Dear friend,
In this newsletter, we’d like to give you updates on the activities and projects underway at Albagnano Healing Meditation Centre and celebrate the important milestones we’ve achieved, thanks also to your support and friendship.
Prayers and Tsog offerings
Following Lama Gangchen Rinpoche’s request on September 11, 2001, the community has maintained its commitment to recite, every day and without exception, 108 Tsog offerings during the Guru Puja. To date (June 2025), we have accumulated an extraordinary 6,736,800 Tsog offerings dedicated to inner, world, and environmental peace. As Lama Gangchen taught, “It is a great investment of positive energy in our heart bank account”.
The new Guru Puja sadhanas for the Gompa
Thanks to your contributions, we have achieved an important goal: the hardcover edition of the Guru Puja for gompa use.
We have printed 100 copies in Italian and 100 copies in English.
The copies—stored in a revolving bookcase—are available to everyone for use in the gompas of Albagnano and Milan.
20th anniversary celebrations of the Generosity Garden
On May 4th, at the Albagnano Temple, we celebrated 20 years of our ongoing support programme for the Centre, now known as the “Generosity Garden”.
Supporters and the community participated in this joyful event, created to thank donors and celebrate the results achieved thanks to everyone’s support.
In his opening talk, Lama Michel Rinpoche emphasised the meaning of the Garden:
“What gives me the most joy is seeing that this programme represents a paradigm shift: it shifts from the vision in which I buy what I want—and therefore have the burden of paying—to the vision in which I offer so that everyone can benefit”.
During the celebration, a certificate and small gift were presented to donors participating in the programme. This joyful event included a musical performance, the planting of flowers in the garden in front of the Temple, and concluded with Guru Puja and the sharing of the Tsog.
Project continuation: Water for Dharma
The management of energy resources—electricity, water, and heating or cooling—is part of the eco-sustainability vision we are committed to.
The “Water for Dharma” project is now almost complete. Between late June and early July, two 15,000-litre tanks were buried in the land 100 metres behind Lama Gangchen’s sacred stupa. This water will be used to irrigate the Centre’s gardens. Connections have also been made to the other three tanks, which will be buried behind the Labrang at the end of September. These, thanks to a basic filter, will provide drinking water to the Centre and Temple.
A connection for grey water for the bathrooms will also be made. Thanks to this system, we will be self-sufficient while still having access to municipal water if necessary.
“Making peace with the environment, making peace with the 5 elements, now and forever, with all human beings’ attention (not agitation!) and all the holy beings’ blessings” (Lama Gangchen Rinpoche).
"Dove vai così di fretta?" Lama Michel Rinpoche's New Book
Lama Michel Rinpoche’s new book in Italian, “Dove vai così di fretta? Buddhismo nella vita quotidiana” (Where are you going in such a hurry? Buddhism in daily life) was released on June 4th by the Italian publisher Bompiani. This book shares his teachings on inner peace and peace with the environment with a wider audience, benefiting countless people.
In June, Lama Michel presented the book in 17 public talks in Northern and Central Italy, traveling 5,600 km, when he also gave 22 interviews for magazines, television, and podcasts. More than 4,500 people attended the presentations, and more than 2,000 copies were sold. The book is already in its third printing.
The book can be purchased at the NgalSo Mani Bhadra shop in Albagnano and in all bookstores throughout Italy.
Cultivating connections with the monasteries of India, Tibet, and Nepal
The exchange and spiritual friendship with the monasteries of our lineage in India, Tibet, and Nepal continues. Specifically, in addition to the presence of Chonze Tara, five monks and geshes from Shar Ganden Monastery (India) have arrived in Albagnano. They will stay for one year to perform pujas and ceremonies, maintaining the spiritual commitments of the Centre and the Sangha. With our donations, they will be able to support their monastery’s educational projects.
The monks will be available upon request for pujas, blessings, and sand mandalas in private homes. Please contact carlotta@kunpen.it
The summer programme in Albagnano
As always, our Centre’s summer programme is particularly rich and varied.
Thanks to the participation of both visiting and resident geshes and monks, the following special pujas were celebrated from June 26th to July 13th: Yandrub, Tendu, and Rabne Chenmo.
