Guitarist Robby LeBlanc here...
I was recently asked to perform at the Spiritual Life Center of Greater Las Vegas. When I do perform there, they usually ask me to perform 2 songs.

One of my song selections was a song called "The Prayer". The song has a very special memory for me. The first time I performed this song, was a week after the passing of Las Vegas entertainer, Danny Gans. I dedicated this song to him.

I think it is one of the most beautiful melodies ever written. I created this video montage using the music from that performance.

Most of the photos used in this video were taken by me or Vickie. They include photos from our various spiritual advetnures. From the Taj Mahal, Ganges River, Himalya Mountains, Gandi Museum, Holimen, Viet Namm, Services with Buddhist Monk Ken Rippoche, people praying, sunsets, freinds, people celebrating...ect.

No doubt, we are experiencing extremely challenging times....

My prayer for you is, that "The Prayer" inspires that thing inside of you to do and be your best. To overcome whatever challenges you may be having at this time, be it financial, work, relationships or addictions...

When in doubt say a kind word.
When in doubt volunteer.
When in doubt perform a random act of kindness.

On this performance and recording I used a Godin Guitar Sythnesizer with a Roland VG-99. It produced a very unique sound.  The Spiritual Life Center has an awesome band headed up by Justin Vogel on Bass, Melvin Macias on Piano and Tony DeAugustine on drums. 

Please leave a comment...

Make It a Great Day,
Robby LeBlanc

We got blessed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama today!

I recieved a phone call today about 3:05 Pacific time from
Ruth Hayward, the director of the Panchen Lama -Tashi Lhunpo Project.

She just finished having a private audience with His Holiness
the 14th Dalai Lama, along with  Khen Rinpoche Tsetan, Bob Hayward,
Paula Fouce and Catherine Josey from the Agape church.

The Dalai Lama was giving some private audiences the day
before his teaching at a University in Santa Barbara.

The topic during this Private Audience was the Panchen
Lama - Tashi Lhunpo Project, which is for the exile Monastery
in India.. This is a very special Monastery in the Tibetan tradition.
It was the very first Monastery of the Dalai Lama.

Khen Rinpoche Tsetan and Ruth shared with His Holiness
the work of Panchen Lama -Tashi Lhunpo Project which
included the Strings For Tibet Benefit concerts this weekend.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama blessed this project and all those
working with it.

That includes us!

Ruth called me at 3:05 this afternoon to share the news, after the audience
with the Dalai Lama.

I got goosebumps! I called all the musicians involved, plus behind the scenes people
Vickie Pieper, Kevin Davis,  Doug Taylor, and our sound guy Joe to let them know what
had just happened and they were all touched by the experience.

So once again here is the Event Information...

When: Saturday - April 25, 2009
Where: Spiritual Life Center:
Address: 1420 E. Harmon Ave, Las Vegas NV. 89119
Time: 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Cost: FREE - Donations will be accepted

Web Site: www.StringsForTibet.com

Hope To See You There,
Robby LeBlanc

Last week I had shared about the filming Vickie and I did of the
Tibetan Monk Khen Rinpoche Tsetan at Spiritual Life Center
in Las Vegas...

That meeting lead to another great project I want to share with you.
" Strings For Tibet".

A Benefit Concert For The Panchen Lama - "Tashi Lhunpo Project”
www.StringsForTibet.com

I will be performing along with a few of my musician friends
from Las Vegas. If you can't be here for this event, we are planning
on streaming this concert live!

This concert will be an offering of the soulful and heartfelt sounds
of strings to honor the 20th birthday of the missing Panchen Lama,
Gedhun Choekyi Nyima. This benefit concert will help raise funds
for his monastery in exile, Tashi Lhunpo, as blessed by our Patron,
the Dalai Lama.

(I am seeking a few volunteers to help me with this event.
Please Call if you think you can help out (702)798-1750)

In 2006 Khen Rinpoche Tsetan was asked by the His Holiness the Dalai Lama
to be the Abbot Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in exile, India. This appointment
is in the absence of the Panchen Lama, Gedun Choeyki Nyima, who
has been missing since the Chinese authorities took him and his
family into custody in 1995 when he was 6 years old.
===============================================
On April 25, 2009 there will be Two Concert Events:

Las Vegas Nevada Event:
When: April 25, 2009
Where: Spiritual Life Center:
1420 E. Harmon Ave, Las Vegas NV. 89119

Time: 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Cost: FREE - Donations will be accepted
——————————————————————–

Malibu California Event:
When: April 25, 2009
Where: Malibu (TBA)
Time: 2:00pm:-4:00PM

PLEASE NOTE: All the musicians invloved in these two concert
events have been asked to donate their Talent and Time. A number
of musicians will be performing at each event.

