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Once again, another year is coming to an end and impermanence is visible as the autumn winds blow colorful leaves across the temple grounds. As cooler weather sets in, we are happy to report that it was an exceptionally active summer at Tashi Choling with the sound of tractors, concrete mixers, buzz saws and hammers reverberating everywhere.

In addition to the building projects, the warm weather brought visiting students and local sangha to the monthly Pujas, and many Tsok offerings were made. We were also graced by the presence of visiting lamas: Venerable Lingtrul Rinpoche, who resided as the Vajra Master for our annual Vajrasattva Retreat, and HH Getse Rinpoche, who led retreats and taught here for an inspiring five weeks.

This year, while Lama Sangye Khandro was in private retreat, Lama Chonam led the annual Yeshe Lama retreat. He also astutely taught classes on various Buddhist texts, with illuminating question and answer sessions. And of course, skillfully overlooking it all - and at all times - was the wisdom eye and visionary guidance of the Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche, who made spontaneous visits to the construction sites cheering everyone on merely by his presence.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
So many of Rinpoche’s students, young and old, worked daily throughout the summer and early fall on many meaningful projects. Although it was difficult and dangerous work, Malcolm Contor and Mike Osugi skillfully executed and completed their design for the glass enclosure of the 30 year old, 35 foot Vajrasattva Statue.

While the protecting walls around the statue were going up, Colleen Sheahan and Wei Yang headed up the artistic undertaking of repairing and repainting Vajrasattva from his Snow Lion Throne to the top of his crown. Colleen and her steadfast assistant David Gordon skillfully restored the statue, while Wei and her dedicated helper Linda Mules, masterfully repainted the throne. Both teams did painstakingly beautiful work, which preserved and enhanced all the intricate detail. Daily, these and other artists gave of their time and talent to beautify this sacred deity of purification and its surrounding environment. The ceiling and walls of the big prayer wheel room also got its needed repair.

We can thank Lee Furbeck for her continual beautification of the gardens, and Madhu Coates, who year after year maintains the Tashi Choling grounds. Sara Cocke took on the project of clearing the roadside pond and landscaping it with water lilies and a footbridge.
She and others cleared and graveled a small parking area nearby for visitors to the garden. 

 In September, Gyatrul Rinpoche was given an Enlightenment Stupa designed by the Khenpo Brothers that was installed above the garden. We want to thank Patti and John Cashman from Mt. Shasta, Dominique Shelton, Christine Moen, Angela Zaragoza and Jan Feichtmeir for this beautiful gift. It took several strong men to put it in place.

Further up the road at the Wang Site, Philip Thomas’s pagoda-like design for the Guru Rinpoche Pavilion is near completion. The copper metal roof has been installed and the building winterized. Philip, a senior student of Rinpoche’s, was responsible for bringing in and working the big cat and bobcat machines. Chris McKinnies and Matthew Small did the construction on the Guru Rinpoche pavilion, with Richard Schwindt, Malcolm Contor, Mike Osugi and Madhu Coates working with them. Derek Ridler, a mainstay and active worker, served as the underlying support for all projects. On the opposite side of the Wang Site, the interior of the Vimalamitra Statue pavilion was beautifully tiled by Elaine Mellon. To support all the sangha construction and painting crews, a sangha cooking team was established to provide workers with nutritious lunches on weekends.

NEXT YEAR
Our monk, Nick O’Connor, has informed us that the 20ft. Guru Rinpoche statue is now finished and will be sent to us from India by February. In 2012 we enter phase two of Rinpoche’s overall plan and will continue for both Guru Rinpoche and Vimalamitra, and begin to landscape this newly purposed Wang Site. We will also finish surfacing the lawn directly in front of the temple, with golden, stone pavers. This new “stage area,” planned and executed by Matthew Small, will allow for Lama Dancing, Sang Offerings and outdoor rituals. We will install lighting around the walkways, and along the new stonewall that surrounds the recently planted grassy, meditation area on the side of the temple.

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