Vajra Armor Healing Retreat
Teachings and Practice
with Tulku Thadral Rinpoche
Traditional silent retreats for Vajra Armor mantra and practice also offered
Monday, December 2, 2024, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Tuesday, December 3, 2024, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 10:00AM 5:00PM
Event Format
In-Person, Commuter, Virtual and Extended Silent Retreat
Location
Pema Osel Ling Retreat Center
2013 Eureka Canyon Road
Watsonville, CA 95076
Register
About the Retreat
Vajra Armor is a rarely-taught practice, favored by Tibetan physicians, and is said to have the power to cure all 404 types of disease. It is highly recommended for those facing health challenges. Beyond that, the practice itself contains a complete path of enlightenment, balancing the outer and inner elements and resulting in complete liberation.
This retreat gives participants the opportunity to learn the practice and accumulate the mantra during a three-day guided practice in our shrine room.
Tulku Thadral Rinpoche will give the oral transmission for the Vajra Armor mantra and practice, as well as offer detailed teachings and lead group practice daily.
Extended Silent Retreat
If circumstances permit, participants may extend their retreat for up to one-month in a private cabin for a silent retreat, according to traditional instructions.
Practitioners on silent retreat will have opportunities for personal interviews with Tulku Thadral Rinpoche.
The Pema Osel Ling kitchen will be closed, so pack enough food for your entire retreat.
Contact our office for details on an Extended Silent Retreat.
“Guru Rinpoche predicted that during these degenerate times, beings’ merit would decrease every day and the elements would become more and more imbalanced. We can see this with so many floods, droughts, fires, earthquakes, hurricanes and extreme heat waves. New diseases are appearing that doctors have never seen and cannot treat easily. People’s conduct is becoming rougher every day and negative spirits and energies are gaining strength.
"However, out of their great compassion, the buddhas have given us real tools to transform this negativity and protect us. Of all these methods, Vajra Armor is one of the most powerful protection practices for our health and to remove unwanted circumstances of all kinds.
"There are many different Vajra Armor sadhanas, some with elaborate rituals. I will be presenting a very concise sadhana with a deity form root mantra that has the same power and is very practical for our busy lives.”
~Lama Sonam Rinpoche
Recorded teachings from Lama Sonam Rinpoche's 2016-2018 teachings are availbale at Dharma Treasures. Lama Sonam Rinpoche also gave 2020 teachings for Vajra Armor practice during the Coronavirus Pandemic which can be accessed here.
Pricing
Redwood Cottage
$399 nonmember
Orchard House
$399 nonmember
Sangha House
$345 nonmember
Cabin/Yurt
$273nonmember
Streaming and Commuter
Sliding scale: $108, $175, $250
Oral Transmission only
Sliding scale: $54, $75, $108
Extended Silent Retreat
Contact our office to discuss details.
*To get special retreat discounts and find out more about becoming a member, please check out this page.
Retreat Schedule
Download PDF
Monday, December 2
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM - Vajrasattva Daily Puja and Tsok Offering
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Breakfast
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM - Teachings and Oral Transmission (Lung) for Vajra Armor Mantra and Practice
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM - Lunch
2:30 PM – 5:00 PM - Vajra Armor Mantra and Practice
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM - Dinner
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM - Personal Meditation Practice
Tuesday, December 3
7:30 AM – 9:00 AM - Troma White Feast Puja and Tsok Offering
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM - Breakfast
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM - Vajra Armor Mantra and Practice
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM - Lunch
2:30 PM – 5:00 PM - Vajra Armor Mantra and Practice
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM - Dinner
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM - Personal Meditation Practice
Wednesday, Dec 4
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM - Ngondro
9:00 AM – 9:30 AM - Breakfast
10:00 AM – 12:30 PM - Vajra Armor Mantra and Practice
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM - Lunch
2:30 PM – 5:00 PM - Vajra Armor Mantra, Practice, and Shower of Blessings with Tsok
Text List
Vajra Armor, from Black Hayagriva
Available in print or by digital download
Pre-Retreat Information
Download PDF
Please read the following information, as it could be helpful before and during your stay.
Directions, Parking and Driving on the Land
You will find directions for getting to Pema Osel Ling by car and public transportation here. If you bring a car, please park inParking Lot A(sign-posted). You may park by the Orchard House or Sangha House only if you are staying there. Please do not park in front of the pond, down by the cabin area or behind the Sangha House. Unless you have a physical disability, please do not drive around on the land. If you need to drive to the Shrine Room or Dining Hall, contact the office for a Parking Permit. Please keep onsite driving speed to less than 5 mph.
