2nd Annual Summer Retreat

June 28th – July 9th 
Extensive Teachings on the Vajrayana Path — Teachings on the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro, empowerment July 2nd.

On Thursday June 28th, Rinpoche will continue a series of annual summer retreats covering all aspects of Vajrayana practice, including meditations, deity yoga sadhana, ritual arts and texts relevant to all nine yanas. These retreats are being offered under the auspices of Chagdud Gonpa Foundation, with the aspiration to enrich the sangha’s knowledge and application of the practices His Eminence Chagdud Rinpoche introduced to his students.  The retreat will begin on the morning of June 28th and end the morning of July 9th.  Full attendance is required in order to participate in this retreat.

This year Jigme Rinpoche will expand on last year’s Lojong (Mind Training) teachings and give instruction on the practice of The Dudjom Tersar Ngondro. As explained in the Ngondro Commentary, by Chagdud Khadro (Jane Tromge), “Ngondro, or preliminary, practices in Tibetan Buddhism establish the foundation for the entire Vajrayana path….The Dudjom Tersar Ngondro is an extremely powerful practice for turning the mind toward dharma, for purifying obscurations, and for bringing forth the qualities of realization.”

This program is open to both new and returning students. Retreatants new to the program, i.e. who did not attend in 2015, should note that Jigme Rinpoche would like to be clear that the Lojong (Mind Training) covered in the first year of the program is essential, fundamental training for the accomplishment of any Vajrayana practice, including Ngondro. Therefore, all new retreatants will be focusing on Lojong, even if they have previously completed a Ngondro.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Ngondro Empowerment will be offered by Jigme Rinpoche 1-5p on Saturday, July 2nd. This event is open to the public. To register please email events@atiling.org. The fee for the empowerment is $25. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Please note that no meals will be provided for those coming just for the empowerment and there is no extra fee for empowerment for those attending the Two-week Retreat.

Jigme Rinpoche explains: For some dharma practitioners, the strength of their karmic connection with Vajrayana is such that they can almost immediately make sense of the concepts unique to Vajrayana Buddhism. But for others, if there is not a proper foundation, the extraordinary wealth of Vajrayana practices can become merely a trap. For example, instead of being understood as a form of meditation, ritual arts can become a distraction, or simply inflate artistic egos. Deity yoga can result in even more confused fixation on external phenomena, or become an avenue for self-aggrandizement, rather than serving as a method for understanding ultimate truth. We want to make good use of our time, and remove our confusion rather than add to it, so retreats like this can present a wonderful opportunity to really study and apply the sublime methods transmitted to us through generations of master practitioners.

All participants will follow a schedule of daily meditation, sadhana study and reading assignments, and there will also be time for question-and-answer sessions. Ritual arts training will be presented in the context of the preparations for the Rigdzin Dupa drubchen.  For this year’s event Rinpoche suggests (not required) that students read Ngondro Commentary by Jane Tromge, and Not For Happiness by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse.

COSTS: Prices for the whole retreat include accommodations as selected, three meals a day and instruction. Meals will be simple, vegetarian dishes with gluten-free and dairy-free options per advance request.

ALL PRICES GO UP $75 ON JUNE 14TH!

REGISTRATION: Full event attendance and pre-registration are required unless you are coming soley for the empowerment on Saturday, July 2nd. For questions and/or to register for the empowerment on July 2nd, please email: events@atiling.org. 

Online registration is now available!!