Online & In Person: Machig Labdrön Opening the Gate to the Sky Chöd Empowerment Retreat – Khentrul Rinpoche
Teachers
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Khentrul RinpochéJonang Kalachakra & Rimé MasterClick on the arrow above to offer Dana to Khentrul Rinpoche
Khentrul Rinpoché Jamphel Lodrö is the founder and director of Dzokden. Rinpoche is the author of Unveiling Your Sacred Truth 1, 2, and 3, The Great Middle Way: Clarifying the Jonang View of Other-Emptiness, A Happier Life, and The Hidden Treasure of the Profound Path.
Rinpoche spent the first 20 years of his life herding yak and chanting mantras on the plateaus of Tibet. Inspired by the bodhisattvas, he left his family to study in a variety of monasteries under the guidance of over twenty-five masters in all the Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Due to his non-sectarian approach, he earned himself the title of Rimé (unbiased) Master and was identified as the reincarnation of the famous Kalachakra Master Ngawang Chözin Gyatso. While at the core of his teachings is the recognition that there is great value in the diversity of all spiritual traditions found in this world; he focuses on the Jonang-Shambhala tradition. Kalachakra (wheel of time) teachings contain profound methods to harmonize our external environment with the inner world of body and mind, ultimately bringing about the golden age of Peace and Harmony (Dzokden).
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Karma Shadpa LamaKarma Shadpa Lama is a yogi living in California, USA. He practiced and received teachings from Khentrul Rinpoche’s root Guru, Lama Lobsang Trinle. He has practiced Chöd for a long time and completed several Chöd retreats in many traditions including the Nyingma, Kagyu, Gelug and Jonang. He received the Chöd empowerment in the Nyingma, Kagyu and Jonang traditions including the initiation in Taranatha’s Opening the Gates to the Sky empowerment which this retreat is based upon. He has taught students in the Dzokden community Tibetan language via private tutorship since 2018.
If would like to register for the International online event in other langauges, please sign up on Dzokden.org so we can best track your enrolment.
About the Practice of Chod
Chod is a powerful practice of accepting willingly what is undesirable, cutting through our concepts, reducing our self-cherishing nature leading us closer to our own true nature. The main obstacle to our own enlightenment is our clinging to our own ego, our own existence. When fear, fixation, and self-clinging are cut through, giving rise to the awareness of the pure nature of emotions and the emptiness of mental obscurations.
Machig Labdrön created a unique practice of Mahamudra Chöd practice. She is the manifestation of Prajnaparamita, the Great Mother who gives birth to realisation of emptiness. Furthermore, Machig Labdron is also the manifestation of Arya Tara, who gives birth to compassion. A chöd pa (practitioner) can cut through anything and therefore his or her main intention should be to unify understanding of emptiness and loving kindness and compassion, just as Machig Labdron did.
Khentrul Rinpoche has received the Chöd transmission and practiced in multiple traditions such as the Nyingma Kagyu, Jonang and the Gelug traditions.
Rinpoche has received the Chöd Transmission from many masters. He had the pleasure of practicing Chod Retreat and receiving transmission from the Kalka Jetsun Dhampa considered to be a reincarnation of Taranatha and the spiritual head of Mongolia.
Throughout Buddhist history, female practitioners have been models of leadership in virtuous conduct, meditation, discipline and practice. Machig Labdron is an extraordinary example of a highly realised female practitioner. One of Rinpoche’s aspirations is to cultivate more realised female practitioners around the world and we hope this practice inspires the prominence and proliferation of more female Buddhist masters.
About the Empowerment
This is an incredibly rare and precious empowerment of Chöd from the primordial mind of master Jetsun Taranatha. It is the most extensive and detailed Chöd Empowerment. We will include a booklet to follow along through the empowerment. Part of the transmission includes stories of Machig Labdrön’s life in which we can all be inspired by this precious Dakini’s presence.
Who can attend (online and in person)?
This retreat is open to all.
Sunday 21th November 2021 – Free Online Pre-Teaching If you want to learn more about the retreat and the teaching tune into this teaching from Khentrul Rinpoche.
7 AM – Chöd, Prajnaparamita and Zhentong Emptiness
Retreat Schedule – Online or In Person
*** All teachings (except transmissions), will be recorded and available for viewing in the learning centre.
Saturday 11 December
A Pearl Garland Narration of the Chöd Empowerment that Opens the Gate to the Sky (required attendance)
This precious empowerment text by Jonang Lineage Master Jetsun Taranatha.
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM Arrive, set up camp and have some lunch
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Session 1 Empowerment
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM Tea Break
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM Session 2 Empowerment
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM Dinner
7:30 PM – 9:30 PM Session 3 Empowerment
Sunday December 12
- Facing your Fears – How to integrate Chod practice in Daily life
- Understanding the Chod teachings and how it integrates into the Kalachakra practice.
