Upcoming Retreats

  • Commuting – $261.00
  • RV/Camper Van – $363.00
  • Women's Dorm – $399.00
  • Men's Dorm – $399.00
  • Women's Quad – $552.00
  • Men's Quad – $552.00
  • Private Room- Twin Bed – $705.00
  • Private Room- Double bed – $705.00
  • Private Cabin #1 - "Vajrapani" – $780.00
  • Private Cabin #2 - "Chenrezig" – $780.00
  • Private Cabin #3 - "Vajrayogini" – $780.00
  • Private Cabin #4 - "Chakrasamvara" – $780.00
  • Private Cabin #5 - "Tara" – $780.00
  • Private Cabin #6 - "Yamantaka" – $780.00

Freeing Your Mind from Fears and Obstacles: A Green Tara Retreat

Geshe Tenzin Zopa

March 28 - 31, 2024

About the Retreat

Join us for for this wonderful retreat on Green Tara.  The retreat, marks the return of precious Geshe Zopa to Vajrapani, to share teachings and meditations on the powerful deity of Green Tara.  Meditating on Green Tara is a very powerful way to identify and connect with our own inner potential for wisdom and compassion. As the embodiment of all the Buddha’s actions in the female aspect, she has a special power to remove inner and outer obstacles, dispel our fears and grant us success in whatever we pray for.

 

As Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche explains, remembering Tara, singing praises and reciting mantras at any time of
the day or night—protects you from fear and dangers, and fulfills all your wishes. If you pray to Tara, Tara is particularly quick to grant help. “There are also many temporal benefits from Tara practice. She can solve many problems in your life; liberate you from untimely death; help you recover from disease; bring you success in business; help you to find a job; bring you wealth. When you have a really serious problem, such as a life-threatening disease, if you rely upon Tara, very commonly you will be freed from that problem; you will recover from that disease. If you eat poison, if you rely upon Tara, the poison will not harm you. By doing Tara prayers and mantras, couples with difficulty having a child can have a child—and whichever they want, a son or a daughter. These are very common experiences. Through Tara practice, you can obtain any happiness of this life that you wish.”

 

As an essential compliment to the Tara practice, Geshe-la will also give teachings on the Lam Rim, The Gradual Path to Enlightenment.  The retreat will include plenty of time for practice, teachings, and question.  Geshe la also speaks wonderful English and gives a rare opportunity to learn from such a learned teacher of eastern teachers in modern language and contexts.

Registration Closes

March 23, 2024

 

 

 

 

Additional Information

Highlights

About Varjapani 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.

Teacher’s Offerings

Traditionally, spiritual teachings are considered priceless; remuneration of our teacher(s) is 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. Participants 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 teacher’s fees.

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.

Teacher

Geshe Tenzin Zopa
Geshela possesses vast scriptural knowledge, holds many rare transmissions and initiations lineages, has completed many retreats, extensive teaching experience and is skilled in rituals and astrology. Geshela has also undertaken many meaningful projects for many years. Geshe Tenzin Zopa holds the honoured Geshe (Doctorate) degree from Sera Jey Monastic University, South India. He was born in the remote Himalayan region of Tsum valley in Nepal and was ordained at the age of 9 in Kopan Monastery by the late Great Mahasiddha Geshe Lama Konchog. He received novice ordination from H.E. Geshe Lundrup Sopa Rinpoche and full ordination from H.H. the…
Learn more about Geshe Tenzin Zopa