The events team recently met with Rigdzin Shikpo and the Mandala Mother to discuss the forthcoming Longchen schedule and Rigdzin Shikpo decided that given the current situation it wouldn’t be safe for him, Mandala Mother and other Longchen teachers and students to attend events. Therefore, we will cancel or postpone the planned events up until summer for now. Some of you might have been already informed about certain events following emails Rigdzin Shikpo wrote to the stream leaders of the ECV and Lion’s Roar and the POF team on Saturday.
ECV Weekends in March:
The ECV Ceremonies, scheduled for Oxford coming weekend and for Laach the weekend after, will be postponed to September and be part of the first LHE weekends in Oxford and Laach respectively. Rigdzin Shikpo said that the ECV students should use the forthcoming weekends to practice at home and I know that the UK group and the BGL groups are planning to meet on Zoom to practice together.
The Lions Roar Year 1:
Gate 1s in April in Bristol and in June in London will not take place and will be re-scheduled by the respective local groups – dates to be announced. We already informed and refunded people who were booked for these.
The Lions Roar Year 3:
Gate 7 – 18 + 19 April:
If Rigdzin Shikpo’s health and practicalities are permitting Rigdzin Shikpo would like to teach Gate 7 online so everyone on the current stream and everyone who would like to refresh this gate can link into the teachings from home. We updated the Eventbrite booking link accordingly so please book you tickets to take part in the stream:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-lions-roar-gate-7-online-streaming-tickets-98762662783. Please note this teaching is restricted to students who have completed Lion’s Roar Gate 6.
Gate 8 – this will be postponed from the July date to 17+18 October when hopefully everyone on the stream and repeaters can travel to Oxford and attend in person.
Gate 9 and Year 3 Retreat: this will be postponed to early 2021 – dates to be announced.
Feast Days:
Lineage weekend which was scheduled for the Easter Weekend will not take place this year.
Summer Sangha days which were scheduled for June in Heidelberg and Oxford will also not take place this year.
Rigdzin Shikpo is hoping that everyone will gather for and attend Ceremony Day in autumn. This is now re-scheduled to 24 October (from the previously allocated November date).
Path of Freedom:
The Path of Freedom weekends scheduled for May and October in Oxford and for June in Germany are postponed to 2021 – exact dates to be confirmed.
The Path of Freedom Retreat scheduled for May at the Priory will now be postponed to 10-16 October in place of the TLR Yr3 Retreat. I will update the Eventbrite booking accordingly once we have confirmation about possible numbers from the Priory.
Path of Freedom Local Groups:
These are currently still meeting though they may be cancelled at short notice. If you are planning on attending a local group for the first time please contact the group before attending to double check:
- Bristol Local Group: bristol@longchenfoundation.org
- Oxford local group: oxford@longchenfoundation.org
- Lewisham local group: southlondon@longchenfoundation.org
LHE:
The July retreat for LHE Streams 1+2 is assumed to go ahead as planned. However subject to the general situation and the ability of people to travel this will be assessed nearer the time.
The LHE weekends for LHE streams 3 planned for September in Oxford and Laach will hopefully be the restart of the teachings in autumn and are planned to be combined with the postponed ECV Ceremonies.
Rigdzin Shikpo also kindly said that subject to his health and to practicalities he is thinking of giving online teachings over the coming months. These can be happening fairly spontaneously and will be announced and publicised as and when via newsletters and the website.
Stay healthy and keep up your practice.