Members of Dribselling. Photo by Pietro Borsi
Rinpoche recently made a short but very intense visit to Milan, magic moments shared by all practitioners who really did their best to organize his arrival and his stay in every single detail. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu arrived on October 20th in the evening as a special guest of Ghe Phe Ling Institute of Tibetan Buddhist Studies to attend a two-day event with H. H. the Dalai Lama.
Rinpoche had been invited to visit Dribselling, the Dzogchen Community Ling in Milan, on Sunday October 23rd, but unexpectedly decided to have a Khaita Joyful Dance session there on Friday afternoon. Fortunately the Ling had already been prepared, spotlessly clean and nicely adorned with flowers, plants and decorations. Rinpoche was really impressed and said that Dribselling is a very nice pleasant place. On his arrival quite a few practitioners welcomed him by dancing ‘Tashi Dangpo’ in his honor and then the dancing continued for more than two hours.
Both on Friday and Sunday during the lunch break at the main event Rinpoche had lunch in a bar nearby with people from the Ling or at least with the people able “to fit in”.
Rinpoche at Dribselling. Photo by Pietro Borsi
On Saturday afternoon Rinpoche was invited by Benedetta Tagliabue to her wonderful family house in Brianza a few kilometers from Milan and some people went as well. Rinpoche received a really heart-felt welcome from Benedetta’s family and then, in a particularly good mood, he started speaking about the very beginning of the Dzogchen Community, about the first retreat, and about the attitude of his first students. It was really very funny because some of his first students were present and could not help being involved. Then Rinpoche asked the few dancers present to show some Khaita dances and at the end Benedetta’ s mother prepared “risotto” for everybody, a typical Milanese dish.
Of course the main event for Dribselling was on Sunday. Rinpoche arrived at 11.30 and immediately started talking to the 80 or 90 people present giving precious teachings and advice, answering the many questions asked in particular by newcomers or relatively new practitioners. Then while Rinpoche was served a ‘Japanese style’ lunch, a catering service was provided for everybody and the atmosphere was really relaxed, joyful, and cozy.
Photo Pietro Borsi
Then like in a big family, after coffee, games and jokes with Rinpoche followed by Khaita, Rinpoche’s visit was really a wonderful opportunity to collaborate, to enjoy being together, to experiment this sense of belonging and the concrete feeling of new vitality and energy for the Ling blessed by Rinpoche’s presence, compassion and teachings.
Elisa Copello
