Gehlek Rimpoche, Cyndi Lee, and Leroy Brown	Audience meditation

On Friday, March 17, 2006, Gehlek Rimpoche, Cyndi's root guru, came and spoke at OM! It was a momentous evening - here are a few pictures and Cyndi's own words:

"Rimpoche was awesome! The whole evening was a radiant event like none other we have ever had at OM. It was a big, yet intimate crowd of 150 yogis and Rimpoche easily connected personally to each of us with his down-to-earth and playful manner. And the OMmies just ate him up. They loved him! He had people really laughing and joyful. He was very funny, vibrant and animated, and then in a few quiet words brought the meaning of OM home, and right into our hearts. Compassion and wisdom -- that is the base for a spiritual practice. Then Rimpoche, with his usual generosity took many questions and gave long and thoughtful answers. At the end Rimpoche gave me a scarf and when I bowed to him he touched his forehead to mine. Then I gave him an OM baseball hat which he totally loved and immediately put on backwards which got everyone laughing again. At the very end, I said that we would end like we end all our practices and Rimpoche said good and then everyone sat up nice and tall and we said the Four Immeasurables. It was such an honor for me to have my guru at OM and my heart was full to see my students coming out in full force to meet him and for him to meet all
of you.

In particular, a special thank you to the OM yoga managers and front desk staff for managing the whole thing from beginning to end in an incredibly seamless, harmonious, organized, gracious manner that made me so so proud of OM. An event like this -- the biggest attendance we've ever had for anything at OM -- with so many people and such a special guest high lama -- can only be successful when the mandala is properly created and supported. Providing that safe and uplifted environment is what you all did so beautifully last night. Having less than an hour to change a humid yoga room into a shrine room for 150 people and an incarnate lama was a big job in itself, not to mention signing in everyone and for the other classes, too! I know that Rimpoche was very impressed and so were the people from my Jewel Heart sangha who had never been to OM before. I have a feeling that this was a very special night that will resonate with us all for a while."

-Cyndi

Spoke on: "OM As The Basis For Spiritual Practice"
Friday, March 17

We are so pleased to host Gehlek Rimpoche at OM for the first time! Rimpoche is Cyndi's root guru and has been a big influence on her life and all that is offered at OM.

Rimpoche is one of the most beloved and respected Lamas in the world. Raised in Drepung Monastery in Tibet, Rimpoche studied under the same tutors as the Dalai Lama, who later asked him to come to the West and share the Dharma. He is known for his brilliance as well as his fun, playful style of teaching.

Fluent in the English language and American ways, Gehlek Rimpoche is a very special teacher who will inspire you with his big heart and mind.

To learn more about Gehlek Rimpoche, go to www.jewelheart.org.