2nd Vajra Yoga of Kalachakra: Practice Retreat

2nd Vajra Yoga of Kalachakra: Practice Retreat

in-person only
This page is for registration for the 2nd VAJRA YOGA Practice Retreat Week(s).

WEEK 2: August 12th – 19th (7 nights)
WEEK 3: August 19th – August 26th (7 nights)
WEEK 4: August 26th – September 2nd (7 nights)

(How to register for one or multiple weeks? When registering below, simply select the start date of your participation, and the numbers 1, 2, or 3 of “tickets” corresponding to the number of weeks that you would like to attend.)

When you register below, simply select the start date of your participation and add it to your chart. To add more dates: repeat the process and add another date to the chart for a subsequent week).

To register for the 2nd VAJRA YOGA EMPOWERMENT, TEACHING, and RETREAT WEEK 1, you also need to additionally register here as well.

We are grateful to be able to offer a Practice Retreat on the 2nd Vajra Yoga of Kālachakra at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. This retreat is a rare opportunity to practice similarly to how aspiring yogis practice during the traditional three-year Kālachakra retreat, in a uniquely beautiful natural Summer setting. This group retreat will support the participants in establishing their 2nd Vajra Yoga practice. By having a solid foundation for their own individual practice after the retreat, practitioners will be better able to complete the 2nd Vajra Yoga and prepare for the next Vajra Yoga. You are welcome to take part in any of the weeks of your choosing.

This is the first time we have the precious chance to offer such a long retreat on the 2nd Vajra Yoga in Europe, so do not miss this precious opportunity!

Online Meditation Guidance from Shar Khentrul Rinpoché + In-person Retreat
Each participant can request a personal audience with Rinpoché (remotely via Zoom) to discuss their meditation progress and help alleviate any obstacles to their practice. Rinpoché may also join remotely to give a group teaching (upon participants’ request) if he feels that it is necessary. Rafa Lobsang Dorje will lead the practice retreat in person with Rinpoché’s blessing. 

REQUIREMENTS
All participants must have received the 2nd Vajra Yoga of Kālachakra by Shar Khentrul Rinpoché. If you have not received them yet and have the aspiration to do so, we welcome you to check the requirements and present yourself as a candidate by clicking here.

How to Prepare and Materials

Please make sure to register for, study, and practice as much as you can the GURU PŪJĀ and the KĀLACHAKRA-TSOK to prepare yourself so that you know these rituals and their meanings very well beforehand. If you wish (not mandatory), bring your own vajra, bell, ḍamaru, or other ritual instruments.

You can borrow printed texts of Guru Pūjā and Tsok from the temple to use during the event. Please bring your printed practice book “The Profound Path of Vajra Yoga,” your blindfold, and your meditation belt. You can bring also Rinpoché’s commentary “The Hidden Treasure,” “Unveiling Your Sacred Truth 3,” and the 1st Vajra Yoga Booklet as a reference for your practice. Everything must be on paper because electronic devices are not allowed. Reading materials not directly related to this practice are not allowed.

Retreat Information and Guidelines

The retreat will be closed and in silence. Participants are not allowed to receive visitors or use mobile phones, tablet devices, pads, smart watches, laptops, computers, and so forth. We can store these in our office if you wish. If someone needs to contact you in case of an emergency, they can email [email protected] or call +43 676 395 8898 and we will inform you. Rinpoché advises participants to follow the retreat guidelines respectfully, not only for the success of their own practice but also to avoid disturbing others. 

The daily schedule consists of four practice sessions and additional activities such as occasional pūjas, watching Rinpoché’s recorded teachings, personal audiences, and so forth. Participants are welcome to address their questions related to the practice in written form to the retreat leader. They can request personal audiences with Rinpoché (remotely via Zoom) as well. Participation in two daily group sessions is mandatory unless health conditions completely prevent you from taking part. The remaining two sessions can be practiced in your own room if you prefer. Practice sessions will be conducted in English and Tibetan. If you absolutely prefer, you can bring copies of the texts in your own language as well and read them silently while the group recites in English. 

Check-out after breakfast on the last day of the week of your choice (If you absolutely need to leave earlier, that is possible. Just inform us in advance of your plans.)

Registration

The fee for the retreat includes three vegetarian meals and shared accommodations at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. Please inform us ([email protected]) in advance if you have allergies, food intolerances, or other important health or mental conditions that we need to consider. We cannot offer space for individual rooms for participants of this event. However, you can alternatively bring your own tent and sleep outside near the Kālachakra Stūpa (see registration options below). 

Off-Site Accommodations: If you absolutely need an individual room, many options for accommodations are available near the retreat center’s area, in the Garanas region, and in the town of Bad Schwanberg. In this case, please search for and book the necessary reservations yourself. 

