Upcoming Retreats

  • Commuting – $360.00
  • Camping – $460.00
  • Women's Dorm – $568.00
  • Men's Dorm – $568.00
  • Women's Quad – $760.00
  • Men's Quad – $760.00
  • Private Room- Twin Bed – $980.00
  • Private Room- Double bed – $980.00
  • Private Cabin #1 - "Vajrapani" – $1,100.00
  • Private Cabin #2 - "Chenrezig" – $1,100.00
  • Private Cabin #3 - "Vajrayogini" – $1,100.00
  • Private Cabin #4 - "Chakrasamvara" – $1,100.00
  • Private Cabin #5 - "Tara" – $1,100.00
  • Private Cabin #6 - "Yamantaka" – $1,100.00

Experiential Vajrayogini Retreat

Elaine Jackson

May 21 - 25, 2026

Experience the Living Path of Vajrayogini

Vajrayogini practice reaches its full power when embraced as a living, integrated path—rooted in ethical principles, meditation, and heartfelt engagement. Join Elaine Jackson on a profound journey, where she will share her personal approach and invite a vibrant exchange of insights and experiences. This retreat transcends ritual, offering an opportunity to bring the practice fully into daily life, allowing its subtle yet profound transformative power to awaken clarity, compassion, and insight within.

 

Elaine has said, “How wonderful that we will meet again to explore our relationship with Vajrayogini. I will share my approach to the practice and happily discuss ways to enliven it, soliciting your experiences as well.”

“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 foundation for ripening our understanding of reality.”

“Training the mind to manifest Vajrayogini’s mind, creates an alchemical change from the ordinary to the profound. I look forward to spending this time with you.”

 

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 14, 2026

 

Additional Information

Highlights

 

About Vajrapani Institute

Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture was the first Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Center 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.

 

Financial Aid/ Scholarships

We want to make retreat 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 retreat begins.

Our utmost goal is to helps 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