Arrival and Departure
Your housing assignment, maps and welcome information will be posted at the Information Booth, across from the pond at the entrance to the property. Check-in time is noon on Monday, Dec. 2, unless by prior arrangement. Check-out time is 4:00 pm Wednesday, Dec. 4.
Accommodations (see ** below for a description)
We currently provide indoor housing with 2 people per room, and some single rooms. Housing is assigned first-come-first-served. Each bed comes complete with sheets, a light comforter and pillow with case. A bath towel is also provided. Rooms and bathhouses are heated. Camping is discouraged this time of year due to unpredictable weather. We have space to park but no hook-ups for RVs.
Food
The Pema Osel Ling kitchen will be closed during this retreat. In-person participants will be shown facilities for preparing food if there is no kitchen in their assigned housing.
Dress in Layers
The shrine room is unheated, so please come equipped to dress in layers to keep warm during program sessions.
What to Bring
●Water and/or hot drink bottles
●Rain gear: umbrellas, rain coat, waterproof clothing and shoes
●Flashlight
●Ear-plugs (if disturbed by noise)
●Comfortable warm- and cool-weather clothing (layers work best)
●Warm clothing, and a light blanket for the Shrine Room (windows will be open)
●Sensible shoes for uneven terrain ●Special chair and cushion, if needed (we provide both in Shrine Room)
●Prescription medication, especially asthma medication and heart medicines. The nearest hospital or emergency care clinic is an hour away.
Phones and Computers
Verizon provides the best cell phone service for this area. The phone in the Information Booth can be used to make free local calls. Use your calling card for long distance. WiFi is available at the Dining Hall and the Bookstore, and the password will be available at check in. The only WiFi in the housing is at the Orchard House (for those staying there only). Please limit your WiFi use to a minimum, especially during sessions.
Work Assignments
We ask everyone to contribute an hour of work each day towards the smooth running of our retreats. These assignments may include changing candles or water bowls, sweeping the shrine room, or preparing and cleaning up for tsok. If physical or other limitations affect your ability to do this, please
let us know beforehand.
Payments and Cancellation Policy
Please review our Payment and Cancellation Policies here. Payment in full or an approved Payment Plan is due prior to the beginning of retreat.
Miscellaneous
●This is a rustic location. Poison-Oak is a plant that induces allergic reactions in most people after contact so please keep to the paths to prevent contact with it.Tick Bites- If you feel a bite, and there is a small black spot on your skin you may have a tick bite. Some ticks carry Lyme disease.
●Wildlife–do not feed or encourage the wildlife. Do not keep food in your room or tent as it will attract ants, skunks, wild pigs, raccoons, etc.
●Smoking, alcohol and recreational drugsare not permitted on the land at any time.
●Candles, fires and incenseare not permitted on the land at all. We are at a high fire risk year-round.
●Pets are not permitted at Pema Osel Ling. If you have a service animal please contact the office.
Dharma Treasures Gift Shop
Our store stocks practice items, sadhanas, photos, books, gifts, cards, thangkas and other artwork, a selection of clothing, snacks, basic toiletries and flashlights. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted. Contact details: (831) 761-6274; store@vajrayana.org; www.dharmatreasures.com
Offerings
It is traditional for individuals to make an offering to teachers and translators at the end of retreats. Tibetan offering scarves (khatas) can be purchased at the Dharma Treasures store and we provide envelopes for monetary offerings. Please bring enough cash as the bookstore is only able to offer limited cash back on debit purchases, and we do not have an ATM on the land.
Additional Information
* Housing is limited. We urge you to register early for your choice of housing.
* Video recordings of all teaching sessions will be available for at least one month at the YouTube links for those registering for the online sessions. To receive the links to live-stream or to access the teaching recordings, please make your offering according to your circumstances during registration. After making your payment, PayPal will direct you to a webpage with the YouTube links. All donations for the streaming and any online texts will cover not only the cost of this event, but will help support the ongoing expenses of Pema Osel Ling.
* Financial Aid: We do not want finances to be an obstacle to participation and no one will be turned away from the teaching sessions. Please contact office@vajrayana.org if you have special circumstances and are not able to register at one of the suggested levels of donation for streaming.