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Welcome to Olmo Ling
Olmo Ling is a religious educational non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the ancient teachings of the Bon tradition of Tibet and making them available and accessible to lay practitioners.
Olmo Ling offers weekly meditation practice and teachings, prayers, meditation instruction and private interviews, and a study program that includes regular retreats with Tempa Dukte Lama and visiting lamas of the Bon tradition.
Learn more about Olmo Ling or Subscribe to our Mailing List.
Visit the Olmo Ling Teaching and Retreat Schedule for 2024 to view upcoming programs and please visit Olmo Ling online Bookstore!
New Year’s Eve Prayers & Celebration
Tuesday, December 31st, 2024 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM EST
with Tempa Dukte Lama via Zoom and In-Person at Olmo Ling Bon Center
Olmo Ling Bon Center
1101 Greenfield Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Free Attendance! All are welcome, please bring family, children, and friends!
We would like to invite you to join us for New Year’s Eve Prayers & Celebration with Tempa Lama at Olmo Ling Bon Center.
Tempa Lama will guide the community in inviting the blessings of the chief protector of Bon, Sidpa Gyalmo for this new year. Sidpa Gyalmo is the fierce protector form of the Loving Mother of Wisdom. Guided by Tempa Lama we will chant the Sidpa Gyalmo invocation, perform the Sidpa Gyalmo Longevity and Prosperity practice and Tsok offering, followed by the Sidpa Gyalmo Healing Waters Practice and finally the Sidpa Gyalmo practice of Dokpa for dispelling obstacles.
No prior experience with these prayers is required – anyone can receive the blessings of this practice by simply listening.
The prayers will be followed by a reception with snacks and beverages. If you join in person, you are welcome to bring a snack or dessert to share! We can’t wait to see you!
Form – Names for New Year’s Prayers
Register for Zoom Attendence
SCHEDULE & PRAYERS FOR NEW YEAR’S EVE:
Support our work in Humla!
$3,050.05 from reaching our 2024 Goal!
Tempa Lama has worked with villagers in his home region, the remote Humla valley for more than 20 years, seeking to preserve Humla’s ancient Bon culture, support access to health care and quality education, and co-create a sustainable future for the region. With generous donations, Tempa Lama has been able to construct a new building during 2017-2018 to house the traditional clinic Sorig Tenpe Menkhang and Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling temple.
We need your help to buy ritual items for the altar of Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling temple and to cover the annual operating expenses for the clinic. Two generous donors have enabled us to construct the altar itself and commission three statues. Geshe Tsewang Ngodup will serve as the resident lama and abbot of Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling Temple and be able to offer Bon prayers, rituals and teachings for the people of Humla. In particular he will train the large lay community of Humla in doing rituals and prayers themselves and spending time in retreat. In this way people will be able to continue and revive the ancient Bon tradition and lineage.
The Humla valley is deeply connected with the Zhang Zhung Bon religion and culture and the Humli people have practiced Bon rituals and meditation for a long time. However, there is no Bon monastery or Bon learning center in Humla. Therefore the Bon tradition in Humla has almost disappeared. Please help us restore this ancient tradition and providing access to authentic Bon rituals and teachings in Humla!
Read More About The Humla Project & Make a Donation
Sidpa Gyalmo Divination Practice – Teaching, Training, and Transmission
With Tempa Dukte Lama
Week 1 | Sat. January 4 – Sun. January 5, 2025
Week 2 | Sat. January 11 – Sun. January 12, 2025
Week 3 | Sat. January 18 – Sun. January 19, 2025
We are excited to announce that Tempa Dukte Lama will be offering this special teaching, training, and transmission on the powerful divination practice of Sidpa Gyalmo called, “Clairvoyance Mirror of the Srid rGyal of the Six Times”. In Tibet, people have relied on utilizing divination or Mo throughout many centuries to help them make important decisions in their lives, be it about relationships and family, health, the purchase of property, travel, work, new projects, or spiritual practice.
Divination practice relies on the practitioner’s deep connection with a protector deity. In this divination practice, the deity is Sidpa Gyalmo, the Queen of the Universe and chief protector deity of Bon. Through one’s meditative absorption the blessing and clairvoyance of the deity are sought. In this practice, the practitioner invokes the blessings and wisdom of Sidpa Gyalmo as a means to assess the benefit of different choices.
IMPORTANT: ATTENDANCE PREREQUISITE: Tempa Lama asks that you only register if you have attended all teachings of this cycle at Olmo Ling either this year or in previous years (one teaching missed is fine EXCEPT the invocation practice, which is necessary as it is part of the divination practice).
Read More & Register
24-Day Pilgrimage | Mt. Kailash & Central Tibet through Upper Humla Simikot
September 22nd – October 16th, 2025
with Tempa Dukte Lama and Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche
Tempa Lama has 25 years experience leading and co-leading pilgrimage trips to Tibet, Nepal and India (Menri Monastery) as well as medical service trips to Humla, Nepal.
Tempa Dukte Lama and Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche will be offering a 24-day pilgrimage from their home valley of Humla, Nepal, to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarowar in Tibet.