DANA for KHENTRUL RINPOCHÉ: Khentrul Rinpoché has kindly agreed to give audiences remotely and to support the retreat leader and organizers. If you wish to additionally show your generosity to Rinpoché’s precious teachings and his immense efforts for the Kālachakra Dharma, you can offer Dana for Rinpoché on the Dzokden website here

FAQ:  Please note it takes incredible merit to have the conditions for this project to happen: 1) We have made a large effort to keep the cost reasonable. We encourage practitioners to save up and create the conditions to participate. In the past, people have given everything they had to the Vajra Master for this opportunity. 2) If you cannot commit to attending for the entire period, please let us know in advance the exact date and time of your earlier check-out. Leaving earlier is not recommended by Rinpoché but we can make an exception if you have no other option or really cannot stay the entire period (please let us know the reasons by email). Please note that we cannot offer you a special registration cost. The cost is for the entire event, regardless of whether you can stay for the entire period or not.

Volunteer Opportunities

We need one volunteer to cook breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner for the participants, and a second volunteer as a cook helper. The volunteers will be able to enjoy all the areas in the retreat center except for the Kālachakra Temple where the participants will practice. Unlike the participants, the external volunteers 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. Rinpoché strongly encourages us to support our dharma brothers and sisters by volunteering.

During your stay, we can provide free access to an online course or recorded retreat at our digital learning center if you would like to support your practice and study while you are volunteering.

Alternatively, if you are going to receive the 2nd Vajra Yoga teachings the week before as a participant and want to volunteer for this practice retreat week after full-time for the whole period, you can also participate in the sessions of the event in the temple for free whenever you have a break from your volunteer work.

If you are considering this opportunity, please write as soon as possible to [email protected]. You can also volunteer for only a portion of the event; you can offer as much as possible according to your capability. That being said, we prefer the participation of someone who can commit to the whole period.

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. To travel to Kalapa by train, start at the main train station in Graz. From there, take the S6 or S61 S-Bahn towards Wies-Eibiswald for about an hour to the Bad Schwanberg station. (Timetable information)

To travel from the Bad Schwanberg train station to the retreat center, a relatively inexpensive taxi service supported by the government is available that will take you directly to the Retreat Center, which is referred to as “Buddhistisches Zentrum” by this taxi service. For more information, please visit their website: Regio Mobil. The taxi must be ordered at least some hours in advance, but visitors are recommended to do so much earlier or on the days before you intend to arrive. On weekdays, this taxi service operates between the hours of 6.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m. On weekends it does not operate during the evening. As the journey is quite long (about 20 minutes), the service should be scheduled for at least half an hour before the closing hours provided above. For trips on Sundays or public holidays please schedule the taxi service by 5 p.m. on the day before you intend to arrive.

To order: +43 (0)50 16 17 18 Cost: €6.00 total regardless of how many people are taking the taxi. Our Station Number for the Regio Taxi: 41080 / Buddhistisches Zentrum.

Alternative: if you are arriving or departing outside the Regio Mobil taxi working hours, you can book another taxi service e.g. the Wein Mobil taxi for €37,50, working hours from 10:00 to 23:30. In this case, the station number is D927. The reservation is made by calling the same number as above.

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, turn right towards Garanas and follow the signs to “Kalachakra Kalapa Center” uphill for about 8 km to reach the center.

2nd Vajra Yoga of Kalachakra: Empowerment, Teachings & Retreat with Khentrul Rinpoché

2nd Vajra Yoga of Kalachakra: Empowerment, Teachings & Retreat with Khentrul Rinpoché

in-person only
August 2nd – 12th (10 nights)

This page is registration for the 2nd Vajra Yoga of Kālachakra: Empowerment, Teachings & Retreat (week 1 only). If you would like to participate in the following retreat weeks 2, 3, and 4, you need to register here as well.

After repeated requests from individuals and groups over the last years, Rinpoché has finally accepted the request to teach all 6 Vajra Yogas of Kālachakra for the first time in Europe. This is a milestone in the history of Kālachakra practice in the West. Rinpoché will come once a year to teach each Vajra Yoga over the next years. This is a precious and incredibly rare opportunity and we are delighted and grateful to be able to offer it at Kalapa.

If you have already received the 1st Vajra Yoga of Kālachakra with Rinpoché, we welcome you to check the requirements and to present yourself as a candidate by clicking here. To bring more clarity to the preparation process, we have prepared an additional explanation inside the application form. Only upon approval will you be able to proceed with registration. Please do not register before receiving the confirmation of approval.

About the Event and Schedule

The Vajra Yoga of StabilisationSkt. Dhyāna, Tib. samten

The essence of the 2nd Vajra Yoga is to extend our realization of empty-forms so that all perceptions arise as awareness:

Through this Second Vajra Yoga, the perception of the empty-forms attained in the previous practice is unified indivisibly with the awareness of an inner perceiver, and therefore one’s speech, inner wind, and awareness become unwavering. While the First Vajra Yoga allows one to perceive the empty-forms of the ten signs as the objects of the mind, the Second Vajra Yoga enables the practitioner to “mix” these signs with the mind and experience the joy and bliss of analysis (special insight). Prior to this stage, you practice with the eye sense consciousness and visual forms. Here, you practice with each of the sense consciousnesses and their objects individually — including sound, smell, taste, and touch. At this stage, special conditions such as a dark room are not always necessary. 

