Guru Rinpoche Project for World Peace – An Offering at Kielder Water

Written by Land of Joy Volunteer Sandeep

On a bright and peaceful autumn morning, the community at Land of Joy gathered in the gompa to begin a very special offering. Inside the shrine room, the air was filled with the faint scent of incense and the quiet energy of devotion. On the altar stood the black diamond-carved Guru Rinpoche stone tablet — an extraordinary piece of craftsmanship and spiritual power filled with sacred relics, mantra scrolls, and protective blessings, designed to endure for centuries and to radiate peace in all directions.

These statues form part of the Black Guru Rinpoche Project, an initiative originally founded by Katok Moktsa Rinpoche and continued by his sangha and devoted sponsors. The intention of the project is to place Guru Rinpoche statues in natural locations across the world — mountains, lakes, caves, rivers, and oceans — so that their presence can bring balance to the elements, pacify negative influences, and benefit countless beings, seen and unseen.

That morning, around nine members of the Land of Joy community came together to support this meaningful act. The day was led by Phara Khenchen Rinpoche (Tulku-la), whose calm presence and gentle leadership guided the group in both spirit and form.

After collecting the statue to be offered, everyone made their way outside into the fresh Northumberland air. Two cars were loaded, and the small convoy set off toward Kielder Water, the great reservoir nestled amidst forests and rolling hills, about thirty minutes from the centre. The drive itself felt contemplative — the kind of journey where conversation naturally softens into quiet reflection.

Upon arriving, the group parked near the entrance to the reservoir and began walking toward the water’s edge. The scene was simple but deeply moving: maroon robes fluttering in the breeze, bright jackets catching the sunlight. It was not a grand ceremony but a humble, communal act of offering — one that beautifully reflected the essence of Land of Joy’s spirit: everyone contributing with sincerity, each in their own way.

The group paused near the gate overlooking the still expanse of water. There, Tulku-la began to lead a motivation, prayers to Guru Rinpoche and the recitation of mantras to create a profound motivation for this act to be of great benefit for all sentient beings, his voice steady and resonant, carrying both blessing and lineage. The prayers invoked Guru Rinpoche’s compassion and were dedicated to the peace and liberation of all beings. Those gathered joined in, their recitations blending with the soft sounds of the wind and the gentle rustle of the surrounding trees.

After the prayers, the most significant moment arrived. Tulku-la stepped forward, holding the sacred tablet — prepared and blessed for this occasion — and slowly made his way to the edge of the water. With quiet reverence, he lowered it into the reservoir.
For a brief instant, the tablet shimmered on the surface before disappearing beneath, leaving behind expanding circles of light. The ripples spread outward until they merged back into the calm surface — a simple image that seemed to capture the heart of the teaching itself: that an act of compassion, no matter how small, continues to move through the world long after it’s unseen.

The group stood together in silence for a few moments, letting the stillness settle. There was no need for words. The act was complete, yet its presence lingered — a quiet joy, a feeling of unity, and an unspoken understanding that this was not just a ritual, but a continuation of practice itself. The water in the expansive reservoir and all the beings it touched both in the reservoir itself and the rivers it will enter, had become blessed by Guru Rinpoche.

As the group slowly made their way back to the cars, the reservoir glistened under the afternoon light, mirroring both sky and heart. It was a reminder that devotion can take many forms — sometimes through meditation, sometimes through service, and sometimes through simply showing up together, with sincerity and care, to offer something back to the world.

This day at Kielder Water was a living expression of Land of Joy’s purpose — to nurture compassion, wisdom, and joyful service in every action, no matter how quiet or small.