- Direct practice of Chod
- Teaching of the Chöd Sadanas
7:00 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Session 4 Practice and Teaching
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Free Time and Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Session 5 Teaching and Practice
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Tea Break
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Session 6 Teaching and Practice
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM Dinner and Free Time
7:30 PM – 9:00 PM Session 7 Teaching and Practice
Monday December 13
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM Breakfast
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Session 8 Teaching and Practice
11:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch and Pack Out
Ritual Objects to Bring or Pre-order by November 18
Optional extras for practice – To enhance your practice, we have additional items for you to purchase for home practice. All purchases through our Dzokden store run by volunteers goes directly to Rinpoche’s altruistic projects.
Items in the Dzokden Store here for global shipping. Australians should use the special one time order form.
As a kindness – If you want to special order these items to pick up a the Chöd Retreat in Australia, you must fill out this Australian order reservation form by November 18th. You will need to pick them up in person at the retreat. All items are subject to confirmation from the supplier for shipping due to Covid challenges. You will receive a confirmation email with a bill November 20th that the items are shipping for you.
Remember you CAN take the retreat and receive the empowerment even if you do not have all these items. Chöd can be practiced in your daily life as well as ritualistically.
- Chöd Drum
Made by artisans in Nepal. Each Chöd ritual drum, comes with a brocade case and tail. This high quality damaru is made of Sengdeng wood.
$225 AUD - Kangling Thigh Bone Trumphet (made out of wood)
Made by artisans in Kathmandu Nepal. It is very difficult to get a human bone Kangling in these modern times. Many people worldwide use Trumphets made from wood to look like Trumphet. It comes with a case.
$110 AUD - Dorje and Bell (Small or Large Size)
Made with bell metal by artisans in Dehradun India. Brocade case color may vary from the one shown in the image.Ani Small Size – $150 AUD
Large Size – $175 AUD - Tingshaw
- Machig Labdron silk print or framed Thangka- Only Available on the Dzokden store website from USA
How does the Online Retreat Work
HOW THE ONLINE EMPOWERMENT WILL WORK
1) Register for each attendee that will be receiving the empowerment. You will receive a confirmation email. All of our online events use the Dzokden learning center. If you are not already enrolled in it, you will be invited to learn.dzokden.org
2) Before the empowerment, you will receive information on some simple supplies you should get to help make the experience as authentic as possible. If you are not able to get them all don’t worry. They are symbolic and you can still receive the empowerment. More important you must understand what is happening. Just attending an empowerment does not mean you receive it. You must know what is going on. To ensure everyone will receive the empowerment, Rinpoche will kindly make his instruction booklet available to you as an eBook so you can follow along so you know exactly what is happening. You are not allowed to share this program book with anyone else or give them access to the empowerment. This is private for your personal use. Rinpoche typically gives the eBook out the night before.
3) You will receive access to the zoom for each of the sessions. You will be able to watch any of the course in learn.dzokden.org The empowerment must be received in real time. There are no recordings available of the empowerment.
OFFERING DANA TO RINPOCHE
It’s customary at the end of empowerment for students to make an offering of Dana to the guru. As this is an online event, you can make the offering of Dana to Rinpoche here.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
email [email protected]
In-Person Attendees
There is an onsite supplement fee of $120 per person for all on-site attendees to cover the cost of food and amenities. This on-site fee is the same for those camping on site and those staying in the surrounding environment as meals will be provided to you either way.
Camping Accomodations
This is a camping retreat. Very simple amenities are available onsite. There is a basic shower and water for washing and portable toilet. There is limited power and no pubic wi-fi access.
Accommodation
You are able to camp for free onsite or you may prefer to stay in one of the local hotels or caravan sites. Please bring your own tent, sleeping bag and anything else you need.
Food
Food
All meals provided will be vegetarian only. If you have other food requirements please bring your own and notify us before the retreat so that we can allow some space for storage. We can reduce the supplement cost if you have a food allergy and can not eat with us.
What to Bring
What to Bring
- Toiletries, personal care items and a bath towel
- Warm and comfortable clothing (it gets cold at night time)
- Walking shoes if you are a bushwalking type
- Shoes that are easy to slip on or off for walking between buildings
- Sunscreen and a hat for summer
- Warm clothes/jacket for evening
- Insect repellent
- Torch
- Notepad and pen
- Snacks if you have preferences
Practice Items
- Chod Drum (optional)
- Dorje & Bell (optional)
- Text
- Cushion
Getting to Land of Shambhala
Getting to the Land of Shambhala
Address: 837 Taggerty-Thornton Road, Thornton 3712 Victoria
Contact: 0487 440 140
Directions from the Melbourne Airport
It is very difficult to get to the retreat center property by public transit. It takes a full day to do it. If you are flying in for this retreat we encourage you to rent a car to get to the airport.
Google Maps directions from the Melbourne Airport
Need a lift?
If you need a lift please email [email protected] or call her at 0487 440 140 and we will endeavour to match you with someone coming from an area near you. Please note, we can’t guarantee a lift to everyone who needs one.
I can offer a lift?
Let us know if you can take extra people with you by emailing [email protected]
The journey is usually about an hour and a half drive from Belgrave, Victoria.
If you require any help with directions you can call us on 0487 440 140 or (03) 9754 6212