Friday: 6pm to 8pm Opening Ceremony
Saturday: 10am to 7pm
Sunday: 10am to 5pm
7 Centers Yoga Arts
2115 Mountain Road
Sedona Arizona USA

This unique and precious collection of more than 1000 sacred Buddhist relics is traveling throughout the world to bring blessings. Most of the relics resemble beautiful pearl-like crystals. Relics are considered very holy and precious. They are manifested and left behind due to the kindness of holy beings in order for us sentient beings to collect merit and purify obscurations.

All of his life, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has been collecting sacred Tibetan Buddhist relics offered by well known historical Buddhist masters around the world. His Holiness the Dalai Lama has offered eight relics of Shakyamuni Buddha to the collection. Eventually the entire collection will be enshrined at the heart of the Maitreya Buddha statue being built in India.

From time to time, visitors at Heart Relic Tour events offer to the collection, relics with which they themselves have been entrusted. Their intention is that many others may benefit.

This incredible generosity and kindness means that the collection is becoming larger and more varied, and now includes masters from many different Buddhist traditions. This reflects the Relic Tour’s non-sectarian approach and universal message.

Thus, as the Heart Relics Tour travels around the globe. We are fortunate to have it here in the S. Arizona/Tucson area for 3 days. The Maitreya Project Heart Shrine Relic Tour collection is constantly evolving and growing.

The current Heart Relics collection includes these spiritual masters relics:

Kasyapa Buddha
Shakyamuni, the Historical Buddha
Shakyamuni Buddha’s Heart Disciples
Nagarjuna
Bodhisattva Chophak
Yeshe Tsogyel
Lama Atisha
Milarepa
Geshe Chekhawa
Lama Tsongkhapa
Gyalwa Ensapa
His Holiness the First Karmapa
Pabongka Rinpoche
Lama Thubten Yeshe
His Holiness the 15th Karmapa
Gwang-Chin Master
His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche
Kalu Rinpoche
Geshe Yeshe Tobden
Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche
His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa
Ribur Rinpoche
Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche
Geshe Lama Konchog
Bokar Rinpoche
Terma Relics
Kondanna
Rahula
Vajrasattva Sky Relic
Relics from 500 Arhats
Longchenpa
Marpa the Translator
Jamyang Chokyi Lödro
Rigdzin Trinley
Chokgyur Lingpa (Chöling) Tertön
Master Seong-cheol Sunim

Admission to the Heart Relics exhibit is free while donations to help support the tour and the Maitraya Project Relic Tour are greatly appreciated. Blessings are free all day long.

Contact information:
Email: sedonarelics2012@gmail.com
Telephone: (+1) 928 274 6604

To learn more about the Maitreya Project and their many philanthropic activities, click on the link above.

If you wish to begin creating your own sacred space in your home, cabin, retreat center, Four Gates offers many wonderful items to build a special place of magnetic power. Visit our ShrineSupplies and Altars and Shrines dept.

Although, it doesn’t affect the benefit of using the mantra whether you understand the various conceptual meanings, some people wish to learn about the phrase in order to create a conceptual connection. I’ve created a YouTube video to help walk you through a reciting of the prayer as well as give a few ideas of how the prayer has affected myself over the many decades I’ve used it.

Om Mani Padme Hum has been popularized by the expansion of Tibetan Buddhism throughout Europe, the Americas and other parts of Asia since the invasion of Tibet by the Chinese in 1959. During the past few decades this chant has been increasingly popularized through many audio formats, making listening and learning more about the Love and Compassion Mantra common place than ever before in human history.

Tibetan Buddhists believe, and experience the power awakened when reciting the mantra (prayer), Om Mani Padme Hum in group or individual mediation. You can recite it out loud, in a whisper or silently to yourself if in public place. It will gradually purify all negative karmas through replacing the harmful intentions built up within the mind with constructive, loving and kinder intentions. This mantra invokes the powerful benevolent intention of your own deepest Self from the heart of love and compassion.