All money collected will go to The Panchen Lama - Tashi Lhunpo
Project, Inc is a 501 C 3 public charity organization. This non-profit
organization is dedicated to help protect an important Tibetan
Buddhist spiritual tradition, to honor its leader, the Panchen Lama as
recognized by the Dalai Lama,  and to improve the monastery in
exile and the conditions and number of monks there.

For More Imformation Specicially About The Tashi Lhunpo Project Inc.
Go To: www.thepltlproject.org

Hope To See You There...
Robby

I wanted to write a post just after last weekend about
the Tibetan Monk but so many exciting things have happened
since then...

Here is a photo of me with Khen Rinpoche Geshe Kachen
Lobzang Tsetan. Yes he has a long name but that also
includes his title. I braught a bag of stones with me
for him to bless. I'll write another post about the stones.

Sunday started with me playing at 2 services Spiritual
Life Center in Las Vegas. Khen Rinpoche came into the
church in the middle of the second service.

I was about to play my second song when he walked in.
At first I felt a chill, then excitement. I was feeling
something happen to my body...

Today was the day that I played my guitar synthisizer in
church for the first time. I created a special sound for
his holiness which was a combination of sitar and guitar.
It sounded awesome. I'll post the clip in another post.

He loved it. After I played Khen Rinpoche was invited to speak
to the church. He offered the sacred scarf to Reverend Doug
and To Joey Galon, the person that braught him to the church.

By this time I was back sitting in my seat, when Khen Rinpoche
called me up and said he was out of scarves but gave me a copy
of his book. We bowed head to head. This was just the beginning
to a magnificent Sunday and Monday.

About 80 people turned out for his workshop that afternoon.
Because we were filming him on Sunday, Vickie and I got invited
to a very small group of about 10 people and met personal with
this holiman.

That's all for now, but I have more to share that is really exciting.

I'll try to post again by Wednesday...

I'd love to here your comments...

Have a Wonderful Week!
Robby LeBlanc

For my friends in Las Vegas on the Spiritual path, you may enjoy this
upcoming event with a Tibetan Master this Sunday.
 
Khen Rinpoche Lobzang Tsetan - Workshop/Fundraiser
When: Sunday, March 22, 2009
Where: Spiritual Life Center - 1420 E. Harmon Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89119 
Time: 1:00 Pm
Cost: Free, donations will be accepted.

Please Note:
I will be playing my guitar during the church service if you would also like to attend that at:
9:00 am and 10:30. I will also be attending this once in a lifetime event with Khen Rinpoche. 

KHEN RINPOCHE LOBZANG TSETAN is a Tibetan Buddhist Monk of the Gelug-pa lineage (the same as the Dalai Lama), with the highest degree obtainable in Tibetan Buddhist metaphysics and philosophy. He was recently enthroned as the head abbot of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in exile. This is the Panchen Lama’s Monastery outside of Tibet. His new title of Khen Rinpoche recognizes him as a precious high lama.

Khen Rinpoche Tsetan began his monastic life at age 7, in his native village of Stok, Ladakh. When he was 15 years old he walked with his father from Ladakh, India, to Shigatse, Tibet, to enter the (Panchen Lama's) famous Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. The 800-mile trek took them over two months to complete, most of it barefooted.

He left Tibet in 1960, after the Chinese occupation made it impossible for him to continue his studies there. He returned to his home in Ladakh and continued to pursue his training in India, in the monasteries established there in exile. In the late 1970s he was invited to the USA where he learned English, and taught classes at the Tibetan Buddhist Learning Center in NJ, Smith College, Bates College, Hampshire College, Wesleyan University, and conferences at Harvard and Princeton, and more.

In 1995, Khen Rinpoche Geshe Tsetan founded The Siddhartha School in his native home in Ladakh. The school seeks to preserve Tibetan Buddhist Culture and language while giving the children of this remote Himalayan area a well-rounded education, which will allow them to represent themselves and their culture in this newly evolving global community.

Shortly after that, H.H. Dalai Lama, appointed Geshe Tsetan to be the head abbot of the new Tashilungpo Monastery in India. (This is in the absence of the Panchen Lama, who has been missing since the Chinese Government took him and his family into custody when he was 4 years old.) This was a great honor, but one that was humbly set aside, so that he could devote himself completely to the Siddhartha School, with the Dalai Lama's blessings and support.

In January of 2005 HHDL again asked if Geshe Tsetan would accept the abbotship, and this time he could not refuse. In July 2005 he was installed as Kachen, or head Abbot of the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery in southern India. His new title is Khen Rinpoche Geshe Kachen Lobzang Tsetan, and he has assumed his new responsibilities overseeing the Tashi Lhunpo monastery in exile. He is now, in essence doing the Panchen Lama's job. For more information on this go to the website: www.tashilhunpo.org.