahamudra transmission of his great yogic teacher, Jetsun Milarepa.  Lama Jampa then taught the first two instructions of ‘The Four Dharmas of Gampopa’, focussing on the Four Thoughts which turn the Mind to Dharma and the development of the Mahayana attitude. This teaching was open to all.

In the afternoon, Lama-la gave the initiation of Amitabha from the Sky Dharma of Mingyur Dorje and Karma Chagme.  It felt especially poignant that Lama should bestow this initiation at this time because, as well as several sangha members losing their parents recently, we have recently said goodbye to the Community’s oldest member – Jean Burgoyne -who died last month.  May all be reborn in Dewachen!

Then on Sunday 13th there was an opportunity to meet the Lama in a more informal setting in the elegant surroundings of The Old Swan Hotel. Lama Jampa began by giving a brief and direct talk about overcoming negative situations and obstacles in our lives. This talk was recorded and can be found at soundcloud.com/lama-jampa-thaye . Following this there was a broad ranging question and answer session, some of which will be published at a later date.

Over the course of the weekend Lama Jampa also found time to give private interviews to new and old sangha members from the Yorkshire area.

Lama Jampa’s next teaching event will be at Sakya Sechen Ling in Stuttgart – visit www.dechen-sakya.de for details.