Midwest Dharma

Tibetan Chanting before and during the visit of Dalai Lama's sister to Minneapolis

Jetsun Pema, sister of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, will be in Minneapolis at the end of May.  The following details appeared in an article on www.edgelife.net:

Year of Tibet in Minnesota
In celebration and honor of the Tibetan community in the Twin Cities, the second largest such group in the United States, a festival entitled "2007: A Year of Tibet in Minnesota" will take place in May, featuring the Gyoto Monks of Tibet, the personal assistant to the Dalai Lama, a Tibetan Film Festival and a visit from Mrs. Jetsun Pema, sister of the Dalai Lama.

The Gyoto Monks of Tibet will be in the Cities May 11-21 to demonstrate their worship rituals, performing with flutes, horns, drums and unique multiphonic singing and chanting. The monks also are known for their intricate sand mandalas and butter sculptures, which will be created in front of live audiences at the Minnesota Institute of Art.

The keynote speaker will be the personal assistant to the Dalai Lama, Mrs. Jetsun Pema, sister of the Dalai Lama. She will be speaking at St. Catherine's on two occasions, and a local Tibetan dance group will perform a series of traditional folk dances in costume. Like her famous brother, the 14th Dalai Lama, Mrs. Pema is known for her personal warmth and wisdom. She has taken on the task of caring for the welfare of the thousands of orphaned and destitute children who continue to flee from oppression still imposed by the Chinese government.

THE CHOIR'S PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Next Saturday: 8 p.m., Basilica of St. Mary, Minneapolis; tickets $15 ($10 for seniors and students); 612-333-1381 or www.mary.org.

May 13: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Minneapolis Institute of Art's Family Day; free.

May 20: 6:30 p.m., Center for Religious Inquiry at St. Mark's Cathedral, Minneapolis; tickets $15 ($10 for seniors and students); 612-870-7800 or www.religiousinquiry.com.

May 24: 7:30 p.m., Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis; tickets $15 in advance, $20 at door ($10 for students); 612-338-2674 or www.thecedar.com.

May 27: 7 p.m., St. Joan of Arc Church, Minneapolis; tickets $15 ($10 for seniors and students); 612-823-8205 or www.stjoan.com.

Pema will be keynote speaker at the following venues, which will also feature the choir:

May 29: 7 p.m., Children's Theatre, Minneapolis; tickets $22-$28 ($15 for children, seniors and students); 612-874-0400 or www.childrenstheatre.org.

May 31 and June 1: 7 p.m., Jeanne D'Arc Auditorium, College of St. Catherine, St. Paul; tickets $20; 651-690-6000 or www.ticketworks.org.

Schedule provided by an article in the Star Tribune.

 

HE Luding Khen Rinpche teachings

Minnesota Sakya Center welcomes H.E. Luding Khen Rinpoche to the Twin Cities for a series of teachings.  Please see the attached file for details.

Download sakya_ctr_he_luding_khen_rinpoche.pdf

HHDL to be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington this October

In 1989, His Holiness the Dalai Lama received the Nobel Peace Prize for opposing violence during Tibet's struggle for freedom from Communist Chinese occupation.  This fall, His Holiness will receive one of our highest civilian honers - the Congressional Gold Medal.  The Voice of America website notes: "The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest award bestowed by the legislative branch of the U.S. government.  Originally awarded for outstanding bravery on the battlefield, the Congressional Gold Medal is now awarded, from time to time, to people who have performed exceptional services to humanity.  Medals have gone to the late Pope John Paul the Second, Mother Teresa and the slain American civil-rights leader Martin Luther King Jr...The U.S. Mint is now striking the Dalai Lama's gold medal, as well as bronze duplicates that will be available to the public.  The Dalai Lama plans to travel to Washington this October to receive the award."

His Holiness joins a varied group of recipients including Minneapolis born Charles Schulz and Hubert Humphrey as well as Harry Chapin and Frank Sinatra.

Click here for a complete list of past recipients.

HHDL in Chicago - tickets go on sale March 9th!

The website for the Dalai Lama's visit to Chicago has been launched and tickets will go on sale March 9th.  Click here for details.

If you are flying from the Minneapolis area, flights are on sale as low as $88-99 roundtrip.  Check with Airtan Airways or Northwest Airlines or, better yet, contact me! 

Words of My Perfect Teacher showing in Chicago

From the World Cup to the mountain kingdom of Bhutan, this lively and often funny documentary follows three students on a quest for wisdom. The only catch is their teacher:Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Norbu Rinpoche, the reincarnation of a 19th century Tibetan Buddhist master and the soccer-obsessed director of the acclaimed films The Cupand Travellers & Magicians. Filmmaker Lesley Ann Patten catches the brilliant and unconventional lama on the go in London, Bhutan, Canada and New York, and the travels with this energetic and charismatic teacher set the stage for a dynamic and intimate adventure. With special guest appearances by Bernardo Bertolucci and Steven Seagal, as well as a driving world-beat soundtrack, Words of My Perfect Teacher is both irreverent and enlightening, providing a close encounter with a fascinating teacher (and filmmaker) who defies convention or description.

Playing at the Gene Siskel Film Center on January 27 & 31.  Click HERE for details.

The Cup

From my friend Edwin comes this opportunity to see Khyentse Norbu's The Cup:

The Minneapolis Spiritual Film School is expanding the themes of Spiritual Film School to include characters who spiritually transform through choices, events, and experiences in their lives.

Please join us on January 20th at 7pm to view, " The Cup", a film about  Buddhist students at a Tibetan Buddhist monastery in India.   These students are determined to watch the "World Cup" Soccer game. The go through many trials and lessons  in order to try to  make this happen. Their teachers watch and guide the process debating how or if this will this help their student's spiritual development.

This is a simple film about determination. obedience, and faith.

Location:
Center of Light
3200 Humboldt Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55408

For more details, see the full listing:

When: Saturday, January 20, 2007 at 7:00 PM

If you plan to attend, please take a moment to RSVP. (You can RSVP 'No' or 'Maybe' as well as 'Yes'.)
If you don’t want to “join” the Minneapolis Spiritual Film School, but would like to come, just call Rev. Joan at 612-986-5575.

The Minneapolis Spiritual Film School website

Buddhist Talk at MIA

The Asian Art Curatorial Council presents

The Face of Enlightenment: Buddhist Portraiture

A lecture by Matthew Welch, Curator of Japanese and Korean Art

The historic sage, Sakyamuni, is revered as both a transcendent being
and an archetypal teacher whose personal struggle provided inspiration
to countless followers. Buddhist art is dominated by images of cosmic
deities, but portraits of notable priests, devoted laymen, and religious
eccentrics are also plentiful. This lecture will explore the great
variety of Buddhist portraiture, ranging from images that convey the
intense dedication of Buddhist masters to those that suggest something
of the Buddha-nature itself through playful, even irreverent depictions.

This lecture is presented in memory of Elaine Dennett, longtime museum
and Asian Art Council member, Art Adventure Guide, volunteer, and
friend. A reception will follow in the Fountain Court.

Thursday, January 18, 2007, 6:30 P.M.
Pillsbury Auditorium; The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Free to everyone, but tickets required. For reservations call (612)
870-6323

Sale at Ziji

Ziji is offering 15% off of orders over $100 purchased by December 13.  Go to their website for details.

Another good blog....

Check out The Seagull Has Landed for a travellers perspective on China & Tibet...

Follow-up to shooting in Nepal

The site Boing Boing has  a substantial post about the incident in Nepal.  Please click here for more details.