Top: The planned Surmang shedra. Sketch by Stanley Doctor, preliminary architectural plans by Steve Vosper.

Left: Shedra living quarters under construction

2006: PIVOTAL YEAR FOR SHEDRA CONSTRUCTION

Damchö Tenphel Rinpoche and son at future lhakhang site

The highly successful 2004-2005 building seasons at Surmang have laid the groundwork for 2006 to be a transformative year. An ambitious construction plan, including creation of the central lhakhang building, was mapped out at a series of recent meetings between Khenpo Tsering Gyurme of Surmang and Shambhala construction expert Bob King.

Major push this year. It will require a large increase in crew size and expenditures to do it, but Khenpo and Bob think we could potentially complete the basic structural elements of the shedra this year. The key component of the planned 2006 work is construction of the lhakhang (meditation hall and classrooms), which will be the largest building to date in the reconstruction of Surmang.

If the planned construction work for 2006 is successfully accomplished, there will still be large amounts of finishing and systems work to be done in 2007-2008, prior to the anticipated grand opening in fall 2008, but the shedra building project will be "over the hump." A significant amount of focus could then be shifted, starting in 2007, toward the start up of the educational programs.

Surmang Shedra Day in April. A fundraising campaign will take place this spring to make the 2006 construction possible. As part of the spring campaign we are encouraging centers or individuals to hold a Surmang Shedra Day event in April, which would be near the time of the anniversary of the Vidyadhara's parinirvana. Konchok Foundation will have a new DVD about the shedra along with other materials available for anyone who would like to help organize a Surmang Shedra Day event.

Surmang building materials crossing Gela pass

The construction season at Surmang begins in late May, when materials can be brought across the 16,000' Gela pass. We need to know at least a month in advance of construction how much materials and how large a crew can be utilized. Therefore, the donations during the spring will largely determine the scope of the building effort at Surmang this year. A relatively modest portion of the $300,000 Konchok budget for the year will also be set aside for support to the twelfth Trungpa tulku, monks in retreat, and similar purposes.

Dutsi from Dutsi Til. Khenpo Tsering announced that the monks of Surmang intend to prepare special dutsi (amrita) gifts this year for donors to the shedra. Our intention is to provide this dutsi to all 2006 donors of $108 or more. Khenpo advises us that "mother" dutsi, which dates back to the founding of Surmang Dutsi Til ("amrita hill") and before, was preserved in hiding during 1959-1980 and will be used to prepare the dutsi gifts.

Volunteers. If you are willing to organize Surmang Shedra Day or similar events in your area, or to help in other ways with Konchok's work, please contact Ginny Lipson: 303-494-7852 or GinnyLipson@comcast.net. Volunteering will count toward Shambhala ngondro community service.

More information. Please stay tuned for news of forthcoming events including an online art auction, featuring, among other items, a thangka painted by Marcia Usow and DVDs of HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche made from footage originally taken by Lama Ugyen Shenpen.