Drikung Kyobpa Choling

New Building at Drikung Kyobpa Choling Tibetan Meditation Center in Escondido, January 2009

Last weekend, the Green Tara thangka featured in the documentary film Creating Buddhas: the Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas moved to her new home in Escondido. (Yes, I did write “her” new home. I usually refer to my thangkas as the deities they embody, so this one is Tara herself.)

Michael Essex, also known as Ngakpa Wangdu, is a longtime student of Drupon Samten Rinpoche, the lama who created the Drikung Kyobpa Choling Tibetan Meditation Center (DKC) in Escondido and who consecrated the thangka. After viewing the film and seeing how it moved the center’s community, Wangdu generously decided to purchase the thangka and donate it to the Center.

Leslie, Tara, and Isadora at DKC in January

For me, DKC is a magical place filled with warmth and love. Drupon Samten made me feel like an old friend the first time I met him at a public event more than ten years ago. Though we see each other infrequently, I am always welcomed as a member of the family, and Drupon-la amazes me with his recollection of our first encounter.

Drupon Samten is not only a kind and accomplished lama and meditation teacher. He’s also an artist, a builder, a dog trainer, the most versatile jack-of-all-trades I’ve ever met — and makes a mean cup of Tibetan butter tea too! Originally from Lamayuru, Ladakh, Drupon Samten has lived in the US for more than 20 years and has established an inviting center for the study and practice of Buddhism in the Drikung Kagyu tradition.

The original house, where DKC has been located for almost 15 years, sits on a hilltop with a 360-degree panoramic view. For someone who misses open vistas, this is a real feast for the eyes. An expansion of the center is currently underway, and the Tara thangka will eventually adorn a spacious new meditation hall.  In addition to the hall, the new facilities include a retreat house, living quarters for HH Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang, numerous other living quarters and rooms which may be used for classes and community activities. I will love having the opportunity to teach silk thangka making there sometime in the future.

Drupon Samten Rinpoche, Lama at Work

The most amazing aspect of this building project is the hands-on involvement of the lamas, particularly of Drupon Samten himself. From designing the space to making pujas of request and offering to the local deities, from building a retaining wall to cutting granite countertops, from gardening to spackling — Drupon’s careful attention and deft hands are in all of it. He’s truly a role model in taking on whatever needs to be done and doing it… and doing it well. Volunteers from the community also offer their help, and more are always welcome. Donations too are greatly appreciated. Contact DKC for details.

And no account would be complete if I didn’t mention the contribution of the amazing Tashi, the lama dog. He’s a local celebrity! Read about him here.

And please visit if you’re ever in the neighborhood. Tell them Rinchen sent you 🙂