Drala Thang Helsinki

Drala Thang (sGar bLa thang / Sparking Plain of Awareness) is a Vajrayana community in the Aro gTér Lineage of the Nyingma Tradition of Himalayan Buddhism. This community was officially registered in Finland in 2020 by students under the spiritual direction of Lama Bar-ché Dorje — appointed by Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen the Lineage Heads of the Aro gTér. Drala Thang specialises in the Thang-tong Thugthig of Rang-rig Togden, of which Lama Bar-ché Dorje is the lineage holder by appointment of Kyabjé Künzang Dorje Rinpoche and Jomo Sam’phel Déchen Rinpoche and Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen.

Drala Thang’s purpose in Finland and other countries —is to provide people with the advantage of understanding Vajrayana as a vehicle that encourages Natural Courage & Natural Dignity, Artistic Appreciation & Artistic Creativity for the happiness and harmony of all people. Cultivating the religious Arts and secular Arts is central to the lineage and is seen as being inseparable from the development of Kindness and Awareness.

The religion of the members of Drala Thang Finland is actualised through Kindness and Awareness through listening, reflecting, and meditating on the Vajrayana teachings of the Aro gTér, the Thang-tong Thug-thig — and the broader Nyingma Tradition.

Morning meditations with Lama Bar-ché Dorje in English

DAYS: tuesdays & fridays
TIME: 9.00 to 10.00
WHERE: Drala Thang or via zoom.
*Optional participation fee for morning meditations.

Sunday teaching with Lama Bar-ché Dorje in English

Lama Bar-ché Dorje weekly teaching is an informal event, during which participants have the opportunity to ask questions about dharma and life in general. 

DAY: Sundays
TIME: 19.00 to 20:30
WHERE: Drala Thang or via zoom.
* Sunday teachings are 11 euro per month.

To stay updated, please join Drala Thang´s WhatsApp group hosted by Lama Bar-ché by sending us a private message. The group will be updated with information about possible changes in the schedule. You can also stay updated by following Drala Thang´s facebook page.

Bar-ché Dorje is a teacher of the Aro gTér tradition, lives in Helsinki with his family. He teaches in Drala Thang center every week in English. His teaching style is informal, humorous and conversational. He gives Buddhist teachings and advice all over the world and regularly holds retreats in the Nordic countries and Europe.

Ngakpa Trømtsal Dorje has been practicing in the Aro gTér tradition since 1998. He received ngakpa ordination in 2002 from his teachers Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen. He mainly teaches in Finnish at the Drala Thang center in Helsinki.

Ngakpa Trømtsal particularly enjoys tantric practice and the symbolism of tantra, the teachings of the five elements, and the essential sutra teachings presented according to the Dzogchen view. Ngakpa Trømtsal has studied philosophy and literature at the University of Helsinki, from which he has a master’s degree. He works as a cultural journalist. In working life, he has acted as a trustee. In this position, he has been helping his colleagues and the work community in various problem situations for twelve years. He considers this a good school for the role of a teacher, where he tries to be of help to his students in their various life situations. Ngakpa Trømtsal plays bass in a death metal band and has started playing blues guitar inspired by Ngak’chang Rinpoche’s blues music hobby. He finds the connection between art and Varjayana very inspiring.

The interface between Western culture and the essential view of vajrayana is particularly important to him. He is writing a book on Western philosophy and Buddhism from the perspective of Dzogchen. He lives in Helsinki with his family. Ngakpa Trømtsal has made two pilgrimages to Nepal, where he met the root teachers of Künzang Dorje Rinpoche and Jomo Samp’hel Déchen Rinpoche, Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen.

In addition to his own root teachers Ngak’chang Rinpoche and Khandro Déchen, holders of the Aro gTér lineage, he has received teachings and authorizations from Chhimed Rig’dzin Rinpoche, Trulshik Rinpoche, Taklung Tsetrul Rinpoche, Tulku Pema Wangyal Rinpoche, Patrul Rinpoche, Tulku Dakpa Rinpoche, Khamtrul Wangchuk Rig’dzin Rinpoche, Khenchen Lama Rinpoche ja Mingyur Rinpoche.