Tribute for Bill McKeever

1940

Our dear friend, William (Bill) McKeever died peacefully today, January 28 at 3pm Mountain Time, the end of his long journey with Parkinson’s Disease. He was with loved ones.

From the Boulder Shambhala Center

There will be a Sadhana of Mahamudra Ceremony for Bill at Boulder Shambhala Center on Friday, January 31 at 4pm mountain time.

For those who wish to attend online, here is a zoom link.

Friends may practice with Bill’s body in the Boulder Shambhala Center main shrine room between 2:30 and 6:30 Thursday and Friday. Please note that some preparations for the ceremony will be happening on Friday afternoon.


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Tributes

Anonymous
5 days ago

' later, Mr. McKeever. You were my first encounter with the Dharma (in 2000) - the proverbial cold shower of recognition. Our journeys continue.
With greatest gratitude.

Michael Carroll
1 week ago

His devotion -
a breeze in a mountain of rose crystal;
His poise -
a smiling white pine;
His realization -
an early spring that yielded endless green shoots.

Somehow,
We all know
That he will arrive somewhere else.
Possibly playing a soft guitar
Or raiding a forgotten treasure.
But arrive he will.

May his glory continue to shine
May his memory always make us smile

Roger Jackson
1 week ago

Bill and I were in high school together in Pelham, NY; I was a year ahead of him. My brother dated his sister Karen for several years, and everyone knew the McKeevers to be one of the most open, welcoming, and interesting families in town. After our respective college careers, Bill and I both gravitated toward Tibetan Buddhism, he, of course, toward Trungpa Rinpoche, first in Vermont and then in Boulder, and I toward the Geluk tradition, going through grad school in Buddhist studies in Madison and thn on to various college teaching posts.

Despite our common interests, Bill and I didn't connect all that often over the years, but I would get news of him through my brother or others. I admired the work he did in helping get Naropa off the ground, and I appreciated, too, his later work with the Asia Society and the Deer Park Foundation. He and I last got together at a cafe near Carnegie Hall almost a quarter century ago – it was a delightful afternoon of Dharma shop talk.

I was saddened to hear of his declining health in recent years, and was quite touched that, with the help of his caregiver, he was able to tune in to a portion of a talk I gave for Ocean/Chronicles last spring, on the topic of rebirth. We couldn't directly communicate but it was lovely, in the moment, to sense his presence. My heart goes out to Karen and Jim and others in Bill's family and to his many friends in his various mandalas, Dharmic or otherwise. As my Jewish friends say, "May his memory be a blessing!" And as my Sri Lankan friends say, "May he swiftly attain Nibbana!" But I would add a Mahayana coda" May he return to teach and inspire and befreind again!"

Dandelion Toombs
2 weeks ago

At Seminary up at SMC in 2002 Bill taught our lineage class. As we gathered around him in a circle he told story after story of the lineage, many involving his personal experiences with great teachers. He was so warm, and funny, and inviting in the tellings, on top of being so obviously humble, generous and clever himself...it felt like being welcomed into a family lineage by a favourite grandfather. Thank you, Bill.

Matthias Conradi
2 weeks ago

When i came to Boulder summer 1976 i wrote a letter to Rimpoche that i want to become his student and he appointed Bill as my meditation instructor . I had to go to Berkleys office and than Bill showed up and later they got married . I took his Naropa class on buddhist philisophy and went to Karme Choeling in August to sit a Dathun . Bill was my MI there . I felt safe with him and after each interview with him i felt spaced out . - I wish you a jolly good ascension into the white light and a great rebirth in good conditions .

Alan Anderson
2 weeks ago

I went to Boulder to catch my first glimpse of Trungpa Rinpoche, but alas, Trungpa was ill—or maybe fell down some stairs(?) I still wanted to know if this was the right path for me. So, I hung out at Naropa Institute and sat in on some classes taught by Bill. Seeing how he communicated the dharma and seeing how he connected with others convinced me I was on the right track. Bill was a continual flowering of intelligence, genuineness and delight. I know he is traveling well. I know he will be missed greatly.

Laura Martin
2 weeks ago

It was a joy and honor to receive my Bodhisattva vow from William McKeever seven years ago. As a Buddhist practitioner for over 20 years at the time, the fear of certain failure in keeping such a vow had long intimidated me. His clarity and insight during our interview carried me through to take this vital step. Expressing my devotion to the Vidyadhara resulted in receiving a name which will inspire my practice for life. You have changed the lives of many. Thank you for the delight of having connected with your brilliance, warmth and humor.

Grant MacLean
2 weeks ago

Bill was co-director, with Jan Watson, of Karme Choling when I arrived from South Africa in late 1975. I was struck by his kindness, dignity and quiet command.

