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Bon Soul Retrieval Ritual for the Humla Project
via Zoom & In-Person with Tempa Dukte Lama and Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche
Sunday, November 24th, 2024
from 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM EST
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Offered both via Zoom and in person at Olmo Ling (1101 Greenfield Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15217, USA)
The ritual explanation will be in English. Simultaneous translation will be available in Spanish, Portuguese, French and Russian via Zoom!
We are excited that brothers Tempa Dukte Lama and Geshe Tsewang Ngodup will offer the Longevity Tse Drup and Soul Retrieval ritual practice and explain its benefits. This powerful ancient Bon ritual offers great blessings for all those attending or supporting the ritual by restoring, healing and nurturing the strength and vibrancy of the soul and life force.
The soul is the pure strength of the internal elements. Its primary function is to support and nurture the connection between our life force and lifespan. The second function is that it strengthens and nurtures the relationship between the physical body and the mind. The soul abides in the mind, and the mind abides in the body. When the soul is weakened, this affects the relationship between our life force and life span and the relationship between the physical body and the mind. When the soul and life force are weakened or disturbed, we become vulnerable toward physical, mental, and emotional misfortunes. In some cases, untimely death or major disturbances in different aspects of our life situation can occur. The Awakened One Tonpa Shenrab taught and implemented the powerful Bon ritual of La Lu Chi Lu (Soul Retrieval) to retrieve and heal our soul and life force. This ritual relies on the power of meditative absorption, prayers, mantras, and visualization. Since the time of its teaching, this precious ritual has flourished and has been practiced for thousands of years until now, benefiting countless beings.
Supporting Our Work in Humla Valley, Nepal
All registrations and donations will support our work in Humla, including raising funds effort for the completion of the Bon Temple and Monastery, Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling.
Bon Temple and Monastery Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling
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. Over the centuries we have lost many of the cultural and religious traditions and the unique identity of Bon practice. Our goal in establishing a temple in Humla is to restore this ancient tradition and to provide what people are looking for – to have access to authentic Bon rituals and teachings.
Now many centuries later we have a highly trained Bon Geshe who is a Humla native and who wants to serve his home region. During 2017-2018 Tempa Lama oversaw construction of Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling temple – which is housed jointly with the traditional clinic Sorig Tenpe Menkhang in a new building near Simikot in Humla.
As the abbot of Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling Temple Geshe Tsewang Ngodup will be able to serve the Humli people by offering prayers and rituals and in particular training lay people in doing rituals and prayers themselves and spending time in retreat. In this way people will be able to continue and revive the ancient tradition and lineage.
We are extremely thankful to a generous $20,000 gift from Tim Aitken, LAc., that enabled us to commission three beautifully crafted 24” altar statues of the Awakened One Tonpa Shenrab, the Loving Mother of Wisdom Sherab Jamma, and the chief Bon Protector Sidpa Gyalmo. We are equally thankful to Dr. Linda Wellner for a
- 7” Copper Kapala (Skull Cup) Set: $120
- 10” Chotor Copper Water Offering Bowls: $140
- 13” Rolmo (Cymbals): 185 – ALREADY FULLY SPONSORED
- Two Incense Burner Sets: $250 ($125 a piece)
- Large Traditional Offering Bowls Set: $290 – ALREADY FULLY SPONSORED
- Chon Nga (Large Standing Temple Drum): $450
- 6’ Dhung Chen (Ceremonial Longhorn): $490
- 7” Copper Khru Bum (Healing Vase): $510
- Large Brocade Tablecloths Set of 3: $525 ($175 per piece)
- Large Copper & Gold Mandala Set: $650
- 12” Gold-plated Stupa: $900
- Gold-plated Traditional Kangling Trumpet: $920
- 108 Copper Butter Lamps: $972 ($9 per piece)
- 9” Silver Tse Bum (Longevity Vase): $1,950
- Eight Thangkas with Brocade Frames: $2,320 ($290 per piece) – ALREADY FULLY SPONSORED
- 2 Lama Thrones: Cost to be determined
Grand total to complete the altar: $10,672. Already raised: $6,761.73 Still to be raised: $3,910.27
Supporting the annual operating cost of Sorig Tenpa’i Menkhang Clinic
- Amchi (Tibetan Doctor) Salary for the year: $6,500
- Building Caretaker: $1,450
- Maintenance & Repair: $1,300
- Government and Audit Fees: $1,300
- Medical supplies: $900
Grand total for the clinic in 2024: $11,450. Already raised: $3,550. Still to be raised: $7,900
Registration and Donations
We offer three fee levels to make the Bon teachings accessible. We invite you to consider offering a larger gift to help us complete the Bon temple in Humla.
To view the budget for our work in Humla, sponsor specific ritual items for the Humla temple, or donate via PayPal, credit card, or check, click here.
- Mid to High income: $140
- Mid income: $70
- Low income: $25
- Donate | Pay Custom Amount: Click Here
About Tempa Dukte Lama
Tempa Lama is an ordained lama of the Tibetan Bon tradition. He is the founder and spiritual director of Olmo Ling Bon Center and Institute in Pittsburgh, PA, where he works to make the ancient Bon wisdom teachings available and accessible in the West. He is an artist, poet, and author of eight books. Tempa Lama studied at Menri Monastery, India, from the age of six under the close guidance of the late H.H. 33rd Menri Trizin, the worldwide spiritual head of the Bon tradition until 2017. Tempa Lama has lived in the US since 2000 and teaches internationally, helping people bring a practice of healing and happiness into their lives.
About Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche
Geshe Tsewang Ngodup Rinpoche is the abbot of Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling Monastery in Humla, Nepal, and the first Geshe in the Yungdrung Bon tradition from Humla. Rinpoche studied at Menri Monastery, India, from 1992. In 1998 he enrolled in the Bon Dialectic School at Menri where he studied the three Bon Paths of Liberation, Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen. He was awarded the Geshe degree at Menri in 2014. On March 8th, 2023, the auspicious birth anniversary of Buddha Tonpa Shenrab, he was enthroned as the abbot of Pal Samten Due Dul Wosel Ling Monastery with the blessing of His Holiness 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche and His Eminence Menri Ponlop Yangton Thinley Nyima Rinpoche. Rinpoche has previously served as General Secretary and General Treasurer of the Yungdrung Bon Monastic Centre, Secretary of the Bon Dialectic School, Vice-president of the Bon Dialectic School, and leader of the Menri Mask Dance.
We Thank You So Much for Your Generosity!
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