“Our Tibetan Language and Culture Class will be holding their first fund raising dinner dance on Saturday, May 18 at North Seattle Community College.  Please mark your calendar now.   Put on your dancing shoes and COME ONE, COME ALL!” ~ Tsewang Chamatsang (TLLC’s Director)

What: 1st Annual Spring Benefit Dinner Dance
When: Saturday 18th, May 2013
Where: North Seattle Community College (Main Cafeteria)
Time: 5:30pm - 10:30pm
Tickets: $25 adults $10 Children 10-17 yrs old (9 and under free)

(source www.dalailama.com)

Special Tibetan audience information: “Audience for the Tibetans will be on Sunday, May 12, 2013 at 8:45 am. Please note that our Auditorium seats roughly 600-700 and members will be given priority seating which will mean that we will house the remaining Tibetans in our Prayer Hall (seats about 250) and multipurpose room (seats about 100). We will ensure that everyone will see His Holiness as he tours our community center and we will have several big screen monitors. To cover our costs of metal detectors, projection screens etc., this will be a ticketed event and the rates are as follows. Auditorium rate: $25/- adult - $15/- children upto 18 - Children under 2 - Free. Choekhang and multipurpose hall: $15/- adult - $10/-children upto 18 Children under 2 - Free” - (NWTCA’s President Dechen Bhartso)

Interfaith Event in Portland, OR, USA on May 9: His Holiness will participate in an interfaith event on Spirituality and the Environment in the morning organized by the University of Portland and Maitripa College. Contact Website: www.dalailamaportland2013.net

Lecture in Portland, OR, USA on May 9: His Holiness will give a lecture on Universal Responsibility and the Inner Environment: The Nature of Mind in the afternoon organized by the University of Portland and Maitripa College. Contact Website: www.dalailamaportland2013.net

Symposium in Portland, OR, USA on May 10: His Holiness will participate in a symposium on Life After Life in the morning organized by Maitripa College. Contact Website:www.dalailamaportland2013.net

Public Talk in Eugene, OR, USA on May 10: His Holiness will give a public talk on The Path to Peace and Happiness in the Global Society in the afternoon organized by the University of Oregon and Nyengyud Samten Choeling. Contact Website: www.dalailamaportland2013.net

Summit in Portland, OR, USA on May 11: His Holiness will participate in an environmental summit on Universal Responsibility & the Global Environment in the morning organized by Maitripa College. Contact Website: www.dalailamaportland2013.net

Public Talk in Portland, OR, USA on May 11: His Holiness will give a public talk on Compassion and the Global Environment in the afternoon at Memorial Coliseum.

Contact Website:www.dalailamaportland2013.net

(*SPECIAL AUDIENCE FOR LOCAL TIBETAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS ON MAY 8th 6:30pm @ GOMPA)

WHITE MAHAKALA INITIATION 
Given by H.H. Sakya Trizin
Tuesday, May 7th, 7:00 PM

Location: Sakya Monastery Shrine Room
Limited Seating Available
Please arrive early 

Tickets:  
Adults: $50 each
Seniors: (65+) $45 each
Children: (Under 12) $15 each  
Monastics: Free (please contact the Monastery to register)

Please Preregister!
Mail by May 1st
In person or thru Paypal by May 5th

SCHEDULE:
5:45 pm: Early Check-in
6:00 pm: H.H. Sakya Trizin arrives. Attendees are invited to participate in a processional katag greeting
7:00 pm: White Mahakala Initation begins

Known in Tibetan as Gonpo Yi-Shin Norbu (Wishfulfulling Tatagata Gem), this is Mahakala in his wealth deity form. White Mahakala is an emanation of Noble Chenrezi (Skt: Avalokitshvara) and thus is the single embodiment of compassion of all the Buddhas. We pay homage and invoke this Six-Armed Protector in order to remove material and spiritual poverty and to bestow wealth and to liberate us into a state of Buddhahood.

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What: Monlam: Prayer Service for Self-immolation Martyrs of Tibet 

Dates: Saturday June. 1st 2013 

Where: @ Sakya Gompa

Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm

2013 Sponsors: (JAN) Thupten Sherpa and Thinley (FEB) Dorjee Khando (MAR) Kelsang and Sherab Dorjee (APR) Tsering C. Yuthok (MAY) Tsewang Chamatsang (JUN) Yangchen Dolam (JUL) Dolma and Thupten Jampa Family

TAW monthly prayer (first Sat every month) will continue for this new year, if your interested in sponsoring, contact our boardmember to sign up.

As we continue to hear the heart breaking news of Tibetans burning themselves for the worlds attention. One cannot help but to feel pain and sorrow of the situation in Tibet. No other in Tibetan history have we witness such desperate viral acts of self-immolations in the name of freedom and for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama back to Tibet. It is an extremely critical time in our history now, more than ever a time for us all to unite and show solidarity to our breathens.  Please do join us for once a month prayer service to all the recent pawos and pamos of Tibet. Light refreshments will be served after each services, any donations will be greatly appreciated. We like to thank Sakya Monastery for allowing us to hold these prayer gatherings.


THANK YOU to our 2012 Monlam Sponsors: April 7th: Lobsang and Dorjee Khando Family, May 5th: Pemba and Lobsang family, June 2nd: Jampa Jorkhang Family and Lobsang Therchen Family, August 4th: Thupten/Chonzom Nyishar family, Sept. 1st: Tsering Yuthok, Oct. Tenzin Yangchen/Thinley Dorjee ~ Nov. Tsering Choedon ~ Dec. Kelsang and Sherab Dorjee

“Tibetans are the legitimate masters of Tibet. The wishes and feelings of the people of Tibet must be respected.” – The 10th Panchen Lama of Tibet.

