Dear friends,
This letter is a way of communicating something of the process that has led to the decision to build a cabin at the Wangapeka to support Bonni and Matthew.
The teachers who have studied for decades with Namgyal Rinpoche are ageing like us all and the time is coming when the terrain at Wangapeka makes staying in the existing huts just too difficult.
There has been plenty of talk around about this issue in various circles for years and we have considered different options, but for all sorts of reasons, building purpose built accommodation has remained on the wish list.
While Bonni is currently fit and well, and loves staying in Skydancer, we have seen how the steep walk up and down the hill to the Whare Wānanga or main hall several times a day in wet, muddy and dark conditions is increasingly challenging and potentially a hazard.
Early in 2021, Graham, Glenn and Jane had the very strong aspiration to find a way to enable Bonni and Matthew (and others) to continue to retreat at the Wangapeka for as long as they are willing and able to do so. We knew this would be of long term benefit to the Wangapeka. A seed had been planted in our hearts.
The energy, spark and drive to bring it into being stems from our respect, love, gratitude and admiration for Bonni who has guided, taught and inspired us and numerous others for decades, and who has quietly supported the Wangapeka in uncountable ways since she first came here many years ago.
The vision for the dwelling is an energy efficient, warm, self contained two person space with road access. It is being built with Bonni and Matthew in mind, and we envisage it being used primarily for retreat work, but it is a gift to the Centre. True gifts need to be unconditional don’t they? We deeply wish for it to benefit many many beings.
We hope this gives you a sense if the impetus behind the project. It’s been a joyful and sometimes scary journey so far, especially with the building industry being so volatile here in Aotearoa.
Sometimes these things seem to have a life of their own (a bit like the Wangapeka Centre). We feel like conduits for this to come into being. We can’t do it without support from the community but we know that the whole Centre has been built on dana and the flow from this generosity is continually being felt.
With love and thanks from the three of us,
Graham, Jane and Glenn
June 2022
ps. Here is link to the New Teachers Cabin 2022 project page – https://wangapeka.org/new-teachers-cabin-2022/