Reflections on January’s Community Sitting

February 4, 2024 by St. Johnsbury Center

Micheal McLellan and Mark Bowen are hosting monthly day-long sitting sessions (Nyinthün) for the community at Karmê Chöling (KCL). Here are Micheal’s reflections after the recent session on January 21st.

Photo courtesy of Karmê Chöling

Early Sunday morning, a brisk 6 degrees.

Driving the 20 minutes to the monthly KCL nyinthün, no other cars yet, down the dirt driveway, the usual anticipation. ”Do I want to do this? Wonder who else is coming? All day?”

Recollecting the many times the Vidyadhara, the Regent, or Holiness the 16th Karmapa were inside KCL or even sitting behind me in the car.

I park, and walk down the path. Always, upon entering this mandala I feel my nostalgia, hesitation and appreciation. Am I sensing the lokapalas? Rounding the corner, I see the building come into view!

I open the door to the mud room, shed my boots and coat. Get ready to line up outside the shrine room to the sound of the gatekeeper’s gong. Now, entering the vast space of the main shrine room. The Lohans seem to welcome me as I take my seat.

Photo courtesy of Karmê Chöling

I flash on how many thousands of heartfelt donations were needed to create this space, how many hours of meetings and plans. Also, how many devoted volunteer carpenters, craft and construction people, cooks and other staff were needed. I can vividly remember the carvers preparing the molds, workers sanding each joint on the trim and the gold leafers carefully brushing out each square of gold. Often we worked late into the night to meet a deadline. ”His Holiness is coming!!!”

How many great teachers have taught here, how many abhishekas and Shambhala levels have there been? How many morning chants? How many people have entered the stream here, soaked in the blessings, laughed and cried?  How many hours have we practiced here? How many of these people are no longer with us? How many…. so many things? 

For 53 years, directors, staff, donors and participants from all over the world have kept the mind of the Vidyadhara alive in this, his first home in the US. This shrine room is our inheritance, this gem, this vortex of blessings is ours now, bequeathed to us by the lineage and continuously inviting us to carry on this legacy to the next generation with our presence. 

—Michael McLellan

The January 21st Nyinthün was well-attended – some came and sat in the morning, some came and sat in the afternoon, some sat all day.  Lunch was delicious.

Upcoming Nyinthün Schedule

  • The next Nyinthün is Saturday Feb 24, which is also Milarepa Day – details on both our website and KCL’s.
  • In March, the Nyinthün is Sunday March 17.
  • In April, the Nyinthün is Sunday April 7.

Mark your calendars!  Invite your friends and come!