Vajrapani Empowerment & Retreat with Khentrul Rinpoche
For online only register on Dzokden:
https://dzokden.org/events/online-or-in-person-vajrapani-empowerment-and-retreat-with-khentrul-rinpoche-8/
VAJRAPANI: Tame Your Demons
Tap into the power of all the Buddhas to tame your internal and external obstacles to realization. Vajrapani, the embodiment of the power of all the Buddhas of the ten directions and the three times is a fearless Bodhisattva of the tenth level and the guardian of the Buddhist tantras.
Khentrul Rinpoche will bestow a very special empowerment of Vajrapani known as the Demon Destroyer and the practice that Lama Lutrin used in the retreat in which he cured himself of Leprosy. This empowerment and retreat will help practitioners embrace their fierce power within to tame their obstacles on their path.
KHENTRUL RINPOCHE PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH VAJRAPANI
“For me Vajrapani is personally special because my root lama, Lama Lobsang Trinley, was considered as the actual Vajrapani. When he practiced it, he could completely heal his leprosy during a long solitary retreat. At the end of his retreat he achieved the same realization of the great Indian mahasiddhas.
My root Lama’s teachings on Vajrapani were incredibly special. As many high Lamas came to our monastery in order to receive the Vajrapani empowerment from him, I could receive it many times. All these Lamas who came had no doubt about his realization. They said that he himself was the actual Vaprapani, as they were witnessing my Lama taming incredibly powerful demons who wish to bring harm to our regions.”
This practice has a very special connection to our institute as the Shambhala King Suchandra, who requested the Buddha the Kalachakra Tantra Teachings and established these teachings in Shambhala, was an emanation of Vajrapani.
INCLUDED IN THE RETREAT
Vajrapani Empowerment (Jenang), Oral transmission of the practice, a preliminary teaching, practice sessions and a Q&A session. The practice sessions will be guided by his senior students.
WHO IS THIS FOR or HOW TO PREPARE MYSELF?
There are no prerequisites at all. It is suitable for all levels of practitioners. Previous Buddhist study and practice are helpful but not mandatory. If you are new to the buddhist path, you may also like to study Khentrul Rinpoche’s “What’s Real?” course from our learning center and to read Rinpoche’s books “Unveiling Your Sacred Truth” — Books 1 and 2. For knowing more about Rinpoche’s root Lama’s biography and his connection with Vajrapani, you can find more information in the book “The Realm of Shambhala” where Rinpoche wrote about the whole Kalachakra lineage he holds.
In-Person Schedule
The infos in italics are relevant ONLY for those attending in-person.
FRIDAY 1st July
14:00 to 16:30 – Check-in at Kalachakra Kalapa Retreat Center. Relax and enjoy the Austrian mountains.
17:00 – Meeting at the Yoga Room: Guidelines and Retreat Center Tour
18:00 – Dinner
19:30 – 21:00 – Public Teaching with RINPOCHE: Vajrapani and the Kalachakra Lineage
SATURDAY 2nd July
06.30 – Wake Up Gong
07:00 – 08:30 – Vajrasattva Purification as Preliminary Practice for the Empowerment (sadhana “Divine Ladder” published in the Vajra Book”)
08.30 – Breakfast
09:30 – 10:30 – Karma Yoga
11.00 – 12:30 – Vajrapani EMPOWERMENT & Vajrapani Sadhana ORAL TRANSMISSION (only live)
13:00 – Lunch and Break
15.00 – 16.30 – Vajrapani Practice Session 1
17.00 – 18.00 – Free time for dharma discussions or self-study / self-practice
18.00 – Dinner
19.30 – 21.00 – Vajrapani Practice Session 2
SUNDAY 3rd July
06.30 – Wake Up Gong
07:00 – 08:30 – Vajrapani Practice Session 1 in the Kalachakra Temple
(alternative program for in-person attendance: Yoga Class in the Yoga Room)
08.30 – Breakfast
09:30 – 10:30 – Karma Yoga
11.00 – 12:30 – Vajrapani Practice Session 2
13:00 – Lunch and Break
15.00 – 16.30 – Vajrapani Q&A with RINPOCHE
17.00 – 18.00 – Free time for dharma discussions or self-study / self-practice
18.00 – Dinner
19.30 – 21.00 – Vajrapani Practice Session 3
MONDAY 4th and TUESDAY 5th July (no live translations are guaranteed for these days)
06.30 – Wake Up Gong
07:00 – 08:30 – Vajrapani Practice Session 1 in the Kalachakra Temple
(alternative program for in-person attendance: Yoga Class in the Yoga Room)
08.30 – Breakfast
09:30 – 10:30 – Karma Yoga
11.00 – 12:30 – Vajrapani Practice Session 2
13:00 – Lunch and Break
15.00 – 16:30 – Vajrapani Practice Session 3
17.00 – 18.00 – Free time for dharma discussions or self-study / self-practice
18.00 – Dinner
19.30 – 21.00 – Vajrapani Practice Session 4
WEDNESDAY 6th July
06.30 – Wake Up Gong
07:00 – 08:30 – Vajrapani Practice Session 1 in the Kalachakra Temple
(alternative program for in-person attendance: Yoga Class in the Yoga Room)
08.30 – Breakfast
09:30 – 10:30 – Karma Yoga
11.00 – 12:30 – Check Out & Departure
Translations Offered for the Teaching
If you are an in-person participant and need live translation, you must provide your own internet connection and bring earphones to listen to the teachings through your mobile or tablet in the gompa. Notebooks of participants are not allowed in the temple. Unfortunately we can not share our WLAN or WIFI for participants because the translators need it as well.
