Upcoming Retreats

  • Commuting – $270.00
  • Camping – $332.00
  • RV/Camper Van – $375.00
  • Women's Dorm – $410.00
  • Men's Dorm – $410.00
  • Women's Quad – $570.00
  • Men's Quad – $570.00
  • Private Room- Twin Bed – $726.00
  • Private Room- Double bed – $726.00
  • Private Cabin #1 - "Vajrapani" – $798.00
  • Private Cabin #2 - "Chenrezig" – $798.00
  • Private Cabin #3 - "Vajrayogini" – $798.00
  • Private Cabin #4 - "Chakrasamvara" – $798.00
  • Private Cabin #5 - "Tara" – $798.00
  • Private Cabin #6 - "Yamantaka" – $798.00

Experiential Vajrayogini Retreat

Elaine Jackson

May 22 - 25, 2025

Please join us for an experiential Vajrayogini Retreat with long-time FPMT Teacher and Vajrapani Founding Member, Elaine Jackson. Elaine is a student favorite, known for her warmth and skill in guiding her students through these profound and transformative tantric practices.

 

Elaine shares her heartfelt experiences about Vajrayogini Practice:

 

“My dear, dear friends, how wonderful that we will meet again to explore our relationship with Vajrayogini. I have seen over many years of practice that there is an alchemy, a gradual change, that manifests when I embrace the practice from a felt sense and try to bring that sense into my everyday life. This comes, not from just using the sadhana, but embracing the underlying foundation of the whole path.

 

For tantric practice to perform its miracle, all the ingredients must be assembled, combined, and become one with the mind. What we may consider preliminary practices are an essential part of understanding. My Vajrayogini practice brings me a state of well-being; contentment, ease of mind, satisfaction, happiness, and great joy when I remember the foundation.

 

When I combine my Vajrayogini practice with Mahamudra meditation, I become familiar with the view. The more I rest in this empty, spacious, pure, luminous, clear mind, the more I experience the true nature of reality, seeing clearly and freeing the heart from any confusion about it. I train the mind to be Vajrayogini, to have her qualities. That creates the alchemical change from the ordinary to the profound. I look forward to spending this time with you!

 

Let me share some encouragement from Yang Gunpa:

The hour of life is passing

It all boils down to dying.

Your own mind is the Buddha.

Go and meet your friend.

Pack light and take off now!

 

Student Level

Enrollment is restricted to those with the appropriate empowerment and Vajrayogini Blessing.

 

How to Apply

To apply to the retreat, please verify your highest yoga tantra initiation and Vajrayogini blessing by using this google form:

 

Upon review, you will be sent the passcode and link to register here.

 

Registration Closes

May 18, 2025

 

Additional Information

 

About Vajrapani Institute

Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture was one of the first Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Centers in America.  Vajrapani aims to provide a friendly and conducive environment for people of all nationalities to learn and put into practice the teachings of the Buddha, and connect with other Dharma practitioners.  Located on 70 acres of secluded land within the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz mountains, Vajrapani Institute has been an immersive space for people of all backgrounds to find and deepen their spiritual practices, with the main goal of bridging the gap between the head and heart of practice.

 

About Retreat Fees (includes accommodation, 3 meals a day, and facility costs)

The collected registration fees include all accommodations, 3 nutritious vegetarian meals a day, and general facility/operating costs.  Retreat registrations help support the center to keep everything operating, allowing us to invite so many precious teachers, and to hold this precious space of 70+ acres of secluded redwood forest to allow guests to have the quiet, contemplative space to continue spiritual growth.

 

Teacher’s Offerings

Traditionally, spiritual teachings are considered priceless; offerings to our teachers are not included in the fee information detailed on this page. Instead, we invite you to consider bringing a cash donation with you to express your gratitude for the teachings.

 

The Buddha encouraged the practice of generosity as it develops non-attachment, loving-kindness, and compassion and deepens the awareness of our interconnectedness. Offering Dana to our teachers, a Pali word for “generosity,” is said to benefit both the giver and the receiver, helping the giver to practice generosity and the receiver to practice acceptance. Your offering of Dana can be whatever feels generous to you in your heart and your particular financial situation. If you can’t afford to give a cash offering as Dana, a thank you note is perfectly generous.

 

Participants will get a chance to present a cash offering to the teachers on the last day of the retreat and this is supplemented by a donation from Vajrapani Institute. Please note that we don’t offer a credit card option for Dana.

 

Financial Aid/ Scholarships

We want to make retreats available to everyone. With this in mind, we will gladly work out a payment plan with you if needed. If more assistance is necessary, we offer several scholarships. Please note that the scholarship deadline is one month before the retreat begins.

Our utmost goal is to help as many beings as possible to have the gift of retreat. If you have additional questions after reviewing the guidelines for payment plans and/or scholarships, please email the Office at office@vajrapani.org.

 

 

Teacher

Elaine Jackson
Elaine Jackson is a founding member of Vajrapani Institute and has been a student of Tibetan Buddhism since 1977. She has studied with many of the greatest Buddhist teachers of our time including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Thubten Yeshe, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche and many others too numerous to list. Elaine is known for the warmth and humor with which she teaches. In particular, she loves sharing the wealth of practical insights she has gained from her years of retreat and service within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Elaine served as Executive Director of Vajrapani Institute…
Learn more about Elaine Jackson