The event for the 2nd Vajra Yoga encompasses 1) two days of preparations with Preliminary Practices, Guru Pūja, Kālachakra-Tsok, and a walk in the nature with Rinpoché, 2) The Four Higher Empowerments of Kālachakra (Rinpoché will bestow them again for the sake of your spiritual progress), 3) Transmission and Teachings for the 2nd Vajra Yoga, 4) If needed, a personal audiences with Rinpoché (upon request), 5) one week of Retreat with practice sessions guided by senior students, as well as 6) food and accommodations at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. 

Special session in 2025: on the opening day of the event, Rinpoché will bestow the third part of a commentary on Dolpopa’s inspiring text “Aspiration Prayer for the Two Stages of the Vajra Path.” To provide people around the globe with the opportunity to connect with these teachings and the Kālachakra Temple at Kalapa, we will stream this session online. The remaining sessions of the event will be in person only.

SCHEDULE (10 nights)

2nd of August afternoon — Arrivals, Welcome Meeting and Introductions, Teaching | Check-in 2 PM – 4 PM — PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ARRIVE WITHIN THIS PERIOD

3rd of August — Kālachakra Preliminary Practices, Guru Pūjā Ritual and Kālachakra-Tsok, Walk in the nature around Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center with Rinpoché

4th of August — Guru Rinpoche Day – Four Higher Empowerments for the 2nd Vajra Yoga participants 

4th – 12th of August Transmission and Teaching for the 2nd Vajra Yoga, 2nd Vajra Yoga Retreat; personal audiences with Rinpoché

12th Augustcheck-out after breakfast (if you register for the Practice Retreat Week after, your retreat continues without interruption)

How to Prepare and Materials

We recommend that you also attend the 1st Vajra Yoga retreat of this year so that you can be better prepared.

Please make sure to register for, study, and practice as much as you can the GURU PŪJĀ and the KĀLACHAKRA-TSOK to prepare yourself so that you know these rituals and their meanings very well beforehand. Both courses have texts and teachings translated into many languages. Inside you find the chantings and practical explanations as well. If you wish (not mandatory), bring your own vajra, bell, ḍamaru, or other ritual instruments.

Materials: You can borrow printed texts of Guru Pūjā and Tsok from the temple to use during the event. Please bring your printed practice book “The Profound Path of Vajra Yoga,” the “Four Higher Empowerments” Booklet; your blindfold, and your meditation belt. You can bring also Rinpoché’s commentary “The Hidden Treasure,” “Unveiling Your Sacred Truth 3,” and the 1st Vajra Yoga Booklet as a reference for your practice. Everything must be on paper because electronic devices are not allowed after the strict retreat begins. Reading materials not directly related to this practice are not allowed during the retreat period.

Retreat Information and Guidelines

After the Empowerments on August 4th, the strict retreat will begin. It will be closed and in silence. During this period, participants are not allowed to receive visitors or use mobile phones, tablet devices, pads, smart watches, laptops, computers, and so forth. We can store these in our office if you wish. If someone needs to contact you in case of an emergency, they can email [email protected] or call +43 676 395 8898 and we will inform you. Rinpoché advises participants to follow the retreat guidelines respectfully, not only for the success of their own practice but also to avoid disturbing others. 

The daily schedule consists of four practice sessions of 2nd Vajra Yoga practice and additional activities such as occasional teachings or personal audiences, and pūjas. Participation in two daily group sessions is mandatory unless health conditions completely prevent you from taking part. The remaining two sessions can be practiced in your own room if you prefer. Practice sessions will be conducted in English and Tibetan. If you absolutely prefer, you can bring copies of the texts in your own language as well and read them silently while the group recites in English. 

Registration

The fee for the retreat includes three vegetarian meals and shared accommodations at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. Please inform us ([email protected]) in advance if you have allergies, food intolerances, or other important health or mental conditions that we need to consider. We cannot offer space for individual rooms for participants of this event. However, you can alternatively bring your own tent and sleep outside near the Kālachakra Stūpa (see registration options below). 

Off-Site Accommodations If you absolutely need an individual room, many options for accommodations are available near the retreat center’s area, in the Garanas region, and in the town of Bad Schwanberg. In this case, please search for and book the necessary reservations yourself. 

FAQ:  Please note it takes incredible merit to have the conditions for this project to happen: 1) We have made a large effort to keep the cost reasonable. We encourage practitioners to save up and create the conditions to participate. In the past, people have given everything they had to the Vajra Master for this opportunity. 2) If you cannot commit to attending for the entire period, please let us know in advance the exact date and time of your earlier check-out. Leaving earlier is not recommended by Rinpoché but we can make an exception if you have no other option or really cannot stay the entire period (please let us know the reasons by email). Please note that we cannot offer you a special registration cost. The cost is for the entire event, regardless of whether you can stay for the entire period or not.

Volunteer Opportunities

We need one volunteer to cook breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner for the participants, and a second volunteer as a cook helper. The volunteers will be able to enjoy all the areas in the retreat center except for the Kālachakra Temple where the participants will practice. Unlike the participants, the external volunteers 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. Rinpoché strongly encourages us to support our dharma brothers and sisters by volunteering. During your stay, we can provide free access to an online course or recorded retreat at our digital learning center if you would like to support your practice and study while you are volunteering.