If you are a translator who is joining the retreat also in-person, please let us know in advance so that we can reserve a space for you to translate during the teachings. Space is limited to circa 4 translators in total. You will not be able to be in the temple while translating.
FAQ
All the teachings and the practice retreat will be recorded and can be accessed afterwards in our online learning center. We encourage you to take part in as many live sessions as possible, but, if your time zone is not compatible, you can listen to them later. As usual, empowerment and oral transmission must be attended live and are not recorded.
VAJRAPANI FOR KALACHAKRA STUDENTS
Rinpoche says that we do not necessarily need to practice Vajrapani separately, we just need to build a connection. Then, recollecting him, you can integrate it within your own practice, for example within the Kalachakra Path. You can either practice Vajrapani as your main practice and see it as non-contradictory with the Kalachakra Path, or you can focus on the Kalachakra system without seeing the separation from Vajrapani, as he is even included in the Kalachakra Mandala.
Food and Accomodation Options
For those attending in-person, we will also offer optional supplementary practice guided by Rinpoches’ students who are qualified yoga teachers.
Food
The food is provided 3x a day and is vegetarian. If you have any medical food allergies that we should be aware of please email [email protected] to let us know.
On-Site Accomodations
The Residential Retreat fee includes three vegetarian meals and accommodation at the wonderful Kalachakra Kalapa Center on the Austrian mountains. Please inform us in advance about allergies and food intolerances and other important health and mental conditions. We are able to offer different male and female dormitory spaces from 3 to 8 participants in each room. It is also possible to camp in the region around the stupa inside the Retreat Center. As we wish to host as many students as possible and offer everyone the opportunity to meet Rinpoche in-person, for this retreat it is not possible to reserve an individual room inside the retreat center.
For those who wish to enjoy the wooded nature, to camp on site, please bring your own tent. You can reserve a camping spot in the check out. All accomodations include 3 meals a day.
Please note: Parking in the area of Kalapa is very limited. If you are staying with us for the whole retreat, we encourage you to drop off then find a space to park at a distance to help day travellers reach the site.
Off-Site Accomodations
If you need an individual room for you, there are many options of sleeping places in the near of the retreat center, in the Garanas region, as well as in the town Bad Schwanberg which offer different levels of accomodation which you can search for and book it yourself. We can help you find a place in case you do not speak German (write to [email protected]
Covid Requirements
Getting to Kalapa
Garanas 41
8541 Bad Schwanberg
Nearest airport is in Graz, Austria.
How to get to us:
By train:
Starting point is Graz main train station (IC and EC station). From there, take the S6 or S61 S-Bahn in the direction of Wies-Eibiswald, about an hour to the Schwanberg station. timetable information
From the Bad Schwanberg train station to the retreat center, it is possible to take a shared taxi (for more information: Regio Mobil ) directly to the Kalachakra Kalapa Center with (stop Buddhist Center). The taxi must be ordered in advance. For journeys weekends and public holidays, order by 5 p.m. the day before!
To order: +43 (0)50 16 17 18
Tariff: €6.00
By car:
From the Graz-West motorway junction (A2/A9) on the A2 in the direction of Klagenfurt/Italy to the Lieboch exit. Continue on federal road 76 in the direction of Eibiswald. After approx. 30 km you will reach Schwanberg. At the end of the main square in Schwanberg, turn left in the direction of Garanas, after the bridge, turn right in the direction of Garanas and follow the signs “Kalachakra Kalapa Center”, uphill for approx. 8 km, to the center.
Offerings to Rinpoche
Beyond the empowerments, Khentrul Rinpoche has kindly agreed to give teaching sessions and to support the retreat leaders which will guide the practice sessions. If you wish to show your generosity to Rinpoche’s precious teachings and to his immense efforts, you can do it in-person at the end of the retreat or, if you are attending online, offer Dana for Rinpoche on the Dzokden website here.