Preliminaries (Ngöndro)

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The Dudjom Tersar ngöndro is a traditional set of preliminary practices from the lineage of His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche’s mind treasures. The ngöndro focuses on contemplation, prayer, visualization, meditation and accumulation of the five main aspects of all ngöndro practices: refuge, bodhicitta, mandala offering, Vajrasattva purification practice and Guru Yoga. Senior student Mat Small was authorized by Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche to teach and guide students in the study of these preliminaries. Mat holds small, personable classes for students of all ages and occasionally leads a ngöndro retreat for more in-depth practice. For information call him at 541-821-7659.

Six Bardos Retreat

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The term bardo refers to a transitional stage of consciousness, and in fact all our activities, or bardo experiences, are opportunities for realization. Daytime life, meditative states of awareness, the dream state, the moment of death, the transition between death and rebirth – all represent various bardos. This practice intensive introduces a variety of potent meditation techniques for deepening spiritual development in different bardo experiences. Lama Les Collins led this retreat every summer for many years. We will announce when the next retreat will be held.

Vajrakilaya

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Vajrakilaya is the primary meditational deity of the Nyingma tradition, and the practice undertaken and accomplished by the majority of its great realized masters. The wrathful form of Vajrasattva, Vajrakilaya is relied upon to cut through negative emotions and mindsets, to remove outer and inner obstacles and hindrances, to avert sickness and calamities, and to clear the way for happiness, well being, harmony, balance, and spiritual progress in ourselves, our dharma centers, our countries, and all beings. For this purpose, we gather each autumn in an annual 10-day retreat to invoke Vajrakilaya’s blessings and swift enlightened activity.

To attend the retreat, one must either have received a Vajrakilaya empowerment, or else one must have received a Vajrayana empowerment of any kind and be practicing a Vajrayana practice (such as the preliminaries) on a daily basis.

Image copyrighted. Artist, Brian Smith

Tröma Nagmo

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New Moon, the 30th day of the lunar calendar.

The practice of the black dakini, Tröma Nagmo, is considered a pinnacle among the Vajrayana practices and, if undertaken with diligence, ensures a quick path to liberation. Considered the innermost secret aspect of the dakini essence, Tröma embodies the wrathfully compassionate nature of primordial wisdom. Either the concise or extensive practice is performed. Please check our calendar for the next Tröma Nagmo tsog.

Dakini Day

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Image copyrighted by artist, Trish DeMers – please do not use without permission – trishdemers@gmail.com

25th day of the lunar calendar

Dakini Day is one of the two main monthly rituals. On that day we perform Khandro Tuk Tig, or Heart Drop of the Dakini, a practice of Yeshe Tsogyal, Guru Rinpoche’s primordial wisdom consort. The practice is a treasure revelation or terma of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche and supports the development of primordial wisdom. Please check our calendar for the next Dakini Day tsog.

Vajrasattva Retreat

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Image copyrighted by artist, Trish DeMers – please do not use without permission – trishdemers@gmail.com

Vajrasattva Retreat is a 10-day gathering performed during the holy Saga Dawa month in the spring to celebrate when the Buddha achieved the state of enlightenment. This retreat is open to all, with or without the empowerment. Vajrasattva is the main deity practice for purification in the Vajrayana tradition and has a special connection to Tashi Choling through the blessings of our founder, Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche. By connecting with this deity, we can easily purify negative emotions, actions, and habits that hold us back from expressing the innate good qualities of our Buddha nature.

Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche explains, “This retreat itself is a Vajrasattva lama offering, a lama accomplishment practice. We are essentially meditating on our own lama in the pure, enlightened form of Vajrasattva, Dorje Sem Pa, and we accomplish or realize the true nature of the lama in the form of Vajrasattva through this practice.”
Please check our calendar for this year’s dates.

Guru Rinpoche Day

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10th day of the lunar calendar

Guru Rinpoche Day is one of the two main monthly rituals within Vajrayana Buddhism. Guru Rinpoche, or Padmasambhava, brought Buddhism from India to Tibet in the 8th century. The practice we engage in at Tashi Choling, the Heart Essence of the Lake-Born Vajra, is a mind treasure or terma of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche; its primary focus is guru devotion. Please check our calendar for the next Guru Rinpoche Day tsog.

Amitabha Puja

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Image copyrighted by artist, Trish DeMers – please do not use without permission – trishdemers@gmail.com

15th day of the lunar calendar/Full Moon

Amitabha, the Buddha of Limitless Light, presides over Dewachen, the western Buddha realm of Great Bliss. The purpose of the Amitabha practice is to create causes for rebirth in Dewachen, a fortunate realm for spiritual practice where beings can more easily move toward liberation. The Amitabha practice is done especially to benefit of those who have recently died, and also for the benefit of the practitioners. Please check our calendar for the next Amitabha tsog.