If you are considering this opportunity, please write as soon as possible to [email protected]. You can also volunteer for only a portion of the event; you can offer as much as possible according to your capability. That being said, we prefer the participation of someone who can commit to the whole period.

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. To travel to Kalapa by train, start at the main train station in Graz. From there, take the S6 or S61 S-Bahn towards Wies-Eibiswald for about an hour to the Bad Schwanberg station. (Timetable information)

To travel from the Bad Schwanberg train station to the retreat center, a relatively inexpensive taxi service supported by the government is available that will take you directly to the Retreat Center, which is referred to as “Buddhistisches Zentrum” by this taxi service. For more information, please visit their website: Regio Mobil. The taxi must be ordered at least some hours in advance, but visitors are recommended to do so much earlier or on the days before you intend to arrive. On weekdays, this taxi service operates between the hours of 6.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m. On weekends it does not operate during the evening. As the journey is quite long (about 20 minutes), the service should be scheduled for at least half an hour before the closing hours provided above. For trips on Sundays or public holidays please schedule the taxi service by 5 p.m. on the day before you intend to arrive.

To order: +43 (0)50 16 17 18 Cost: €6.00 total regardless of how many people are taking the taxi. Our Station Number for the Regio Taxi: 41080 / Buddhistisches Zentrum.

Alternative: if you are arriving or departing outside the Regio Mobil taxi working hours, you can book another taxi service e.g. the Wein Mobil taxi for €37,50, working hours from 10:00 to 23:30. In this case, the station number is D927. The reservation is made by calling the same number as above.

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, turn right towards Garanas and follow the signs to “Kalachakra Kalapa Center” uphill for about 8 km to reach the center.

1st Vajra Yoga of Kalachakra: Empowerment, Teachings & Retreat with Khentrul Rinpoché

1st Vajra Yoga of Kalachakra: Empowerment, Teachings & Retreat with Khentrul Rinpoché

in-person only
July 18th – 28th (10 nights)

After repeated requests from individuals and groups over the last years, Rinpoché has finally accepted the request to teach all 6 Vajra Yogas of Kālachakra for the first time in Europe. This is a milestone in the history of Kālachakra practice in the West. Rinpoché will come once a year to teach each Vajra Yoga over the next years. Moreover, Rinpoché has made an effort to clarify the conditions for participation in a way that gets back to the essence and allows practitioners with family and work commitments to fulfill the requirements. This is a precious and incredibly rare opportunity and we are delighted and grateful to be able to offer it at Kalapa.

If you have already received the 4 Higher Empowerments of Kālachakra with Rinpoché, we welcome you to present yourself as a candidate by sending your application here. To ensure the success of students on their paths, Rinpoché will only bestow it to pre-approved students who genuinely wish to deepen their practice. To bring more clarity to the preparation process, we have prepared an additional explanation inside the application form. Only upon approval will you be able to proceed with registration. Please do not register before receiving the confirmation of approval. If you already received these teachings before in 2019 or 2024, you do not need to send any application and can register any time to save your spot.

About the Event and Schedule

Upon completion of the two outer, the five inner, and the two unique preliminary practices of the Kālachakra Path, we are ready to enter the indestructible and profound path of the Six Vajra Yogas of Kālachakra. These advanced yogic techniques are like a wish-fulfilling jewel with the capacity to grant us everything our hearts desire in the blink of an eye. For a diligent practitioner whose mind is sufficiently pure, enlightenment can be achieved within only a few short human years. Even mastery of a single Vajra Yoga is enough to ensure one is never again reborn into the suffering cycle of death and rebirth. (Khentrul Rinpoche, “Unveiling Your Sacred Truth 3”)

The event encompasses 1) two days of preparations with Preliminary Practices, Guru Pūja, Kālachakra-Tsok, and a walk in the nature with Rinpoché, 2) The Four Higher Empowerments of Kālachakra (Rinpoché will bestow them again for the sake of your spiritual progress), 3) Transmission and Teachings for the 1st Vajra Yoga, 4) a printed booklet about the 1st Vajra Yoga in English (Romanian, German, and more languages are also available), 5) If needed, a personal audiences with Rinpoché (upon request), 6) one week of Retreat with practice sessions guided by senior students, as well as 7) food and accommodations at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. 

Special session in 2025: on the opening day of the event, Rinpoché will bestow the second part of a commentary on Dolpopa’s inspiring text “Aspiration Prayer for the Two Stages of the Vajra Path.” To provide people around the globe with the opportunity to connect with these teachings and the Kālachakra Temple at Kalapa, we will stream this session online. The remaining sessions of the event will be in-person only.