Mount Kailash is one of the most sacred places on Earth. In the Bon tradition, Mount Kailash is viewed as the center of the universe. It is the soul mountain for the ancient kingdom of Zhang Zhung, where the Tibetan Bon religion originated. Mount Kailash is the citadel of the celestial deity Gekhöd, the patron deity of Zhang Zhung. The area surrounding this sacred mountain is home to many Bon and Buddhist yogis and yoginis who live in long-term retreat. The pilgrimage will include daily teachings, meditation and Bon rituals with Tempa Lama and Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche.
Please Contact Olmo Ling with Any Questions!
If interested in joining us on our 2025 Pilgrimage to Tibet, please email us at bon@olmoling.org and we will provide you with our itinerary and other necessary documents.
Click Here to View the Itinerary and Pictures of Previous Trips!
On Holiday Break until January 7th, 2025
Free Tuesday Evening Talk
Ordinary Mind and the Nature of Mind
with Tempa Dukte Lama
Join us at 7:00 PM EST via Zoom or In-Person at:
Olmo Ling Bon Center
1101 Greenfield Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
After our Holiday Break, Tempa Lama will continue his series of ordinary mind and the nature of the mind as viewed in the Bon tradition, how to differentiate between the two, and how to use this distinction to realize our true nature. The series will continue in the new year with an exploration of the distinction between ordinary mind and the pure nature of the mind.
The weekly program at Olmo Ling is free! All are welcome!
Donations to Tempa Dukte Lama or to Olmo Ling Bon Center are always deeply appreciated.
A one-time registration is required for attendance. If you registered already for previous talk, you are all set!
Register Here for our Zoom Talks
Family Sangha
One Friday a Month | Next: January 10th, 2024
Nature Mandalas
7:00 – 8:00 PM EST
Offered In-Person with Olmo Ling Community Members
Upcoming Dates:- January 10th, 2025
- February 7th, 2025
- March 14th, 2025
- April 19th, 2025
- May 9th, 2025
The program is designed for children to experience personal familiarity with Bon teachings and for families to deepen their connections with Bon and with each other. Each Family Sangha meeting will include a snack (families are welcome to contribute to the snack table), meditation, a story/lesson, and a related craft/activity.
The main lesson for December will be about the impermanence of all things. We will read a folk tale called “Mr Lucky Straw” that demonstrates the peace that comes from knowing things will change of their own accord. We will then watch a brief video of monastics making a sand mandala. Our art activity will be a collaborative construction of a seasonal nature mandala. After savoring the completed project for a few minutes, we will lean into impermanence and non-attachment by disassembling it.
LEARN MORE ABOUT FAMILY SANGHA
Thursday Chod Session
Thursdays at 6:30 PM EST
Offered via Zoom & In-Person with Senior Students Jim DelBianco & Andrew Kaiser
- Dec. 5th – Class
- Dec. 12th – No Class
- Dec. 18th – Class
- Dec. 26th – No Class
- January 2nd – Class, and schedule continues weekly as normal
Each week we will practice elements of the drumming and chanting, followed by performing the Chod ritual as a group. Jim and Andrew are both senior students of Tempa Dukte Lama.
Join us In-Person or Zoom HERE
Meeting ID: 970 0641 9095
In-Person is recommended, however, we know that is not possible for everyone!
Read More
Saturday Calm Abiding Meditation (Zhine) with Instruction
Saturdays at 8:30 AM EST
Offered via Zoom & In-Person with Senior Student Andrew Kaiser
- Dec. 6 – No Meditation session
- Dec. 14 – Meditation session
- Dec. 28 – No meditation session
- Dec. 21 – No meditation session
- Jan. 4 – Meditation session – class continues weekly as normal
This class will provide instruction in the first phase of meditation, known as Zhine or Calm Abiding. It is important to be able to understand the full succession of meditation phases so that we know what we will learn – and just as important, what we will not be practicing.
Join us In-Person or Zoom HERE
Meeting ID: 967 9436 8181
Read More
Sunday Dzogchen Practice Group
RESUMES JANUARY 5TH, 2025
Sundays at 4:00 PM EST
Offered via Zoom & In-Person with Senior Student Bob Marin
- Meditation Practice Group (IN-PERSON & ZOOM): 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month
- Reading and Discussion Group (ZOOM ONLY): 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month
Dzogchen Olmo Ling holds a Meditation Practice sitting and a Reading and Discussion group on alternate weeks. Weekly announcements provide brief readings and indicate whether the meeting will be online or in-person. In-person meetings permit online participation as well.
If you wish to participate or if you have questions about Dzogchen Olmo Ling, please contact Bob Marin
Read More
RECAP: Visit from H.H. 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin to Pittsburgh, PA
in June 2023
Friday, June 2nd – Sunday, June 4th
at Olmo Ling Bon Center and over Zoom
We are deeply honored to announce the second visit of His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche the 34th abbot of Menri Monastery and spiritual head of the Bon tradition to Pittsburgh this June. Please join us for this precious opportunity to spend time with His Holiness. H.H. will offer a public talk on Friday, June 2nd, teaching on The Important and Benefits of the Jang Chok Ritual on Saturday, June 3rd, and perform a Du Tri Su Empowerment on Sunday, June 4th.
