Maitreya Project Relic
Tour Update
June 2012
Blessings in the
Promised Land
"I got into the room, a beautiful room...I saw there was
something in the middle of the room...but.......what happened to me....I
started to cry....could not stop....could not get closer to the
relics....I tried for hours.....after hours I could circumambulate a few
times...and finally I could get closer and closer....and even today, while
I am writing this mail I start to cry again....the loving kindness I have
felt is imprinted in my heart for ever and
ever..."
- Syvia Jacobs, Rotterdam, Holland 2012
"I didn't know love like that, or peace on that level existed"
- Nate Chopoorian, Ansonia, Connecticut, USA 2011
Israel Tour
After many months of careful preparations by our incredible Israel Tour
co-ordinator, Carmit Agi, the sacred relics were publicly displayed in
Israel for the very first time. The Relics visited three cities: Bitan
Aharon, Neve Eshkol and Jerusalem from the end of December until January.
"Many people who came out of curiosity or with a skeptical mind
were so excited and impressed by the presence of the relics.
It seems like the relics had a power in gathering people, and
things just came together with the help from even unexpected sources
(including from people without prior knowledge of Buddhism, from non
Dharma groups etc). So I was very surprised at people's excitement and
willingness to help. It was beautiful to see and has been a very special
opportunity for me to become involved in.
Since the relics proved their influence over the people and won
their hearts, I would like on their behalf to invite you again in 2013."
- Carmit Agi, Israel Tour Co-ordinator, January
2012
The Jerusalem event was set in a very old hotel dating back to 1890
situated at the main entrance gate to the old city - the Jaffa Gate. Many
people came from the street to see the event. Some just stood and looked
around the room not really understanding why they were there, but they
could not leave. Many people came through torrential rains to see the
exhibition, some travelling all the way from Tel Aviv and other parts of
Israel.
 One of the volunteers was Melissa. She said she had
no idea what to expect from the event. She was fearful of the other
religious organizations making a protest of disagreeing with the exhibit.
On her way from the Jerusalem event she visited a store and felt this
over-whelming feeling of love and connectedness, like she wanted to share
her open-hearted loving experience with everyone, even the guy in the
store!
Between events, the team stopped at a road-side restaurant where they
specialised in goat's cheese dishes. They ate there then proceeded to
bless each goat as they were in line to be milked.
Many people commented on the Israel Tour on Facebook:-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maitreya-Project-Heart-Shrine-Relic-Tour/192641827914?ref=ts
Mexico and Colombia Tour
"People who never heard about The Buddha told us about feeling
something they have never experienced before. They said this event gave
them a new perspective for what they want for their lives."
-
Aline & Luis Cárcamo, organizers of Puerto Vallarta event, Mexico,
Feb 2012
 The Mexico Tour began in Guadalajara at the beautiful
Jalisco College where 3,500 visitors came to experience the blessings of
the Relics. A boy came with his pet fish. A volunteer asked him what the
fish was called. He replied that it had no name. The boy watched the Relic
Tour DVD. Sometime afterwards, the volunteer approached the boy again and
said "Did you think of a name for the fish yet? The boy said "Yes, I will
call it "Lama Zopa".
At the Puerto Vallarta event local boy scouts volunteered to help
during the event. They took turns standing patiently at the buddha bath
offering explaining about the Relics to each visitor. At the end of the
event, the Tour team were offered honory toggles from the scout leader.
The Relic event in San Miguel De Allende, was set in a
beautiful theatre, where the flooring and spot-lights created a dramatic
backdrop for the Relic display. The opening of the event was attended by
people of 9 different faiths with more than 300 people participating.
Organiser Alejandro Negrete said:-
"It is very clear to me that the presence and guidance of the
masters and the positive effort of the volunteers and everyone involved
is what made the event the success that it was. In microcosm, it made me
see that in order for us to move forward as a humanity, we need to learn
to work together beyond our differences in order to create the
enlightened world we desire.