When: Thursday April 25th, 2013 - Where: Green Lake (Main Entrance where the community center is located). Time: 4:00pm For more info: (two zero six) 588-6769 

TAKE ACTION HERE FOR PANCHEN LAMA

Read Tulku Yeshi’s 2005 Statement about Panchen Lama (in Tibetan)

Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was recognized at age six by His Holiness the Dalai Lama as one of Tibet’s most important religious leaders. Determined to control religion in Tibet, the Chinese authorities kidnapped this young boy and his family on May 17, 1995 just days after he was recognised as the 11th Panchen Lama.

Despite repeated appeals to gain access to him, no international agency or human rights organization has been granted contact with the young Panchen Lama or his family. To date, their well-being and whereabouts remain unconfirmed.

click here photos from past PL events

“Tibetan Resettlement Project, 20 Years Later” written by Jamyang Dorjee and Photos by Kurt Smith.    

(Some of the Tibetan Resettlement Project sponsors gather with board members of the Tibetan Association of Washington.)

Kesang Chokyi cannot believe it’s been 20 years since she first stepped off a plane and arrived in Seattle from India. As part of the U.S. Tibetan Resettlement Project, she was among 1,000 Tibetan refugees living in India and Nepal, who were selected through a lottery to immigrate to the United States.

Most of the immigrant Tibetan families, like Chokyi’s, have grown numerically and economically since then. Not only have they been able to re-unite with their families…a few of them have also been able to help their relatives and their families immigrate as well.

At an annual Seattle event this past November to mark the anniversary of the awarding of Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan community also invited sponsors and volunteers of the Tibetan Resettlement Project to a dinner and cultural performance, to show their appreciation and gratitude for their commitment and help.

Susan Gleason, one of the key sponsors who w as instrumental in the Seattle chapter of the Tibetan Resettlement Project, humbly said at the event, “I was grateful to just get the opportunity to help the Tibetans.”

(Kesang Chokyi and her niece Tenzing Kyizom, 6, at a Tibetan gathering.)

Tsering Yuthok, president of the Tibetan Association of Washington, gave a speech and thanked all the sponsors involved. She added, “Through all the years that Tibetans have lived in the area, I have often proudly proclaimed, even when I was working at the mayor’s office, that ‘We came with nothing, and not a single Tibetan I know is on welfare or public assistance.’”

The association now runs an active community calendar dotted with community events, festivals, fairs, and regular prayer sessions.

A thriving Tibetan language and culture class, established by the association, meets Sundays to teach children to read, write and speak Tibetan. The children also learn Tibetan history, various basic Buddhist prayers and traditions, Tibetan songs, dances and even plays, which they perform at community gatherings.

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What: 54th Anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day!

When: Sunday, March 10th 2013

Where: Front of Westlake Mall - Time: 10:30am - 3:00pm 

More details: www.seattletyc.org 

Background info: History Leading Up to March 10, 1959 (source: ICT) 

“Truth is our only Weapon” by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Special Message from TANC: 

Greetings from the Tibetan Association of Northern California.

As informed last night, it’s been a while since the Bay Area hosted
the West Coast Tibetan get together (Picnic). Capitalizing on this,
the Tibetan Association of Northern California would like to take the
lead to organize the gathering this year from 4th through 6th July and
therefore, we are seeking participation of your organization.

One of the objectives of the gathering is to meet with fellow Tibetans
from different clusters cities and to know each other better and
thereby build a bond. It would also provide an opportunity for us
learn from each other’s experience in preserving our unique cultural
heritage that is facing the danger of extinction. In addition, through
this bonding we could explore ways to reach out by disseminating
information about Tibet and thereby mobilize support for our cause.

During the meet, we plan to organize cultural and extra curricula
events and also engage participants in panel discussions. The cultural
aspect would involve cultural performances/competitions.  One of the
highlights of this year’s meet would be an afternoon of opera (lhamo)
performance by the Chaksampas, who will be taking us back to the good
old days of Tibet.  In addition, we are also organizing games for our
younger generation.  Plans are afoot to organize Tibet Awareness
programs as well.  In short, we hope to make it an interesting and
rewarding event for all participants.

Therefore, we look forward to your organization and the community’s
affirmative response to our invitation and participate. Detailed
program will be sent out in the days to come.

With best wishes,

Yours sincerely,

–
Kunjo Tashi
President
Tibetan Association of Northern California
5200 Huntington Avenue, Suite 200
Richmond , CA 94804  USA.
Tel:(510) 230 8333
www.tanc.org 

What: First Day of Tibetan New Year: Losar Traditional Sangsol at Sakya Monastery.

When: Feb. 11th 2013 Time: 10am-1pm

Bho-cha and Desi will be served by TAW

=======================

What: Evening Gathering for Losar Celebration

When: Saturday Feb. 16th 2013

Cost: $15 members/$20 non-members/12 & under Free

Time: 5pm -11pm (special dinner catered by Kelsang/Sherab la)

What is Losar?

Losar is the name of the Tibetan New Year. In the Tibetan language, “Lo” means “Year” and “Sar” means “New”. The Losar festival pre-dates Buddhism in Tibet and goes back to the time when the Bon religion held sway in that country. In those days, incense was burned every winter in purification rituals used to placate the gods. As irrigation, cultivation, and refinement techniques were introduced, Losar ceremonies became more celebratory, as a gesture of thanks to the gods for the budding innovations. Eventually with the advent of rudimentary astrology, Losar became more than a farmer’s festival,finally mutating into a Buddhist festival, celebrating the New Year.

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