March 13 to 19, 2006: H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa visits Mexico

H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa arrived in Mexico City on March 13th, 2006. He gave two empowerments in Mexico City on March 14th and 15th. On March 15th there was a reception in the Ministry for Internal Affairs with Carlos Abascal Peniche, State Secretary of the Government of Mexico.

On the 16th March 2006 H.H. Karmapa consecrated a Lhabab Chorten Stupa in Valle de Bravo 150 km west of Mexico City. The stupa project was initiated by Casa Tibet under the guidance and inspiration of Lopen Tsechu Rinpoche. After Rinpoche's death, the construction was carried out by Casa Tibet under the spiritual guidance of Gyalwa Karmapa's lamas. The Stupa is 15m high and the construction was completed in one year. Mrs. Monica Pretelini de Peña, wife of the Governor of the State of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto was a guest at the ceremony. Shangpa Rinpoche, Nendo Rinpoche, Lama Ole Nydahl, Marco Antonio Karam, and over 1400 practitioners and guests attended the consecration. After the ceremony His Holiness was received by Ms. Monica Pretelini de Peña in the Governor's private residence in Valle de Bravo.

A rainbow around the sun was seen for many hours during the teachings and the Bodhisattva vow, that Gyalwa Karmapa gave on March 17th at the stupa site.

On 18th of March Gyalwa Karmapa visited and inaugurated the Diamondway Center in Mexico City. After his visit at Casa Tibet on March 19th, he left Mexico and went back to India.

Activities in Mexico City, March 13 - 15:
Pictures

March 13: H.H. 17th Gyalwa Karmapa Trinlay Thaye Dorje arrived at Mexico City airport on the 13th March 2006 at the invitation of Casa Tibet in Mexico City. His Holiness visited Mexico in order to consecrate the first stupa in the country. It is Karmapa's first visit on the Latin Continent. HH 17th Karmapa was received at the airport by Dr. Alvaro Castro, General Director for Religious Associations of the Secretary of the Government and by Marco Antonio Karam, president of Casa Tibet in Mexico City. A large number of disciples gathered at the airport to greet His Holiness.

March 14: H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa was interviewed by Adela Micha for "Las Noticias por Adela" on Televisa, one of the most important talk shows in Mexico. The interview was broadcasted in two parts in the whole of Latin America, in the United States and in parts of Europe. In the evening H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa gave the Chenrezig (Avalokiteshvara) Empowerment to about 2000 people at the Teatro Metropolitano in Mexico City.

March 15: H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa was received in Mexico City by Carlos Abascal Peniche, State Secretary of the Government of Mexico. In the evening H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa gave the Tsepame (Amitayus) Empowerment to 2000 people at the Teatro Metropolitano in Mexico City.

Activities in Valle de Bravo, March 16 - 17:
Pictures

March 16: H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa consecrated a Lhabab Chorten Stupa in Valle de Bravo 150 km west of Mexico City. The stupa project was initiated by Casa Tibet under the guidance and inspiration of Lopen Tsechu Rinpoche. After Rinpoche's death, the construction was carried out by Casa Tibet under the spiritual guidance of Lama Jangpa. The Stupa is 15m high and the construction was completed in one year.
Ms. Monica Pretelini de Peña wife of the Governor of the State of Mexico Enrique Peña Nieto was a guest at the ceremony. Shangpa Rinpoche, Nendo Rinpoche, Lama Ole Nydahl, Marco Antonio Karam, and over 1400 practitioners and guests attended the consecration. A number of highly auspicious signs marked the event. After the ceremony His Holiness was received by Ms. Monica Pretelini de Peña in the Governor's private residence in Valle de Bravo.

March 17: H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa gave the Bodhisattva promise to over 1700 people at the Stupa ground in Valle de Bravo. During the entire teachings and ceremony a clear rainbow appeared around the sun. After the event, H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa was received by Bernardo Gomez, vice president of Televisa, Mexico's biggest television channel. Before leaving back to Mexico City H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa thanked the volunteers who made this event possible.Before leaving back to Mexico City H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa thanked the volunteers who made this event possible. During his stay at Valle de Bravo Gyalwa Karmapa was the host of Mr. and Mrs. Rafael and Bibi Silanez.

Activities in Mexico City, March 18 - 19:
Pictures

March 18: Welcome brunch for H.H. Gyalwa Karmapa, organised by the Diamondway Center. Many representatives of Diamondway Centers from Latin America came to meet Gyalwa Karmapa. After the brunch H.H. visited and inaugurated the Diamondway Center in Mexico City and gave the Bodhisattva Vow. During his visit a scientist explained the functions of the brain and the benefit of meditation from the scientific point of view to H.H. and the Tibetan Lamas.

March 19: After his visit at Casa Tibet Gyalwa Karmapa and the Lamas travelling with him were leaving Mexico to go back to India.

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