Course Liaison Guide

Being a Support

Every retreat needs a Course Liaison. Because our staff is busy cooking, cleaning, and organizing, the Course Liaison is the “go-to” person for communications between the Vajrapani Institute staff and retreatants, including questions and concerns that inevitably arise during the retreat. They also help manage the working meditation jobs performed by the retreatants. You are a vital resource for making the retreat run smoothly.

 

We very much appreciate your contribution to ensure the success of our retreat experience. In addition, you will

 

  • Create amazing merit (positive potential in your mind) by offering service to a dharma center, the teachers, and fellow students.
  • Practice dharma off the cushion and gain real-world skills to effectively help people in a loving an nurturing environment.
  • Strengthen your connection with Vajrapani Institute, a place that cherishes and nurtures all who serve and visit.
  • Receive a 30% discount off the cost of camping or dorm accommodation during retreat.
  • Receive a 10% discount off retreats for one year after serving as course liaison.

Duties and Responsibilities

On the first day of the retreat

 

  • Arrive around noon to have lunch, meet with the staff, and be briefed on the upcoming retreat.
  • Assist with the registration process.

 

During the retreat

 

  • Field questions of retreaters as they arise.
  • Check in with the kitchen, housekeeping and office staff as needed.
  • Check to see that retreatants completed their working meditation jobs.

 

At the end of the retreat

 

  • Facilitate the final clean-up in cooperation with appropriate staff.
  • Ensure that working meditation jobs are completed.

 

Why We Assign Working Meditation Jobs

  • Allows retreaters to give back to Vajrapani Institute and each other, creating merit or “positive spiritual potential.”
  • Creates an opportunity to put the teachings into practice as a group and to see work from a new perspective.
  • Builds a sense of community and interdependence as everyone does their part to facilitate a successful retreat.
  • Assists the Vajrapani Institute staff to better serve large groups.

 

Should any problems arise, feel free to ask one of our staff for help. We are happy to be of service to you.

Upcoming Retreats

Online Book Club – Vol 1: Approaching the Buddhist Path

Venerable Gyalten Chimé

August 30 - October 18, 2023
When On Zoom Every Wednesday for 8 weeks (Aug 30 to Oct 18) 6:30 - 8:00pm Pacific Time   ABOUT This weekly online book gathering will feature facilitated conversation, discussion and meditation sessions with Buddhist monastic Venerable Chimé.  The text we will explore over the course of these 8 weekly Zoom gatherings is Wisdom Publications’ Approaching the Buddhist Path by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Venerable Thubten Chödrön. This recently published book is the first in an amazing series containing the traditional Buddhist Sanskrit tradition teachings, together with comparisons from the Buddhist Pali tradition, as well as rich parallels with modern…

Four Views of Reality

Scott Snibbe

October 6 - 8, 2023
In-person Only Indo-Tibetan Buddhism posits four progressively subtler understandings of reality, in particular, exploring what “self” and “objects” may or may not be. Monks, nuns, and serious students of Buddhism study these different views, called “tenets” that were developed 1500-2000 years ago. The topics can be tricky to understand and it’s hard to remember the schools’ specific Sanskrit names of Vaibhashika (Great Exposition), Sautantrika (Sutra), Cittamatra (Mind Only), and Madhyamaka (Middle Way). Simplified, these four views posit the “ultimate” nature of reality progressively from a view that believes in indivisible atoms and moments of consciousness to a reality where living…

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Vajrapani Institute is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition www.FPMT.org

19950 Kings Creek Rd Boulder Creek, CA 95006

(800) 531-4001 | office@vajrapani.org

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