Introduction to Dzogchen: Mixing Mind with Space

April 17-19, 2020

Cost: $195.00  Includes room and board

“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

The Introduction to Dzogchen practice weekends have two purposes-- to be an intro for people interested in entering the gate of genuine practice and also a monthy short retreat/refresher for people who have begun their practice.

These are closed, residential retreats meaning that we fully immerse ourselves in practice with no outer engagements for the duration of the retreat.  

Practice Schedule:

Friday

5-6 arrival and orientation

6-7 Dinner

7-9 First Meditation Session with instruction; closing chants

10 Lights out

Saturday

5:30 Wake up

6-8 Morning practice with Morning Chants

8-9 Oryoki Breakfast and Break

9-12 Second Session

12-1 Oryoki Lunch and Break

1:30-2:30 Work Period

2:30- 4 Rest

4-6 Third Session

6-7 Dinner in Community Room

7-9 Fourth Session with closing chants

10 Lights out

Sunday

6:30 Wake up

7-8 Morning Meditation with Morning Chants

8-9 Oryoki Breakfast

9-11 Meditation Practice

11-12 Closing remarks and Chants

1-3 Reception

Dzogchen Kyudo Retreat: "First Shot Best Shot"

May 21-30, 2021

“When we draw down the power and depth of vastness into a single perception, then we are discovering and invoking magic.   By magic we do not mean unnatural power over the phenomenal world, but rather the discovery of innate or primordial wisdom in the world as it is.”

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

The idea of retreat practice is to fully engage the view and technique of whatever form of practice the retreat is focused on.  At DMC we offer a variety of retreats throughout the year.  Each retreat focuses on a different practice within the mandala of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s lineage.  I view Kyudo as a practice within this mandala.  Shibata Sensei was a master of kyudo who was invited by Trungpa Rinpoche to come to the USA to teach Kyudo to Trungpa’s students.  I was one of those students.  Beginning in 1987, I studied Kyudo with other students of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. 

Over the years the emphasis of Kyudo has changed and it is taught as a Japanese contemplative art outside of the teachings of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. That is not what I offer here at DMC. 

People who study Kyudo with me will also engage the teachings of Trungpa Rinpoche.  Kyudo is the technique, but the view of the practice is Dzogchen as expressed by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche through his teachings.

 The retreats at DMC are ‘closed retreats.’  This means that participants enter the retreat at the beginning and stay for the entire time.  Retreats are meant to be completely immersive experiences.  We disconnect from our usual engagements and focus primarily on the training being offered.  During closed retreats participants are not allowed to leave the retreat boundaries for the duration of the retreat unless there is an emergency.  We avoid use of the internet and cellphones. 

   All meals are provided as well as accommodations.

The Schedule:

Wake up 6:30

7-8 Sitting meditation in the main shrine room

8-9 Oryoki Breakfast in the community room

9-12 Kyudo Training

12-1:30 Lunch and break

1:30- 3 work period

3:30-5:30 Kyudo Training

6:00 -7:00 Dinner

7-8 Sitting meditation

8-10 campfire and informal time

10 Lights out

Wishing you the best,

Tashi Armstrong Kyudo Instructor DMC

 "With every shot see your true nature"    Awa Kenzo

“All together, these three principles—heaven, earth, and man—deal with how we can integrate our state of mind into a work of art. A fourth principle, though not exactly the same kind of principle, is that of the universal monarch. It is what joins heaven and earth together. This principle is singlefold: that is, it says that body and mind are able to work together harmoniously. Therefore, the mind develops a sense of openness and peacefulness, and the body develops an absence of speed and aggression. In that way, a work of art becomes gentle rather than contrived or extraordinary. It becomes a good work of art, very genuine, and it becomes worthwhile, really good, to be an artist. You can take a lot of pride in being an artist, in the positive sense. You will be so happy and feel so good to be an artist. You can work according to the principles of heaven, earth, and man, and you can expose yourself by means of those principles. It could be extraordinary, quite fabulous.”

Trungpa Rinpoche "Dharma Art"

 This retreat will explore kyudo training as the technique for realizing the nature of mind.  During this retreat we will explore the traditional  teachings of isshin and zanshin from the Japanese contemplative and martial arts and how they correlate with our training in Dzogchen and Mahamudra.  In particular we will be looking at Trungpa's pith instructions on Dharma Art and Shambhala Warriorship and applying these instructions in our Kyudo training.

Isshin means "one mind".  This is the training of shamatha meditation for Dzogchen Practitioners and, in particular, constitutes cutting through the tendency of following one thought after another.  For the Kyudo practitioner we use the  7 steps of shooting the bow to synchornize mind and body in the activity of shooting the bow.  Zanshin, "remaining mind", is the Kyudo term for vipashyana. This is resting awareness beyond the reference point of habitual mind. This expands into "Kyudo mind" which is the atmosphere of wakefulness.

 $695.00 Includes Room and Board

Purnachandra Fleet Maneuvers and Sail Training

June 18-27, 2021

"It is very important for you to connect with the Dralas, which have particular meaning for the military....The Drala concept should sink into your state of being.  When you wear your uniform or your Guard pin, that actually provokes the outer Drala.  The outer Drala situation is created by the military.  If you are a good Kasung, you have special access to the Dralas, much more so than basic civilians do.  That is important for you to realize."

Makkyi Rabjam Dorje Dradul of Mukpo

The Purnachandra Division is the Naval Arm of the Dorje Kasung.  During this retreat we will use the practice of Sail Training as the skillful means for engaging the teachings of the Makkyi Rabjam, Dorje Dradul on the notion of "enlightened Military."

The fleet will rendezvous at Rockland Harbor in Rockland, ME during the week of June 19th.  During the first two days we will engage in basic sail training excercises exploring Penobscot Bay mixed with a daily schedule of shamatha-vipashyana meditation.  We will be studying "Town Talks" and other Dorje Kasung teachings.

During the retreat we will make our way to explore the islands of Penobscot Bay making a series of day sails anchoring overnight at several islands.  We will end the retreat back in Rockland Harbor for a Dining In banquet and closing ceremony.

Cost:  Crew members will be expected to help cover the costs of food and moorings during the trip.  Captains will cover all costs for their boats.

Introduction to Dzogchen: Mixing Mind with Space

November 5-7, 2021

$195

“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

The Introduction to Dzogchen practice weekends have two purposes-- to be an intro for people interested in entering the gate of genuine practice and also a monthy short retreat/refresher for people who have begun their practice.

These are closed, residential retreats meaning that we fully immerse ourselves in practice with no outer engagements for the duration of the retreat.  

Practice Schedule:

Friday

5-6 arrival and orientation

6-7 Dinner

7-9 First Meditation Session with instruction; closing chants

10 Lights out

Saturday

5:30 Wake up

6-8 Morning practice with Morning Chants

8-9 Oryoki Breakfast and Break

9-12 Second Session

12-1 Oryoki Lunch and Break

1:30-2:30 Work Period

2:30- 4 Rest

4-6 Third Session

6-7 Dinner in Community Room

7-9 Fourth Session with closing chants

10 Lights out

Sunday

6:30 Wake up

7-8 Morning Meditation with Morning Chants

8-9 Oryoki Breakfast

9-11 Meditation Practice

11-12 Closing remarks and Chants

1-3 Reception

Fall Dathun

Mixing Mind and Space

November 5, to December 5, 2021

“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.