Kalachakra Winter Dark Retreat: Wensum & Vajra Yogas
In-person only (event in English; practice sessions in Tibetan and English; practice materials available in multiple languages)
February 5 (Friday) – 14 (Sunday)
We are delighted to offer a Practice Retreat combining both Wensum and Vajra Yoga practitioners of various levels, around the auspicious Losar period. This 9-night retreat in the Winter is a rare opportunity to practice similarly to how aspiring yogins practice during the traditional three-year Kālachakra retreat of the Jonangpas, in a uniquely beautiful natural setting in the Austrian mountains. Different from the large teaching events in the Summer, the practice retreat in the Winter has a much smaller number of meditators and an intimate atmosphere inspiring deep contemplation. You are encouraged to take part in the entire period, but you can leave earlier if absolutely needed.
We welcome any level of practitioner from Wensum onwards. Depending on the level of practice of the participants registered, specific spaces or opportunities to focus on their main practice might be separately organized. This retreat is not only a special opportunity to practice intensively as a Sangha, but also to clarify any questions you may have about the practice, so that you can confidently continue practicing on your own and/or properly prepare yourself to move on to the next level of practice.
Rafa Lobsang Dorje will lead the retreat with Vajra Master Shar Khentrul Rinpoche’s blessing. Lobsang Dorje received the Higher Empowerments from Rinpoche in 2017 and has participated in more than twenty Wensum and Vajra Yoga retreats in group and solitary settings. He has been leading long retreats at Kalapa since 2021. Rinpoche will join remotely via Zoom in case there is a request from participants for a personal audience.
SCHEDULE overview
February 5 (Friday): 14:00 – 16:00 arrival and check-in | 17:00 – 18:00 Sang Offering Pūja at the Kālachakra-Stūpa | 18:00 Dinner | 19:30 – 21:00 Introductory Ritual in the Temple
February 6 – 13: Strict Practice Retreat (February 13: break of formal silence after the 3rd session)
February 14: 06:30 – 08:20 Practice Session | 08:30 – 09:00 Breakfast | 09:00 – 10:00 Karma Yoga | 10:00 – 10:30 Kalapa Shop open | 10:30 – 11:30 Check-out
REQUIREMENTS
All participants must have received at least the Four Higher Empowerments of Kālachakra from Shar Khentrul Rinpoche. Everyone who has already taken them is automatically approved for participation. If you have not received them yet and have the aspiration to do so in the future, fulfill the request here.
PHYSICAL & MENTAL HEALTH: Attending a retreat at Dzokden Kalapa is a serious undertaking that will require your mental and physical health. If you are currently suffering from, or have recently suffered from, any significant physical, psychiatric, or psychological illness, it is your responsibility to obtain written permission beforehand from your healthcare providers or your therapist to participate.
Retreat Infos and Guidelines
Retreat Infos and Guidelines
Between February 6 (morning of the 2nd event day) and the 3rd session on February 13 (day before the last event day), the strict retreat part will take place; it will be closed and silent. During this period, participants are not allowed to receive visitors or use computers, tablets, mobile phones, electronic watches, and so forth, even for Dharma purposes. We can store personal phones and other electronic devices. If someone needs to contact you in case of emergency, they can email [email protected] or call/message +43 676 395 8898. Both the e-mailbox and phone will be checked at least once daily (including the spam folder).
The daily schedule consists of four practice sessions and occasionally additional dharma activities. Practice sessions will be conducted in English and Tibetan. If English is a strong language barrier to you, you can bring copies of the texts in your own language as well and read them silently when the group recites in English. Practitioners are welcome to address their questions related to the practice to the retreat leader. They can also request one personal audience with Rinpoche (remotely).
How to prepare myself for this retreat
In addition to the sādhanas “Divine Ladder” and “Enlightening the Heart,” you will need to know the sādhana “Secret Dakini Treasure”. For the latter, you must register here for the oral commentary Rinpoche gave if you have not already done so (chanting recording is inside the course). We encourage you to study beforehand all the sādhanas as much as you can, including the chantings, because there will be regular sessions of chanting in Tibetan. Get access here to the Divine Ladder chantings of our lineage.
Guru Pūjā and Kālachakra-Tsok will be held on special occasions; please bring your own vajra and bell, and your Vajra Robes (if you do not have them, we can borrow Dzokden Sangha Robes for you). We strongly encourage you to additionally register for their two associated courses at the learning center to prepare yourself in advance. If you wish (not mandatory), bring also ḍamaru, conch, or other ritual instruments to use during musical offerings.
Food and Accommodation
Food and On-Site Accommodations
The fee for the retreat includes three meals and shared accommodations at the beautiful Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. The food served is vegetarian and includes a vegan and a gluten-free alternative.
When completing the registration form, inform if you have allergies or strong food intolerances that need to be considered. While we can not serve you individually, we can clearly sign out the content of the served dishes for your orientation. In case you are on a very restricted diet, we suggest booking the DRA, where you can cook in a separate kitchen.
DARK MEDITATION APARTMENT available: the DRA — Dark Retreat Apartment — with two rooms, one separate kitchen, 2 separate toilets, and one separate bath, is available during the retreat period. It can be used by one or two participants. If you would like to book the DRA additionally, see more info about the DRA here.
