Ani Rinchen of Khacho Yulo Ling Buddhist Centre in Cairns, Australia writes:-

“Our group worked tirelessly before the weekend to prepare the place as if the Buddha himself were coming to town, we painted, repaired, shopped and cooked, making sure we met all the requirements for hosting the relics.  We had a massive working bee the weekend before to really spruce up the gardens and inside the Temple as well as prepare the accommodation for our tour managers.  I was also frantically trying to make sure all the media contacts were made and followed up while simultaneously trying to get everyone locked in for the Interfaith opening program.

Our media coverage was:-

A triple page spread in the Cairns post, mainly focusing on the Centre but also mentioning the relic tour

A full page with full page editorial in our community magazine, Connect Magazine

A small ad and 1/4 page story with pics in our local newspaper

1,000 flyers distributed widely from Cairns to the Tablelands and North and South of Cairns

A radio interview with Andy and Siliana on ABC Radio which went to air on the Friday morning

Our website information and email newsletter that goes out to 500 people.

The Interfaith evening was beautiful and memorable according to feedback from those who attended (over 200 people). There was a rich array of prayers, chants and songs and a genuine feeling of community and harmony.  The Bishop was unable to attend last minute but he sent one of his priests, Father Muir, who told his congregation on the following Sunday that he had been asked to attend a Buddhist event in place of the Bishop and was reluctant to attend but was so moved by the atmosphere and prayers that it took him by surprise, he was genuinely moved by the evening.  We had everyone from the most conservative to the most outrageous, all cultures and faiths.

The evening was a wonderful prelude to the weekend which began on the Saturday morning at 10am with our children’s group coming into the Gompa chanting “Om Mani Padme Hum”, they did their prostrations and prayers and then offered the beautiful flower arrangements we had just made, to the holy relics.  Some of them had brought along their pets for blessings and I think in all we had 25 children and their parents, not including pets!  Such a beautiful way to start the day.  The energy and atmosphere built from there into a most peaceful day, people were overwhelmed by the presence of the relics at times, with many moved to tears, as Siliana and I did the blessings.

I had one big hulk of a man who said “Never done anything like this before” I got him to kneel down and feel the peace and light fill his heart and body, when he looked up his eyes were full of tears as he said “Never expected that!”  What an amazing weekend, Andy and Siliana estimated between 1200 to 1400 people over the whole weekend and we have had such positive feedback from everyone.

The relics were amazing and they truly brought an energy and life of their own to the temple and all those who participated in the weekend, I know that the blessings from this event will continue to flow for many many years, hopefully lifetimes.

We are so grateful to Lama Zopa Rinpoche for putting this incredible tour together and to all his dedicated disciples for carrying out his wishes, we cannot thank you enough for allowing us to host this precious event.  We also thank Andy and Siliana for blessing us with their delightful company and expertise, they really make the whole thing work and run smoothly.

I will send along any stories I hear and any photos that I think you may like.  Thank you so much!”

 

 

Barbara Kochschitz und Martin Schaurhofer who hosted the Relic Tour in Vienna during March 2011 write:-

“For the third time, the Relic Tour visited the Austrian Museum of Folk Life and Folk Art in Vienna. As a peace project, the Maitreya Project has a strong global reference. For that reason we decided to invite every ambassador in Vienna and some showed up at the opening ceremony. We welcomed about 1,800 visitors at the event.

Furthermore we were very happy that we could offer 4,000 packages of organic biological seeds to visitors. These seeds were of different kinds of vegetables; spinach, herbs, beans, salad. The Austrian companies Arche Noah – company for the preservation of the variety of cultivated Plants (www.arche-noah.at) – and Reinsaat – company with the goal of preserving and distributing pure seed (www.reinsaat.co.at) – provided the seeds free of charge. We want to thank them for their very kind support.

The packets of seeds were then blessed by the Holy Relics of Buddha Shakyamuni. For us this was a wonderful chance to thank Mother Earth for the generosity we receive here in all kinds of living aspects. Visitors really responded to this idea. Many took packets of the blessed seeds to plant later.

Visitors brought these blessed seeds to Indonesia, Australia, Brazil, USA, to

European countries as well, to many other countries and places. Meanwhile they grow on Viennese roofs just as in some gardens in Bali. If some of these blessed plants sprout also at your place, please send us some pictures! See the image here of dillweed [Anethum graveolens].

May the seed of peace prosper for all beings!

Even though we can hardly grasp the dimension of this exhibition, we are always strongly moved by the noticeable manifestations of all these Holy Masters. Their great and loving power can always be felt.

