Tsegyalgar in Conway is part of a global community of Dzogchen centers founded by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. Dzogchen, or “Great Perfection,” is a lineage of Tibetan Buddhist teachings that refers to the natural state of all beings, which from the Dzogchen perspective is a state free from hindrances. Dzogchen is a lineage that relies heavily on direct transmission between student and master—hence the importance of Namkhai Norbu to the Dzogchen community in Conway. Namkhai Norbu founded the first Dzogchen center in 1981 in Naples, Italy. Soon afterwards, in 1982, the first Dzogchen community in America began when Namkhai Norbu was invited to Conway, Massachusetts. In addition to Tsegyalgar in Conway, Namkhai Norbu later founded the neighboring Shang Shung Institute in 1989, which has the task of promoting and preserving Tibetan culture.
Vajra Dance is only one of many activities and practices that happen regularly at Tsegyalgar. Visit the Upcoming Events page for information about Summer 2012 at Tsegyalgar, and visit the Links page for more information about the community itself.