Vajrapani Institute
P.O. Box 2130
Boulder Creek, CA 95006
(800) 531-4001

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Cittamani Tara Initiation, Commentary on the Practice, and Approximation Retreat
w
ith Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel
December 4-19, 2010

Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel

Category: Course and tantric retreat
Level:
Intermediate-Advanced

Level of Silence:
Total
Partial Attendance:
Allowed

Course Overview
Tara represents the quick wisdom and compassion of all the enlightened beings in a female form. Praying to Tara eliminates obstacles to the fulfillment of our wishes in general and in particular those of the spiritual path. Tara's meditation practice is quick to grant success. Tara breathes life into our spiritual practice and sustains us with boundless energy to traverse the spiritual path. (Excerpt from Service Manual for Spiritual Program Coordinators, FPMT)

This event will be a unique experience to deepen in the practice of Cittamani Tara. Retreaters will have the opportunity to get a complete understanding and experience of the practice through the initiation, commentary and approximation retreat. It is not very common in the gelugpa tradition that Tibetan lamas lead an approximation retreat themselves. Rinpoche has been very generous accepting Vajrapani’s request.


Cittamani Tara Initiation (December 4th)
Prerequisites
Prior full empowerment of any of the Highest Yoga Tantras, such as Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja, Heruka Chakrasamvara or Kalachakra.

Commitment
Daily uncommon Cittamani Tara Guru Yoga practice.

Schedule

4th December 1:00-2:00pm  Registration 
2:00 - 6:00pm Initiation plus tsog ceremony 

Commentary on the Practice (December 6-10)
Rinpoche will cover the commentary in 8 sessions, each 2.5 hours long. There will be two sessions on December 6, 7, 9, and one session on December 8 and 10. There will be day breaks December 6 and 10.

Only students who have received a Cittamani Tara initiation from a qualified lama can attend the commentary. Partial attendance is welcome.

Schedule

5th December 

3:00 to 5:00pm

Registration 

5:30-6:30pm 

Dinner

6:30-7:00pm 

Orientation Session 

7:00-9:30pm 

Night talk (led by someone else)

6th, 7th, 9th, & 10th December 

8:00 - 8:30am

Breakfast 

10:00 - 12:30pm 

First session with Rinpoche 

12:30 - 3:00pm

Lunch 

3:00 -5:30pm

Second session with Rinpoche 

5:30 - 6:00pm 

Tea Break

6:00 - 6:30pm

Dinner

7:30 - 8:30pm  

Review session (led by someone else)

8th December
(rest day for Rinpoche) 

8:00 - 8:30am

Breakfast 

10:00 - 12:30pm 

Tara practice (led by someone else)

12:30 - 3:00pm

Lunch 

3:00 - 5:00pm 

Review session (led by someone else)

5:00 - 6:00pm 

Tea Break

6:00 - 6:30pm

Dinner

7:30 - 8:30pm  

Tara practice (led by someone else)

11th December 

8:00 - 8:30am 

Breakfast 

9:00 - 10:00am 

Clear out belonging from accommodations

10:00 - 12:30pm 

Open session for personal practice

12:30 - 1:30 pm 

Lunch 

1:30 - 2:30pm 

Karma Yogi: final cleaning (all to participate please)

2:30pm 

Retreat ends


Approximation retreat (December 12-19)

During the approximation retreat, students will focus on reciting 100,000 mantras. The retreat will finish on December 18. The fire puja will be on December 19.

The practitioners that correctly complete the approximation retreat can do self initiations of the deity. Pabonkha Rinpoche explains that each self initiation has the same purification power of 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras well recited.

Regarding partial attendance, students can do the retreat at home and attend the fire puja on December 19 if they performed at least one complete long sadhana each day during that time and have completed all the mantras required.  For those who cannot do the recitations in the time period but would still want to complete the approximation retreat on their own, they would need to complete all the mantras and perform one long sadhana daily until they can conduct the concluding fire puja.

