Commemorating the 1st Anniversary of Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche's Passing

Part 1 - Preparation
2nd to 4th October 2014

Please order your Chod text by Wednesday 24th September, by sending an email to trinley@samyeling.org. (Chod is a restricted practice for which you need both the empowerment and reading transmission. If ordering a text please specify from whom you received each of these, thank you.)

Only those who have the Chod empowerment are permitted to have a text, however everyone is most welcome to attend and we have prepared a practice that everyone who has taken Refuge can do during the Chod sessions.

Available texts and costs are:

1. Tibetan only, which costs £7.50
2. Tibetan with English translation, cost £10.00 
3. Tibetan with English, phonetics and translation, cost £15.00.

Part 2 - Chod Practice
5th to 8th October 2014

Practitioners from Samye Ling's previous long retreats will come together for this, and others are welcome to participate if they have received the training. Anyone else is also welcome to sit in on this beautiful and inspiring practice whenever they wish.

Daily programme:
8am 1st session of Chod
1.30pm Mahakala Prayers
3.15pm 2nd session of Chod

Tsok will be offered each day of the Chod practice and contributions will be gratefully accepted – please leave them in the Reception Office.

Special Events on 8th October

The Chod practice will finish at lunchtime on 8th October, the first anniversary of the passing of Akong Tulku Rinpoche.

In the afternoon of the 8th there will be further events to mark this important occasion in the history of Kagyu Samye Ling including:

• A special lunch - in honour of Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche's renowned hospitality, we invite everyone to enjoy delicious food (12.30pm - 1.30pm)
• Prayers in the Temple dedicated to all beings and especially those connected to Choje Akong Tulku Rinpoche
• Lighting of 1,000 lamps in the Butterlamp House
• Planting in the new Akong Memorial Garden in front of the Samye College building

Everyone who wishes can offer a kata or flowers to Rinpoche’s throne in the Temple at any time. Any offerings made to his throne will be added to the Akong Memorial Fund.

Every year, while in Tibet, Akong Rinpoche would release many animals from captivity. Due to regulations it is not easy to release animals in this country, however we can all help protect lives by giving up eating meat. On 8th October we encourage anyone who can to take the commitment either to give up eating meat completely, or for a specific period of time or, if it’s not possible to give completely, to make a commitment to eat less meat.

It is also possible to sponsor life release through our charity ROKPA, and you can contact them at charity@rokpauk.org, or by phone on +44 (0) 13873 73232 Ext: 230.

Also, Akong Rinpoche was very active in the area of health, so 8th October will be a good time to make a commitment to give up smoking or any other intoxicant.