It is believed the blessings of Chenrezig, the embodiment of compassion, are revealed through chanting this mantra daily. His energy is the purest expression of compassionate energy which can be accessed through reciting this mantra. Tibetan Buddhist’s believe the Dalai Lama is one emanation of this great being. His Holiness is viewed as the living, human expression of these wonderful energies which help remove suffering from human beings.

This popular and powerful prayer can release loving-kindness and compassionate energy into your life with daily use!

If you’d like a copy of the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra to chant along with at home, or to play in the background, click here now. We have plenty in stock.

I hope you enjoy my YouTube video Om Mani Padme Hum which will assist you in using and enjoying the benefits of this wonderful mantra. May all beings benefit.

Be sure to book mark FourGates.com, and this blog because we are adding new articles and meditation supplies each week.

With love and compassion,

Christopher Lee May

Why is that you might ask?

History has shown us, and our founding fathers that wrote the constitution that we thrive when tolerance, understanding and acceptance exist with our fellow man. These are essential for the survival of a democracy. Religious freedoms, racial tolerance and diversity are part of what make this nation unique. Tolerance is what differentiates us from fundamentalist fanatics that spread hatred, anger and fear. If we don’t cultivate our better selves, then there is a high risk of becoming fanatics ourselves.

Loving-kindness, compassion, tolerance and harmlessness makes us co-creators with the angels and the Divine Presence. Just as the Sun shines on all beings, all kingdoms in nature, so too are we to become when our hearts honor one another. Unconditional love and compassion are given to us, and if we pass it along to our fellow human beings we all thrive. This co-creation make us co-workers with the angels and God’s plan for Earth. Yet, is a challenge to reach this presence of warmth in our day-to-day lives. I think we both understand that.

Why is it that human beings develop a sense of superiority about other religions, different racial groups, political beliefs and other important differences? Sometimes, it appears that intolerance of one another is increasing. It takes the intention, self-discipline and mindfulness to move past intolerance to tolerance.

This article is important to read, and share with young people because they too are going to help build the next stages of the enlightened society as we age. Our young people will benefit from experiencing a world where greater tolerance, kindness, compassion and harmlessness prevail. You and I will need to be examples for this to take place. We need to talk about diversity more, and celebrate differences vs judging one another.

Here is the news story about the Sikhs shot to death in Sacramento recently because some coward thought they might be affiliated with a religion they had disdain for, i,e., Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, various forms of Christianity other than our own or other religions Post-9/11, Sikhs say they are mistaken targets – Yahoo! News

Where does the need to be “right” come from? Is something broken within our sense of ourselves as human beings that cause us to quickly judge others?

Christ and Buddha taught about the power of love, harmlessness, compassion and kindness. They are the pillars of the Temple must work together to build. Why is it so hard to deeply listen to and follow their wisdom and example?

It just takes practice to become more compassionate, tolerance and kind towards others. These are skills which can be learned with practice, patience and a little will power.

I encourage all of my readers to pick up a copy of Living Wisdom by the Dalai Lama. When you are in the presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, you are in the presence of compassion itself. But how many of us will have the opportunity to personally experience the man known as The Ocean of Wisdom? Now, Living Wisdom gives you the chance to immerse yourself in the grace of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, and to receive the transformative power of his teachings in your own home, The study of wisdom and compassion for someone who is a master of these qualities benefits yourself and everyone whose lives you touch.

May we all cultivate greater tolerance, kindness, compassion and wisdom. And, may the angels help us to be our better selves each day of life.

Christopher Lee May
Author – Speaker – Transition Life Coach

This documentary for PBS by award-winning filmmaker David Grubin and narrated by Richard Gere, tells the story of the Buddha’s life, a journey especially relevant to our own bewildering times of violent change and spiritual confusion. This is the tale of the path to happiness, also called enlightenment, which touches every life. We all seek happiness as the universal motivation for human life.

It features the work of some of the world’s greatest artists and sculptors, who across two millenniums, have depicted the Buddha’s life in art rich in beauty and complexity. Hear insights into the ancient narrative by contemporary Buddhists, including Pulitzer Prize winning poet W.S. Merwin and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Join the conversation and learn more about meditation, the history of Buddhism, and how to incorporate the Buddha’s teachings on compassion and mindfulness into daily life.

