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Friday - Tuesday
July 14 - 18, 2023 

Dakini's Whisper 2023 Online Summer Retreat

dakini chö

Entering the Strem of Wandering Yogis and Yoginis

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Common & Uncommon chö empowermenTs

&

transmissions

SHIWA LAMSAB “Profound Path of Peace” 

KAKYABMA “Pervading Sky”

DAKINI POWA

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Open to All

Partially with Pre-requisites (See below)

(Become a member of Dakini’s Whisper here)

 

Registration Required by July 1st

INVITATION

 

It is our pleasure and fortune to invite you to enter the stream of DAKINI CHO - the river of wandering yogis and yoginis - the Machik Ḍākinī Ear-Whispered lineage (Machik Khandro Nyengyü in Tib.) this summer! 

Carried by Geluk wondering masters for centuries, the Machik Ḍākinī Ear-Whispered lineage is one of the two streams that make up the river of Chö, the other stream being the Ganden Ear-Whispered Lineage. As an ancient oral tradition, this lineage is still freshly alive. A rare and unequaled Tibetan Vajrayana Chö tradition, it has been kept very secret and unrecognized until recent years. From the outset, the Machik Ḍākinī Ear-Whispered lineage has been distinguished by the unique lifestyle of its practitioners as a lineage of yogis and yoginis, wandering hermits (ensapa), mountain solitary dwellers (ritöpa), ones who go to and dwell in frightful sites with fearless daring (nyentröpa), and wanderers in the 108 springs (chumik-gyatsa- korwa), as well as chö practitioners in general (chöpa). 

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This lineage comes directly from Machik Labdron, a great Tibetan Dakini (1055-1149), and has been transmitted from great master to master in an ear-whispered manner. The close lineage stems from Choying Rangdrol who had a vision and communicated with Machik. He then transmitted the lineage teachings and practices one by one to disciples, and finally, it came to the late H.H. the Ninth Khalkha Jetsun Dampa (1932 - 2013) who held both Cho lineages - the Ganden Ear-Whispered Lineage of Chö and the Machik Dakini Ear-Whispered Lineage of Chö. Our teacher, Choying Khandro, a direct disciple of the Ninth Khalkha Jetsun Dampa, received the complete transmission and the required lineage protocol of all the retreats and transmissions, including the 108 Springs retreat.

 

To be part of practicing this very precious lineage is an extraordinary, privileged, and treasured opportunity for Dakini's Whisper practitioners who are on the Chö Journey. Khalkha Rinpoche was encouraged by His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama’s enthusiasm for protecting and maintaining this lineage. With those blessings, Khandro-la is now ready to plant the seed of this nectar-like blessing of the river in our community, Dakini’s Whisper, this summer. The time has come. 

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At this auspicious time when the reincarnation of Khalkha Jetsun Dampa has been announced by the 14th Dalai lama, with prayerful devotion to our great masters and Dakinis, we extend this offering to you with anticipation of welcoming you into this ancient circle of wandering yogis and yoginis in the 21st century.

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RETREATANTS PREREQUISITES

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OPTION A - Entire Retreat 

  • Received Common Cho Empowerment. 

  • Received the empowerment of one of the Highest Yoga Tantra deities. (This includes Vajrayogini Empowerment from Khandro-la or a Highest Yoga Tantra Empowerment from other qualified masters.

  • Or received online empowerment from H.H. Dalai Lama by watching Preliminary Chakrasamvara Empowerment (1hr.9min) and Actual Chakrasamvara Empowerment (2hr.35min).

  • Completed the Five Dakini Retreat according to the Ear-Whispered Lineage retreat manual (with or without fire puja.) 

  • Willing to follow the protocol of the retreat.

  • Having trained in the common path, Lam Rim, the Stages of the Path, and Sutra Teachings. (All Dakini’s Whisper Members should have completed this requirement. If you are not sure, please contact Ellen.)

