Renewed Gathering of Rigpé Yeshé in Amsterdam
Wessel & Petra, Rigpé Yeshé Amsterdam
In November the Amsterdam Rigpa Centre was the venue for a very successful renewed gathering of Rigpé Yeshe—after a break of several years.
From 11 o'clock the first children arrived with parents and all kinds of goodies were put on the table for them to play. In total we were 28 people, including 16 children between 18 months of age and 17 years old. Most were between 3 and 10 years old.
It was a super fun relaxing get together with dancing, meditating, playing games, crafting, and singing.
Rinpoche also spoke his famous mengak: when you leave the mind alone, it, just like water, automatically becomes clear. This was experienced using with a large glass jar of first clear water. We had two separate small bags with brown and white sand. Representing negative and positive thoughts. Then came the stirring party! All the small kids wanted to vigorously stir it up with a wooden spoon. Meanwhile i explained this was our mind if we react to all thoughts and things passing by in daily life. It turned into a dark brown soup. And then we let it rest until the end of the meeting, to see if clarity dawned when left alone.
A wooden slide we brought from home was also a great success! Surrounded by mats and cushions the little ones could release their energy without leaving the shrine room.
Even the lunch alone fantastic! From homemade pizza sheets to pasta salad, banana bread, delicious sandwiches, apple flaps, cottage cheese cake. It was an abundance of foodshaped love.
After the break, we sang together accompanied by guitar, from sing along songs to the Tara mantra. We spontaneously made a song out of the text from the kids version of the 4 immeasurable prayer. The first Rigpa hit was born! Around three o'clock we officially closed but the craft table remained occupied until the end.
In short, it was a wonderful start to a new Rigpa Yeshe year! We plan to get together 3 or 4 times a year.
Do you have children or do your children have children, or your neighbors, spread the word because this is what you can offer them!
The next Rigpé Yeshe day in the Amsterdam Rigpa centre will be on 8 March in 2026.
Love, Wessel & Petra