From July 3rd to 6th, the monks created a beautiful and intricate Yamantaka sand mandala.
From July 1st to 8th, the Summer Camp saw the participation of 60 youngsters, aged 9 to 18, who were engaged in activities in contact with nature that foster the development of inner qualities and offer them an opportunity to discover their own potential together with their peers.
On July 2nd, a long-life puja was held to celebrate Lama Michel Rinpoche’s birthday. This was followed by celebrations from July 5th to 7th to renew our gratitude to Lama Gangchen Rinpoche, with the Kadrin Drenso, which included the display of relics from his private collection. At the conclusion, a spectacular double rainbow, lasting 40 minutes, appeared in the sky.
Dharma activities: teachings and meditation practices will continue regularly throughout the summer, including the Self-Healing retreat guided by Lama Michel Rinpoche and Lama Caroline, the Vajrapani course with Lama Caroline, Dharma and Nature with Lama Michel Rinpoche, along with experts in holistic disciplines and health, and a meditation course with Lama Thubten.
Special programmes include Music and Spirituality—now in its third year—taking place from July 6th to 20th and the Cross Festival events titled “Tone of Light,” which concluded on July 2nd. New courses include modelling in clay “the Buddha that resonates with you”, evolutionary astrology and ArtMoTe, and Vedic Yoga based on the 5 elements.
Ongoing fundraising campaigns
In addition to the Centre’s ongoing support programme called “Generosity Garden” we have launched three fundraising campaigns related to specific projects:
Words of Buddha: This project involves the layout and printing of the English translation of the 84,000 sutras, that make up the Kangyur, on rice paper in petcha format. The texts will be available to all our library users.
Extraordinary maintenance of the yurt (Mongolian tent): We purchased a new protective covering to protect the yurt from weather damage, replaced the dome with a more resistant and transparent one to let in natural light, and installed a new chimney.
Batteries for the photovoltaic system: We purchased and installed storage batteries to take the best advantage of our solar energy, ensuring a constant supply (even at night) and reducing costs. An air conditioning system has been installed in the electrical cabin where they are located to protect them from excessively high temperatures.
"Ocean of Relaxation" Library: Update
The work on the “Ocean of Relaxation” Library, located on the second floor of the Temple, continues. Volunteers are currently busy categorising and cataloguing books. This includes entering data into the library software and printing and attaching labels to the books. More than 300 books (out of a total of 5,000) have been catalogued and registered to date.
Two areas will be created in the library: one with tables and chairs and the other with tatami mats and tables for floor seating. We are also waiting for the final bookcases for Western-style books to be installed. Finally, an online library guide based on artificial intelligence has been created for users.
For now, books cannot be borrowed; they can only be consulted and read in the library.
The new Mani Khorlam project: The Path of Prayer Wheels
An integral part of Lama Gangchen’s vision to create a sacred place dedicated to the pursuit of inner peace is the construction of a path of traditional Tibetan prayer wheels in the gardens of the Temple of Heaven on Earth.
The project involves the construction of 360 prayer wheels to be placed along the pedestrian path surrounding the Temple of Heaven on Earth and the Sacred Stupa of Drubwang Lama Gangchen Rinpoche. This path through the Temple gardens offers a special opportunity for spiritual practice in motion, outdoors, and in contact with nature.
The new audio guide of the Centre
We are pleased to announce that an audio guide of the Center is now available in English and Italian. Visitors will find 13 carefully selected locations inside and outside the temple that allow for a self-guided tour. The audio guide offers clear and in-depth narration, helping guests fully appreciate the Center’s sacred architecture, temple, gardens, and spiritual atmosphere.
The audio guide is available by scanning QR codes located at the 13 locations throughout the Center or simply by browsing the web.
YouTube Channel Subscriptions
We are happy to share that our YouTube channel in Italian has reached 103 subscriptions. For several months now, it has been possible to support Dharma activities remotely through this new opportunity. Additionally, members of our association can also support online teachings through our website.
All the positive results and success of each activity have been and will be possible thanks to the kindness, care, and generosity of our members, benefactors, and many supporters. Together we can!
A heartfelt thank you and warmest tashi delek,
Kunpen Lama Gangchen
