Dissolution Begets Rebirth 

Dear friends.

On behalf of the team, our mentor Geshe Tenzin Zopa, and friends from all around the world please join us as we celebrate the New Year and the tremendous journey we have been on together as well as new horizons for exploration. 

CSP Closure and Celebration

The CSP was born on the heels of our first epic pilgrimage to Nepal in 2018 co-led with Geshe Tenzin Zopa. Upon our return, we wanted to build on the pilgrimage momentum with our study and practice of the lam-rim so I set about with my partner Alison Graham, to design and implement a comprehensive program consisting of intensive teachings, pilgrimages, community forums, and service projects. Little did we know when we launched the CSP that the pandemic would soon strike but fortunately for us, we found refuge in the cloud with a new online Dharma community.

In the nearly four years that ensued the CSP kept us focused on the Dharma and supporting one another through thick and thin. We invited world-renowned guest speakers, traveled on pilgrimage to Sri Lanka in November 2019, raised nearly $40K for nunneries abroad, created a brave space for stimulating dialogue, graduated dozens of committed students, and formed bonds that will last lifetimes. We have so much to be proud of and grateful for!

Upon our return this November from another great pilgrimage with Geshe-La to Nepal and India, it slowly became evident to me that the CSP has fulfilled its purpose. Like a raft that has helped us arrive on a distant shore, I feel now is the right time to let the CSP go so that we are all free to invite in a new mission that can be fulfilled in a far more self-organizing, cost-effective, and dynamic way.

CSP Transition and Continuity

Many of you have asked about the continuity of your course library and the CSP assets after our closure. We are happy to hear that these are of value to you, however, it’s not sustainable to host them indefinitely. Beginning January 1, 2023, we will offer a three-month window for you to review and download materials, after which we will transition our offerings, and make them available again as time-limited purchases, hosted on my new personal website. 

As for the Courtyard monthly recurring membership, we want to thank you for your involvement in our discussion groups and practice support over the years. As of January 1, 2023, the Courtyard will be dissolved. 

Rachen Nunnery, A New North Star

One of the incredible blessings that emerged from our recent pilgrimage was a new moonshot that we can organize our collective energy around for the future. Rachen Nunnery sits quietly in the secret hidden Tsum Valley of the Nepali Himalayas and is home to our mentor Geshe Tenzin Zopa and dozens of purely devoted nuns and monks. Those of us that spent even a few days there on pilgrimage were inspired to adopt the nunnery and serve the community for years to come. 

Rachen Nunnery presents us with a natural focal point for our Bodhisattva aspiration and activities. By directing our collective fundraising efforts over the next few years we can improve the facilities and significantly enhance the day-to-day experience of its residents. Rachen could become a destination for regular pilgrimages and retreats of very high quality including the one I am organizing for August 2024. Together we can help preserve the lineage, manifest the vision, and extend the legacy of Geshe Tenzin Zopa.

We have much to celebrate as we sweep clean the sands of the CSP mandala and infuse the emptiness that pervades with our new visions and energies. In the meantime, I will continue to teach, complete my book, "Return with Elixir," and lead pilgrimages with Geshe-la, explore new initiatives here in Bali, and incubate my aspirations to serve Rachen Nunnery. I hope you self-organize to maintain a strong sense of community continuity, focus on the path and practices you have received, and find ways to offer your passion, skills, and resources to support others. 

Pilgrimage to Java and Bali 2023

Since February 2022 I’ve been working on an exciting new pilgrimage and now finalizing details here on the island of Bali where I’ve relocated my family. Every pilgrimage takes me a year to curate in the hopes that they are truly once-in-a-lifetime catalysts for transformation. In late September 2023, I will be joined by Geshe Tenzin Zopa as we venture to the magical islands of Indonesia to study lama Atisha’s mind training in radical compassion, and natural healing through the Medicine Buddha, Jungian psychology, and the indigenous practices and landscapes of Java and Bali.  LINK TO THE ITINERARY (Sacred Earth Journeys)

With deep gratitude, and with all best wishes,

Miles