Volunteer Opportunities
Volunteer Opportunities
We need one volunteer to cook breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner for the participants. Unlike the participants, the volunteer can access electronic devices, the internet, and so forth. This is an extraordinary opportunity to generate merit and create the causes to be able to engage in this practice yourself in the future. If you are part of the Enlightened Activities Program and need to gather participation for attending Completion Stage teachings with Rinpoche, your participation as a volunteer for this event can be counted (around 100 EAP hours in total).
If you are considering this opportunity, please write as soon as possible to [email protected] so that we can arrange a video call to plan your participation. During your stay, we can provide free access to a recorded retreat/course at our digital learning center. Alternatively, if you have already received the Four Higher Empowerments and want to volunteer full-time for this event, you can then participate in all activities of the retreat for free, so far you can plan the breaks from your volunteer work accordingly.
Getting to Kalapa
How to get to Kalapa?
Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center, Garanas 41, Bad Schwanberg, ZIP-Code 8541, Austria, Südweststeiermark. The nearest airport is in Graz, Austria.
By car: From the Graz-West motorway junction (A2/A9), get on the A2 towards Klagenfurt/Italy and take the Lieboch exit. Then, continue on Federal Road 76 towards Eibiswald. After about 30 km, you will reach Bad Schwanberg. At the end of the main square in Bad Schwanberg, turn left towards Garanas. After the bridge, keep to the right towards Garanas and follow the signs to “Kalachakra Kalapa Center” uphill for about 8 km to reach the center.
By train: To travel to Kalapa by train, from Graz, take the S6 (S-Bahn) towards Wies-Eibiswald for about 45 minutes to the Bad Schwanberg station (timetable information) To travel from the Bad Schwanberg train station to the retreat center, we will send additional info via email 1-2 week(s) before the event on whether/when a pick-up will be organized between 14:00 and 15:30. If you miss the pick-up from Kalapa, you need to book yourself a private taxi and cover the expense yourself ([email protected], phone +43 3462 2627).
Redner
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Rafa Lobsang DorjeProgrammdirektor, Retreat Leiter, HerausgeberRafa Lobsang Dorje begann seine Verbindung mit dem Buddhismus im Jahr 2008, nachdem er zuvor andere spirituelle Traditionen in seiner Heimat Brasilien praktiziert hatte. In Europa, Indien, Nepal, der Mongolei und Tibet hatte er die kostbare Gelegenheit, Unterweisungen, Übertragungen und Ermächtigungen von Meistern aller Schulen des tibetischen Buddhismus sowie der Theravāda-Tradition zu erhalten und sowohl an Gruppen- als auch an Einzel-Retreats teilzunehmen.
2015 begegnete er in Österreich seinem Wurzelguru Shar Khentrul Rinpoche, von dem er seither einen weiten und tiefgründigen Schatz an Dharma empfängt, von den Grundlagen bis hin zu den Kālachakra Vajra Yogas. Seit 2016 unterrichtet er Lu Jong (Tibetisches Heil-Yoga). Im Jahr 2018 erhielt er von Rinpoche die Autorisierung und Ermutigung, den Dharma zu lehren.
Im Jahr 2020 reduzierte er seine berufliche Tätigkeit als Komponist erheblich, um sich ganz der altuistischen Vision Rinpoches zu widmen. Derzeit dient er der Dzokden Saṅgha als Herausgeber und Koordinator neuer Übersetzungen sowie in Kalapa als Programmdirektor und Retreat-Leiter.
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Shar Khentrul RinpocheSpiritueller Leiter, Rime-Lehrer, Kālachakra-Vajra-Meister, AutorIn den Bergen Tibets geboren, verbrachte Shar Khentrul Rinpoche die ersten 20 Jahre seines Lebens damit, Jaks zu hüten und Mantras zu rezitieren. Inspiriert durch Bodhisattvas verließ er seine Familie, um in verschiedenen Klöstern unter der Leitung von über fünfundzwanzig Meistern aller tibetischen Traditionen zu studieren. Wegen seines Nicht-sektiererischen Ansatzes erhielt er den Titel Rime (unvoreingenommen) Meister und wurde als Reinkarnation des berühmten Kālachakra Meisters Ngawang Chözin Gyatso identifiziert. Er wird als eine Emanation des Bodhisattvas Akashagarbha angesehen. Während das Herzstück seiner Belehrungen auf der Erkenntnis beruht, dass die Vielfalt aller spirituellen Traditionen dieser Welt von großem Wert ist, fokussiert er sich dennoch auf die Jonang-Śhambhala Tradition. Obwohl von vielen westlichen Gelehrten angenommen wurde das diese Tradition ausgestorben ist, erkannte Rinpoche das die am fortgeschrittensten Belehrungen von Kālachakra (Rad der Zeit) tiefgreifende Methoden beinhalten, um unsere externe Umwelt durch die innere Welt von Körper und Geist zu harmonisieren. Seit 2014 reiste Rinpoche in mehr als dreißig Länder, um Schüler*innen in aller Welt anzuleiten. Durch seine systematische und stufenweise Darlegung des zur Erleuchtung führenden Kālachakra-Pfades, lehrt er sie, ihre innere Wahrheit und ihr grenzenloses Potenzial zu verwirklichen. Er lehrt Menschen wie sie einen flexiblen Geist kultivieren können und Voreingenommenheit beseitigen und dadurch inspiriert er mitgefühlbasierende Gemeinschaften zu erschaffen, die diese Welt in ein Goldenes Zeitalter von globalem Frieden und Harmonie führen.