May as many beings as possible come into contact with the Maitreya Project and the Holy Relics! May all beings be happy!”

Barbara Kochschitz und Martin Schaurhofer

FPMT Vienna

http://www.fpmt-plc.at/

 

 

Maitreya Project Relic Tour visit to Leeds, UK
27, 28 & 29 August, 2010 by Lorri Tolan

It just so happened . . .

that Jamyang Buddhist Centre Leeds (JBCL) was too small to accommodate the Relic Tour, which is one reason it ended up at the Leeds City Museum – a grand Victorian building in the city centre.  We didn’t have the money to hire the museum (it would have cost thousands of pounds sterling) but . . . it just so happened that the Curator of Community History was running a project Faith in the City in which different religious groups ran various live events at the museum, and the Relic Tour provided a fitting grande finale to that.

So we had a bare, circular room some 20 metres across and 20 metres in height, with a first-floor balcony.  Five giant screens hung from the domed ceiling.  It just so happened . . . that one of JBCL’s volunteers is a professional set designer working in television, and her inspired design evoked a Tibetan temple, complete with valance and hangings, and thangkas borrowed from the lovely people at the Pink Lotus shop.  A 3 metre-high print of Maitreya was installed, back-lit on a dais.  The screens showed a slowly-changing PowerPoint presentation of the Relics and previous Relic Tour events.

The prestigious venue brought advantages:

- A distribution network (for the Leeds Relic Tour flyer) which included libraries, museums, galleries, hotels, stately homes – and a famous fish-and-chip shop!

- The Lord Mayor and the Anglican Bishop were among those who accepted invitations to take part in the multi-faith opening ceremony.

- The BBC gave the event advance publicity on the local TV news programme, on a giant outdoor TV screen in the square outside the museum and on local radio.

- The museum’s World Cultures Curator created several new displays of Buddhist artefacts, which were displayed at the same time as the Relics.

Over fifty people gave time, professional skills, money, and even volunteered help from their non-Buddhist colleagues, friends and relatives in order to make it all happen.  The Curator of Community History asked “How many people do you think will come?” Well, at least the volunteers!  We shrugged our shoulders, crossed our fingers and made prayers that all would be ok and sentient beings benefit.  There were some three thousand visitors.

From the Visitors’ Book:

“I feel so relaxed its unbelievable.”

“Thank you for this sacred space and for the Blessings and for the Beauty”

“One of the most beautiful moments I’ve ever experienced, so much love, thank you so much, may peace be over the whole world.”

“Beautiful, powerful, awe-inspiring.  Thank you so very, very much.  A 100,000 blessings + more to All.”

“How wonderful to see these precious objects in Leeds City Centre.  May great benefit to all beings result.”

“Thank you for bringing these holy relics to our city and spreading the message of peace and kindness.”

“Thank you for sharing your peace with us.”

“All for world peace”

“Wonderful experience.  Thank you from a Christian believer.  Peace be with you.”

“My wife & I both enjoyed the awe we felt while being here. Thank you.”

“Great memories of temples of Yunnan & Tibet.  Wonderful.”

“PEACE, LOVE & HAPPINESS. I FEEL CONTENT. THANK YOU FOR SUCH A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE.”

“Very inspiring.  So many precious things to see.  Wonderful.”

“Very inspiring & tranquil.”

“May all those involved in the project have happy future lives benefiting all sentient beings”

“A wonderful warming experience.”

“Thank you so much for all the blessings.”

“Thank you for bringing this light to Leeds and myself”

“Thank you an amazing experience”

“A welcome opportunity for reflection”

“I like Leeds museum it’s fun and exciting” Megan  (age

“An honour. Very calming. Privileged”

“It is wonderful to have such a gathering in the North, Yorkshire !  Please keep developing this, so other Buddhist artifacts come out of V&A & travel for all to see!”

“I love the idea of peace to all sentient beings. . .”

“Thanks for the peace . . .”

“Many, many thanks for bringing us such relics and insights.”

“Many thank for bringing the exhibition to Leeds           Good luck to what you want to do.”

“I am a Buddhist from Sri Lanka. I was extremely happy to see the religious harmony among nations.”

“feel Ive come back home”

“Thank you for this wonderful day!”

“It was a wonderful moment, I feel in awe and will remember this beautiful experience”

“A wonderful & auspicious occasion”

“Thank you – it’s such a rare experience – the holy relics – what a blessing”.  Love – H x

“It has been a wonderfull experience and I even had a go at meditation.  I have been doing meditation before so I know what to do !”

“Thank you for bringing a lovely treasure to Leeds, to England and to the world.”

“A visit to be remembered.”