 

If you are not ready to enter the Dakini Lineage, you are invited to join this retreat via Option B, to embark on an authentic Cho Journey by receiving the Common Cho Empowerment and taking part in designated parts of the Retreat (see schedule below).

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OPTION B - Day 1, Day 2, Tsok on Day 3, and Day 5

 

If you have further questions about qualifications and other items, please email Ellen Green at dakiniswhisperteam@gmail.com

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SCHEDULE 

(All times are Pacific Daylight Time)

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Day 1, Friday, July 14 

OPEN TO ALL

10 - 11 am Opening Retreat 

- Welcome - Logistics/Protocol & Short Meditation from Vol. 1 or 2, Heart Cho

- Refuge, Thousands Angels (Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa), Mandala offering 

- Announcements, i.e, Schedule, Tsok

- Welcome with KL

11 - 11:30 am break

11:30 am -1 pm Preliminaries To Cho Empowerment, Entering the Ear-Whispered Cho Lineage

- DAKINI POWA TRANSMISSION and Practice

- Preliminaries and Teaching led by KL - Foundations of Good Qualities and so forth

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Day 2, Saturday, July 15 

OPEN TO ALL

10 am - 2 pm Common Cho Empowerment (Ganden Ear-Whispered Lineage)

- Welcome - Short Meditation

- Refuge, Thousands of Angels (Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa), Mandala offering + Requesting Teaching, Three Principal Aspects of the Path

- COMMON CHO EMPOWERMENT with KL (Vajra Disciple to Vajra Master during Empowerment) 

NOTE: Even if you have taken it before, it will empower your Cho practice.

- Announcements, Schedule

2 - 3 pm break

3 - 4:30 pm Healing Cho - “Dedicating the Illusory Body as Offering.” OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

- Welcome - Settling Time 

- HEALING CHO with KL

- Announcements, Schedule

 

Day 3, Sunday, July 16

1 - 4 pm Uncommon Cho Empowerment (Dakini Ear-Whispered Lineage) 

OPEN TO A ONLY

- Welcome - Short Meditation from Vol. 1 or 2, Heart of Cho 

- Refuge, Thousands of angels (Guru Yoga of Lama Tsongkhapa), Mandala offering + Requesting Teaching, Foundations of Good Qualities 

- UNCOMMON CHO EMPOWERMENT with KL (Vajra Disciple to Vajra Master during Empowerment - )

- Announcements, Schedule

4 - 5 pm break

5 - 7 pm Dakini Day Tsok - Vajrayogini Cho Tsok 

OPEN TO ALL

- TSOK FEAST with KL (Vajra Disciple to Vajra Master during Cho Tsok)

- Announcements, Further Schedule

 

Day 4 - Monday, July 17

OPEN TO A ONLY

10 - 12 pm Dakini Cho - “SHIWA LAMSAB” Transmission and Teaching

- Welcome - Short Meditation from Vol. 1 or 2, Heart of Cho 

- TRANSMISSION and TEACHING “SHIWA LAMSAB” - Profound Path of Peace

12 - 1 pm break

1 - 3 pm Dakini Cho Practice + Q&A

- PRACTICE with KL

- Announcements, Further Schedule

 

Day 5 - Tuesday, July 18

OPEN TO ALL

10 - 12 pm Dakini Cho - “KAKYABMA” Transmission and Teaching

- Welcome - Short Meditation from Vol. 1 or 2, Heart of Cho 

- TRANSMISSION and TEACHING “KAKYABMA - Pervading Space” 

12 - 1 pm break

1 - 3 pm Practice, Prayers and Retreat Closing with Dedication

- PRACTICE with KL​

- Q & A, Announcements, Future Practice​

- Closing - Aspiration Prayers and Dedication with KL 

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REGISTRATION

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Please register by July 1st by clicking the button below. The donation for this empowerment retreat is based on a sliding scale of 

  • $95 - 195 (without Uncommon Cho Empowerment - Option B)

  • $195 - 395 (with Uncommon Cho Empowerment - Option A) whether you are able to attend the entire five days retreat or not. 