Learn more about His Holiness’ June Visit!
We have launched Phase II of the Temple Capital Campaign!
On December 9, 2022, we were able to buy the building that houses Olmo Ling temple in Pittsburgh. We would like to thank you all so much for your generous support that has made this possible.
W invite you to join us in supporting the second phase of the capital campaign for renovating the upper two floors. Often, long-term students ask about doing a personal retreat at Olmo Ling. We will therefore offer the second floor for personal retreats and for accommodation during teachings (following necessary renovations). The third floor will be renovated as an apartment for rent. Utilizing the entire building in this way will help us sustain our temple and pay for the building
Tempa Lama’s vision for many years has been to provide a sacred space of refuge where the community can come together to practice and where everyone can have access to well-learned Tibetan Bon masters and Western teachers. Tempa Lama’s deep wish is to support the flourishing of Bon in the West by offering translations of ancient Tibetan Bon texts into Western languages at Olmo Ling. Most of all, Tempa Lama’s profound aspiration is to support Western students who want to train and become responsible Bon teachers and lamas so that Bon can truly grow deep roots in the West.
Our temple space in Pittsburgh is the cornerstone of this work and of our charitable projects in the Himalayas.
We are most grateful to have received the support of His Holiness 34th Gyalwa Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal Rinpoche and the Menri Monastery community for the temple capital campaign.
We invite you to help us raise $87,500 for building renovations.
Raised to date for Phase II: $55,325.64 – You can donate HERE
Read More and Join Us Here
Olmo Ling Daily Prayers
We recite the prayers below at the start of each weekly community practice on Tuesdays. Feel free to download for your own daily practice!
Now Available: Tempa Dukte Lama’s New Book – Jang Chok Ancient Tibetan Bon Ritual
Tempa Lama’s new book on the Du Tri Su Jang Chok ritual is now available for purchase!
The Jang Chok ritual from the Du Tri Su cycle is a powerful skillful means to guide the consciousness of the deceased and protect it from the terror of the Bardo experiences. This book offers the first complete English translation and transliteration of the Du Tri Su Jang Chok liturgy (with the original Tibetan included). In the first part of the book, Tempa Dukte Lama explains the different sections of the ritual and their meaning and purpose as well as how to make the required torma offerings and prepare for the ritual. The liturgy in the second part of the book is annotated throughout and images of ritual arrangements and torma offerings are included to assist practitioners in performing the ritual.
“This translation and ritual manual will be of great benefit as a practice resource for all those who want to learn and use the Du Tri Su Jang Chok ritual for the deceased. It will be most helpful to any Western practitioners.”
~ His Holiness 34th Menri Trizin Lungtok Dawa Dhargyal, spiritual head of BönRead more and purchase the book here
Tempa Dukte Lama’s Books
- Origin of the Medicine Buddha Tempa Dukte Lama illuminates the history of how the Medicine Buddha was first taught. He offers a translation of the short Medicine Buddha practice composed by 14th century Bön master Nyamed Sherab Gyaltsen along with a detailed explanation of the liturgy, visualization, and altar preparation.
- Thrul Khor: Ancient Tibetan Bon Yoga Step-by-step instructions for 85 practices according to the A Khrid, Ma Gyud (Mother Tantra), and Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyud cycles of Bon Thrul Khor, supported by 499 photographs.
- Heart Drop of the Loving Mother Tempa Lama offers detailed instructions on the Heart Drop of the Loving Mother practice and on how we can become a Loving Mother in our lives.
- Journey into Buddhahood: The Five Paths and the Ten Stages of Compassionate Beings Tempa Lama offers a profound guide to attaining full liberation according to the Bon Sutra path, the path of compassionate beings.
- Inexhaustible Miracles: The Ten Perfections on the Path of Compassionate Beings The Ten Perfections are the heart practices of compassionate beings through which we bring the Bon teachings into our lived experience: generosity, wholesome conduct, patience, effort, concentration, power, aspirational prayers, skillful means, and discriminating awareness. Tempa Lama explains how we can cultivate each Perfection and use these practices to transform every moment of our lives.
- The Intimate Mind: Illuminating Emotion and Transformation Tempa Lama explores how we can use the Bon teachings to better understand our mind, be intimate with it, and ultimately transform it.
Sidpa Gyalmo practice resources
- Recording of Tempa Lama chanting the Sidpa Gyalmo Healing Practice liturgy
- Recording of Tempa Lama chanting the Sidpa Gyalmo Healing Waters Practice liturgy
- Recording of Tempa Lama chanting the Sidpa Gyalmo Longevity & Prosperity practice
- A booklet by Tempa Lama with an explanation of the symbolic meaning of the Sidpa Gyalmo and Yeshe Walmo visualization, detailed instructions of the healing practice, an explanation of the Bon approach to healing, color pictures of Sidpa Gyalmo and Yeshe Walmo, and the practice liturgy of both the Healing Practice and the Healing Waters Practice is available from our store here. We are able to ship quickly and now offer lower First Class shipping rates for domestic and international orders.