You are invited to join us for this auspicious Amitabha and Phowa retreat offered by Khenpo Jigme here at Vajra Vidya Retreat Center. For this retreat, Khenpo Jigme will lead Amitabha and Phowa practice, offering oral instructions, teachings, and time for questions and answers as well as meditation sitting.

There will be a full six days of practice and teachings for this retreat. Those lodging at Vajra Vidya are recommended to arrive afternoon or evening of Saturday, April 6th, with a departure on Saturday, April 13th. The retreat will begin at 9:00am on Sunday, April 7th, and the final session will be held the morning of Saturday, April 13th.

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A Note from Khenpo Jigme:

Our world is facing many difficulties and challenges. Many people have died. There have been a lot of pandemics, wars, natural disasters, and a lot of new diseases, causing a lot of suffering and disturbing emotions. Our lives are uncertain and we don't know when our time will come.

Phowa is the most important and most profound practice to prepare and support ourselves and others for the opportunity to be reborn into Dewachen, the Pure Land of Amitabha.

Phowa is the best on Amitabha practice: Om Ami Dewa Hrih.

ཨོཾ་ཨ་མི་དྷེ་ཝ་ཧྲཱིཿ
OM AMI DEWA HRIH

Before coming to retreat, please recite the Amitabha mantra. Please recite the mantra 600,000 times, or at least 100,000 times.

There are the 4 causes that lead to one's rebirth in Dewachen and this is the reason we practice Amitabha. Amitabha's practice contains the 4 causes for one's rebirth in Dewachen.

When we practice, let us remember to practice not only for ourselves, but for all mother sentient beings. We pray for those who are alive, those who are dead, beings in all realms - human, animal, higher, and lower. Let us include all mother sentient beings in our practice.

May our practice help pacify war and sickness. May all sentient beings be reborn in the blissful Pure Land of Dewachen.

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In Sutra, Phowa means Transmission of Mind or Consciousness. It is stated in the Tantra that Phowa is the swift, supreme path to free oneself from samsara and to attain enlightenment. The benefits of having the connection with and receiving teaching on Phowa are incredibly immense. It is also applicable to those who do not practice it and those who have strong emotional afflictions with no desire to denounce samsara. Phowa can purify negative karma and is most helpful at the time of death. Those who have strong negative karma such as having committed the five serious offences who would normally be reborn in the lower realms upon death can even be reborn in the upper realms. —Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche

Amitabha is one of the five Wisdom Buddhas and is usually depicted as red and is known particularly for overcoming the klesha of desire or attachment with discriminating awareness wisdom. The practice of Amitabha helps to create the conditions through which beings are born into the pure land of Dewachen. The essential practice in Pure Land Buddhism is the chanting of the name of Amitabha Buddha with one-pointed concentration, trusting that one will be reborn in his Pure Land. Amitabha's Pure Land is a place where it is much easier for a being to work towards enlightenment.

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Lodging is available at Vajra Vidya on a first come, first serve basis, as well as neighboring Airbnb's that can be booked through airbnb.com with a search on Crestone, CO.

For information and questions about registration, please contact Karma Chöying by emailing VajraVidyaCrestone@gmail.com or by calling (719) 256-5539.

To create the most benefit and blessings for this in-person retreat, full attendance is required for all days and sessions of the retreat.

Zoom will not be offered for this retreat.

Vajrayogini, revered as the most important yidam in the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, is renowned for her efficacy in connecting practitioners to their Buddha Nature. Through her practice, we have the precious opportunity to awaken to our Buddha nature and to realize the ultimate nature of reality. 

In this extended version of the Vajrayogini Sadhana, we utilize creation and completion practices as the means to connect with our Buddha Nature. The creation stage allows us to gain insight and realize our rupakaya, encompassing the nirmanakaya and sambhogakaya—the two "form kayas" of a Buddha. In the completion stage, we gain insight and bring into fruition our realization of the dharmakaya, which is the ultimate nature.

"...the actual Vajrayogini is an emanation of the dharmakaya; it is phenomena as they really are. We could refer to this as the Buddha's wisdom and think of this as the enlightened mind of the wisdom whom we have taken as our yidam. This is the primordially existing Vajrayogini and when we realize her as that, we have understood the actual Vajrayogini. The actual dharmakaya form of Vajrayogini is the very form of wisdom itself..." — Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, "The Kagyu Lineage Prayer of Pengar Jampal Zangpo"

Our Vajrayogini practice is imbued with boundless blessings passed from an unbroken lineage of enlightened beings, starting with Indian masters Tilopa and Naropa, through Tibetan masters Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa, down to our esteemed teacher, Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. We are incredibly fortunate to receive the Vajrayogini teachings from this pure and unbroken Kagyu lineage.

Through the practice of Vajrayogini, great tantric masters such as Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, Gampopa, Karmapa Düsum Khyenpa, and Kyabjé Thrangu Rinpoche, along with numerous other accomplished yogis, attained the status of mahasiddhas. Similarly, through the practice of Vajrayogini, we all have the exceptional opportunity to bring into fruition our realization of the true nature of reality and to awaken as Buddhas.