If your schedule does not allow you to attend all the sessions, you may participate in the empowerment only. Note: If you need financial aid, please write a request letter to dakiniswhipserteam@gmail.com.​ 

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THE NEW TEXT “DAKINI CHO PRACTICES”

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Is NOW available at the DW Media Store. Please order by the following date to ensure the text arrives before the retreat.

 

Those who live in the US - Order required by July 1.

Those who live overseas - Order required by June 15 since it takes additional time to arrive.

  

OTHER PRACTICE MATERIALS - Texts and Tunes

(For those who are new to Cho)

All the practice texts can be purchased from the DW Media Store.

 

  • Supplementary Practices - This text includes various Cho-Related practices and is strongly recommended for all participants.

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PRIVATE MEETING WITH KHANDRO-LA

 

We are fortunate to have an authentic, accessible teacher who is always willing to meet with us to guide us on our practice journey. 25-minute private meeting times with Khandro-la will be available during the following time slots. Please contact Ellen at dakiniswhisperteam@gmail.com to schedule. If none of the time slots work for you, please contact Ellen to arrange another time.

 

- Monday, July 17, 4 - 4:25 pm, PDT

- Monday, July 17, 4:30 - 4:55 pm, PDT

- Tuesday, July 18, 4 - 4:25 pm, PDT

- Tuesday, July 18, 4:30 - 4:4:55 pm, PDT​

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COMMITMENT AFTER EMPOWERMENT

 

After Common Cho Empowerment

  • A Short Six Session Guru Yoga (Refuge and Bodhicitta) (only 1 page) twice a day, morning and evening.

 

After Uncommon Cho Empowerment

  • A weekly sadhana commitment of Kakyabma, a short Dakini Cho practice (10 - 15 mins) in addition to the Highest Yoga Tantra commitments for daily sadhana

  • Tsok Feast Offering on auspicious Dakini Days, the 10th of the Tibetan calendar (See the DW Google calendar for the dates) in a group Tsok once a month at least.

 

Khandro-la will lead a short DAKINI CHO practice, Kakybma, on a regular basis. This practice is open to all, whether if you've received the Uncommon Cho Empowerment or not. Please make sure to receive transmission during this retreat. We will be providing more information and guidance on this when the time comes.

 

CHÖ MASTERY JOURNEY

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NOTES

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The Common Cho Empowerment is a gateway to actual Cho practice and to the Five Dakinis Practice with mantra accumulation. It is required as the initial step to dive into the lineage practices. Even if you have taken it before, it will empower your Cho practice There is an option only to participate in the empowerment if your schedule does not allow you to attend all the sessions.

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The Uncommon Cho Empowerment is the next step in the practice of Shiwa Lamsab, the main Cho practice according to the Ear-Whispered Lineage of Dakini.

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RETREAT COURTESIES AND PROTOCOL

Hosted by TARA ROSE, Washington, D.C.

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These requests and suggestions are intended to deepen your experience and help our time together flow at the empowerment.

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  • This is a sacred and auspicious occasion. Consider your participation with the intention to create a meaningful experience.

  • Observe silence as much as possible.

  • Stay present and be intentionally focused. While this can be difficult online, it impacts how you, and potentially others, experience the Empowerment. 

  • The Zoom link for this retreat will be https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88538519556

  • With respect to our teacher and each other, please observe these Zoom courtesies.

  1. Arrive 5-10 mins early so you are ready when Khandro-la arrives.

  2. Keep your audio MUTED unless speaking. 

  3. Indicate your name as your Zoom name so we can be clear about who is with us.

  4. Keep your video in order to fully participate and be present with the teacher and the sangha.

  5. Use the hand-raise function ( Click the Reactions button on the Zoom platform) during sharing and Q&A time.

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