Visit PBS.org for more information by clicking in this link.

For The Buddha PBS airtimes, go here now.

The second film airing will be the film called, The Unmistaken Child. In this file “Unmistaken Child” you will follows Tenzin Zopa, the shy but devoted disciple of a deceased Tibetan spiritual leader, on a journey to find his reincarnated master. This is a true life adventure on how the process of discovering a tulku, or reincarnated Buddhist master is found so that he can continue the commitment to work for the welfare of all beings.

Unmistaken Child will be airing at various dates and times. Check your local PBS listing for times and dates.

The hosting center will be Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling, a Los Angeles based Tibetan Buddhist meditation and educational organization. They will be hosting His Holiness the Dalai Lama on May 1, 2011.

During the teachings His Holiness has decided to confer a Yamantaka Initiation on the morning of May 1, 2011. His Holiness is requiring several commitments from those who attend the initiation. Please see the notes below regarding these commitments under “Highest Yoga Tantra.”

Because it is so rare that His Holiness would confer an initiation from the Highest Yoga Tantra class of initiations, especially in the United States, we feel something very special and significant will be taking place. Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling would like to make the event even more special by allowing everyone to attend free of charge. But whether we can do that depends upon generous people like you.

Contact the Gaden Center about becoming an event sponsor by donating $1,000 per individual or $1,500 per couple. This helps to support the tremendous financial costs of setting up such an auspicious event. Gaden Center leader have reserved special sponsor seating in the front of the theater for both the initiation in the morning and the afternoon public talk. We will gratefully accept larger donations.

All of the teachings and Yamataka empowerment will take place at the intimate 2,938-seat Terrace Theater in the Long Beach Convention Center, where they also hope to be able to arrange for the sponsors to receive a personal blessing from His Holiness.

Because this is the Highest Yoga Tantra, there are practice commitments the Dalai Lama has requested from those who take this most precious empowerment.

Here is a summary of the commitments that you must follow:

“Before receiving any Highest Yoga Tantra initiation one must take the bodhisattva vows and the tantric vows. In the case of the May 2011 Yamantaka initiation, His Holiness is requiring us to make three pledges in addition to our promise to keep the two sets of vow.

“The first pledge is to recite once a day, every day, a text known as a sadhana. These texts can be as short as a few pages, or very much longer. Usually the daily recitation commitment can be kept by the short form of the sadhana. It is a practice by which we come to identify with the deity, also known as Deity Yoga practice. One may not practice a sadhana without receiving the initiation related to that deity or Buddha.

“The second pledge is that you must promise to recite every day, three times during daytime hours and three times during evening hours, another text called the Six Session Guru Yoga. This commitment is can usually be met by reciting a form of the text that is about one page long.

“Finally, His Holiness is requiring us to pledge to complete a retreat during which we will become familiar with the practice of Yamantaka. Such a retreat may take as long as a week or ten days, or perhaps longer, and should be done under the guidance of a qualified teacher. We recommend consulting the Ganden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling website www.gstdl.org for advice regarding the nature of the retreat, the length of time it will take, and when it will be given under the guidance of the venerable geshes at the GSTDL Dharma Center.

For those living in the Phoenix, Arizona area, you can practice the Yamantaka meditation at the Emaho Foundation Tibetan Meditation Center after receiving the empowerment from His Holiness. Monthly Yamantaka practice is held there on a regular basis. Other Tibetan Buddhist centers, such as the Garchen Institute, hold Yamantaka retreats and practice sessions as well.

For persons who accept the Highest Yoga Tantric commitments, it is general practice that one also commits to the twice-a-month gatherings for recitations of ‘The Guru Puja – Offerings to the Spiritual Masters.’

If you are a practitioner of Shugden please do not apply to come to this initiation.

Please contact the center immediately if you are interested in attending, or sponsoring the event. Event sponsor seats will be reserved in order of receipt of your commitment and a deposit of $250 per person. We hope you will be able to send the rest of your donation by February 1, 2011. Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Donations are tax deductible as permissible by law.

Please consider becoming a sponsor even if you will be unable to participate in the May 1 events to help us offer the initiation free of charge to those serious practitioners who would like to participate. We will acknowledge your contribution in our printed materials, and you may join in on any other activities.