"...there are many, many persons who have practiced Vajrayogini and by traversing the paths of this practice have become warriors - both heroes and heroines. If we supplicate the accomplished Vajrayogini practitioners, they will accompany us on our journey and help us..." — Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, "The Kagyu Lineage Prayer of Pengar Jampal Zangpo"

~May we attain omniscient Buddhahood for the benefit of all mother sentient beings~

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This is a 4 full-day retreat with two sessions per day led by Khenpo Jigme from March 8th through March 11th.

Retreat Fee $600 (includes all sessions, lodging, 3 meals daily, and teacher's fee)

Commuter Fee $400 (includes all sessions, lunch, and teacher's fee)

Zoom Fee $125 suggested donation. Sliding scale is available as needed.

To register:
If you require accommodations, please call Karma Chöying at (719) 256-5539. Once your lodging reservation has been confirmed, please make a 50% deposit payment through the Donations tab at www.vajravidya.com to complete your registration.

If you are a member of our local sangha or do not need accommodations, please send a 50% deposit through the Donations tab. 

Please make sure to click on 'Add a note' and type 'Vajrayogini2024' with your name and phone number. We will then send an email confirmation back to you. 

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If you would like to send donations you can send your gift to us here at VVRC (using Donations tab at www.vajravidya.com) or send to the Nepal monastery at www.rinpoche.com. Your donation can be for the monks' or nuns' monastery. 

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Meals are vegetarian, with lunch being the main meal and dinner a lighter meal of soup and salad. All meals will provide Gluten Free and Vegan options. Coffee and tea and snacks will be served throughout the day. 

Thank you for your practice, commitment, and how you are benefiting all sentient beings through your practice. 

For any questions, please email vajravidyacrestone@gmail.com or call at (719) 256-5539.

Khenpo Jigme invites you for a Mahakala retreat. We will perform five days of Mahakala pujas to thank the Dharma protectors for their assistance in the past year and to request continued protection, peace, and happiness in the coming year.

Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche passed away on June 4, 2023. In this new year 2024, the Mahakala puja will be performed in our retreat to include our intention to remove our own obstacles so that nothing prevents Rinpoche's swift return back into our world.

Mahakala is the most important deity that is practiced in the Kagyu tradition for high lamas and teachers who have transitioned so that obstacles are removed in ourselves and sangha. In this way their reincarnation can happen most swiftly to support Dharma activities. In Tibet, Mahakala is practiced for many months at a time to support the return of great beings.

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For the upcoming months, let us support our venerable teacher by supplicating him for his swift return, making tsok offerings, and engaging in meritorious activities to accumulate merit. The best practice to do now is Mahakala.

OM SHRI MAHAKALA YAKSHA BETALI HUNG DZA

As we approach the Tibetan New Year, we are making the aspiration to accumulate 1 million Mahakala recitations. If you are interested in practicing with us, please send your mantra counts to vajravidyacrestone@gmail.com.

You can download a copy of the short Mahakala Sadhana found in our prayer book by visiting the Links page of our website.

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The last few years have been a difficult time. We have had pandemics and natural disasters. There have been a lot of suffering and a lot of emotion. May we wish all negative emotions to be pacified and cause for happiness for all sentient beings. May all great Masters have long lives and the precious Buddhist teachings flourish everywhere.

Thank you for your practice, support, and aspirations that have helped so many people. We wish the 2024 new year for you to have a very good life, success, and great practice.

MAHAKALA RETREAT SCHEDULE

7:30 am - 8:00 am
Breakfast

9:00 am - 11:00 am
First Session with Khenpo Jigme

12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Lunch

2:30 pm - 4:30 pm
Second Session with Khenpo Jigme

5:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Dinner

This is a 5 day retreat with two sessions per day led by Khenpo Jigme from February 6th through February 11th.

Retreat Fee $700 (includes all sessions, lodging, 3 meals daily, and teacher's fee)

Commuter Fee $500 (includes all sessions, lunch, and teacher's fee)

Zoom Fee $125 suggested donation. Sliding scale is available as needed.

To register:
If you require accommodations, please call Karma Chöying at (719) 256-5539. Once your lodging reservation has been confirmed, please make a 50% deposit payment through the Donations tab at www.vajravidya.com to complete your registration.

Khenpo Lobzang invites you to participate in this beautiful celebration for Year of the Rabbit Tibetan Losar with a Mahakala & Guru Rinpoche Sadhana practice. We will perform four days of Mahakala & Guru Rinpoche pujas to thank the Dharma protectors for their assistance in the past year and request continued protection and peace and happiness in the coming year.

