Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Visits Slovakia

Our precious Master visited Slovakia after his visit to the Czech Republic, arriving by train on 16^th August 2018 in Bratislava, accompanied by Rosa Namkhai and Adriana Dal Borgo. Rinpoche rested for a day, having a short site-seeing tour of the city center with a cup of cappuccino together with a small group of practitioners and the organizing team.

On the full moon day, 18^th of August, Rinpoche visited the seat of the Slovak Dzogchen Community, Wangdenling, located in the mountains about a 90 minute drive from Bratislava. This visit was one of his main reasons for coming to Slovakia. Around 160 community members came to participate in Rinpoche’s visit to Wangdenling, mainly from the Czech republic, Slovakia, Italy, France, Poland etc.

After his arrival Rinpoche gave transmission of the Sang and Serkyem practices followed by an explanation of the meaning. After that we did these practices collectively and at the end, the consecration ceremony (Tib. rabne) of the new Gönpa was performed very essentially.

A short cultural program by community musicians was followed by a collective short ganapuja with namkha and lungta. After the ganapuja, lunch was served to Rinpoche and Rosa and small refreshments for practitioners, followed by a continuation of the cultural program.

At the end of Rinpoche’s auspicious visit to Wangdeling there were collective Khaita dances on the meadow and around the Stupa.

Regarding Wangdenling Rinpoche said: “It is a very nice place and can also be a powerful place. So it is very important that sometimes you try to organize some small retreats for people who are interested, also people from the country. Many people live in the city. When they have a little time it is nice if these kinds of people can relax and also do practice. This is what you should do.”

Then the weekend retreat entitled ‘Discovering Nature of Mind’ started in Bratislava on Friday 19^th of August at 5pm. The retreat was attended by around 850 fortunate participants and was webcast worldwide. Rinpoche started by introducing different paths to liberation. Rinpoche talked about the need to apply and integrate teachings in our lives particularly in the four moments of sitting, walking, eating and sleeping, as mentioned by Lord Buddha in the sutras.

On the second day Rinpoche explained the state of Dzogchen and the method to discover it by practicing Ati Guruyoga. He went on to teach on the four chogzhag, an essential practice of Dzogchen upadesha, as well as the practice of Song of the Vajra. Rinpoche also explained his personal encounter with the Song of the Vajra through his dreams, when in his dream, together with uncle Khyentse Rinpoche Chokyi Wangchug, he met the great master Longchenpa performing ganachakra with dakas and dakinis. Rinpoche further shared his dreams of encountering Gomadevi and having his first contact with the Dance of the Vajra.

From the audience’s side, by merely hearing Rinpoche’s narrations of his profound experiences, there was no choice but to feel profound inspiration and joy, at the same time feeling very fortunate to have direct connection with these profound teachings from the great Master himself. At the end of the retreat as usual Rinpoche gave tri lungs of different secondary practices.

The Slovak Dzogchen Community was extremely grateful for Rinpoche’s kind visit to such a small and insignificant country as Slovakia.

After the retreat Rinpoche rested for two days and then left on the 24^th by the night train from Vienna, Austria to Florence and then to Merigar.

We would like to thank, first of all, Rinpoche for paying this visit, giving his teachings, blessings, performing consecration and collective practices, meeting people, giving advice to people, preparing protection cords, and presiding over collective Khaita practice. This created a cause for people from Slovakia and other countries to have a chance of awakening their true nature, strengthening their connection with him and his teaching, and accumulating merits by supporting the event and by collaboration. Secondly, we give many thanks to project manager Marek Riesz and to the organizing team of both the Bratislava retreat and the visit to Wangdenling as well as all the many karmayogis and helpers, who dedicated their effort, time and energy to this very meaningful and beneficial event. May it bring benefit to many people and become a cause of liberation for all sentient beings from the ocean of samsara!

If you feel like supporting Wangdenling and its many projects of development such as finishing the works at the Gönpa, retreat cabins / houses or the necessary purchase of neighboring property, we will be very grateful for any support and help!

Especially sanghas from nearby countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Hungary and Ukraine are most welcome to come to Wangdenling and feel at home, do personal retreat, study and practice the teaching, rest, etc. We will keep you updated on future projects and the development of the center.

For further information about Wangdenling contact: [email protected].

For general information about the Dzogchen Community Slovakia: [email protected], see also www.dzogchen.sk and www.wangdenling.sk

A practitioner from Slovakia

Bank account info:
Account name: Dzogchen
Bank name: UniCredit Bank Slovakia a. s.
City/State: Bratislava/Slovakia
Location/Address: Sancova 1/A
Branch address: Hurbanovo namestie 1 (Pallehner)
IBAN: SK2511110000001018129026
SWIFT/BIC: UNCRSKBX