My Dear Friends,
I have a critical update about Dakini Mountain.
But first, please allow me to give you some context.
It seems like every time I send a message to you, events in this world have gone to a new level of distress.
I will not attempt to list all the distressing situations but somehow it seems right to name a few: The war in the Ukraine. Horrific mass shootings occurring daily in the U.S. Frightening and calamitous climate change developments. The latest Covid-19 variant.
I remember a recent question from a Vajrayana Training student. He was feeling great sorrow for things happening in our world and at the same time finding his practice was taking him into deepening joy and happiness. He was torn between the two.
He asked Pema Khandro how to deal with this seemingly unlikely combination. Rinpoche said that there was no answer to put into words and that continued practice was the best path to deeper understanding.
I feel this is a critical point because sorrow and travails of all manner are constantly showing up all around me in the lives of people close to me and for many I have only heard of.
Are you finding this too?
I believe that sometimes for the sake of my mental state, I have to limit my focus on these difficult things, yet I cannot and do not want to ignore them or make myself numb. At the same time, I remain committed, when I have the capacity, to continue developing the sweet experience of increasing love, compassion, joy and equanimity.
It is with this paradox in my heart that I write to you today.
I find, and I hope you do too, great joy in our situation as a Buddhist community. We have so much to be happy about. We have an exceptionally kind, generous, talented, hardworking Lama, Pema Khandro, who is constantly striving to make available to us a remarkable abundance of liberating teachings.
We have so many dedicated, kind-hearted, loving, authentic, serviceful community members.
We can on any day of the week attend a live online meditation. Any day of the week, we can choose from an abundance of online recorded classes.
Four times per month or more, we can choose to attend a live online class with Pema Khandro. These classes are high quality and based on Rinpoche’s courageous leadership in the Buddhist community at large often tackling difficult subjects such as gender equality, racism, and sexual abuse.
Personally, I am overwhelmed with a sense of my good fortune and proud of supporting Pema Khandro’s work and leadership.
With that said, however, there is one important thing that has been in lesser supply for us during the last 2 1/2 years.
In-person retreats and gatherings have been few and far between due to Covid-19 restrictions and because our sangha has taken a cautious approach to prevent spreading Covid.
At some point, this will change and the board of directors is working now to make an in-person retreat available in the fall.
But there has been a toll. And this takes me to an announcement that will have significance and perhaps bring sorrow to many of you.
If we do not raise $875,000 by October 31st, Dakini Mountain will likely need to be sold.
If there had not been these 2 1/2 years of pandemic at the very beginning of occupancy, forcing Dakini Mountain to stay closed, income producing activities would have supported Dakini Mountain.
As it was, valiant efforts were made and some individuals in particular made great sacrifices to help Dakini Mountain survive through the pandemic.
This included a fundraising effort, and $209,000 was raised. Secondly, we also campaigned to find guarantors and $350,000 to support a refinance which is due in Oct, 2022. Since that second goal was not raised, we are now pivoting.
In order to meet the financial obligations in the best way possible and preserve the equity that has been accumulated, Dakini Mountain may be sold.
Unless, that is, unless we receive donations totaling $875,000.
In such a case, Dakini Mountain can survive.
That’s the situation. I understand for many of us, this is distressing news. Many of us have put a lot into this project. Some have relocated in order to be close to Dakini Mountain. Many have given generously to support Dakini Mountain. Definitely there are those who have given blood, sweat and tears for this project. I do not exaggerate.
However, we are now at a turning point. Unless, through an act of great generosity, $875,000 of donations come from someone reading this message, Dakini Mountain will be sold.
If you are disheartened by this, I cannot necessarily make that go away but I do offer an accompanying view of hope.
The vision of Dakini Mountain has been held by our teacher and community for many years before the current property was purchased. That vision is not going away.
This vision of Dakini Mountain, you might call it primal. Sacred places have always been primary to the success of Buddhism. As long as there are Buddhists, places like Dakini Mountain will be established.
Our sangha, the community founded by Pema Khandro, will continue to work to re-establish Dakini Mountain. That will never cease. If we do not reach our current goal, we will invest whatever funds are raised into a downsized version of Dakini Mountain 2.0. Read about our plans here: https://dakinimountain.org/development-plan-2022/
Those of you who have had experiences of such places understand their power and vital importance. Sacred places have a unique ability to supercharge our awareness and bodhichitta.
I hope and pray that you, dear reader, will have a number of these experiences in your life. And I hope we can share some of them together.
If this message strikes a chord and you happen to have the ability to donate part or all of this large sum, $875,000, please contact me as soon as possible by replying to this email. You may also email me, Janak, under separate cover at info@BuddhistStudiesInstitute.org
I have included a letter from our directors with more details below.
Thank you for caring.
Janak Kimmel
Director of Fundraising
Buddhist Studies Institute
