Transforming Problems Into Happiness
Venerable Tenzin Tsepal
April 3 - 6, 2025
About the Retreat
“Transforming miserable conditions into necessary conditions that help us move along the path to enlightenment has great benefit, especially in the exceptionally difficult times in which we live. … If you cannot make use of every condition that arises, both undesirable and desirable, you are in danger of losing the Dharma, and you will never achieve the unsurpassed and lasting happiness of enlightenment.” –Lama Zopa Rinpoche
An unavoidable hallmark of cyclic existence is encountering various problems throughout our lives—challenging people, unwanted circumstances, aging, illness, and ubiquitous dissatisfaction. However, problems can be used as valuable opportunities for learning. “Whether a life situation is wonderful or not depends on the way your mind perceives and interprets it.”
Ven. Tenzin Tsepal shares reflections based on a favorite Dharma book, Transforming Problems Into Happiness by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. This small book contains volumes of practical advice for training the mind to see problems as beneficial conditions supportive of, and even necessary for, our happiness. While mind-training texts like this are not intended to eliminate the difficulties we inevitably encounter, they teach us how not to be disturbed by them, and instead how to accept and transform such harms to make swift progress along the path to full awakening.
Ven. Tenzin Tsepal shares, “Since his Parinirvana in April 2023, I feel closest to Lama Zopa Rinpoche when I’m immersed in one of his books. As the best way to repay a teacher’s kindness is to practice what they taught, I’m delighted the course on Transforming Problems Into Happiness is scheduled just before the 2nd anniversary of Rinpoche’s departure.”
Suggested Reading:
Transforming Problems into Happiness by Lama Zopa Rinpoche
Copies will be available for purchase in the Vajrapani bookstore or you can purchase them online at:
https://wisdomexperience.org/product/transforming-problems-happiness/
Registration Closes
March 29, 2025
Additional Information
- Check-in is between 3:00 and 5:00 PM on the first day of the retreat
- Departing approximately 2:00 PM on the last day of the retreat after the group lunch
- Accommodation information will be shown during the registration process
- FAQ page – helpful information for preparing for a group retreat and living on the land
If you are interested in serving as Course Liaison for this retreat, please apply here.
About Vajrapani Institute
Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture was one of America’s first Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Centers. Vajrapani aims to provide a friendly and conducive environment for students 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 facility operating expenses. 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 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
Tenzin Tsepal studied with Venerable Chodron in Seattle from 1995 to 1999. Following a three-month Vajrasattva retreat in 1998, interest to ordain arose. She lived in India for two years while exploring monastic life. In 2001, Venerable Tsepal received her novice ordination from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Tsepal attended the 5 year Buddhist Studies Program at Chenrezig Institute, an FPMT center north of Brisbane, Queensland where she subsequently lived and engaged in intensive residential study until 2015. As the Western Teacher at CI, she taught Discovering Buddhism and tutored weekend teachings and retreats, but always had an eye…
Learn more about Venerable Tenzin Tsepal
