Gaden Shartse Sacred Earth and Healing Arts of Tibet Tour: Medicine Buddha Sand Mandala Dissolution and Placing the Sand in Deer Creek

Many Hands Make Enlightened Work...

Wonderful lesson in collaboration...

March 10th Rally San Francisco

Tibetech is Heading Down to SF for the 50th Anniversary of Tibetan Uprising day

"I and I Have Not Come to Fight Flesh and Blood,

But Spiritual Wickedness in High and Low Places"

-Bob Marley

Today Tibetech and Sierra Friends of Tibet will travel to San Francisco to join our Tibetan mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters living in exile to speak out against 50 years of oppressive atrocities by the Chinese Communist regime which trampled over the Tibetan people in 1959, stealing their country, destroying over 6000 institutions of higher learning, eradicating the Tibetan culture, raping the environmental Shangri-la and destroyed perhaps 2 million Tibetan men, women and CHILDREN as a result of this Cultural genocide.

Tonight Tibetech will be having dinner with one of our Tibetan friends, a great learned master and Political Prisoners who spent over 18 years in prison for simply possessing a picture of His Holiness the Dalai Lama., the beloved spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet. The scars on his body are testament to this reality.

An Appeal:

I make this personal appeal to you,:

Please, if you value freedom, please take one action today and tomorrow on behalf of the Tibetan people who continue to face Crimes Against Humanity and Cultural Genocide including Rape, Forced Sterilization, Imprisonment, Starvation and Economic Marginalization and cultural annihilation.

I am speaking from personal and first hand knowledge of these people. Tibet HAS a Face. The face of non violence. Please speak up for those who cannot raise their voice and take one action on their behalf over these next few days. Remember, Martin Luther King Jr., warned us: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere.

Here Are Some things to do for Tibet:

1. Tell Congress or the President what you think. Congress funds a Tibetan-language Voice of America broadcast that is now the most popular news source in Tibet; they provide annual assistance for Tibetan refugees in India and Nepal; they also maintain a policy that Tibet is an occupied nation under foreign rule. For more information about congressional initiatives, contact the International Campaign for Tibet at (202) 785-1515 or visit their website at http://www.savetibet.org Write your elected officials about Tibet: For a complete list and to find your representative by your Zip Code Find Representatives Click Here Write to President Obama and tell him your feelings about Tibet. Let Hillary Clinton know we are waiting and listening for her to speak up on Tibet.

2. Give a prisoner hope
Chinese prison officials in Lhasa report that they receive many letters of concern for Tibetan prisoners. Your letters get through. This can make a tremendous impact in improving conditions, preventing or lessening torture, and leading to an early release of some prisoners. Gendun Rinchen, a tour guide who was released after eight months without being tortured, is living proof. Chinese officials received thousands of letters in his support.

Watch for urgent prisoner appeals in Tibetan support group newsletters, SFOT's email campaigns, the International Campaign for Tibet's email campaigns Students for a Free Tibet' campaigns. Listen to radio and internet broadcasts such as the Tibetan Radio Hour on KVMR.org, the Tibet World Service on Open Mind Radio, NPR stations or contact Amnesty International.

3. Support a nun in exile
Tibetan nuns are at the forefront of the demonstrations for Tibetan independence in Lhasa despite the fact that they face brutal torture in prison. Once released, they are often forbidden to return to their nunneries, and many end up fleeing to India for refuge. In India, the nunneries are overcrowded and desperately need funds for books, clothes, and general support. The Tibetan Nuns Project is actively working to bring in much-needed contributions. Visit www.tibetech.org to see the websites of the nunneries in exile we sponsor.

4. Support a monk in exile
Their is a revival of the surviving Tibetan Buddhist. www.gadensharstetour.org and www.gadenngari.org

5. Travel wisely
China tries to use tourism in Tibet to legitimize rule there, showcasing selected sites to imply that Tibetans are content. Most tourist dollars, particularly on group tours, go to Chinese pockets and do little to help poor Tibetan communities. If you travel in a group, be sure the company uses Tibetan guides and patronizes Tibetan businesses. Educate yourself about Tibet before you go by reading Victor Chan's "Tibet Handbook: A Pilgrimage". To learn more about how you can make your trip help Tibetans, and for a map and guide of Lhasa that explains what Chinese tour guides will try to hide, contact the International Campaign for Tibet.