Although I was pretty edgy about meeting Trungpa Rinpoche -- due to an unfortunate experience with a Kagyu leader in Johannesburg -- an interview was arranged. After greeting Rinpoche with what I took to be the obligatory three prostrations I offered him a small coppery maroon Amitabha statuette I'd made out of fibre glass, half-consciously testing him, waiting, watching for any judgement or repudiation. Rinpoche received it graciously, placed it gently on his side table, and we went on to have what felt like a normal tea time chat. Across the room I noticed a beautiful shrine with a large, exquisite brass Sakyamuni rupa at its centre.

Later, Bill came up to me as I waited in the dinner line, clearly looking for me, a smile on his face, and said: "Rinpoche's so funny. After you left he carried your buddha across to his shrine and placed it next to the big brass rupa and said: 'Here's your brother from South Africa. Now you two sit and talk to each other."

That moment, that message cut through a a log pile of hesitation and I later officially joined "the scene." Thank you, Bill, so very much.

Raana Bastani
2 weeks ago

Bill gave me the book " Turning Your Mind into an Ally" At the end of Dhatun 2001( I am not sure about the year) and told me to take it to Iran and translate it into Farsi. I took the book in Iran and found a great Translator and the book was translated in Farsi/Persian. It has been printed several times and there is audio of the book too. Bill had visited Iran and he told me, he visited the City of Isfahan.
He told me he wished one more time to go to Iran to Naghshe Jahan Square in Isphan and drink tea again. Indeed he loved Hafez. He was a great mystic himself. He was one of my great teachers. He lives in my heart/mind while I am alive.
Here are some verses from Hafez for you dearest Norbu.
When I am dead, open my grave and see
The cloud of smoke that rises round thy feet:
In my dead heart the fire still burns for thee;
Yea, the smoke rises from my winding sheet!

He whose heart been received by love, never die
Our eternity has been written in the record of the world.

Emily Bower
2 weeks ago

Thanks to all who were able to be present and caring with Bill at the end. He was a wonderful mentor and teacher to me.

Lynn Lobban
2 weeks ago

I did my first Level 1 with Bill in the nineties in New York. I will never ever forget sitting across from him for my interview and being struck by the depth in his eyes. When I asked him about it he said, "I've been practicing for a long time." Thank you, Bill, for your wisdom, your kindness, and your goodness.

Olivia Cooper
2 weeks ago

Dear Acharya McKeever,

I wish I had a chance to say goodbye to you! I was so busy living these past few months while you were busy dying, and I didn’t know that. I’m sorry. So here is my written goodbye for now.

You were my first buddhist teacher and being your student and then your friend completely changed the trajectory of my life. When I was 22 years old, living at Marpa House, and struggling greatly with both my physical and mental health (which healed mysteriously through sitting multiple dathuns with you), you adamantly encouraged me to take part in my first dathun. I couldn’t afford it, so you helped me set up a fundraiser and were the very first one to generously donate. You were so incredibly generous and kind towards me, immediately my mind began to open.

I feel so grateful that I was your student towards the end of your teaching career; those final dathuns you lead, you shined like the brightest star in the sky and they were truly extra-ordinary. You were humble and gentle, human, ordinary AND outrageous, inscrutable, and quite remarkable… the truth is the magic of the Lineage spoke and moved through Bill.

You not only taught the dharma in these retreats, you WERE it. We all got to have a direct experience of the beginning-less and endless Devotion for your guru and all beings that radiated from you.

I have no doubt that you paid off your bill, Bill, and then some! The Vidyadhara would be so very proud. You taught me to cheer up, laugh at myself a great deal, to be more gentle, and perhaps above all - that it’s good to be who I am, just as I am. I don’t think anybody has benefitted my life more than you have.

I loved learning in your Shing Kahm that the refuge name that CTR gave you was a very unusual Sanskrit/Tibetan hybrid name “Shiwa Reishi.” I never knew that your name was both Sanskrit and Tibetan. I have always thought the refuge name you gave me which is also both Sanskrit and Tibetan had been a mistake. Now I know it wasn’t.

Bill’s mantra was “never give up, always give in” and at the end you did just that. Thank you, dear friend. May your path always be supported by (and haunted by) all the bodhisattvas of the lineage and may all your suffering completely dissolve as you are embraced by Great Love. Goodbye for now. Ki Ki, So So!