SCHEDULE (10 nights)

18th of July afternoon — Arrivals, Welcome Meeting and Introductions, Teaching | Check-in 2 PM – 4 PM — PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ARRIVE WITHIN THIS PERIOD

19th of July — Kālachakra Preliminary Practices, Guru Pūjā Ritual and Kālachakra-Tsok, Walk in the nature around Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center with Rinpoche

20th of July — Ḍākinī DayFour Higher Empowerments for the 1st Yoga participants 

20th – 27th of July  Transmission and Teaching for the 1st Vajra Yoga, 1st Vajra Yoga Retreat; personal audiences with Rinpoché

28th August — concluding Tsok and check-out after lunch 

How to Prepare and Materials

How to prepare for this retreat: We strongly encourage you to prepare yourself as much as you can with all the 9 Kālachakra Preliminary Practices. In addition to the longer sādhanas “Divine Ladder” and “Enlightening the Heart”, you will need to know the sādhana “Secret Ḍākinī Treasure”. For the latter, you must register here for the recorded commentary if you have not already received it previously (there you find also the recorded chanting). We encourage you to study all the sādhanas and pūjās as much as you can, including the transliterations and chantings.

We recommend that you also attend the Wensum retreats of this year so that you can be better prepared for the 1st Vajra Yoga Retreat: Wensum Practice Retreat in the Winter and Higher Empowerments & Wensum Retreat in the Summer.

Please make sure to register for, study, and practice as much as you can the GURU PŪJĀ and the KĀLACHAKRA-TSOK to prepare yourself so that you know these rituals and their meanings very well beforehand. Both courses have texts and teachings translated into many languages. Inside you find the chantings and practical explanations as well. If you wish (not mandatory), bring your own vajra, bell, ḍamaru, or other ritual instruments.

Materials: You can borrow printed texts of Guru Pūjā and Tsok from the temple to use during the event. Please bring your printed practice book “The Profound Path of Vajra Yoga,” the “Four Higher Empowerments” Booklet; your blindfold, and your meditation belt. You can bring also Rinpoché’s commentary “The Hidden Treasure” and “Unveiling Your Sacred Truth 3” as a reference for your practice. Everything must be on paper because electronic devices are not allowed after the strict retreat begins. Reading materials not directly related to this practice are not allowed during the retreat period. If you have already participated before, bring also your own “1st Yoga Booklet.”

Retreat Information and Guidelines

After the Empowerments on July 19th, the strict retreat will begin. It will be closed and in silence. During this period, participants are not allowed to receive visitors or use use mobile phones, tablet devices, pads, smart watches, laptops, computers, and so forth. We can store these in our office if you wish. If someone needs to contact you in case of an emergency, they can email [email protected] or call +43 676 395 8898 and we will inform you. Rinpoché advises participants to follow the retreat guidelines respectfully, not only for the success of their own practice but also to avoid disturbing others. 

The daily schedule consists of four practice sessions of 1st Vajra Yoga practice and additional activities such as occasional teachings or personal audiences. Participation in two daily group sessions is mandatory unless health conditions completely prevent you from taking part. The remaining two sessions can be practiced in your own room if you prefer. Practice sessions will be conducted in English and Tibetan. If you absolutely prefer, you can bring copies of the texts in your own language as well and read them silently while the group recites in English. 

Registration

The fee for the retreat includes three vegetarian meals and shared accommodations at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. Please inform us ([email protected]) in advance if you have allergies, food intolerances, or other important health or mental conditions that we need to consider. We cannot offer space for individual rooms for participants of this event. However, you can alternatively bring your own tent and sleep outside near the Kālachakra Stūpa (see registration options below). 

Off-Site Accommodations If you absolutely need an individual room, many options for accommodations are available near the retreat center’s area, in the Garanas region, and in the town of Bad Schwanberg. In this case, please search for and book the necessary reservations yourself. 

FAQ:  Please note it takes incredible merit to have the conditions for this project to happen: 1) We have made a large effort to keep the cost reasonable. We encourage practitioners to save up and create the conditions to participate. In the past, people have given everything they had to the Vajra Master for this opportunity. 2) If you cannot commit to attending for the entire period, please let us know in advance the exact date and time of your earlier check-out. Leaving earlier is not recommended but we can make an exception if you have no other option or really cannot stay the entire period (please let us know the reasons by email). Please note that we cannot offer you a special registration cost. The cost is for the entire event, regardless of whether you can stay for the entire period or not.

Volunteer Opportunities

We need one volunteer to cook breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner for the participants, and a second volunteer as a cook helper. The volunteers will be able to enjoy all the areas in the retreat center except for the Kālachakra Temple where the participants will practice. Unlike the participants, the external volunteers 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. Rinpoché strongly encourages us to support our dharma brothers and sisters by volunteering.

During your stay, we can provide free access to an online course or recorded retreat at our digital learning center if you would like to support your practice and study while you are volunteering. Alternatively, if you have already received the 1st Vajra Yoga teachings and want to volunteer full-time for the whole period, you can also participate in the sessions of the event in the temple for free whenever you have a break from your volunteer work.

If you are considering this opportunity, please write as soon as possible to [email protected]. You can also volunteer for only a portion of the event; you can offer as much as possible according to your capability. That being said, we prefer the participation of someone who can commit to the whole period.

Note for Veteran Practitioners

To again take part in this important event, in the interest of your spiritual progress, Rinpoché requests that all his students reaffirm their commitments to the path, the lineage, and to him. This can be done in the registration process when booking your participation. Thus, those who have previously taken the 1st Vajra Yoga and want to take it again, do not need to submit a separate application.