6. Join A Local and Internationl Tibetan Support Groups
The International Campaign for Tibet works globally on behalf of the Tibetan people. Visit www.savetibet.org Sierra Friends of Tibet and Placerville Friends of Tibet are small groups in the Sierra Nevada foothills. They are grass roots organizations which hosts cultural and educational events.

7. Donate as a gift in someone's name instead of buying gifts

8. Provide Computers and Training to Tibetan Refugees. Send a nun to computer school or sponsor a nunnery's website. Tibetech.org is a non profit organization founded by members of Sierra Friends of Tibet, which seeks to preserve the fragile Tibetan culture by and advance technology in the Tibetan Refugee Community.

9. Boycott Chinese goods.
Boycotting Chinese goods is a simple and direct way for anyone to make their support of Tibet count. A growing boycott campaign is being led by Students for a Free Tibet, the U.S. Tibet Committee, Milarepa Fund, and other Tibet support groups.

Here is the schedule of events in San Francisco:

8:00AM - 9:00AM
Tibetan Flag Rising Ceremony, Berkeley City Hall, Berkeley,

10:00AM - 10:30AM
Crowd gather at Justin Herman Plaza (JHP) in San Francisco

10:30AM - 11:30AM
Crowd marches from JHP to San Francisco City Hall

11:30AM - 12:45PM
City Hall Program

12:45PM - 1:30PM
Crowd marches to the Chinese Consulate

1:30PM - 3:30PM

Protest in front of the Chinese Consulate

3:30PM - 4:30PM

Crowd marches in groups to Union Square

5:00PM - 9:00PM

Union Square Evening Program.

In peace,
Melanie

A Couple of Weeks with Lama Phuntsho

Calling the Jangchub Choeling Nunnery with lama Phuntsho from the office of Noteable Bowls

in Lake Tahoe

Recently we were blessed with a visit from our dear friend Lama Phuntsho. You may have met LP when he worked as a translator for the Gaden Shartse monastery tour in both 2001-2002 and the 2004-2005 tour.

Now Lama Phunthso is a monk of a different color (ha ha). He is a Tibetan Buddhist monk from the mystical Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan which treasures "Gross National Happiness" as their gross national product. LP is also a tireless friend of Tibet, always remembering the plight of the Tibetan people. He is a "non-sectarian" Buddhist monk, meaning he has received training from many high masters in the 4 different sects of Tibetan Buddhism.

We were so delighted to open a website for Lama Phuntsho (http://www.lamaphuntsho.org/ )
and will be developing over the next few months while he is in the US.

I would like to add that Lama Phuntsho is also my direct connection to the Jangchub Choeling nunnery (http://www.jangchubchoelingnunnery.org/) in exile in Mundgod, southern India. After expressing our wish to work with Buddhist Women and Tibetan women in exile, Lama Phuntsho helped us make the connection with the nuns and was also responsible for escorting us to purchase computers for the nuns during our visit to Mundgod in 2008.

Although Lama Phuntsho came to visit and was on vacation, he was asked to do a few events in Lake Tahoe. Here are some pictures from that visit. Special thanks to Tahoe Mel at Noteable Bowls, Lorilyn at Mountain Yoga in Tahoe Keys, Keri at O2 Wellness Center in Minden, Unity at the Lake and Unity of Carson. More picutres will be added as I get them uploaded. Please check back:

News from Tibetech Board Member Now in Mundgod

Yes it has been a long time since we have blogged and we are going to start again. Because Tibetech.org volunteers extraordinaries David and Susan are presently in the camps in Mundgod working at the Hospital clinic and teaching English.

After a bumpy descent into life at the Gaden Shartse Monastery, Susan and David are finding their rhythms and will be sending us BLOGS of their adventures soon.

Meanwhile something to note is Susan's concern about the food at the monastery... and she is sensing a shortage of resources there. Like everything else going on in the world at this time, things have been changing there at Gaden Sharste and Susan is sensing a shortage of available resources. This is showing up in the way of the diminished rations of food.

Sponsoring a monk is perhaps the most fortifying way to help this very fragile situation. Sponsors may noW easily act online by visiting the GSCF (Gaden Sharste Cultural Foundation (a U.S. 501C3 Non Profit Organization) at www.gadenshartsetour.org.