David Darlington
2 weeks ago

During college Bill and I took a lecture class in the History of Buddhism. It was taught by a rather pedantic professor, and at one point while he was holding forth, Bill turned to me and and whispered, “I gotta know it!“ with a distinctly dubious air. At the end of the semester, we were warned that our final paper should not be about "what Buddhism means to me." I wrote mine on the Bodhisattva ideal, coming up with what I considered an original theory that it represented some kind of clever philosophical workaround (around what, I don't recall). I got a C -- but the kicker was that Bill, already a follower of Chogyam Trungpa, and the future director of what would become America's foremost Buddhist university, Naropa, got... a D!!!

Jean Pitman
2 weeks ago

I took my Bodhisattva Vow with you. So auspicious and lucky for me! Your love knew no bounds; I can still feel it right now. Thank you for showing me the path and for truly seeing me and loving me (and everyone else) so unconditionally.

Maria Vargas
2 weeks ago

I had the great good fortune of attending the Warriors' Assembly Bill taught in the early '80s. We heard from members of two other groups, who were on the land at that time, that the raw powerful energy from the assembly was felt all over the land. I later heard that that was one of the greatest Assemblies ever. He was a wonderful teacher who embodied and taught the teachings with skill and playfulness, and was obviously one of our Lineage's favorite students. Thank you Bill!

Peter Hurst
2 weeks ago

I have fond memories of working will Bill at Naropa from 1978-1985. I still feel the heart connection, the warmth, the humor, the playfulness, the intelligence, the passion and sometimes the irritation and anger. Such a huge task he was given to direct the creation of a university. A wonderful life in the dharma. On to the embrace of the mother of all things. Love you Bill

Betsy Pond
2 weeks ago

I had the great honor of supporting Bill’s teaching at dathuns at Karme Choling. I’m so grateful for his presence and encouragement in my life. What a dear, wise, playful being.

JULIA
2 weeks ago

say Hi to George. Love ya Billy.

Lyndon Comstock
2 weeks ago

As it happens, this tribute to Bill is side by side in my Chronicles webpage with the slide show of the 1981 Seminary at Lake Louise. I haven't gone through specifically to look for pictures of Bill in the slide show but he was a particularly gracious presence at that seminary, as I distinctly remember.

Bill's exceptional familiarity with the Buddhist world in Asia, well reflected in his long service with the Asia Society, was also put to use on behalf of our sangha.

He led the prep work to make it possible for a group of sangha to attend the enthronement of the Yangsi Khyentse Rinpoche in 1997 in Boudha. The travel and lodging price was quite reasonable, which made it possible for Arline and me to participate in what became our first trip to Asia. (Wouldn't you know it, Khyentse Rinpoche and the Yangsi Khyentse Rinpoche are just below the Seminary slideshow on my Chronicles screen. Yours too?)

I regret that I hadn't seen Bill in recent years. Even so, I do feel a bit of his warmth as I write this. Bon voyage, Bill.

Alan Schwartz
2 weeks ago

Bill's love for the Guru, the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha was so deep in his bones, the only word that comes to mind is rapturous.

I shared an evening with him some years ago, probably Karme Choling, possibly a Scorpion Seal / Acharya retreat with Sakyong Mipham. Memory fails the time and place, but the texture is effortlessly accurate.

Bill was showing me the fruits of a personal project of his -- a stack of portrait photos of students of dathuns he had led. He had gone to great trouble to assure the lighting and framing of these were identical. He wanted to capture the impact of "before" and "after" as the only variable. The positioning of the head and shoulders for each participant, their clothing, the lighting and background, were kept as identical as possible.

Bill displayed the deck as if he were a poker dealer, one card at a time, snapped onto the top of the growing pile, calling out "before" ... "after" ... "before" ... "after". The obvious indications of transformation by contrast in many of these photo pairs was breathtaking. It brought forth many "ah's" and "wow's". Any other words would have been superfluous.

For Bill, the joy in sharing this bit of ordinary magic was so deep and heartful. He loved Trungpa Rinpoche, he loved the Dharma, and he loved the Sangha, with a passion as deep and indomitable as the ocean.

"Before" ... "After" ... Sail on, Bill. The heartbreak of missing you is biting and personal. The expansiveness of isness and the hearts you shared such joy in opening with is infinite. Sail on, Bill, sail on.

Peter Nowak
2 weeks ago

Thank you, Bill! You have transmitted the warm dark essence of human heart in midst confusing times. You manifested the Dorje Dradüls loving presence. Tears in my eyes are rare, but here and now! Thank you also for this and jolly good luck for this next journey!

Molly DeShong
2 weeks ago

Thank you, Bill, for being the first whiff of dharma I encountered after moving to Halifax in 1987. My first weekend here, you taught Level V. An important and weird time, since I knew nobody here; your warmth and insight helped me relax, see the big picture, and make this my home.

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