Dzamling Gar
December 17-22, 2018
by Lena Dumcheva
A very first course on Tibetan astrology of the elements or jungtsi (‘byung rtsis) took place in Dzamling Gar from December 17th to the 22nd, led by Migmar Tsering and assisted by Tanita Ferrari and Cecilia Damiani from Dynamic Elements Artists.
The course was based on the astrology book by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu called “The Practice of Astrology: the Light of the Snow Mountain” (‘byung rtsis kyi lag len gangs ri’i ‘od snang) that was recently published in China in the Tibetan language. We now proudly have a copy here in Dzamling Gar! The book is now being translated into English, but you can already order Tibetan copies with Cecilia Damiani [email protected].
We have started with the basics: 12 animals, 5 elements and 9 mewa (sme ba). We have then learned how to make calculations for the year, the month, the day and the hour of our birth; for our sog (srog) or life, lu (lus) or body/ health, wang (dbang) or capacity/ power, lung (rlung) or fortune and la (bla) or protective energy; and their corresponding mewa. To give you an example, we are using these elements in namkha, usually calculated for the year of birth: the upper part of namkha corresponds to sog, lu, wang and lung; the lower – to mewa; and the final thread around the namkha is our protective energy la.
We also learned how to compare our own calculations to the current year and to discover our weak points. Moreover, we learned how to compare the elements of two people, for example husband and wife, e.g. compatibility and mutual influences – which, of course, immediately became the most popular topic of the course!
The mandala of the elements chungwaì chilkhor (‘byung ba’i dkyil ‘khor)
After we have completed our calculations we learned how to harmonize any existing conflicts by drawing our own mandala of the elements called chungwai chilkhor (‘byung ba’i dkyil ‘khor) in Tibetan or “mandala of the elements”. This method, in addition to colors, uses symbolic shapes of the elements – blue circle for water, green rectangle for wood, red triangle for fire, yellow square for earth and white semi-circle or metal. In the drawing we combine astrological calculations for the year, the month, the day and the hour of birth – the inner element corresponds to the year and the outer one to the hour. The background color of the drawing represents la or protective energy, similar to the outer thread of namkha. The process of drawing itself is a method to harmonize our dimension – first we apply concentration to draw a precise line and shape of the element, and then we relax in presence while filling the shape with a color. After the drawing is completed and empowered with a ritual, it acquires a function similar to that of namkha – balancing our elements and harmonising any existing conflicts. One can also make such a drawing for one’s house and we are planning to make one for Dzamling Gar.
More than 30 people attended the course, from professional astrologers to artists, from namkha experts to those who approached the subject for the very first time. We will continue with a study group here in Dzamling Gar to consolidate what we’ve learned at the course and to make calculations and a drawing for Dzamling Gar.
This course has been just a beginning of a series of workshops dedicated to astrology and art. A painting course with Migmar will take place this summer in Merigar, while here in Dzamling Gar we are hoping to have Migmar and the Dynamic Elements Artists back next winter for a series of courses including astrology, Tibetan geomancy, sache, and art.
Inside cover of book with Chögyal Namkhai Norbu’s Seal
Hands and Elements
From the course participants:
Edith Casadei, photographer & graphic designer, Italy
“For some time I had wanted to participate in a course on Tibetan astrology. It was an intensive one-week seminar, long and thorough, and it was not just a question of ‘doing calculations’ but it was a journey into ourselves, our world through colors, elements, signs and mewas. What a surprise! There were a lot of explanations but thanks to great patience and to Cecilia and Tanita, Migmar’s two assistants, we could absorb them all. Migmar, with his more essential and direct approach, accompanied us along this path of study with his knowledge and basing himself on the written text recently finished by Rinpoche, now available only in Tibetan. It was also an experience of exchange and comparison, in a light and engaging atmosphere. Thank you so much Migmar, and thanks to Cecilia and Tanita, very well prepared, kind and ready to help. And finally, thanks to Elena Dumcheva for organizing the course! “
Juan Cruz Lilo, Astrological Coach and Instructor of Numerology, Argentina
“As a professional astrologer I consider it is essential to train by studying reliable sources. In the West we have quite a superficial concept of astrology, which often leads to the loss of its’ essence. It is not the same to learn astrology with a Westerner than with an Asian instructor, I know that from my own experience. The level of depth we reached in the course taught by Migmar Tering is very high for a beginner’s course, and it was also thanks to the support of his assistants Cecilia Damiani and Tanita Ferrari, who, having previously trained with Migmar, helped to render the explanations more understandable to Westerners.”