At the end of February in preparation for Losar, in Tibet,  Nepal, India and Bhutan, all monastics are doing long Mahakala & Guru Rinpoche puja, all day for 7 days because in the coming new year this practice will help remove all obstacles and help us create success for our practice and lives. We will be holding this Losar Retreat for blessings and protection for all sentient beings, this is the reason we are doing the Mahakala puja here at VVRC, offering Torma and Tsok, prayers and chanting for our next new year. 

The last few years has been a difficult time.  We have had pandemics and natural disasters.  There has been a lot of suffering and a lot of emotion. May we wish all negative emotions to be pacified and cause for happiness for all sentient beings. May all great Masters be of long life and Buddhist teachings flourish everywhere.

Thank you for your practice, support and aspirations that have helped so many people. We wish the new year 2023 for you to have a very good life, success and great practice.

To register, please email vajravidyacrestone@gmail.com

Khenpo Jigme

invites you to a

Green Tara Retreat

Wednesday, May 25 - Tuesday, May 31

This 6 day retreat we are dedicating for the benefit of all humanity towards peace and harmony, and the end of suffering - through this merit may all beings awaken.

Tara is the most beloved of all the female enlightened beings in Tibetan Buddhism. The essence of awakened love and compassion, she is known as “the mother of all the buddhas” and “she who ferries beings across the ocean of samsara.”

As a fully enlightened female Buddha, Tara is the actuality of compassion and wisdom, and meditating on her helps us awaken our own buddha nature. Her right foot is slightly extended because she is ready to leap to the aid of beings. Her right hand is opened out on her right knee, in the gesture of generosity. Her left hand holds the stem of a lotus flower, which is blossoming next to her left ear.

In order for Tara to be able to benefit us, we need to approach her with an open heart and mind. Through continued practice, we can establish a relationship in which we are able to trust and rely on her, and the more we are able to open to Tara, the more she is able to benefit us.

Tara is the most powerful deity for removal of obstacles, fear, anxiety, and obscurations. Now we have this time to do Tara retreat, a very important sadhana for these days. Teachings will include ways of practicing and understanding of rituals.

This Sadhana is Chokling Terma.

Registration fee: $175                   

Lodging at Vajra Vidya with 3 meals per day with shared bath: $390
Lodging at Vajra Vidya with 3 meals per day with private bath: $450
 

To register, please email vajravidyacrestone@gmail.com,
or call Ani Lodro at 719-256-5539.

Retreat details and schedule

Arrival on May 25 - Check in and registration starts at 4pm. Dinner will be at 6pm, and access to shrine will be available for meditation and practice. Guests will be shown center facilities and checked-in for settling in and rest.

May 26 - 30:
Two sessions daily with Khenpo Jigme for teachings and practice. Breakfast, lunch and dinner served. Tea, coffee and snacks served all day.

May 31 - The last day of the retreat is May 31 where we will have breakfast at 7:30 and a 9:00 am final session with Khenpo Jigme. Lunch will be served at noon.

From May 25 - 31 Vajra Vidya will be closed to the public.

Meals are vegetarian, with lunch being the main meal and dinner a lighter meal of soup and salad. All meals will provide gluten free and vegan options. Coffee and tea and snacks will be served throughout the day.

Thank you for your practice, commitment and how you are benefiting all sentient beings through sharing this retreat with Khenpo Jigme and Vajra Vidya sangha.

Saturday, January 29th, 9AM through Monday, January 31st, 5PM 

(Note: Afternoon or evening arrival on Friday, January 28th is recommended for those lodging at VVRC. Retreat will end 5pm on Monday, January 31st.  Lodging options available for those wanting to depart morning of Tuesday, February 1st)

Our Chenrezig practice will be dedicated to all beings suffering at this time on our planet due to sickness, loss of life or loved ones, and all those negatively impacted from climate control events and global warming.

We dedicate our practice to the families impacted or displaced by the Boulder/Superior fires in Colorado, the victims and their families of the recent mass shootings across the globe, and all those taken ill by the Coronovirus pandemic and Omicron variant.

This is a 3-day retreat with two sessions lead by Khenpo Jigme per day: 9-11am and 3-5pm. 

Cost is $108 for retreat fee, and $65/night for lodging (private guest room with semi-private bath), which includes 3 meals per day. Local sangha can purchase a meal plan for $30/day, or $15/day for lunch only.

Khenpo Jigme invites you to participate in this beautiful Sadhana and practice of Chenrezig. Medicine Buddha practice will also be included although teachings will focus on Chenrezig. Chenrezig, also known as Avalokitesvara, "One who looks with unwavering eye," is the most revered of all Bodhisattva, embodying the compassion of all Buddhas. 

Meals are vegetarian, with lunch being the main meal and dinner a lighter meal of soup and salad. All meals will provide Gluten Free and Vegan options. Coffee and tea and snacks will be served throughout the day. 

Thank you for your practice, commitment and how you are benefiting all sentient beings through your practice. 

To register, please email vajravidyacrestone@gmail.com,
or call Ani Lodro at 719-256-5539.