Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche, a uniquely qualified Tibetan master,
recently travelled to Dzogchen Beara, the Tibetan retreat centre
near Allihies, to consecrate the site.
Rinpoche conducted a pacifying “Jinsek”, or fire ceremony, which
Dzogchen Beara's director, Matt Padwick described as being
'traditional at this stage of the project in order to eliminate any
negative or harmful influences.'
A few hundred people gathered for the ceremony around a ‘peace
pole’, a timber pole that was erected at the central point of the
site and bears the legend 'May peace prevail on earth' in English,
Irish and Tibetan.
Matt Padwick told The Southern Star that Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche,
together with Sogyal Rinpoche the spiritual director of Dzogchen
Beara, has closely guided every aspect the building location,
orientation, design and detail, in order to integrate the most
authentic Tibetan traditions with the best, and most appropriate,
modern building techniques.
Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche has been advising on the project from the
outset, using the ancient art of geomancy and following the advice
laid down in traditional texts.
Geomancy, described as a divination that employs the scattering of
pebbles, grains of sand, or seeds, on the earth and then the
interpretation of their shape and position, was central to the
plans that were submitted to Cork County Council.
Meanwhile, architect Giles Oliver, who alongside his colleague Bob
Whiteside also had a key role to play in drawing the plans for the
new temple, said he was pleased that the local authority had
approved the plans for ‘this small wildly attractive thing at the
end of a long path.’
Inspired by the consecration ceremony, Giles Oliver said: ‘This is
how all temples should begin, out of doors, in a clearing in the
trees.’
Ireland’s first Tibetan temple will be distinctive in many ways,
including its copper roof. To have a copper roof is traditional in
Tibet, but it is likely to have special resonance locally,
considering that Allihies was once a major centre for copper
mining.