Fall Dathun
Mixing Mind and Space
November 11, to December 12, 2020
“In the Kagyu tradition a little special technique of breathing practice which is employed is the experiencing of “chung ne dro sum.” “Chung” is where the thoughts arise; “ne” is dwell and “dro” is where they went; and those three are accompanied by “ying rig se wa.” Ying means space; “rig” means conscious mind; “se wa” means mixing. So mixing the mind consciousness. Sometimes it’s called also “lung sem se wa”—the mind and breathing mixing together. Whatever it is, the idea is that sense of space. And one doesn’t have to deliberately try to mix the mind and the breathing with solemn effort particularly. But like you feel the well-being of your body, in the same way you could feel you are breathing, a general sense of breathing.”
Trungpa Rinpoche
“The View Is the recognition of space as the true nature of mind. According to the Kagyu gurus, mind is like space. Space is unobstructed, all pervasive, empty and not produced by causes. Space accommodates everything—life and death, confusion and liberation. In that way it is the ground of everything. At the same time, space is ungraspable by thought and cannot be experienced as a thing. It is spotless because it has no allegiance and to describe it is impossible. The best you can say is that space simply is, and in that sense it is primordially pure.
“We should view our mind in the same way: mind is the ground of everything.”
Vajra Regent Osel Tendzin
Dathun is the foundational retreat of the Vajradhatu sangha of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. It is a month long immersion in the practice of Shine Lhakthong or mindfulness/awareness which forms the core for our mahamudra and Dzogchen path. In particular, it paves the way for entrance into the annutara yoga tantra. Without some kind of accomplishment of shine/lhakthong it is impossible to engage ngondro and the sadhana of Vajrayogini – which are the core practices of Kagyu tantra.
Dathun consists of 8 to 10 hours of group shine/lhakthong practice with oryoki meals. Group and private meditation instruction is offered regularly. Dzogchen Meditation Center is closed to the public during this retreat. '
The pre-requisite for this retreat is that the applicant practices shamatha-vipashyana meditation following Trungpa Rinpoche's instructions at least two hours a day as a personal practice and has comnpleted the "Introduction to Dzogchen" weekend retreat.
$1200.00
Includes dormroom accommodation and meals
Private rooms are available on a first come first serve basis and cost an additional $250.00 per week.