“SO BEAUTIFUL.  THIS IS MY SECOND VISIT.”

“This is the first time I see the relics from Budha.  It’s really fantastic.  Thank you.”

“Hope all our prayers for peace are granted.”

“Feel very blessed and grateful to find this lovely exhibition.”

“I am truly grateful for this once in a lifetime experience & blessings.”

“A wonderful experience & thank you so much for coming to Leeds.”

“Very peaceful, it is good that I had a blessing from a monk.”

“What a lovely experience – thank you.”

“Thank you, the blessing was very warming.”

“Thank you so much for a brilliant experience, a fantastic exhibit and a truly peaceful aura.”

“Thank you so much – it was very resonant.  Very special.”

“Openness, kindness, non-dual awareness.”

“A very special experience.  Thank you.”

“Very peaceful and inspirational.  Thank you”

“VERY RARE CHANCE TO SEE THIS, THANKS VERY MUCH.”

“Nice and peaceful”

“It was nice to see different meditation practices of different people and perhaps more recognition of different traditions and geographical history eg Japan, Tibet, South East Asia.  I’m from a Soto Zen tradition as are some of my friends here today.”

“A MOMENT OF TRANQUILLITY IN A BUSY WORLD  THANK YOU.”

“A wonderful opportunity & experience.  A once in a lifetime chance for my family. xx”

“I will take peace and happiness on my journey.”

“Very peaceful.  Glad to find you here in Leeds.”

“This was very special.”

“It was a great time to relax and think about the beliefs.  It was peaceful and all of the writings & sayings are beautiful.  Thank you”

“Thank you for such joy”

“May all beings be free from suffering”

“Much Metta”

“Peaceful, inspiring thank you for the experience.”

“Inspiring, peaceful, amazing, thank you”

“Beautiful, peaceful wonderful.  Thank you so much”

“Thank you for all your hard work !”  J . . .

“Many thanks for a wonderful opportunity and to feel the positivity and love all around.  Blessings to all who made it possible   xxx”

“Thank you for the peace.”

“Peace, safety health & happiness.  Thank you.”

“Enlightening – makes me want to help other people again.”

“Thank you for bringing all these relics and precious artifacts together.”

“May your project bring much happiness.”  w

“A most amazing and ‘enlightening’ experience thanks to every sentient being for making this possible !”

“Wonderful.  Thank you for bringing the relics that we may share them.”

“May all beings be well and happy !”

“A very calm half hour”

“much appreciated”

“We had very good experience.”

“Lovely yet quite sad to be in the presence of Tibet.”

“I look forward to the fulfillment of this Project for all of us.”

“What an amazing experience.  I’m so glad I came.  I hope this exhibition returns again soon. ”   C . . . xxx

“What a great blessing it is to have this superb opportunity to see these relics.  Many thanks.”

“The Buddhas came to Leeds – and I, and many other people joined the queue to be blessed.  Leeds is blessed !!                   Thank you.”

“I had a wonderful feeling in this place.”

“Thanks a lot from Mongolia.”

“Great spirit experience ! !”

“May peace fill with the world and every one’s heart.”

“Merci pour la serenite.”

“May all beings be free from suffering and be liberated.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I write to you from Patagonia, a beautiful region in southern Argentina at the foot of the majestic Andes mountain range.

We had an incredible Relic Tour event in a lovely hotel in the city of Bariloche. Almost 3,000 people came, plus about 50 animals when we had a pet blessings on Sunday.

People from all walks of life came and it was wonderful to see visitors leave with their hearts open. That’s what Relic Tour events are all about, to unite everybody with the message of loving-kindness. It was truly beautiful!

You can see some photos of the event here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/mxscczz/TourDeLasReliquiasBRC2011#

We also did many things after the event.

We took the Relics to the city dog shelter, where about 30 dogs were kept and made sure to bless every dog by placing the bag of Relics on top of their heads and reciting mantras.

Next door there was a place where they kept some horses that were abused, so we also went there.

Then we went to the public hospital, as one of the people with us was a doctor who worked in the maternity ward. There were about eight premature babies, and they were so tiny inside the incubators. We placed the Relics above each of them, and also blessed all the nurses who worked there.

The next day we went on a boat ride to a huge glacier fed lake. Remember the Padmasambhava mantra etched in glass that Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave to all the FPMT centers for placing in bodies of water? We threw the glass mantra, as well as blessed water from the Relic altar, into the lake. This is to help purify the negative karma of all beings who come into contact with that water. The forecast for that day was wind and rain, but it turned out to be a beautiful day!

Love,
Cristian
Heart Shrine Relic Tour Manager