Please check their website www.gstdl.org over the next few months as the program develops for this extraordinary day with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

All calls and emails regarding the visit of His Holiness, sponsorship opportunities, ticketing etc., should be directed to (657) 229 4435 and e-mail inquiries should be directed to: HHDL2011@gstdl.org.

Checks may be mailed to the following address (write HHDL 2011 Sponsorship in the memo field of the check). Also could you send us an email with your contact information – name, mailing address, email, phone number etc?

Gaden Shartse Thubten Dhargye Ling
P. O. Box 90665
Long Beach, CA 90809-0665

Ahimsa is the Buddhist term for the doctrine of non-harming. Mahamta Gandhi made Ahimsa famous throughout the entire world by using it as the main philosophy behind his non-violent resistance for peaceful political change. This powerful peaceful strategy was also employed by Martin Luther King Jr during the civil rights movement in the 1960′s.

The Arizona Zone of Ahimsa will be a day long celebration comprised of three separate but related events:

Friday 7:00PM “Art & Spirituality” Talk

Led by Tibetan Artist, Tenzin Phakmo. Tenzin was born to a middle class Tibetan family from Tashiling Tibetan Refugee Camp in Pokhara, Nepal, on New Years day 1981. After completing his primary education at the local school, SOS Hermann Gmeiner, Phakmo was sent to continue his education like many other young Tibetans at the Tibetan Children’s Village in Dharamsala, India, from age eleven onward. See Below for more details.

EMAHO CENTER, $10 SUGGESTED DONATION.

* Saturday 9:00AM/1:00PM Art Workshop

“Paint for a peaceful mind”. Learn how to do pallet knife painting, a style of art that supports your spiritual development. There will be 2 groups, group size is limited so that Phakmo can assist individuals in their painting process. No pre-existing knowledge or talent is required. The workshop is helpful to spiritual practitioners of various traditions.

Location: (see map below)
Rio Montana, 11180 N. 132nd St. Scottsdale Arizona (South of Via Linda in Scottsdale) Class fee is $75.

* Sunday 11:00AM “Soul of Tibet” Film

Bio on The Dalai Lama at Emaho Center. Exiled from his Tibetan homeland since 1959, the Dalai Lama remains a tireless humanitarian and the spiritual and secular leader of Buddhism. This documentary chronicles the story of the man believed by his people to be Buddha’s reincarnation. Featuring interviews with His Holiness, activists and Chinese scholars, this A&E “Biography” installment includes footage of some of his key life events, including his 1989 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech. EMAHO CENTER, FREE OF CHARGE.

* Sunday 12:30AM Potluck Lunch

Enjoy Lunch and Celebrate at the Emaho Center and bring your favorite dish. Go to www.emahofundation.com or email donna@emahofoundation.org for details.

Other Zone of Ahimsa Events:
Map to location

* THURSDAY DECEMBER 9, 2010 7:00-8:30: MEET THE ARTIST RECEPTION

* FRIDAY DECEMBER 10, 2010 After Public Talk: MEET THE ARTIST RECEPTION

* SATURDAY DECEMBER 11, 2010 7:00-8:30: MEET THE ARTIST RECEPTION

About the Artist: Tenzin Phakmo

Read complete Biography

Tenzin Phakmo Artist’s Statement:

My first paintings began with my love for Art. My inspirations were the daily life style of people around me and for some reason I always wanted people to experience the beauty within everything i felt. Working with local Nepali artists steered my art more into a Nepali Art. But, later on as my art grew maturity, it felt in need of an origin, base and a big sense of what I really was deep within; that’s when my art felt a strong connection with my own roots being a Tibetan. My love for strokes, the richness in color always gave form to beautiful imaginations and as I always wanted to be true to the reality of images, hence I started taking photos before i start an actual painting. My imagination came first followed by my photos and then i try to do justice with a combination of these true and then as easy as it seems but, in reality each painting of mine has a distinct story behind it. Some paintings has certain relationship with the previous ones, as well as some are just by themselves.

