[Relics Tour] Wrap-Up and Thank You!!!

Even though the Relics Tour has come and gone, the blessings of the Tour continue. I was particularly moved to see how our community came together, in harmony, for the Tour. And I am encouraged by the opportunities that the Tour has created for us to work more closely with other Buddhist centers in the area! We are very grateful to the Maitreya Project for having given us this opportunity.

Upon their arrival, Dekyi Lee and Cristian captivated us with their charm and heartfelt friendship – they are an amazing team and equally amazing individuals! They honored us with their trust and guided us with big smiles, patience, experience and professionalism through the setup, care and packing of the beautiful altar. It was a joy and honor working with them, and we hope to have an opportunity to do so again! You may want to keep an eye open on Cristian’s blog to follow them through the journey of the Relics Tour: http://cristiancowan.wordpress.com.


We had over 50 volunteers altogether – amazing!!! I heard “the power of many” mentioned over the weekend – this and also “joyous effort” were so clearly visible. Center members and newcomers volunteered. In several instances people volunteered longer hours than they had committed, or they did so spontaneously as a direct result of the "infectious" atmosphere. Geshe-la has taught us the benefits of rejoicing in others' merits, and this was a weekend to do so in spades!

Overall, we estimate 800 – 1,000 visitors. And we rejoice in the knowledge that our humble efforts netted $7,500+ for the Maitreya Project. The benefit to our visitors and all sentient beings in the future is clear. Lama Zopa’s wisdom behind this project is very apparent to us.

Askold and I are organizing distributing blessed water from the altar to nearby centers - we've already shared with Drikung Meditation Center and Milarepa Center. We need to move very quickly, as the water has saffron and won’t last forever – we’re keeping it cool and will put it in amber glass bottles to preserve it longer. It would be best to deliver the bottles personally to nearby centers; we’ll mail the rest. If you’re interested in doing some of this ecumenical work, please let me know (RelicsTour@Kurukulla.org). We have a lot of blessings to share!

I am going through the pictures that I have and would appreciate if you could share any that you have, too. We’ll send details soon on how to upload them, and I’ll likely assemble and make them available through the blog – I’ll send something out once they’re available. Tom Forsyth shared his pictures at: http://tomf108.zenfolio.com/p309528102. You may also want to take a read at what the Medford Transcript had to say about the Tour.

To everyone who volunteered, my heartfelt gratitude for all your efforts. I look forward to the next opportunity to work closely with you. And I know that, should we be so lucky to have another huge event and opportunity like the Relics Tour, we can tackle it together and have FUN while we do it. I had a wonderful time – thanks to you! For all that you do and the harmony that you create, thank you!

Much love,

Sean Gonzalez,

Assistant Director,

Kurukulla Center