For one day during the course build-up, our focus shifted to Kathmandu in Nepal. After 49 days of mourning, our precious teacher the 14th Shamarpa, Mipam Chökyi Lodrö (1952 – 2014), was cremated in the presence of tens of thousands of his students from around the world.

We stayed at the EC to prepare the Summer Course. However, in our hearts we were there at the cremation ceremony guided by H.H. the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje and many other high Lamas of all main traditions of Tibetan Buddhism who came to say goodbye to Rinpoche. Connected to all Diamond Way Centers worldwide via live-streaming, Lama Ole Nydahl guided a 16 hour meditation on Amitabha, the Buddha of Limitless Light and we meditated all through the night while the cremation was going on in Kathmandu.

Rinpoche will be dearly missed by the international Europe Center sangha. We were lucky enough to receive Mahamudra teachings from the highly realized second highest ranking Lama in the Karma Kagyu lineage when he visited the Europe Center and other international meditation courses time and again. Director of the Diamond Way Buddhist Foundation Caty Hartung found touching words to say goodbye to her teacher, you can read the complete letter on Shamar Rinpoche’s Official Website: www.shamarpa.org. For a report and photo impressions of the cremation ceremony, please visit diamondway-buddhism.org.

Even after his passing, Shamar Rinpoche made the Karma Kagyu lineage stronger and more united, thus preparing a bright future for what he lived for: the lineage and his spiritual son and successor Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje. Gyalwa Karmapa will in turn now recognize his successor, the 15th Shamarpa. May this happen soon and without obstacles.