CHOEKHOR DAY
Animals and Surroundings

CHOEKHOR DAY

As autumn rolls in with yellowing and darkening skies, Ritoma’s pastoralists prepare for winter. Yak and sheep, which had been grazing at higher al...

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THE FOUR FRIENDS
People

THE FOUR FRIENDS

To celebrate this month’s full moon, we would like to offer a blessing to our community of friends. The Four Friends blessing is hand-painted in co...

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YARNEY ~ INTERVIEW WITH A MONK
Religion and Culture

YARNEY ~ INTERVIEW WITH A MONK

Yarney is a six week retreat period that monks practice in the summer, beginning over two thousand years ago at the time of Buddha Sakyamuni. Dakpa...

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MONKS MONSOON RETREAT
Religion and Culture

MONKS MONSOON RETREAT

Each year, monks in Labrang and many other monasteries on the Tibetan Plateau hold a six week retreat in the summer. Its origins are in the Monsoon...

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THE CIRCLE
Religion and Culture

THE CIRCLE

On the 18 th of June, Ritoma’s pastoralists brought their yak and sheep to Chakka, the highest and furthest point of grassland in their yearly migr...

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LAPTSE
Religion and Culture

LAPTSE

A Laptse is a feast for the senses, galloping horses, prayer flags, and the heavy smoke of juniper offerings. It is one dominated by the neighing ...

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SAGADAWA
Religion and Culture

SAGADAWA

Sagadawa, the fourth lunar month of the year, is the holiest in the Buddhist calendar. It begins with the new moon, and the 15th day, the full moon...

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Laptse
Religion and Culture

Laptse

Spring on the Plateau is slow and bleak. The pasture, exhausted from winter grazing, will begin its slow turn from brown to timid green in mid Apri...

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OM MANI PADME HŪM
Craft

OM MANI PADME HŪM

Oṃ maṇi padme hūṃ is a praise to the four-armed Avalokiteshvara (translated as ‘the lord who looks in every direction’ or ‘the lord of what we s...

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NORLHA'S 14TH ANNIVERSARY
People

NORLHA'S 14TH ANNIVERSARY

Kim, Dechen and Norlha staff meeting the tent office before the move, September 2007 An anniversary blows in a whiff of reminiscence. 14 years hav...

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THE CHO SANG LOGOE NUNNERY
People

THE CHO SANG LOGOE NUNNERY

Cho Sang Logoe is a Tibetan Buddhist Nunnery following the Nyigmapa School, the most ancient of the four schools of Tibetan Buddhism. It was built...

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