Dear Friends of the Chögyam Trungpa Institute,
Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Tibetan New Year: the Year of the Wood Snake. In celebration, the library is releasing a new video recording of a public talk Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche gave in a beautifully ornate church in Boston in 1982 before teaching a weekend program on the Shambhala Path. In this talk, Trungpa Rinpoche insists that enlightened society is possible, and that it begins with realizing our basic goodness and extending ourselves to help the world.
I would like you to help this world. And the world is somewhat falling apart positively, this point. And the chaos that takes place in the world is not all that negative and bad, but the world is falling apart, positively. And the world does need some kind of help. And it had to be individual help. And I would like to encourage any one of you to go out and try to help people. Namely, number one, to reduce speed. Number two, reduce aggression. Number three, try to encourage people that they could fall in love with something or other. That love is very much needed in this world, this point. They could fall in love to one or two people, but they have to fall in love with the rest of the world. That’s very important. Thank you so much, ladies and gentlemen. I love you all.
Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche
According to Tibetan astrology, the snake embodies the qualities of wisdom, intuition, and sharp intelligence; and the wood element engenders a sense of growth, expansion, and renewal. The Year of the Wood Snake is a good time to expand creative endeavors! In that spirit, please consider supporting our work.
We wish you the very best in the New Year!
The Digital Library Team
Original Wood Snake Artwork by Emily Waters