I started my first paining with my love towards watercolor, the way the water helps me guide through the beautiful colors of life was a wonderful experience. But later when I laid my hands on Oil colors, it was an extraordinary level of comfort, with oil colors i love working both with brushes and pallet knives. The richness and the thickness in color and stroke helped me set a permanent foot in my expression on paintings. While working on a painting it is like attaining nirvana within seconds and i know that trying to put that feeling on words wont do much justice at all. After creating a piece, each painting carries with them a piece of me, its as if they have a small portion of my soul in them and every single stroke tells my story of craziness for my paintings.

4. Quote from the artist:
“Just like it’s a gift to write some wonderful stories, poems, quotes or even notes on a piece of paper with just a simple piece of pencil, it’s a magic of its own to take and blend a small amount of color on a canvas. Sitting down with a Canvas in front and with some colors is a gateway to a world of wonders, no matter if it’s one’s first time trying it. Blending of those colors are like enjoying one’s favorite songs, the strokes produced are the beats and the colors are the rhymes. To me, I believe every person has the art to produce art, even if it’s just a splash of color on an empty canvas or a thousand different strokes that makes up a work of art.”

How You Can Help support Arizona Zone of Ahimsa, Zone of Peace:

Emaho Foundation will host its 6th annual Zone of Ahimsa Peace Celebration on December 10-12, 2010. This will be an opportunity for Emaho friends, philanthropists, business leaders and community volunteers to enjoy and celebrate the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. His work inspires us to participate as a community, to come together and show our appreciation to the many who are working to find solutions for humanity in peace.

To volunteer at the Zone of Ahimsa Event contact Ira Pettit via e-mail at: irapettit@yahoo.com

We are pleased to announce today — on His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 75th birthday — that tickets for His Holiness’ event on October 12, 2010 are about to go on sale.

Pre-sale tickets will go on sale on the auspicious date of July 15, 2010 commemorating the day on which Buddha gave his first teaching after achieving enlightenment. Known as the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma, Buddha taught the fundamental basis of Buddhism – the Four Noble Truths; that everyone suffers, that suffering has a specific cause, that these causes can be removed, and that there is a clear path to reach this goal.

October 12th Topic
His Holiness will give a talk on:
The Eight Verses of Training the Mind, by Geshe Langri Tangpa
Awakening the Heart of Compassion
This classic text of Tibetan Buddhism is a favorite topic of His Holiness.

Time:2:00 PM to 3:30 PM

Ticket Prices: The Gyuto Vajrayana Center has budgeted for the lowest ticket prices possible to cover an event at the Convention Center.
Ticket Price: $40.00
Student Price: $20.00
Children 7 and under: free

Pre-Sale tickets: As a friend of Four Gates and supporter of the Gyuto Vajrayana Center in San Jose, and in acknowledgement of all your good wishes and generosity, we have arranged that you will have access to pre-sale tickets.

Pre-sale tickets will go on sale at 10:00 AM on July 15, 2010 until 10:00 AM July 20, 2010. Pre-sale ticket holders will have priority seating at the event.

Ticket sales to the public soon. General ticket sales will begin at 10:01 AM on July 20, 2010.

Location:
San Jose Convention Center
150 West San Carlos Street
San Jose, CA 95110
(408) 295-9600

Detailed ticket information will be released on July 15, 2010.

*Note: Tickets are not available for purchase at the Gyuto Center, and we cannot reserve or “hold” tickets for any individuals, groups or organizations.

Sponsorship: A sponsorship program will also be announced on July 15, 2010.

For current information on His Holiness’ event please go to: Gyuto Vajrayana Center in San Jose or call our information line at (408) 824-1376

For Tibetan audience information please go to Tibetan Association of Northern California for more information.

I hope you will enjoy it, and send this update on to your friends in the Northern California as well. If you cannot attend, Four Gates offers a wonderful series of teachings by the Dalai Lama which allows you to enjoy his message from the privacy of your own home. the series called, Living Wisdom with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It is an excellent multi-media series which includes a book, DVD, CD and study materials. The wisdom of this great teacher is an invaluable aid for anyone looking to live a happier, healthier more joyful life.