Prerequisites
1. Prior full empowerment of any of the Highest Yoga Tantras, such as Yamantaka, Guhyasamaja, Heruka Chakrasamvara or Kalachakra
2. Have completed Lama Tsongkapa guru yoga preliminary practice (100,000 Mig Tse Ma mantras)
 3. Have studied 3 principle aspects of the paths
 4. Before attending the retreat, try to recite as much of the Praise to the 21 Taras

Schedule

12th December 

3:00 to 5:00pm

Registration 

6:00pm 

Dinner

7:00pm 

Orientation Session 

7:30pm 

Opening session with Rinpoche 

13th-18th December 

5:30 - 8:00am

First session

8:00 - 9:15am

Breakfast 

9:15 - 12:00pm 

Second session  

12:00 - 2:00pm

Lunch 

2:00 -5:00pm

Third session 

5:00 - 6:30pm

Dinner

6:30 - 9:00pm  

Fourth session (thanksgiving tsog on the 18th)

 19th December

 

 

6:00 –7:30am
7:30 - 8:00am
8:00 - 8:30am 

 

 

Last session
Clear out belonging from accommodations
Breakfast 

8:30 - 9:30am 

Set up for fire puja

9:30 - 12:30pm 

Fire Puja 

12:30 - 1:30 pm 

Lunch 

1:30 - 2:30pm 

Karma Yogi: final cleaning (all to participate please)

2:30pm 

Retreat ends


Teacher Biography

Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Tsephel was born in Litang, Tibet, in 1931. At the age of five, he began, on his own initiative, to wear the maroon robes of a monk. Rinpoche was awarded the degree of Lharampa Geshe in 1976; in 1992, he was awarded the degree of Ngarampa Geshe from Gaden Monastery. He taught at Namgyal Monastery, Nechung Monastery, and the Tibetan Library in Dharamsala. Rinpoche was appointed by His Holiness, the Dalai Lama as the abbot of Gaden Jangtse Monastery in 2001 and after serving the monastery for 7 years, he has recently completed his tenor as the Abbot of Gaden Jangtse Monastery in June of 2008.

In addition to becoming a highly recognized scholar and teacher, Khensur Rinpoche has demonstrated an equally profound commitment to practice. Before the Chinese invasion of Tibet, he pledged to complete 100,000 full prostrations in front of the Natural Body of Lama Tsong Khapa at Gaden Monastery in Tibet, and completed them within one month. In a similar demonstration of his commitment to Dharma, in 1987, advised by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Khensur Rinpoche, at the age of 56, left India to teach in the United States, even though he spoke no English. 

As a teacher, Rinpoche places strong emphasis on the practice of Dharma both "on and off" the meditation cushion. Students are advised to complete their Preliminary Practices, or Nungdros, and to maintain a disciplined daily practice, with equal focus on rejoicing in joyous effort.          
As a master of Highest Yoga Tantra, Rinpoche has offered the initiations of Guhyasamaja, Yamantaka, Cittamani Tara, Heruka Chakrasamvara and Vajrayogini, along with lengthy commentaries and teachings on Guru yoga and deity yoga practices. In addition, Rinpoche holds frequent retreats, which he personally leads, to give students the opportunity to learn the practices correctly and deeply.


Fees (inclusive of accommodation, meals, retreat fees)

RESIDENTIAL FEES
Cittamani Tara Initiation, Commentary, Approximation Retreat
December 4-19    
Nights: 15
Fees (inclusive of accommodation, meals, retreat fees)
  Regular Rate
  Non-Member Member
    10%
Main Dormitory $990.00 $891.00
Semi Private Dormitory $1,207.50 $1,086.75
     
Private Room (single) $1,912.50 $1,721.25
Private Room (double) $1,721.25 $1,550.00
Cabin (single) $2,295.00 $2,065.50
     
Scholarship Fund $700  
Application deadline November 4th  

 

 

Cittamani Tara Initiation and Commentary only
December 4-11    
Nights: 7
Fees (inclusive of accommodation, meals, retreat fees)
  Regular Rate
  Non-Member Member
    10%
Main Dormitory $540.00 $486.00
Semi Private Dormitory $644.00 $579.60
     
Private Room (single) $1,050.00 $945.00
Private Room (double) $945.00 $850.50
Cabin (single) $1,190.00 $1,071.00

 

 

Cittamani Tara Approximation Retreat Only
December 12-19    
Nights: 7
Fees (inclusive of accommodation, meals, retreat fees)
  Regular Rate
  Non-Member Member
    10%
Main Dormitory $540.00 $486.00
Semi Private Dormitory $644.00 $579.60
     
Private Room (single) $1,050.00 $945.00
Private Room (double) $945.00 $850.50
Cabin (single) $1,190.00 $1,071.00

 

 

COMMUTING FEES
Initiation  $25-$45 sliding scale
Retreat or teaching session $20-$30
   
Whole Commentary (8 sessions)  $160-$240
Complete Retreat (19 sessions) $380-$570
Fire Puja $45-$75



"The retreat calmed my mind and allowed me to receive the maximum benefit from my studies and teachings." 
—Retreater from 2009


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