If you have found however that unfortunately, your confidence in your own choice for the Jonang Lineage, the Kālachakra path, or Shar Khentrul Rinpoché has weakened in the time since you last took the 1st Vajra Yoga, Rinpoché has stated that you should refrain from registering on this occasion. He feels there is a greater benefit to waiting for the next opportunity and in the meantime, reigniting your confidence through further practice of the preliminaries of the Jonang Ngondro, listening to his teachings and reading his books as much as you can, and dedicating yourself as much as you can to the Enlightened Activities Program. In this way, you will accumulate vast stores of merit for this path while naturally rebuilding your confidence. Thus, by changing your conditions, your future participation will be one of benefit and success. The important is to keep in the right direction and to not give up! (Generally speaking, for the sake of your own spiritual progress, Rinpoché reserves the right to ask additional questions, request interviews, and reject specific registrations — even if you attended the 1st Vajra Yoga before).

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. To travel to Kalapa by train, start at the main train station in Graz. From there, take the S6 or S61 S-Bahn towards Wies-Eibiswald for about an hour to the Bad Schwanberg station. (Timetable information)

To travel from the Bad Schwanberg train station to the retreat center, a relatively inexpensive taxi service supported by the government is available that will take you directly to the Retreat Center, which is referred to as “Buddhistisches Zentrum” by this taxi service. For more information, please visit their website: Regio Mobil. The taxi must be ordered at least some hours in advance, but visitors are recommended to do so much earlier or on the days before you intend to arrive. On weekdays, this taxi service operates between the hours of 6.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m. On weekends it does not operate during the evening. As the journey is quite long (about 20 minutes), the service should be scheduled for at least half an hour before the closing hours provided above. For trips on Sundays or public holidays please schedule the taxi service by 5 p.m. on the day before you intend to arrive.

To order: +43 (0)50 16 17 18 Cost: €6.00 total regardless of how many people are taking the taxi. Our Station Number for the Regio Taxi: 41080 / Buddhistisches Zentrum.

Alternative: if you are arriving or departing outside the Regio Mobil taxi working hours, you can book another taxi service e.g. the Wein Mobil taxi for €37,50, working hours from 10:00 to 23:30. In this case, the station number is D927. The reservation is made by calling the same number as above.

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, turn right towards Garanas and follow the signs to “Kalachakra Kalapa Center” uphill for about 8 km to reach the center.

Higher Empowerments of Kalachakra & Dark Retreat with Khentrul Rinpoché

Higher Empowerments of Kalachakra & Dark Retreat with Khentrul Rinpoché

In-person only
July 3rd – 13th (10 nights)

Rinpoché has kindly accepted a request to bestow again the Four Higher Empowerments of Kālachakra in Europe. This precious and rare opportunity is a major step on the Dharma path. To ensure the success of students on their paths, Rinpoché will only bestow these empowerments to pre-approved students who genuinely wish to deepen their practice. To bring more clarity to the preparation process, we have prepared an additional explanation. Regardless of whether you are a new or veteran practitioner, Rinpoché requests that everyone takes the time to read it:

Updated Conditions for Higher Empowerments (PDF) 

After reading and reflecting on this material, we welcome you to send your application by clicking here. Only upon approval will you be able to proceed with registration. Please do not register before receiving the confirmation of approval. If you already received these teachings before, you do not need to send any application and can register any time to save your spot.

About the Event and Schedule

Up to this point of our spiritual path, our use of conceptual methods has been instrumental in removing our many layers of misconception, but as they are embedded in the dualistic mind, these methods function as a subtle barrier to experiencing our definitive nature. For this reason, we need now to abandon them in favor of a direct approach that works without conceptual fabrications. We can achieve this transformation from conceptual to non-conceptual in two steps. Firstly we are introduced to the Kālachakra view by receiving the Four Higher Empowerments. Secondly, with the establishment of this view, we use the unique meditation technique of the Three Isolations (Wensum) to cut the proliferation of thoughts and abide in the nature of the mind. (Khentrul Rinpoché).

The retreat encompasses 1) a day of preparations with Preliminary Practices, Teaching, Guru Pūjā, Kālachakra-Tsok, and a walk in the nature with Rinpoché, 2) The Kālachakra Four Higher Empowerments, 3) Teaching-Transmission of the Wensum (Three Isolations) Practice, 4) a printed booklet about the Empowerments and Practice, 5) “Secret Ḍākinī Treasure” Sādhana oral transmission (upon request) 6) If needed, a personal audience with Rinpoché (upon request), 7) Kālachakra Dark Meditation Retreat (Three Isolations / Wensum) with practice sessions guided by senior students, as well as 8) food and accommodations at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. 

Special session in 2025: on the opening day of the event, Rinpoché will bestow the first part of a commentary on Dolpopa’s inspiring text “Aspiration Prayer for the Two Stages of the Vajra Path.” To provide people around the globe with the opportunity to connect with these teachings and the Kālachakra Temple at Kalapa, we will stream this session online. The remaining sessions of the event will be in-person only.

