In this episode, Beverley talks about decorum, bravery and love, Longchenpa, life in Cape Breton, the process of finding the European land center, and her role as Trungpa Rinpoche’s executive secretary.
Dear Chronicles:
Thank you for the Dispatches interview with Beverley Webster. She was such an enduring presence in A-Suite at Karma Dzong in Boulder during all those years she served as the Vidyadhara’s secretary. (Hardly a conventional 9-5 secretarial job!)
A couple of reflections: Beverley spoke of how deeply she has connected with the great dzog chen master Longchenpa’s writings in recent years. Longchenpa was one of the Vidyadhara’s favorite authors, and he drew upon his writings for many of his seminary teachings. I love the image of Beverley reading Longchenpa in the bath, especially since Herbert Guenther entitled his translation of one of Longchenpa’s trilogies “Kindly Bent to Ease Us.”
Beverley also talked about her overwhelming feelings of loss after the Vidyadhara died — which most of us shared — and how she kept pondering “where is the love?” now that Rinpoche’s physical presence had left us feeling as orphans in the world of samsara. I have found the answer to that question from connecting further to the Vidydhara’s mind and heart through meditation practice. The love Rinpoche gave us is in our own hearts as a reflection of our buddha nature. Like a time bomb it lies waiting for us to ignite and spark a bonfire of compassion for the world.
Thanks again for all your illuminating interviews.
Chris Keyser