Rigpa’s First Drupchen in English

In a significant milestone, and following years of training, mentorship and encouragement from a number of eminent lamas, Rigpa has just completed its first full drupchen in English.

This first full drupchen in English (in the practice of Chime Pakme Nyingtik) was remarkably smooth and joyful. Around 150 pioneering practitioners gathered at Lerab Ling to invoke the blessing of Tara for 7 days, practising 24 hours a day — performing the Chime Pakme Nyingtik Sadhana twice each day and twice each night, and reciting the mantra without pause for the entire seven days. Happily, the event coincided with the 15th anniversary of the parinirvana of Khandro Tsering Chodron in the year of the 100th anniversary of Tertön Sogyal.

More than 50 entrusted Practice Holders arrived early to undertake a week of training and to help with the preparations. Some travelled from as far away as Australia and the USA. It was a time of learning by doing — making tormas, playing musical instruments, choponing, and going through each element of the practice together. For the liturgies, we used metered translations which allowed us to chant with evocative traditional melodies. The week was marked by laughter, friendship and a supportive atmosphere as many people tried things for the first time.

A core group of practitioners had been training and preparing, working towards this year’s Chime Pakme Nyingtik drupchen. To ensure authenticity, we relied on Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche and his Chokling tradition experts, and we have had the great fortune of ongoing support and training from sangha member Karma Cheda, an experienced ritual master who received years of training at Chokling Monastery. He has been generously training the Lerab Ling practice team in torma making and all areas of shrine and ritual.

In addition, this year we received extraordinarily detailed guidance and instructions from Khenpo Sonam Tashi and two Lopons from Dewathang Monastery in Bhutan. They joined the entire drupchen, practising with us in English and giving us precious feedback. We fell in love with Khenpo Tashi, who is Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s shrine master and was his attendant from an early age. We were all moved by Khenpo’s devotion to Khandro Tsering Chodrön, which was beautifully highlighted in the delightful stories he told of their time together in Sikkim.

Drupchen is a significant undertaking with many interdependencies. It could not have happened without the vast vision and blessings of Sogyal Rinpoche, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, Neten Chokling Rinpoche and Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche. We are also deeply grateful to the donors and to the Western practitioners who believe in the importance of drupchen for Vajrayana to flourish in the cultures and languages of the West.

Many participants remarked that with this drupchen they felt a maturing and a sense of empowerment to continue. We are already working towards the next one in 2027!