Samye Hermitage Welcomes Teacher

By SAM ALDRIDGE
COOPERSTOWN

A master of meditation will be teaching from July 3-9 at Samye Hermitage, the Buddhist center formerly known as Rangjung Yeshe Gomde, and familiarly known as “the place with all the flags” at 412 Glimmerglen Road. The teacher, Tulku Migmar Tsering, belongs to the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and will be coming from Nepal to teach the path of meditation to all, from curious beginners to those more advanced. From how to sit on the cushion to watching thoughts arise and pass away, Tulku Migmar will offer his expertise in the intimate setting of the main shrine hall.

To inaugurate the week of teaching and to celebrate Tulku Migmar’s arrival in Cooperstown, there will be a celebration at Samye Hermitage on July 2 from noon to 4 p.m., open to all. Starting on July 3 and throughout the week, Tulku Migmar will teach from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Migmar last visited Cooperstown in 2019, and has come many times since the founding of Samye Hermitage in 2009.

Under the guidance of the center’s leader, Phakchok Rinpoche, 412 Glimmerglen Road has transformed from a 26-acre horse farm to a thriving Buddhist center with weekly classes led by local teachers, rooms outfitted for long-term stays and a library with unique titles. There is also a small shop that features prayer flags, bead necklaces, incense and books. The main hall now houses several dazzling statues brought from Nepal by Rinpoche, who will return to Cooperstown to teach in September.

Residents of Cooperstown who have visited the center over the years know it simply as Gomde. However, in 2022, Rinpoche decided to change the name to better reflect his worldwide activities with Samye Institute, an organization that provides in-person and virtual teachings, retreats, and events derived from Buddhist wisdom traditions. “Samye” is a Tibetan word meaning “inconceivable,” and was the name of the first Buddhist monastery built in Tibet in the eighth century.

The aim of Samye Hermitage is to build community and cultivate the qualities of wisdom and compassion to benefit humankind. Both newer and long-term students will find authentic resources to support their study, reflection, and meditation. Throughout the year, meditation courses are offered four days a week taught variously by Michael Friedman and resident teacher Matthew Zalichin.

Visitors to Samye Hermitage will also encounter some new faces: Tibetan monk Lama Kelsang and executive director Peter Woods, whose enthusiasm has revitalized the center. Samye Hermitage is open seven days a week to inquisitive guests and practicing Buddhists.

More information about the upcoming meditation course is available online at samyenewyork.org.