SCHEDULE

3rd July afternoon – Arrivals, Welcome Meeting and Introductions, Teaching | Check-in 2 PM – 4 PM — PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ARRIVE WITHIN THIS PERIOD

4th July Kālachakra Preliminary Practices, Guru Pūjā Ritual, and Kālachakra-Tsok, Walk in the nature around Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center with Rinpoché

5th JulyFour Higher Empowerments and Teaching-Transmission of the Three Isolations (Wensum) practice

5th – 13th July – Wensum Practice Retreat; Personal Audiences with Rinpoché

13th July – Concluding Tsok, and Check-out after lunch 

How to Prepare and Materials

How to prepare for this retreat: We strongly encourage you to prepare yourself as much as you can with the Kālachakra Preliminary Practices. In addition to the longer sādhanas “Divine Ladder” and “Enlightening the Heart”, you will need to know the sādhana “Secret Ḍākinī Treasure”. For the latter, you must register here for the recorded commentary if you have not already received it previously (there you find also the recorded chanting). We encourage you to study all the sādhanas and pūjās as much as you can, including the transliterations and chantings.

Please make sure to register for, study, and practice as much as you can the GURU PŪJĀ and the KĀLACHAKRA-TSOK to prepare yourself so that you know these rituals and their meanings very well beforehand. Both courses have texts and teachings translated into many languages. Inside you find the chantings and practical explanations as well. If you wish (not mandatory), bring your own vajra, bell, ḍamaru, or other ritual instruments.

Materials: You can borrow printed texts of Guru Pūjā and Tsok from the temple to use during the event. Please bring your printed practice book “The Profound Path of Vajra Yoga”. You bring also Rinpoché’s commentary “The Hidden Treasure” and “Unveiling Your Sacred Truth 3” as a reference for your practice. Everything must be on paper because electronic devices are not allowed after the strict retreat begins. Other reading materials not directly related to the Wensum practice are not allowed during the retreat period. For the Ngondro preparation session, bring your own maṇḍala set. If you have already participated before, bring also your “Four Higher Empowerments Booklet”, your blindfold, and your meditation belt. If you are new, you will receive these as a gift during the empowerment ceremony. 

Retreat Information and Guidelines

After the Four Higher Empowerments on July 5th, the strict retreat will begin. It will be closed and in silence. During this period, participants are not allowed to receive visitors or use mobile phones, tablet devices, pads, smart watches, laptops, computers, and so forth. We can store these in our office if you wish. If someone needs to contact you in case of an emergency, they can email [email protected] or call +43 676 395 8898 and we will inform you. Rinpoché advises participants to follow the retreat guidelines respectfully, not only for the success of their own practice but also to avoid disturbing others. 

The daily schedule of the practice retreat consists of four Wensum sessions and additional activities such as occasional teachings or personal audiences. Participation in two daily group sessions is mandatory unless health conditions completely prevent you from taking part. The remaining two sessions can be practiced in your own room if you prefer. Practice sessions will be conducted in English and Tibetan. If you absolutely prefer, you can bring copies of the texts in your own language as well and read them silently while the group recites in English. 

Registration

The fee for the retreat includes three vegetarian meals and shared accommodations at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. We cannot offer space for individual rooms for participants of this event. However, you can alternatively bring your own tent and sleep outside near the Kālachakra Stūpa (see registration options below). 

Off-Site Accommodations: If you absolutely need an individual room, many options for accommodations are available near the retreat center’s area, in the Garanas region, and in the town of Bad Schwanberg. In this case, please search for and book the necessary reservations yourself. 

FAQ  Please note it takes incredible merit to have the conditions for this project to happen: 1) We have made a large effort to keep the cost reasonable. We encourage practitioners to save up and create the conditions to participate. In the past, people have given everything they had to the Vajra Master for this opportunity. 2) If you cannot commit to attending for the entire period, please let us know in advance the exact date and time of your earlier check-out. Leaving earlier is not recommended but we can make an exception if you have no other option or really cannot stay the entire period (please let us know the reasons by email). Please note that we cannot offer you a special registration cost. The cost is for the entire event, regardless of whether you can stay for the entire period or not.

Volunteer Opportunities

In this retreat, participants should avoid engaging in too much physical activity. We need one volunteer to cook breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner for the participants, and a second volunteer as a cook helper. The volunteers will be able to enjoy all the areas in the retreat center except for the Kālachakra Temple where the participants will practice. Unlike the participants, the external volunteers 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. Rinpoché strongly encourages us to support our dharma brothers and sisters by volunteering. 

During your stay, we can provide free access to an online course or recorded retreat at our digital learning center if you would like to support your practice and study while you are volunteering. Alternatively, if you have already received the Four Higher Empowerments and want to volunteer full-time for the whole period, you can also participate in the sessions of the event in the temple for free whenever you have a break from your volunteer work.

If you are considering this opportunity, please write as soon as possible to [email protected]. You can also volunteer for only a portion of the event; you can offer as much as possible according to your capability. That being said, we prefer the participation of someone who can commit to the whole period. 

Note for Veteran Practitioners

To again take part in this important event, in the interest of your spiritual progress, Rinpoché requests that all his students reaffirm their commitments to the path, the lineage, and to him. This can be done in the registration process when booking your participation. Thus, those who have previously taken the Higher Empowerments and want to take them again, do not need to submit a separate application.

