Lama Dawa's Teaching Schedule
2008 - Golden Lotus Sanctuary Retreat Center
~ in Lansing, Iowa
P'howa Retreat
September 10 - 17
Dawa Chhodak Rinpoche will lead a 7-day P'howa retreat, from the P'howa practice of the Khandro T'huk-t'hik from the Dudjom New Treasures. P'howa is an essential practice of learning to transfer one's consciousness at the time of death to a pure state (pure realm). By practicing and accomplishing P'howa during one's life, we develop the confidence to be able to enact this activity at the time of death, ensuring that we transcend the need to enter the bardo and the endless rounds of rebirth in samsara. P'howa is especially effective as a short-cut to enlightenment and unlike many other advanced practice, there are no requirements (such as ngondro) to be qualified to practice.
This retreat will include detailed teachings from Lama Dawa Rinpoche and four sessions of practice per day. Most of the practice will be conducted outside in the surrounding wilderness, so participants should be prepared to spend time outdoors.
This will be a traditional retreat with retreat boundaries, so all participants will be required to abide by the rules of closed retreat.
Qualifications
You must have received Refuge and Bodhisattva vows. Receiving Yeshe Tsogyal empowerment is a plus (but not required).
General Details and Payment Info
- For shared lodging at the retreat center:
7 nights and 22 meals: $420 - Private and semi-private rooms are also available.
Contact for further information about rates: info@goldenlotussanctuary.com - For camping and three meals per day:
7 nights and 22 organic meals: $200.00 - Suggested donation for Rinpoche: $250
- Registrants are expected to arrive by noon on Wed., Sept. 10.
- The retreat will begin at 2:00pm Sept. 10 and end at noon on Wed. Sept. 17.
** Pre-Registration is required
Reservations / Registration
Please contact the retreat coordinator if you are interested in attending this retreat:
Kim Schafer: coordinator@saraswatibhawan.org, or call: 619.286.2902
She will send you further information regarding how to register.
Golden Lotus Sanctuary ~ in Lansing, Iowa
Vajra Armor Retreats, Level 1
October 2-6, 9-13, 16-20, 23-27
The Vajra Armor Retreat Course is held at the new residential retreat center, Golden Lotus Sanctuary, nestled on the bluffs overlooking the upper Mississippi River Valley in Lansing, Iowa.
The Vajra Armor Mantra, called Dorje Go-Drab in Tibetan, is among the most powerful healing practices in Tantric Buddhism. Long held as a secret practice, the Vajra Armor Mantra has been practiced for over a millennium by tantric adepts and Tibetan physicians as an effective method for treating diseases, purifying negative energies and protection from misfortune.
The Vajra Armor Mantra was first introduced into Tibet in the eighth century by Padmasambhava, who had collected various teachings and practices on this mantra from the ancient Indian Buddhist tradition. After teaching his close disciples in Tibet, he hid the Vajra Armor teachings in 124 places, to be discovered by future ‘treasure finders’ as prophesied in his writings. Padmasambhava predicted that a time would come when there would be a great need for this mantra and to preserve the integrity of the teachings and lineage, he hid different versions of this practice in many different places for safekeeping, until the designated treasure finder would reintroduce them to the world. Over the past one thousand years, there have been numerous major teaching cycles of the Vajra Armor Mantra that have been revealed, including those of Dorje Lingpa, Mipham, Dudjom Lingpa, and Trak-t’hung Namkha’I Jigme. These teachings outline a deep and profound path to realization and ultimately to Buddhahood through the practice of healing and rebalancing the outer and inner elements.
Read more about these precious Vajra Armor teachings here...
These retreats are 'closed retreats', which means they are conducted within boundaries. Once the retreat begins, participants are not allowed to leave the building or area within the boudary, not allowed to have email or phone communications, and must abide by the rules of boundaried retreats. Organic meals will be provided each day as well as comfortable lodging.
Special Note: Space is limited to 18 people, and will be given on a first-come first-serve basis.
If the retreat is full, you will be placed on a waiting list.
General Details and Payment Info
- For shared lodging at the retreat center:
4 nights and 13 meals $300 - Private and semi-private rooms are also available.
Contact for further information about rates: info@goldenlotussanctuary.com - Suggested donation for Rinpoche is $200.
- In addition, there will be materials fees to cover the materials used for the retreat
(approx. $30). - Special Note: There will not be camping allowed during this retreat.
** Pre-Registration is required
Reservations / Registration
Please contact the retreat coordinator if you are interested in attending this retreat:
Kim Schafer: coordinator@saraswatibhawan.org, or call: 619.286.2902
She will send you further information regarding how to register.
