Introduction to Dzogchen:  Mixing Mind and Space

January 1-3, 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

January Dathun:

Mixing Mind and Space

January 1 to 31, 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.

$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.

Kagyu Ngondro Retreat February 19- February 28, 2020

Kagyu Ngondro and Guru Yoga Intensive

Pre-requisites:  Membership in the Surmang Kagyu Order or permission of the instructor.

During this 10 day ngondro intensive we will be practicing the Kagyu ngondro and a short daily practice of the Sun of Wisdom Guru Yoga which Trungpa Rinpoche composed for his root guru Padme Trime.  We will conclude with the Sun of Wisdom Feast.

This retreat will be led by Tashi Armstrong 

This retreat costs $595.00  room and board included.

“The world of anuttarayoga is a large-scale world. Even in the Hinayana, and at least at the Mahayana level of shunyata, it has been taken for granted that the world is vast and that it has its functions, which are interdependent. This has been understood, and that is why the tantric teachings are possible. Tantra stirs up your smug way of sleeping within the gigantic cosmos. It upsets your sense of security and makes you more paranoid. Instead of security, there are a lot of holes all over the place. The oceans are not just oceans, but they have huge bubbles underneath them. The sky is not just a blue sky, but there are holes carved out that are not actually blue sky. It seems that the role of tantra is to see those things, rather than to rest in the eternity and efficiency of the phenomenal world, thinking that everything is going to be okay. That is not possible. Nothing is going to be okay.”
p.528 “The Tantric Path of Indestructible Wakefulness”
Vidyadhara Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Vajrayogini Drupchen

March 27-April 5, 2020

$695.00 cost includes room and board

Limit 10 participants

"The samaya of body involves always regarding one's basic phenomenal situation as an expression of sacredness.  We do not doubt the sacredness of our world.  The samaya of speech involves also regarding any occurrence-- anything that comes up in our experience-- as sacred.  This could be either internal or external occurrence, so that any subconscious gossi8p or emotional upheaval is included here.  The samaya of mind is connected with the indestructible wakefulness of the vajra mandala-- in this case the mandala of Vajrayogini.  Even the hint or possibility of neurosis is unable to enter into one's state of being because the whole world is seen as part of the mandala of sacredness that one has entered."

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

"Sacred Outlook: The Practice of Vajrayogini"

Participants get to explore the full sadhana practice in the context of a closed retreat situation.  Functional talking is observed throughout.  We do not allow participants to use electronic devices while in retreat or to leave the retreat boundaries.

The emphasis is on practice but we review the Vidyadhara's Tris during the daily feasts.

Participants need the following prerequisites to enter this retreat:

They need to have completed a Dathun within the past 5 years.

They need to have received Vajrayogini from an authentic holder of this lineage

They must have be students of the Vidyadhara Trungpa Rinpoche and the Vajra Regent (either directly or by studying their teachings with senior students.)

They must have a personal commitment to maintain their samaya to this lineage.

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