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Art, music and tennis
Fundraisers for KTD monastery building project
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After four years of construction, Karma Triyana Dharmachakra (KTD), the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery atop Woodstock's Meads Mountain Road, is almost complete. Approximately one million dollars has been raised so far for the monastery project, with another million contributed over the past five years in volunteer labor. An estimated $100,000 for plumbing and related work is all that is needed before the monastery can serve as a home for great lamas of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
A series of cultural and tennis-related events will be held in Woodstock in September to support the fundraising effort. Torben Ulrich, a tennis pro who, in the 40s and 50s, played 100 Davis Cup matches for Denmark and was a semifinalist at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, was the inspiration for these activities. Ulrich, who became formally involved with Tibetan Buddhism by taking refuge from Kalu Rinpoche in 1972, has been involved with fund raising for the monastery building project since its inception. In fact, the first building donation was from a tennis match Ulrich played in the late 70s when the Karmapa (the head of the Kagyu sect) was visiting Woodstock.
In addition to being on the tennis "Grand Masters" tour, Ulrich is also an accomplished jazz musician and visual artist. His paintings, which have an airy Zen brush stroke quality, are done on white rice paper. Tennis rackets are dipped in paint and then pressed against the paper; tennis balls dipped in paint are hit against the paper, a skiprope dipped in paint is skipped over the paper, etc.
Each painting also has a hand-printed short saying, usually embodying Ulrich's interests in tennis, philosophy and spiritual practice, e.g. "Did you pay your respects to the ball today? Look, it bounces void of greed, void of ground, show me a kinder more exacting teacher."
Ulrich's paintings, as well as works by nine other Woodstock artists, will be displayed at an art show, "Art Inspired by the Dharma," being held at the Woodstock Guild's Byrdcliffe Barn from September 6 to 14. All proceeds from the sale of Ulrich's paintings, as well as many of the other works shown, will go to the monastery building fund. "I hope this will show people the diversity of individual styles and forms of expression that result from exposure to the teachings," says Peter Blum, organizer of the art show and related events.
The other artists included in the show are: Bob Dacey (cutouts) and in collaboration with Terry Britton (computerized video art), Deborah Salt (paintings), Sharon Mumby (photography), Loren Standlee (collage), Richard Zelens (banners, paintings and ceramics), Judy Martin (paintings and photography), Nona Howard (drawings) and Mark Rogosin (paintings).
Since Torben Ulrich has had an ongoing relationship with the Woodstock Tennis Club since 1982, it was easy to set up two fundraising events for those interested in tennis. On Saturday, September 6 at 7:30 p.m., Ulrich will be presenting tennis films and a talk at the Woodstock Health Club. On Sunday, September 7 at 1 p.m., he and Jeffrey Borowiak (NCAA champion in 1970) will be giving a tennis exhibition match at the Woodstock Tennis Club, with a tennis clinic to follow.
The following weekend, two other fundraisers will be held at the Byrdcliffe Barn. On Friday, September 12 at 9 p.m., there will be an evening of original music with Karl Berger, Peter Blum, Jerry Coffey, Tom Schmidt and special guests. On Saturday, September 13 at 7:30 p.m., Galen Blum and friends will present an evening of music and humor.
Coinciding with the various benefit events being held for KTD will be a series of teachings by His Eminence Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche. The young lama, who is considered to be an incarnation of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great, visited Woodstock last fall. The newly completed monastery shrine room was opened to the public for his teachings and empowerments. The huge, colorfully painted room was filled with students from all over the United States, Europe, South America and Asia on these occasions.
Jamgon Kongtrul will make his first appearance in town this visit at a public talk at the Woodstock Community Center on September 3 at 8 p.m. The subject of his talk is "The Art of Making Peace With Oneself." His Eminence will also be making a special visit to give his blessing at the opening reception of the art show on Saturday September 6 at 2 p.m.
The seminars he is giving in September are: "The Arising of Phenomena: how and why does the world exist?" (September 5, 6, 7); "The Roars of Karma: why is there happiness and suffering?" (September 12, 13, 14); and "The Path of No Return: how and why is there permanent freedom from suffering?" (September 19, 20, 21).
In October, His Eminence will return to KTD from October 10 through 13 to teach "Sacred Outlook: transforming conflicting emotions into wisdom." Two weeks later, the Very Venerable Kalu Rinpoche will make a rare appearance in, the United States to teach a course called "Following the Footsteps of the Great Kagyu Forefathers." Kalu Rinpoche, who is in his 80s, is the senior meditation master of the Kagyu lineage. He has made several trips to the United States since the early 70s and has formed about a dozen meditation and retreat centers in this country.
Further information about any of these activities can be obtained by calling 679-9506. |
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