Newsletters

Dear friends and sponsors of the togdens,

Here is finally the annual newsletter 2019 about the Tashi Jong togdens! I apologise for writing so late in the year due to bad health and other issues. … I’m very sorry if I haven’t responded to the receipt of each of your donations, and if you’re not sure whether yours was received please send me a message and I can check the Paypal receipts to let you know.

I arrived in Tashi Jong late December 2018 to spend the annual winter months there, and after a few days met with some of the togdens at the lower retreat center to catch up and offer their annual sponsor money. While having some tea there I was pleased to see that they’re all doing ok except for Tsawa Lama, who had been quite ill with serious stomach issues and went to Delhi for treatment. Like the last few years we collected enough funds to offer each togden 12.000 Rps for their annual medical and personal expenses, and all of them are grateful for your continued support and convey their heartfelt thanks. 

At the upper Yamantaka retreat center the 5 togdens in training were in strict recitation retreat so I couldn’t go there, but Togden Gyamtso, the oldest togden there, was attending one of the drupchens at the time so he came to visit in my little retreat house and I was able to send up their annual donations with him. 

Late March/early April Khamtrul Rinpoche with a few togdens and about 25 Khampagar monks were invited to Taiwan to perform the Khampagar Lama Dances. They took Tsawa Lama with them so he could have a good check-up there and now mostly gets treated by a famous Tibetan doctor in Delhi. I stay in touch with him from time to time and he seems to be getting better.

Requested by Choegyal Rinpoche, Togden Thinley Kunchab now mostly stays at Jangchubjong, the monastic institute and retreat centre established by the late Dorzong Rinpoche at about an hour’s drive from Tashi Jong, to teach the Jangchubjong monks. But he regularly comes to Tashi Jong for drupchens and other ceremonies and also came to visit so I could offer him his donation share. Attached are some photos I made at the lower retreat center late February with Togdens Drubgyu, Lekden, Thutop Nyima, and Lhawang next to Togden Semdor’s stupa below the retreat center. The one of Togden Gyamtso was taken at my house in January, and the one of Togden Thinley Kunchab (with the huge hair) was taken during the Yamantaka drupchen when he came to visit. 

After the togdens in training at the Yamantaka retreat center had finished their recitation retreats late February, I went to see them and took new photos of Shenpen Kunchab, Namgyal Chodrup, Tenzin Chogyal and Choying Zangpo, togdens in training who have now been in retreat there for many years. They are all well and very happy. The photos of Togden Gyamtso were taken at my house and one taken in Nepal where he went for a while to take care of his sick father.

This year Khamtrul Rinpoche did a lot of traveling again. He was invited to Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan where he gave empowerments and teachings, and performed an 8 day Lama Dance ceremony in Taiwan with altogether 30 lamas and monks. Right now he is visiting Vietnam and in October will travel to Europe at the invitation of the Rigpa centres in Berlin, London, and Dzogchen Beara in Ireland to continue the Mahamudra course he started 2 years ago. His visit is from the second week of October till the end of October, and early November he goes to Switzerland* to see relatives and Tibetan devotees for a week and will be accompanied by Togden Achos and Drubgyu.

Late November I’ll be going back to India and expect to arrive in Tashi Jong the 3rd week of December. Right now we don’t have enough funds to offer each of the togdens the annual amount of 12.000 Rps for their personal care, but hopefully some more donations will come before that to make up for the deficit. (Make a donation here). If you need to ask any questions about the togdens you can contact me here.

[Here is a 2019 photo album.]

With sincere gratitude and blessings from the togdens, and many thanks for your continued support of these amazing practitioners,

Ani Jinba

• Note: Khamtrul Rinpoche is offering Green Tara empowerment and teaching November 2, near Zurich. View here.