There will be two sessions each day from approximately 9:30am-11:30am and 1:00pm-3:00pm Indian Standard Time (GMT+5.30). For times in your region 9:30am September 8th Indian Standard TIme is the same as 9:00pm September 7th Pacific Daylight Time in Los Angeles, USA.

For additional information, and to view or listen to the broadcasts visit these links:

View the live webcast at Dalai Lama’s website.

Video and audio will be available for streaming and download after the teachings on Dalai Lama.com

I think that many of you reading this will agree with me that the way we treat others is a reflection of our fundamental spiritual values toward all life. After reading these encouraging thoughts by His Holiness the Dalai Lama regards our little animal friends, the chickens of the world, you may wish to switch to cage free, free range produced eggs and organic fed chicken. Even small steps such as how you shop for things like eggs, chickens and related grocery items can make a big difference in the lives of other beings.

His Holiness made some recent comments at a conference I’d like to share with you.

“Turning these defenseless animals into egg-producing machines with no consideration for their welfare whatsoever is a degradation of our own humanity,” the Dalai Lama said.

“Switching to cage-free eggs would reduce the suffering of these animals,” the Dalai Lama said in the statement issued in support of a campaign against battery hen farming by Humane Society International.

“The abuse we inflict on hens has always been particularly disturbing to me and I have always been particularly concerned toward how these animals are treated in industrial food production,” he said.

In the European countries of Finland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria and Norway they have banned battery hen cages where significant cramping, over crowding and poor health conditions can flourish. The European Union countries are phasing them out and there will be a total ban on the cramped battery hen cages farming practice by 2012.

It is important to note that cage-free does not always mean “cruelty-free” but cage-free hens generally have 250 percent to 300 percent more space per bird and are able to act more naturally than caged hens, said a Humane Society spokesman.

India’s factory farms confine 140 to 200 million hens in battery cages, according to Humane Society estimates, and there is little “cage-free farming” in India.

As you shop for groceries, shift to egg products marked “cage free”, “free range” and “organic fed”. All health food stores, many Costco stores and Trader Joe’s stores carry these cage free and organic egg choices. Some large chain grocery store also carry the healthier more humane selections. It costs a little more, but you are creating benefit not only for the chickens but yourself. If you eat products from animals in high stress environments, such as battered cages, it will impact the quality of the eggs, and chicken products your consume. I have notice the yolks in cage free and organic eggs are a brighter yellow color.

Supporting organic farming is critical to the health of the planet as well. When you purchase organic products, and cage free eggs it literally blesses your life in ways that reach far and wide. If we want a cleaner world, then supporting organic and humane farming is essential.

If you wish to learn more, click here to sign up for Face Book updates.

The purpose of Kalachakra meditation is to create a strong link with compassion, and all positive energy from the source of enlightened energy into the human experience. It means to become one with the source of all blessings, and then radiate those blessings through your life into the world around you. In a sense we are becoming a part of the current of blessings, a channel or pathway for them to flow like a current of loving-kindness and compassion.

Quoting from their Memorandum of Intent, His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teaching administration shares this thought, “we want to provide world-wide, trans-sectarian support for Kalachakra practice and study in authentic lineages, by acting as a non-hierarchical communication platform between vajra brothers and sisters, with the deepest respect for the advice of fully qualified teachers such as His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.”

If you wish to hear teachings about this meditation practice and learn more from His Holiness the Dalai Lama there is another opportunity coming soon to take the Kalachakra initiation.

For western students the next upcoming Kalachakra Initiation by His Holiness the Dalai Lama will take place in Washington DC, USA, July 6-15, 2011. Tickets are not yet available but will be in the coming months. .

To learn more go to this website which is still under construction, but will be updated often throughout the Summer and Fall of 2010. www.Kalachakra2011.org. The website and Kalachakra teachings will be graciously hosted by the Capital Area Tibetan Association.

In the meantime, to learn more about Kalachakra, please visit this website International Kalachakra Network.

Mean while, if you wish to enjoy some excellent home study materials we recommend Living Wisdom with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. It is a comprehensive yet easy to digest CD, DVD and book with study cards included. To learn more, click here.