Brilley to host spiritual site (From Hereford Times)

Brilley to host spiritual site

7:00am Thursday 22nd September 2011 in Kington By Lauren Rogers

A SACRED structure seen throughout the Buddhist world has now found a home in green and leafy Herefordshire.

A Stupa is being installed outside the New Inn Karma Dechen Choling in Brilley, near Kington.

For the next two weeks, Tibetan lamas from Nepal will be in the tiny village to carefully build and consecrate a spiritual site.

Stupas are ‘mound-like’ structures containing blessed items and relics. They are a common sight in Nepal and India and have been used as places of worship by Buddhists for more than 2,500 years.

Daphne Tucker, who runs the New Inn and Karma Dechen Choling retreat, is inviting people to take part in the project.

Stupas are believed to generate loving kindness and compassion and benefit the places where they are built.

Visitors can meet the Lama Phuntsok, who has previously built stupa in Germany, and help “bring the Stupa alive” by rolling up mantras to fit inside the monument, then placing the sacred objects inside.

At the centre of the stupa will be a Tree of Life, considered an essential part of any stupa. It is often a wooden pole covered with gems and thousands of mantras.

At its base will sit more than 200 tsa-tsas – handmade clay pots which the lamas have brought from Nepal. Inside them will be more mantras and donated items.

Ms Tucker, who spent six years in India before moving to Brilley 12 years ago, said: “The lamas will be here for 10 days and the stupa is being put together carefully in stages.

“It is a very important part of the eastern culture and it’s a ritual that people in Nepal and India would rush to be part of because those taking part then have a real connection to the stupa.

“For me a stupa represents our true nature and the journey to understanding. It’s a very important idea for me and I want to share that.”

To help prepare tsa-tsas visit the New Inn tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday.

Construction will take place in stages from Sunday until next Thursday (September 29) and will end on September 30 with the consecration of the finished Stupa.

To take part in daily teachings there is a suggested £25 per day or £15 for half a day donation.

For more information, visit karmadechencholing.

co.uk or call 01497 831284.