artwork by Yen Chua
From Dakini Day and Lama Tsongkhapa Day, 12/7/2023
through
Dakini Day, 1/6/2024
OPEN TO ALL DW MEMBERS
As long as you have a body and mind, you are in retreat.
A commitment to a Personal Retreat is only an invitation to your authenticity.
If you feel overwhelmed by the word ‘commitment’ which sometimes feels like an obligation,
please take a big breath and pause.
Listen to your heart's yearning.
- Khandro-la
INVITATION
A Householder's retreat means stepping away from our ordinary daily pattern and “taking the essence” (chu-lenpa in Tibetan) from what our precious human lives offer us. By participating in this personal retreat, we immeasurably aspire to follow in the footsteps of our great masters, who devoted their lives to dharma practice, the source of happiness. We commit to devoting some of our busy lives to retreat — creating virtuous propensities and karma towards awakening.
PERSONAL RETREAT STRUCTURE AND GUIDANCE
This Retreat is an opportunity for beginning students and long-term tantric practitioners to engage in intentional, planned, and focused practice. During this time, each retreatant will commit to personal retreat time with study, contemplation, and meditation. You may focus on the practices of Lam Rim with Dakini Lamrim and Cho Mastery, Five Dakini Practice with mantra accumulations, or Vajrayogini sadhana with mantra. You commit to a personal retreat practice daily, or at least as often as you can. In addition to individual commitments, DW will offer a variety of group practices to support your personal retreat.
This Householder Personal Retreat will begin on auspicious Dakini Day and Lama Tsongkhapa Day, December 7, 2023, and close on Dakini Day, January 6, 2024, with Tsok Feast. Participants in this retreat will focus on one of the following options as the main retreat practice (some may choose to practice other options in addition to the main focus). You commit to a daily personal retreat practice, or at least as often as you can.
If you are in the DW Training Program, this is a perfect opportunity to fulfill a retreat commitment of the 3 Streams. (i.e. Level 1 on Dakini Lamrim Stream). Please review the roadmap of your Stream to discern how this retreat commitment may mark your progress or completion for a specific level for a certificate.
Option 1: Lam Rim Retreat
For those who have not done this foundation retreat. Study, contemplate, and meditate on the stages of the path by using the well-structured eLearning Modules (that will be provided).
(DAKINI LAMRIM & CHO MASTERY STREAMS Level 1 in DW Training)
Option 2: Five Dakini Retreat
For those who are practicing with the accumulation of the required mantra recitation in order to move forward on the journey for Dakini Ear-Whispered Lineage Empowerment.
(CHO MASTERY and DAKINI LAMRIM Level 1 or 2 in DW Training)
Option 3: Vajrayogini Retreat (Closed Retreat)
For those who have completed the Five Dakini practice and have received Vajrayogini empowerment.
(DAKINI LAMRIM LEVEL 3 in DW Training)
Option 4: Retreat of Your Own Focus
Each person enters a retreat from their own place and space, intention and motivation. For more information about Personal Retreat, please see Retreat Instructions.
Before the retreat begins, Khandro-la will give more instructions on how to lead a personal retreat. If you require some specific guidance on designing the retreat according to your time constraints, please contact Ellen to schedule an interview with Khandro-la in advance.
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE COMPONENTS
You are encouraged to include the following additional practices in your daily retreat:
Throughout the day or morning and evening, whenever possible, recite Eight-Line Praise to Vajrayogini, accumulate the number, and report that to Betty at jbodell1@gmail.com.
Practice Palden Lhamo, Vajrayogini, and/or 6-Armed Mahakala Golden Nectar Tea Offering.
Celebrate the Monthly Tsok Feast with Vajrayogini Cho Tsok by participating in DW group practices. (See the dates on DW Calendar)
Perform body-oriented practices, especially the Six-session Guru Yoga with movement, or taking a SBY series.
Participate in monthly student-led group sadhana practices (Five Dakini Practice, Vajrayogini sadhana practice, and Dakini Cho-Kakyabma).
Participate in Cho Mastery and Dakini Path Retreats with KL.
Please see the DW calendar anytime for up-to-date information on offerings.