News 
February 8, 2008 - Seattle, WA
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DPR Joins Losar Celebration at Nalanda West
for the Lunar New Year of the Earth Mouse, 2008-2009
Listen to audio recording of DPR's New Year address and
remarks by Mark Power, Nalandabodhi Executive Council Chairman
A dank chill, not bitter but teasingly uncomfortable, pervaded the air on February 8, 2008 while leaden clouds hung heavily overhead. It was, in fact, a typical Seattle winter morning.
And yet: gleaming faintly from the imposing edifice of Nalanda West at the eastern borderlands of Fremont came a strange harbinger of auspicious good cheer, as Nalandabodhi students began to gather and sample freshly brewed Tibetan chang in preparation for the ascent to the shrine room. Losar prayers and practice for the year of the Earth Mouse were about to commence! No sooner had the hearty throng of students begun to settle themselves before the shrine and its sumptuous new year offerings, than something absolutely astonishing occurred.
The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche entered the room.
To be sure, this was not altogether unexpected, and it’s also true that Rinpoche had appeared in the shrine room many times before. And yet: each appearance, and perhaps this one especially, must be seen as an event of amazing good fortune by those who consider themselves “lucky students.” The morning’s gloom was beginning to transmogrify, soon abetted by the many melodious chants offered up for the benefit of beings. Although the students chanted with admirable concentration for the most part, a few incorrigibles could not resist glancing up briefly from time to time to cast a look upon their teacher, and were summarily rewarded by the play of Rinpoche’s moments of amusement, serenity, and probing gazes into the crowd. As usual, he was the picture of radiant alertness.
In due course, NEC Director Mark Power arose to venture a few appreciative and pithy remarks, and to request Rinpoche to speak.
Speak he did, pointing out that since this earth mouse year is the beginning of a twelve-year astrological cycle, it is especially appropriate to make auspicious and virtuous aspirations at this time. Rinpoche commented further that this new year can serve as a reminder that every moment is in fact a new beginning, and that existence in relative reality is of a momentary nature. After stating his own personal aspiration for the long life of His Holiness Karmapa, and for His Holiness to come to the West and Seattle as soon as possible, Rinpoche remarked that it took Milarepa twelve years to achieve enlightenment, and so students should aspire to emulate him in this new twelve-year cycle.
With energy heightened by Rinpoche’s words, the chants resumed and shortly came to a close, followed by an elaborately abundant lunch and entertainment. Emerson Pirot was the charming and witty emcee, telling jokes about rats (as tribute to the year of the mouse/rat) gleaned from the internet and beyond. Traditional Tibetan folk songs were offered by the young brother and sister team of Dhondrup and Tenzin (children of hardworking and ever-cheerful Nalandabodhi members Sherab Dorje and Tenzin Kalsang.) Lynne Conrad Marvet offered a reading about the astrological qualities of the year of the mouse, read a Korean children’s story, The Strongest Person in the World (not surprisingly about a rat family) and read three poems by Mary Oliver. The entertainment was concluded with two new, original jazzy musical compositions by the talented Emerson Pirot with "lyrics" from two poems by The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche,
Basic Presence and
Midnight Freedom. She was accompanied by Robert Fors on upright bass.
The morning ended in dazzling sunlight – in the hearts of the students, that is.
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