The Council of the Makkyi Rabjam

Dear Dorje Kasung,

We are all stunned and raw after reading the Wickwire Holm report and the letter that six kusung sent on Saturday. We are very concerned for those who have been harmed and know that many of you are feeling hurt, shocked, and raw.

Both documents describe harmful and disturbing patterns of behavior and we recognize that there is truth in these accounts. We are deeply sorry for missing or not understanding some of the warning signs and for our part in enabling these behaviors to occur. Our mandate is to create a safe container for our community to practice in, and we are heartbroken that we failed many people in that effort.

We commit ourselves to taking the necessary steps to understand and address the dynamics and patterns that led to these disturbing incidents. We are reaching out to all continuity kusung (including the kusung who wrote the letter) and inviting them to dialog with us. We strongly encourage all kasung and members of the community to bring your concerns about kasung to us.

As the leadership of the Dorje Kasung, we know it is important for us to facilitate genuine communication. More important than ever, we need to bring our critical intelligence to the current situation, there is no party-line we want you to follow. We support anyone in our community speaking their truth, regardless of where that leads.

We do not know what our future is, as a CMR or as Dorje Kasung. Clearly there are serious problems. But we have experienced a great deal of goodness and wisdom on this path and we continue to be committed to protecting and sustaining that wisdom.

For the last six months, we have been holding: waiting for the reports, supporting the activities of kasung in the centers, and contemplating our situation as Dorje Kasung. At this time is it clear that we need to shift. We will be reaching out to you in the coming weeks, to start working on this together.

In particular, the Kusung leadership, led by Kusung Corps Commander, Amy Conway, Kadö, in partnership with the CMR would like to listen and talk openly with any of you who might find that helpful. They are available to answer any questions you have. Zoom calls with the Kusung leadership for this purpose will be announced in the coming weeks.

As we start to hold these discussions, we want to be transparent. The CMR has not received communication from the Makkyi Rabjam in over 8 months. We are exploring our relationship with him. We will let you know if and when we receive a communication from him.

We want to acknowledge your heartfelt service, the inspiration that exists and the deep longing to be in Kasung service to our world.

Thank you,

The Council of the Makkyi Rabjam

Kasung Kyi Khyap Jesse Grimes

Kasung Acharya, Lamen Kyi Khyap Mitchell Levy

Gesar Arm Commander, Toby Sifton, Rupön

Desung Arm Commander, Janet Jercinovic, Rupön

Kasung Shastri, Andrew Sacamano, Rupön

Dorje Kasung Sergeant Major, Anna Weinstein

Dear Dorje Kasung,

We are writing to stay connected with you as Dorje Kasung, wherever you may find yourself within this tumultuous and provocative time for our community.
Those of us who were present at Magyal Pomra Encampment felt inspired to be together with Dorje Kasung family. MPE continues to be a container that can accommodate the breadth of experience we bring to it, as individuals and as a community. It was also very powerful to connect with the energy of Magyal Pomra, one of the protector representations most closely connected to Kasung practice, who has vowed to come immediately in times of great confusion to aid us. Our practices of drill, schedule, chain of command, emptiness, posts, setting up, and taking down were powerful reminders to reconnect with our environment and our fellow practitioners. We are hearing similar expressions from many of you – that being together in person seems to be a powerful and restorative thing right now. If it feels appropriate and healthy for you, we encourage you to find opportunities to come together, whether it be for practice, for discussion, or simply to be together as family.

Now that MPE is finished and we are moving into the autumn, we as a CMR are in discussions about the best way we can be helpful at this point. We, like all of you, await the outcomes and guidance from the processes currently underway – related to the work of the Transition Task Force as well as the external processes related to specific incidents and the independent investigation. In the meantime, we want to make sure that you feel supported in your kasung practices and the services you are offering, and that you feel invited to share with us your thoughts, suggestions, and requests for support. We will send information about upcoming conversations as they are scheduled, and in the meantime please feel free to reach out to any of us directly.

We also want to address the CMR’s leadership, in light of recent allegations referencing the Kasung Kyi Khyap, Jesse Grimes. We believe the specific allegations against him are false and unfounded. He was not present at the locations referenced during the times specified, and never at any time witnessed anything like what is alleged.

At this time, no complaints of any kind have been lodged against the Kasung Kyi Khyap and as such, he continues to hold his post. If at any point he is informed that he is the subject of a care and conduct investigation, he will immediately recuse himself from teaching and leadership roles, pending the outcome of those proceedings. As leaders and Shambhalians, all of us make that same commitment, and expect that any Dorje Kasung would hold to that standard.

Please continue to take care of yourself and each other. We also encourage you to continue with the practices that you feel most connected to and inspired to practice, individually and in groups. We have received many precious teachings and practices as Dorje Kasung. In times of great challenge it is especially important to ground ourselves in the precision, tenderness and the very heart of Dorje Kasungship. Through our practices we have the opportunity to simply be, including being the embodiment of protection and from within that place gain insight on how to proceed.

The Council of the Makkyi Rabjam