If you have found however that unfortunately, your confidence in your own choice for the Jonang Lineage, the Kālachakra path, or Shar Khentrul Rinpoché has weakened in the time since you last took the Higher Empowerments, Rinpoché has stated that you should refrain from registering on this occasion. He feels there is a greater benefit to waiting for the next opportunity and in the meantime, reigniting your confidence through further practice of the preliminaries of the Jonang Ngondro, listening to his teachings and reading his books as much as you can, and dedicating yourself as much as you can to the Enlightened Activities Program. In this way, you will accumulate vast stores of merit for this path while naturally rebuilding your confidence. Thus, by changing your conditions, your future participation will be one of benefit and success. The important is to keep in the right direction and to not give up! (Generally speaking, for the sake of your own spiritual progress, Rinpoché reserves the right to ask additional questions, request interviews, and reject specific registrations — even if you attended the Higher Empowerments before).

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. To travel to Kalapa by train, start at the main train station in Graz. From there, take the S6 or S61 S-Bahn towards Wies-Eibiswald for about an hour to the Bad Schwanberg station. (Timetable information)

To travel from the Bad Schwanberg train station to the retreat center, a relatively inexpensive taxi service supported by the government is available that will take you directly to the Retreat Center, which is referred to as “Buddhistisches Zentrum” by this taxi service. For more information, please visit their website: Regio Mobil. The taxi must be ordered at least some hours in advance, but visitors are recommended to do so much earlier or on the days before you intend to arrive. On weekdays, this taxi service operates between the hours of 6.00 a.m. and 8.00 p.m. On weekends it does not operate during the evening. As the journey is quite long (about 20 minutes), the service should be scheduled for at least half an hour before the closing hours provided above. For trips on Sundays or public holidays please schedule the taxi service by 5 p.m. on the day before you intend to arrive.

To order: +43 (0)50 16 17 18 Cost: €6.00 total regardless of how many people are taking the taxi. Our Station Number for the Regio Taxi: 41080 / Buddhistisches Zentrum.

Alternative: if you are arriving or departing outside the Regio Mobil taxi working hours, you can book another taxi service e.g. the Wein Mobil taxi for €37,50, working hours from 10:00 to 23:30. In this case, the station number is D927. The reservation is made by calling the same number as above.

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, turn right towards Garanas and follow the signs to “Kalachakra Kalapa Center” uphill for about 8 km to reach the center.

Hatha Yoga — Winterkurs

Hatha Yoga — Winterkurs

Nur vor Ort. Sprache: Deutsch. (Language: German)

Winter-Kurs | Montags — Uhrzeit: 18:00 bis 19:30 | 

Wer kann teilnehmen? Diese Veranstaltung ist für alle Interessierte offen, es gibt keine Voraussetzungen zur Teilnahme.

Über den Kurs

Hatha Yoga ist eine alte Praxis, die das Gleichgewicht und das Verständnis der uns immer umgebenden natürlichen Gegensätze fördert: „Ha“ repräsentiert die Sonne, „Tha“ den Mond und „Hatha“ deren Vereinigung. Gemeinsam lernen wir verschiedene Körperübungen (Asanas) kennen und praktizieren. Darüber hinaus, lenken wir unsere Aufmerksamkeit bewusst auf den Atem und üben die Wahrnehmung unseres Körpers und Geistes.

Die Kursleiterin Kerstin Rotter erhielt ihre Yoga Allianz Zertifizierung vom Santosh Puri Ashram, an den Ufern des Ganges, in Haridwar Indien, im Jahr 2016. Die von ihr angeleitete Yoga Mondzyklus Sequenz gestaltet sich rund um die 5 Elemente – Erde, Wasser, Feuer, Wind und Raum – mit dem Ziel die feinstofflichen Energiezentren unseres Körpers zu reinigen und Blockaden zu lösen. 

Indem wir Balance im Inneren finden, wird es uns möglich diesen Frieden zu kultivieren und nach außen zu tragen.

Inhalt

.Angeleitete Meditation (Body Scan)

. Atemübungen (Pranayama)

. Körperübungen (Asanas)

. Entspannungsrituale (Selbstfürsorge)

Termine: 13., 20. und 27. Jänner | 10., 17. und 24. Februar | 17., 24. und 31. März | 7. April

 

Kosten & Anmeldemöglichkeiten  

Spende nach pers. Einschätzung zwischen € 120 und € 160 für den Kurs (10 Termine). Du kannst mit Kreditkarte oder Paypal fortfahren (s.u.). Wenn du mit Lastschrift oder elektronischer Überweisung an unser Bankkonto zahlen möchtest, wähle diese Option beim Check-out an der Kassa. Auch Barzahlung am 13. Jänner vor Ort ist möglich.

DANA für die Yogalehrerin 

Dana (freiwillige Spenden) an die Yogalehrerin sind nicht in den Anmeldekosten enthalten. Wenn du spenden möchtest, können freiwillige Spenden an die Lehrerin vor Ort in eine Spendenbox am ersten oder letzten Kurstag gegeben werden, oder während des Kurses mittels eines Umschlags direkt an die Lehrerin.