Green Tara Retreat
Yangsi Rinpoche
February 12 - 16, 2025
“The best way we can become close to Tara, what pleases her the most, is when we fervently try to develop the mind of Bodhichitta. The more we are able to practice bodhichitta and cherish others more than ourselves, the closer we will be to Tara, and the easier it will be for her to offer us help quickly.” ~Lama Zopa Rinpoche
About the Retreat
We are so incredibly fortunate to welcome back our precious teacher Yangsi Rinpoche who has graciously agreed to return to Vajrapani and lead a retreat on Green Tara. As an essential complement to the Tara practice, Rinpoche will also give teachings on developing the heart of Bodhicitta. What a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day Weekend!
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. This beneficial retreat will include plenty of time for practice, teachings, and questions.
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.” ~Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Who is this for?
Beginners and intermediate students are welcome. No initiation is required.
Suggested Reading:
1. How to Free Your Mind: The Practice of Tara the Liberator by Thubten Chodron, Snow Lion Publications.
Registration Closes
February 5, 2025
Additional Information
- 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.
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
Yangsi Rinpoche was recognized as the reincarnation of Geshe Ngawang Gendun, a renowned scholar and practitioner from Western Tibet, at the age of six. Geshe Ngawang Gendun was one of Lama Yeshe’s main teachers at Sera Monastery in Tibet. Rinpoche trained in the traditional monastic system for over 25 years, and practiced as a monk until the age of 35. In 1995 he graduated with the highest degree of Geshe Lharampa from Sera Je Monastery in South India. He then completed his studies at Gyume Tantric College, and, in 1998, having the particular wish to benefit Western students of…
Learn more about Yangsi Rinpoche
