RESIDENTIAL Retreats

In an effort to help retreatants incorporate correct practice into what they are being taught, Rinpoche generally runs his retreats along traditional lines (unless otherwise specified), where retreatants rise early, retire at 10.00pm, remain within the confines of the retreat centre, partake of a vegetarian diet, and observe silence. This ensures that retreatants are well-nourished, well-rested, not prone to distractions and can therefore concentrate their full attention and effort on what they are being taught. It also allows them the opportunity to engage in protracted periods of concentrated practice under Rinpoche’s direct supervision.

By being afforded this opportunity for intensive practice of what is taught, it then becomes easier to transfer what is learned to our everyday lives and to maintain our practices.

Feedback from previous similar retreats reveals that those who have attended are generally amazed by the vast benefits they have derived from this approach.

Where a person’s personal circumstances (e.g. health etc) make it difficult for him / her to follow the above routine, Rinpoche adopts a flexible approach geared to help him / her derive as much benefit from the experience as possible. Those in this position should inform him of their situation, either in person or through the organisers, prior to the commencement of the event(s) they have enrolled for so that he might ensure their well-being throughout.

NON-RESIDENTIAL Retreats

Rinpoche generally starts the day about 9:30am and teaches until 5:30pm, with lunch break, and tea breaks according to the needs of those attending. Vegetarian diet is still generally adopted for the duration of the event, unless other dietary requirements are made known. Silence is not the requirement here, although generally a specific time will be allocated for Questions and Answers arising. Rinpoche is always flexible about people's needs, and with this willingness to adapt things whilst never compromising the quality of the teaching, Rinpoche ensures students have the opportunity to make the best of the teaching!

RETREAT DESCRIPTIONS

BON KHOR TSHIG ZHI
(The 4 Essential Instructions for Turning the Wheel of Bön)
T aught by the Buddha Tonpa Shenrab. Applying them in our everyday life we learn how to get in touch with our inner wisdom and are helped on the way towards the goal of liberation from Samsara for all sentient beings.

BON ZOGCHEN NGON-DRO
(Foundation Teachings)
As with learning anything new, it is essential to have a foundation upon which to build, and this is the primary purpose of the Bon Zog-chen Ngon-dro Foundation Teachings. As these are the foundations upon which all the other teachings are built, it is essential to ensure that they are strong and capable of supporting further ‘building’ and this is achieved through regular practice. Without this, Rinpoche says, “It is like building a house on a frozen lake. When the ice melts……!!!!!”

CHÖD - KHADROI GHE-GYANG
(The Sky Walker's Laughing-Dance)
Chöd, or Lu-jin, is one of the most subtle and sophisticated concepts of Tibetan spiritual practice. The core purpose behind Chöd is to sever one’s ego . This practice is carried out by means of visualisation - involving no sacrifice of life whatsoever (a common misconception). According to Yungdrung Bön, Chöd was originally taught by Yum-chen Sherab Jyam-ma (The Great Loving Wisdom Mother) and passed down through successive masters till the present day.

MAGYUD GONG-CHHOD NAM-SOM
(The Threefold Inner Nature Practice of Mother Tantra) 
Rinpoche will impart Ma-gyud’s consolidated practice, known as Ma-gyud Gong-Chhöd Nam-som – ‘The Threefold Inner Nature Practice of Mother Tantra’  - thus providing the student with tantric keys with which to open the door to Enlightenment / Buddha-hood.

MASENG KARPO CHIK-DRUB
(Accomplishment of the White Form of Sherab Mawei Seng-ge)
A Unique practice of Sherab Mawei Seng-ge, The Lord of Speech, designed for those wishing to develop their wisdom knowledge.

MILAM TRUL-KHOR
(Dream Yoga)
Instructions and transmission for this practice. Preliminary practices are engaged to bring greater awareness to each moment and to turn the practitioner’s mind from engagement in dualistic preoccupations to integration with the boundless view of the non-dual path.

NAM-JOM JHAB-TRUD
(Yungdrung Bon Healing Rite)
This most profound and esoteric healing method is to be found in Chab-kar Drag-po Ngag-kyi Bon, one of the treatises of Tibet’s Yungdrung Bon tradition. Yungdrung Bon postulates that all illness is derived from past karma and that this manifests through both root and secondary causes. Regardless of the nature of the illness, Nam-jom Jhab-trud acts as a panacea for all ills and is like a master key that opens all doors towards the healing process.

NYING-PO NAM-SOOM
(The Three Essence Mantras)
In Yungdrung Bon, the Buddha’s 84,000 teachings are consolidated and condensed into 3 essence mantras collectively known as Nying-po Nam Soom. The concentrated nature of these mantras makes them extremely potent and powerful.

PHOWA YESHE SANG-THEL
(Transference of Consciousness)
Rinpoche will provide the practitioner with both the esoteric exercises of Phowa (Bon Zog-chen Ngon-dro and Ngo-zhi), and the practical application of Phowa (Je-kyi Ja-wa). By practising regularly, Phowa practitioners ensure that, when death strikes, they are in the position to increase their chances of passing successfully through the Bardo (the intermediate stage between death and life) towards Enlightenment.

SA-DHAK LU-NYEN CHOD-THAB
A ritualistic method for the Harmonisation and Rehabilitation of the Earth and its Lords (Serpent-Gods (naga) and malevolent spirits).

SID-GYAL DRAG-NGAK NE KYI GONG-THIM ZHUG
(The Healing Rite with the Fierce Mantra of Sidpa Gyalmo)
The healing practice of the Goddess Sidpa Gyalmo, The Queen of Existence (a direct emanation of the Great Goddess Sherab Jyamma, the Wisdom Goddess). This is a healing practice especially powerful in subduing and harmonising the negative forces causing infectious and contagious diseases, especially cancer.

ZOG-CHEN TRUL-KHOR
Literally translated as 'Magic Wheel', these are one of the most profound teachings designed to clear all the obstacles of meditations including that of Dzogchen. Without Trul-khor practice, practitioners cannot progress.

TSE-DRUB JHARI-MA
(Rite for Accomplishing Longevity or Long-life initiation)
The secret rite for Accomplishing longevity or long-life initiation found in Tibet’s Yungdrung Bön Tradition. It is designed to rejuvenate and restore the untimely disintegration of the body’s elements and, as a result prolongs the lifespan of those sentient beings whose lives are either coming to an end or whose life force is declining (due to incidents and karmic conditions).

ZHI-NEY
(Abiding in the Tranquil State)
Taught as a preparation for Zog-chen (The Great Completion) meditation, during this retreat Rinpoche will provide some of the ‘keys’ to open the door to the natural state of the mind.

ZOG-CHEN
(The Great Completion)
The founder of the Yungdrung Bon, Teacher Tonpa Shenrab has taught *The Nine Gradual Views of Bon* (Bon Theg-pa Rim-gu). Within the nine, the ninth is the supreme path/ view known as Dzogchen. Dzogchen is the direct and swift path. According to its view, unlike other paths and their respective views, Dzogchen practioner ('Dzogchen-pa') could apply one single pointedness view (Thig-li Nyag-chik kyi Tawa) for total realization.