Golden Lotus Sanctuary ~ in Lansing, Iowa
Empowerment of Ta-Chag Khyung-Sum
The 'triple wrathful' deities of Vajrapani, Hayagriva, and Garuda
November 15 (2pm - 5pm)
This powerful healing practice comes from the Dudjom New Treasures and is especially effective for naga-related diseases. Lama Dawa Rinpoche will be offering this empowerment for those who have been told through mirror divination that they should receive this empowerment for self-healing, and also for anyone planning to attend the two-week drubchen that follows.
Suggested Donation: $40
Golden Lotus Sanctuary ~ in Lansing, Iowa
Ta-Chag Khyung-Sum Drubchen
November 17 - December 1
We will be holding a two-week 'Drubchen' (great accomplishment practice) for the powerful healing practice of Ta-Chag Khyung-Sum; the 'triple wrathful' deities of Vajrapani, Hayagriva and Garuda. This healing practice, which comes from the Dudjom Tersar, is especially effective for naga related diseases, particularly ones that manifest as blood-related illnesses, such as cancer, AIDS, diabetes. In this retreat, we will be empowering sacred 'khyung-ga' or Garuda pills that were specially prepared in Nepal under Lama Dawa Rinpoche's direction. These pills contain extremely rare and precious ingredients and are an important part of utilizing the healing energies of this tantric practice.
In this retreat, Lama Dawa Rinpoche will give detailed instructions on the practice and we will be doing four sessions per day of the ritual practice (including tsog each day). Upon completion of the retreat, participants will receive a bag of the Kyung-ga pills, and will be qualified to use this healing mantra to benefit others. Also, for those who have received recommendation by the mirror divinations to use this mantra, this retreat will be essential for self-healing.
This is a strict boundary retreat, therefore all participants must abide by the rules of boundaried retreats. This includes NO communications - phone, email, voicemail, text messaging, etc., during the two weeks that the boundaries are up; and no leaving the premises.
Qualifications
Registrants must have received refuge, bodhisattva, and tantric vows and have received empowerment of Ta-Chag Khyung-Sum. If you have not received the empowerment, you must plan to attend the empowerment being given on Nov. 15.
Prior retreat experience is suggested. This will be very intensive and involve 24-hour shifts of continuous mantra recitation (which means we don't get much sleep), and a lot of sitting. During breaks, participants will be able to walk around the surrounding woods, but not leave the boundary.
General Details and Payment Info
- For shared lodging at the retreat center:
14 nights and 43 meals: $800 - Private and semi-private rooms are also available.
Contact for further information about rates: info@goldenlotussanctuary.com - Suggested donation for Rinpoche: $300
- Supplies: (pills, brocade bags, tsog): $100
** Pre-Registration is required
Reservations / Registration
Please contact the retreat coordinator if you are interested in attending this retreat:
Kim Schafer: coordinator@saraswatibhawan.org, or call: 619.286.2902
She will send you further information regarding how to register.
Golden Lotus Sanctuary ~ in Lansing, Iowa
December 21 - 27
The Sacred Practice of
Yeshe Tsogyal, from the Khandro T'huk-t'hik
This will be A seven-day practice intensive of the generation and completion stage of the dakini, Yeshe Tsogyal, from the Dudjom Tersar.
This retreat is for those who have completed Ngondro (or are nearing completion) and wish to prepare for the dakini retreat. When one completes Ngondro, then it is time to do the practices of the Three Roots, beginning with Yeshe Tsogyal. This practice is traditionally done in a 6-7 month retreat.
During this seven day course, participants will learn how to do this practice - how to make the tormas, how to set up the mandala and shrine, how to play the ritual instruments and conduct the ritual, and how to do the generation stage and completion stage visualizations. Rules for retreat will also be taught. Students will have opportunities to do practice as a group and learn the process of the sadhana.
Qualifications
You must have received the empowerment for Yeshe Tsogyal, and ideally, you have completed the short Dudjom Ngondro, or are near completion.
General Details and Payment Info
- For shared lodging at the retreat center:
6 nights and 19 meals: $420 - Private and semi-private rooms are also available.
Contact for further information about rates: info@goldenlotussanctuary.com - Suggested donation for Rinpoche: $250
** Pre-Registration is required
Reservations / Registration
Please contact the retreat coordinator if you are interested in attending this retreat:
Kim Schafer: coordinator@saraswatibhawan.org, or call: 619.286.2902
She will send you further information regarding how to register.