The event in and of itself was
truly miraculous. It was beautiful to see how people's hearts were
uplifted, transformed, and were momentarily able to contact, even if
only tenuously, their innate Buddha Nature, so that they could be
reminded of who they really are."
Here is a link to the music offering at this event:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSAqGZkaU2E&feature=email
The Relics then visited Colombia where they were displayed in Bogota,
Cali and Barranquilla. All three events were a great success:-
"Thanks for giving the opportunity to come to Sacred Relics to
Bogotá...I would like to invite again and again them to Bogotá...if
there is any chance for that please...they are welcome to
Bogotá."
- Olga Lucero Sierra Santos, organizer of Bogota event,
Colombia 2012
The Relics returned to Mexico for a 10 day event at Museo Soumaya in
Mexico City hosted by Casa Tibet. More than 6,000 visitors came to be
blessed. Then in Querataro and Xalapa, more than 3,000 visitors came in
each city to view the Relics.
Australia Tour
"During the Australian Tour many visitors expressed their
amazement at the relics and the event, and we received many requests for
the Relics to return"
- Andy Melnic, Australia Relic
Manager March 2012
 A young visitor is happy to
receive a blessing in Adelaide!
The Australia tour kicked off in Brisbane in January with a wonderful
event hosted by Langri Tenpa FPMT Center. The Relics then visited
Adelaide, Alice Springs, Mullumbimby, Cairns, Sydney and Melbourne.
At each event a representative from the Aborginal nation offered a
"Welcome to the Country" speech during the opening ceremony.
In Mullumbimby, the Relics were displayed at the beautiful Crystal
Castle, located on top of the mountain with landscaped gardens with Buddha
statues and enormous crystals from Brazil. We discovered that 30 years
ago, Lama Zopa Rinpoche and Lama Yeshe visited this mountain. Today a
stupa is being built by the Gyuto monks at Crystal Castle and some of
Lama's ashes will go into the stupa.
Kangaroo receives a blessing in Alice Springs,
February 2012
At the Cairns event, Ven Rinchen gave blessings with the Buddha Relics,
she said:-
"I had one big hulk of a man who said "Never done anything like
this before" I got him to kneel down and feel the peace and light fill
his heart and body, when he looked up his eyes were full of tears as he
said "Never expected that!"
You can visit our Blog for more about the Cairns event (http://maitreyaproject.org/blog/)
Launching the New Relic Tour Brochure!
We are delighted to announce that, due to popular demand, we have
created a new Relic Tour brochure! Many more relics have been offered to
the Relic Tour during the past 5 years and we have updated the brochure to
include details of the life and teachings of each "new" Master included.
Every page of this new version brims with the blessings and energy of
the Relics. It is beautifully designed and includes many stories and
quotes from visitors and hosts. It's very inspiring.
The new brochure has been designed in two versions. One version
features all the Relics touring in the Americas (Central and South
America, USA and Canada). The other version features all the Relics
touring Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia.
We feel the wide distribution of the Relic Tour experience in printed
form is a wonderful way to share the blessings of the Tour and its message
of loving-kindness and universality. The new Relic Tour brochures will be
offered to visitors by donation at each Relic event. They will also be
sent to hosts around the world to present to possible venues, encourage
volunteers to get involved and to promote the event in the local media.
We are seeking sponsorship for printing the new Relic Tour brochures.
The Relic Tour is completely reliant on the generosity of sponsors and
event visitors in order to continue to be able to offer the blessings of
the Relics around the world.
We would like to print 2,000 brochures: 1,000 for the Americas Tour and
1,000 for the non-Americas Tour. We estimate the printing and shipping
costs to be approximately $10,000 US dollars.
Your help in sponsoring part or all of the printing provides countless
future opportunities for visitors to re-read, and experience the blessings
of the holy relics.
If you feel you could assist us in the printing of the new brochures we
would love to hear from you.
With many thanks from everyone on the Relic Tour team to all many
hosts, volunteers and sponsors around the world for all their continual
kindness, generosity and support.
For information about upcoming Relic Tour events please visit
the Relic Tour Calendar.
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