Thanksgiving Dream Yoga Retreat
Thanksgiving Weekend Retreat with Tulku Thadral Rinpoche
In Person and By Streaming
Buddha Amitabha Puja and Tsok
November 24
Dream Yoga Retreat
November 25 - 27, 2022
*Note: Translation will be provided into Mandarin (please contact office)
Note added after retreat:
Below is the Dream Yoga section from the Dudjom Sater Ngondro that Rinpoche instructed.
“Thus, concluding with dedication, aspiration, and prayers for auspiciousness, engage in one's daily conduct. Also, at all times in between sessions, thinking that the first and best part of one's food and drink is the nature of amrita and all clothes are divine garments, offer them to the Lama on one's crown. Whatever arises of the phenomena of the six sense gatherings, do not follow ordinary concepts, but sustain the radiance of awareness as deity, mantra, and wisdom. In the evening, when going to sleep, pray to be able to recognize clear light. Then, the Lama on the crown of one's head passes down through the Brahma aperture and comes to rest within a four-petaled lotus at one's heart. Focusing the mind on the light from the Lama filling one's entire body, dissolve into the naked luminous clarity of empty awareness and go to sleep in this state without dullness or being disturbed by other thoughts. If one awakens, cut off all the erratic, wild, scattered, wandering, and other kinds of thoughts and sustain the radiant state of clear light.
Through this one will be able to recognize the clear light of sleep as well as dreams. Again, at dawn, when rising, think that the Lama ascends up through the central channel to one's crown and is seated joyfully in the sky before one and resume practicing as before. Furthermore, at the time of death, mingling clear light, stainless space, and awareness, and abiding in evenness in that state is the supreme practice of transference. However, if one cannot establish that, by recalling the yoga of appearances, sound, and thoughts as deity, mantra, and wisdom one will be liberated in the bardo. By always keeping faith, devotion, and perfectly pure samaya, be diligent in the practice of increasing the union of the two accumulations more and more. Strive in this way, beginning with the four thoughts that turn the mind, until one experiences the results of each of the stages of accumulation and purification. Especially, Guru Yoga alone is certainly the profound, extraordinary key point of the Vajrayana path, so, except for holding this as the life force of the main practice and practicing with strong diligence, one does not need to rely on other development and completion stage practices. One will draw breath in the pureland of Lotus Light on the Southwest Continent and traverse the four stages of Vidyadharas like magic to arrive at the state of the Wisdom Lama Samantabhadra. This is certain.”
These Dream Yoga teachings will be based on the text by Dudjom Rinpoche from Namchak Putri Vajrakilaya Cycle.
One third of our life is spent in sleep and dreaming. More than an unconscious escape from a hectic day, this time is also one of the six bardos, ‘between’ states of non-recognition of our true nature, and junctures during which the possibility of liberation or enlightenment is heightened. By training yourself to wake up in your dreams, sleep becomes an opportunity to meditate deeply and explore the true nature of mind and reality.
In the waking state, when you experience outer phenomena as permanent, inherently existing and separate and distinct from an inner self, that is a state of ignorance of the true nature of reality. Dream Yoga consists of tantric and other techniques within this bardo (Tib. mi-lam bardo) that teach us how to 'wake up' from the dualistic illusion that is the root cause of our suffering.
Some form of Dream Yoga can be found in many wisdom traditions, but it is most commonly associated with Tibetan Buddhist and Bon lineages. The practice is a well-known component of the Six Yogas of Naropa, and the related Six Dharmas of Niguma.
From a practical perspective, Dream Yoga starts with developing a mastery of lucid dreaming, where one becomes aware that they are dreaming and can willfully control their dreams, and even purify negative karma and promote physical healing. Further training allows an opportunity to use the dream state to recognize the dualistic appearance of self and phenomena as not inherently real and separate from the indivisible true nature.
Becoming lucid in our dreams illustrates to us that we can shake our ordinary daytime perceptions and access a different level of mental activity during our waking lives as well. Such practices can benefit everyone with an interest in spiritual growth.
The Dalai Lama says, “It is possible [to practice dream yoga] without a great deal of preparation. Dream yoga could be practiced by non-Buddhists as well as Buddhists. If a Buddhist practices dream yoga, he or she brings a special motivation and purpose to it. In the Buddhist context the practice is aimed at the realization of emptiness [the nature of reality]. But the same practice could be done by non-Buddhists.”
Go beyond the worldly benefits of remembering and studying dreams in your spiritual practice. Whether you want to learn to master lucid dreaming, or want to use the sleep and dream states to recognize emptiness and the true nature of reality, these teachings originating from HH Dudjom Rinpoche, and presented by an authentic and qualified lama, can guide you to liberation.
Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24
Buddha Amitabha Tsok (in-person and by streaming) - 1 pm
To join the livestream, click here
Online Viewable Text:
Main Text: The Excellent Path to Omniscience
Thanksgiving Dinner - 5:30 pm: There will be a sangha dinner this year. Pot-luck contributions to the meal are encouraged. Please RSPV.
"Thanksgiving is a special day for loved ones to join together however they are able, and for that reason it is positive... We are doing this puja to pray that these turkeys be reborn in Amitabha's Pureland. This practice will focus our compassion for them and all sentient beings, including our loved ones who may be ill or have passed away." Lama Sonam Rinpoche, 2014
Click Here to make offerings for tsok or butterlamps.
Please note: As of this time, In-person attendance in the Shrine Room will require evidence of one or more negative Covid tests, and masks will be required in the Shrine Room. Covid-related restrictions are subject to change.
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.
Date: Nov. 24, 2022, 1 p.m. - Nov. 27, 2022, 5 p.m.