Summer 2010 at Lerab Ling

Corinne from Italy has kindly written a short story, telling about her impressions of visiting Lerab Ling for the first time this summer.

Hello everybody,

My name is Corinne and I would like to share the experience I had in Lerab Ling this summer, with whoever is interested in reading this little story. I´ll start a bit before the 14th of July.....

The 18^th of April this year I moved from Italy to Berlin. I´m 27 but I had the feeling that everything I build up in my life until that point was "good" but that something very important was missing. I was constantly searching for happiness outside of myself. Everytime I succeeded in fulfilling my desires, but then after a while they structurally revealed themselves as temporary solutions. So I had the feeling to be like the dog biting his tail...without the instruments to find he root of my suffering! My situation was not totally desperate but I got fed up and dizzy to be in this constant roller coaster Up and Down, and Down and Up.

I decided to start questioning myself seriously and at the right moment my friend Katrin gave me Sogyal Rinpoche's book -The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying- which really came into my life as a precious gift.I read with deep engagement and was simply amazed to have finally found someone who was speaking with such a wisdom about all the crucial points of human life! I thought: "Exactly this should be thought at school from early childhood on! This is something everybody should have access to!" So after that I went on Youtube to see Rinpoche and I knew with clarity that he is a true Master embodying what he is teaching.

One month later I had the chance to be in Lerab Ling..........Although I knew that I would be present for the visit of Yangsi Rinpoche, I had only heard briefly about Dilgo Kyhentse Rinpoche, and was not aware of the immensity of his enlightened activity at all! The only thing I knew was this deep desire to be in his presence. As Yangsi Rinpoche came ,although I was also sceptical about reincarnation,especially about the fact of how on earth could it have been possible to be sure that he was the true reincarnation, I instantly felt warmth! This was something I couldn´t explain with my ordinary mind but I felt an irradiating loving kindness which was really reaching me deeply. A sensation of melting, such a warmth which was released in my body and the wish to be helpful in this life. In that moment I had no doubt that what they told about Yangsi was true. The encounter with the relics was also an enormous gift. The possibility to come in contact with these blessed relics of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche'ss life was another unexplainable experience for me. Again I felt a confidence, that what was happening did not need an analytical explanation.What was happening was important and the connection I felt with Dilgo Kyentse Rinpoche, whose name I heard for the first time 3 weeks before, simply filled me with joy and gratitude.

After Yangsi departed I stayed in Lerab Ling until he 30th of July and had time to learn more about meditation practices. Also i was able to constantly receive teachings, which reinforced more and more the seed which was freshly planted in me. Through "work and study", which revealed itself to be an important activity for integration I had the opportunity to observe my "patterns", my thoughts and emotions, while working in teams with others. I felt supported by the simple fact that I knew that all the people there in Lerab Ling were working and improving in the same direction, making an effort to overcome their habits practising the Dharma.

The value and benefit I had from this time in Lerab Ling is still accompanying me and offered me a good basis for my daily practice. So what I would finally suggest to everybody from the bottom of my hearth is: Go to Lerab Ling! And as Rinpoche always reminds us: Listen to the enlightened teachings of the Buddha!

I will return for sure!

With gratitude,

Corinne