Recently we have had the opportunity to extend our thanks to many of the people who have supported us in various ways over the years. We thought to post this on GDT as a way of sharing the merit.
Bouquet #1
Dear friends on the path
Here is a little news and a big bouquet of gratitude from Orgyen Hermitage. In spite of the tumultuous year we are both well and continuing to be able to host teachings and retreatants. The land is bursting with bounty, nature seems to be never ceasing with its show of beauty. We are fortunate to have such a lovely spot to hunker down in, as so many people have been doing this year due to Covid. It is through the generosity of people such as yourself that we continue to be here, so we wanted to thank you once again for your ongoing contributions.
Tarchin has taken up learning classical guitar and is loving it. He’s managed to find an online guitar teacher that keeps him interested and engaged.
I seem to have picked sewing once again, using skills learned in my early days, in addition to doing some applique work that I’ve never done before. I have my little go-nowhere caravan that is set up for sewing so I don’t have to clean up until I’ve finished a project, which is great.
This picture is taken from the front deck of our house and as you can see all the plants are really coming to maturity. The little building in the distance is the latest addition on our property. It serves as a library/microscope/seeing people room. We couldn’t have done a lot of what has happened without Andy McIntosh. He has kindly been a generous support in helping with the land, in building, in teaching local people meditation, and a welcome companion for us, for the last few years. So those of you that have been contributing for his food, petrol etc, it is also a support for us, and is much appreciated.
May 2021 bring much needed peace and harmony to all, with love and good wishes
Tarchin and Mary
Bouquet #2
Wangapeka Books
Sharing the Merit
Originally addressed to the board members of the Wangapeka Education Trust
Jan 12, 2021, Orgyen Hermitage, Bay of Plenty, NZ
Dear Friends
This is to let you know that Mary and I are winding up our involvement with Wangapeka Books. Now in our 70s, we’d like to complete this while we have the energy and faculties to do it well.
After much thought and consultation with numerous people, the time has come to close the Wangapeka Books account. Some of the money will be transferred to “Immeasurable Publishing” (created by Jaime Howell and Julianna Griese) with the hope of seeding further publishing efforts. The remainder of the money, approximately $7000, will be given to the WET. If it was possible for this to be used to further the publishing of dharma books we would be very pleased but we also realise that it may be more needed for other projects and so, please understand that this is given without attachment. The Trust has copies of all of Tarchin’s books which if sold at regular prices could raise a considerable amount. We still have some copies here in Katikati and so if you run out of a particular title and would like more, we could arrange to have them sent to you. On a practical note, Wangapeka Books was never a legally constituted entity so if the Trust wanted to move into publishing they could continue to use the name if that was wanted.
It has been a rich and full journey since printing our first booklet on a hand powered ‘Roneo’ back in the early 80s. At that time we called ourselves ‘Sphere Publications’. ‘Wangapeka Books’ was born when the Sphere Group of NZ was renamed the Wangapeka Educational Trust. In those days, publishing was a far more laborious and expensive affair than it is today. We needed to raise $12,000 in order to produce Growth and Unfolding and people from up and down the country as well as from overseas, some who had only heard about dharma from having attended a single class given by Tarchin, generously donated and miraculously the money was raised. To honour the good faith and generosity of all who gave we determined to make Wangapeka Books non-profit, from the point of view of any individuals, and so all the work to bring forth these books has been given freely and profits from sales has gone towards further publication or charitable work. Since those early days we have published a number of books and booklets: Commonsense Retreat; Growth and Unfolding (two editions); Daily Puja (five editions); Breathing – The Natural Way to Meditate (two editions); Natural Awakening; Sangha Work; Coming to your Senses; Lovingkindness; Walking in Wisdom (two editions); Meditative First Aid; Cycle of Samatha; Something Beautiful for the World; True Refuge; Foundations of Mindfulness; and numerous other short run sadhanas and practice manuals that have been used in various courses and teachings. It seems extraordinary to reflect on how many there have been.
Wangapeka Books was born in generosity and has continued in this spirit. It takes a surprising amount of work to publish a book. People seemed to serendipitously show up with the skills we needed at just the right time: software skills, hardware skills, typists, artistic talents, early draft readers, proof readers, drivers and shippers, editorial skills, and general encouragers. The rippling of these efforts, given freely by so many people, is still fanning out around the world. Last year, Iain Verigin and Noreen Cambon with assistance from Mary digitalized some of the books which are now available in Kindle and Kobo e-pub editions with the proceeds going to the Trust. In Brazil, many of the publications have been translated into Portuguese and are being used in a flowering of Wangapeka/Namgyal flavored dharma throughout the country. (Translations have also been made into French and German.) The reverberations of these offerings have returned to Wangapeka countless times over in the form of deepening connections, new participants and members, money, and energy.
Over the years, profits from book sales have enabled gifts of tens of thousands of dollars to be given to the Trust along with various donations of office and land equipment. It also allowed us to underwrite the import and distribution of Namgyal Rinpoche’s books here in NZ. In addition to this we have been able to provide scholarships to enable various people to attend retreats as well as donating books to libraries and dharma centers around the world.
I (Tarchin) am still working on various writing projects though my energy for this is a bit start and stop. Anything new will be posted on Green Dharma Treasury and who knows? perhaps something will find itself into print.
For both of us it has been a rich and wonderful involvement and we are grateful to the many people who seemed to miraculously appear at the right time and have so freely contributed their skills and passion and expertise to these efforts. Keith Rowan, Catherine Dunlop, Dawn Gruenenfelder, Eric Harrison, Yvonne Harrison, Josephine Jackson, Tsultrim Jeltsen, James Mathieson, Michael Mackinnon, Clive Matthew-Wilson, Angela Pearce, David Pooch, Alma Rae, Barry Sharplin, Julie-Anne Stuart, Thelma Rodgers, Melanie Tuscia, Phil Dyer, Dominique de Borrekens, Bev Askam, Sian Robertson, Leander Kane, Gaye Rowley, Marion Feasey, Peter Woollett, Mira Riddiford, Paul Harrison, Alan Dodds, Andy McIntosh, Daniel Burgess-Milne, Stephen Martin-Rolsky, Anne Sharplin, Juliana Griese, Jangchoub Reid, Verena Reid, Luiz Ribeiro, Rita Kawamata and the team at Assertiva (publications) in Brazil, Mike Cox, Ian Moore, Aaron Skudder, Edrea Daniel, Matthew Eades, Bonnie Ross, Lama Mark Webber, Eileen Burton, Margaret Peart, Terry Walton, Clare Murphy, Ramon Higgins, Pierre Robillard, John Logan, Gisela Lange, Robert Sinclair, Barbara O’Sullivan, Graham Price, Steven Gellman, Michael Gohl, Kelvin Falconer, Irene Falconer, Jane Hobday, Graham Sandlant, Mark Schrader, Trudy Gold, Jordan Strbac, Daniel Robinson, Gregg Devereux, Kathleen Gisho, John McDermott, Michael Elliot. Thank you everyone! And a special thank you to Michael Mackinnon who from the very beginning has managed the finances, stored stock and been a help in manyfold ways. If we’ve omitted anyone, please accept our apologies. All these years of rich living and our memories are dimming! It’s been a privilege and a blessing to be part of this.
May the wholesome outflows of all these creative giftings of talent and energy continue to support meaningful nourishment in the lives of countless beings.
