Precious Sangha,
We hope this message greets you in health and peace. The Officers of Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation USA are providing an update regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mission of the Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation is to support the preservation, practice, and transmission of the Dzogchen Buddha Path Lineage. During this unprecedented time, it is our goal to support sangha members to maintain their learning, contemplation, and meditation while there are disruptions in sangha group practice, gatherings, and events. To that end, we are taking a clear and calm approach to complying with guidelines and government orders while finding ways to continue our Dharma activities. While we can’t speculate on future outcomes, we can skillfully transform obstacles into opportunities to deepen our connections with our personal practice, our sangha, and our communities.
Compliance with Government Orders
In compliance with Executive Order No. 20-12 by Governor Kate Brown, State of Oregon, new stay-at-home orders begin March 23rd. This new order restricts all social and recreational gatherings of groups of any size and closes more “non-essential” businesses such as amusement parks, hair salons, bowling alleys, furniture stores, boutiques, gyms, “indoor and outdoor malls,” spas, museums, senior centers, ski resorts, social and private clubs, tattoo parlors and theaters. This order does not have an end date at this time. During this time we are maintaining the policy of not allowing visitors or volunteers on the premises of the Dzogchen Retreat Center (DRC) to ensure the safety and health of the residents of the DRC.
While some upcoming retreats or events are still on the calendar, we are not actively promoting them but planning other ways that we can still offer a remote-learning opportunity for registrants. If you have registered for a retreat, you will be contacted by an Event Director with further instructions. If you have not registered, please continue to do so, as our retreats will auspiciously continue using our remote learning model and the same Dharma teachings from our qualified teachers and lamas. Please hold the intention to engage in a retreat and pray for the situation to improve. We are monitoring the situation daily and will update the sangha and registrants swiftly.
The link to the Executive Order:
https://govsite-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/jkAULYKcSh6DoDF8wBM0_EO%2020-12.pdf
Opportunities for Virtual Practice
While we are currently reinventing our programs, please continue to support and love one another, pray for the good health and longevity of the Vara Master and Precious Dzogchen Buddha Path Sangha, and practice the Dzogchen Buddha Path 108 Million Auspicious Mantras Recitation Campaign.
His Eminence Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche is teaching via Facebook Live one or two times per day. Please like his page to stay up to date on these auspicious teachings delivered at this challenging time:
https://www.facebook.com/DzogchenKhenpoChogaRinpoche/
It is our goal to transform this time to better harness the accumulation power of group practice, unifying us virtually and remotely in order to practice Dharma together.
Together, we will practice Dharma and in this way benefit our minds and bodies, ourselves and all beings, now and the future, here and all places.
Bodhi Lama Sean D. Young
President
Dzogchen Shri Singha Foundation USA