In the meantime we are preparing for the annual visit to Placerville, Grass Valley, Roseville and now we will be adding Lake Tahoe through the kind hosts at www.noteablebowsl.com.

More to come soon on Lama Phuntsho's recent visit to Grass Valley and Tahoe

Tibetech.org Visits the Nuns of Jangchup Choeling Nunnery in Mundgod, India

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In January 2007, Tibetech.org a non profit organization visited the Tibetan Settlement in Mundogd.

Gaden Shartse Monastery Tour 2008 Sand Mandala In Hayward, Ca

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Gaden Sharste Monastery is located in southern India and is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery of the Gelugpa order. The monastery was founded in 1426 by the Buddhist Mystic Je Tsong Kapa. The monastery cultural tour is presently in the United States to share their practices and teachings on inner peace and compassion. This sand mandala is a ancient sacred art. Please visit the monastery website at www.gadenshartsetour.org

Gaden Ngari Khangtsen - Chod

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Gaden Ngari Monks Yak Dance

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Gaden Ngari Monks Debating Dependent Origination

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At St. Joseph's Cultural Center, Grass Valley, CA.

www.tibetech.org, sierrafriendsoftibet.org, gadenngari.org

Gaden Ngari Monks - more chanting

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More chanting from the monks. This takes place 1-26-2008 at St. Joseph's Cultural Center in Grass Valley, CA. Presented by Sierra Friends of Tibet.

chanting with mudras - Gaden Ngari monks

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Monks from the Gaden Ngari monastery in India visit Grass Valley, CA, hosted by the Sierra Friends of Tibet.

About the Gaden Sharste Dairy Farm

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Never underestimate the power of Grass Roots Activism.

This ifrst cows for the Shartse dariy farm were purchased through donations raised by spare change jars. 

Gaden Sharste Dairy Farm 2

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Main Prayer Hall and Administration of the Gaden Sharste Monastery

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Gaden Sharste Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery exiled in southern India. After the Communist invasion of Tibet, where 6,000 monasteries were destroyed, 50 if the Gaden Monks survived and fled to India.  Since that time the monastery has sought to re-establish itself in exile. Please visit the monk's website at www.gadenshartsetour.org

Young Monks At The Gaden Shartse School

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The Gaden Shartse Monastery is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery exiled in southern India.   Following the Communit destructions of over 6,000 monasteries in Tibet in 1959, less than 50 monks surved the incursion and fled to India.

Eventually these monks sought to resestablish the monastery in exile. Please visit their website at www.gadensharstetour.org 

Lobsang Tengye on the Gaden Ngari Khangtsen

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Gaden Ngari Khangtsen, Tibetan BUddhist Monks in Exile

Gaden Ngari Monks Sand Mandala

New Computer for Tibetan Youth

Greetings Good People.

Well here at Tibetech.org we have been working very hard on a variety of projects.... What I wanted to share with you at this time is that the High School Youth Hostel finally received their computer.

We are so pleased to have begun to seed this project here and would like to continue to raise funds for a computer for the BOYS hostel.

This is very important to these children as they are away from their families to attend school in this settlement. Having been there myself and spoken with the children, I can assure you the connections to their families is very strong. The computer will help them practice in their off-time, as well as stay connected with their families via email.

Of course, again the ultimate goal of seeding this project is to eventually open an innovative Distance Learning web portal with the students there.

Hope you enjoy these pictures. Special thanks to Wb for donating specifically to fund this computer. Please Read On...
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Dear Madam Melanie,

Many Tashi Delecks !!! and kindly pardon me for the abrupt silence and delay.... I could not
report to you about the installation of computer. We have already installed the new computer set in the hostel. The computer monitor is a slim and stylish one and the printer is laser one with zerox and fax facilities.

Children are using it. The one computer did bring smile and cheer on the face of hostel children. Of course, we need a separate computer for boys and girls as they are not suppose to use it together. We purchased the facility from Gupta in Hubli as per your negotiation. However , we did compare the rates with other shops before purchasing the same.

Thank you very much for your kind assistance. I am sending the snaps of computer set
along with this letter. It will be kind of you if you could explore some more help in this field in order to improve the facilities in the hostel.

Yours Truly
(Norbu Tsering)
RECTOR