Hope in the Dharma?
Guy Newland
October 10 - 12, 2025
Join us for a transformative weekend retreat with Guy Newland, a renowned scholar and professor of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. Guy’s engaging and accessible approach, grounded in his acclaimed work Introduction to Emptiness, will help you unravel complex Buddhist concepts and apply them to your daily life. Whether you’re new to Buddhism or looking to deepen your practice, this retreat offers a rare opportunity to explore profound insights in a welcoming and supportive environment. Don’t miss this chance to deepen your understanding and cultivate inner peace!
About the Retreat
Who is this for?
Students of all levels are welcome and will benefit from this retreat.
Registration Closes
October 3rd for In-person attendance and October 10 at 6 pm for Online Attendance
Tentative Schedule — All sessions bolded will be online via Zoom (and in person)
Fri, Oct 10
3:00 PM- 5:00 PM Check-in
5:30 PM – 6:00 PM Dinner
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM Intro to the Course
Sat, Oct 11
7:15 AM – 8:00 AM Session 1
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM -12:30 PM Session 2 (with break)
12:30 PM- 1:00 PM Lunch
3:30 PM – 6:00 PM Session 3 with (with break)
6:00 PM – 6:30 PM Dinner
7:00 PM – 7:45 Session 4
Sun, Oct 12
7:15 AM – 8:00 AM Session 1
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM Breakfast
9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Session 2
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM Vajrapani Thank You and Close
12:30 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM Departure
Additional Information for in-person guests
- Please plan on arriving between 3:00 and 5:00 PM on the first day of the retreat
- Please plan on departing at approximately 2:00 PM on the last day of the retreat
- You can see information about our accommodations in the registration process
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.
Important Note
Vajrapani Institute may publish recorded sessions in the public domain (e.g., on YouTube). By registering for this event, you are agreeing to give your consent to this process. To protect your privacy, we recommend being conscious about any personal information you share during the sessions. To further enhance anonymity, you may want to consider turning off video or naming yourself using abbreviations.
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, 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 the practice.
Teacher’s Fees
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.
- For detailed information on setting up a payment plan, please see Financial Aid: Payment Plans
- To see if you’re eligible for a scholarship, and how to apply for scholarships, please see Financial Aid: Scholarships
Teacher
Guy Newland, Ph.D., is a scholar of Tibetan Madhyamaka whose teachers include Jeffrey Hopkins and Loling Geshe Palden Drakpa. He is a translator and editor of Tsongkhapa’s Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment and of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings on that text, From Here to Enlightenment. Guy is the author of Introduction to Emptiness, Appearance and Reality, The Two Truths, and A Buddhist Grief Observed.
Learn more about Guy Newland