Lama Sonam Tsering

2022 Vajrayana Foundation Annual Ngondro Retreat

~ DudjomTersarNgondro


2022 Vajrayana Foundation
Annual Ngondro Retreat
April 9th ~ 17th

In~Person at Pema Osel Ling and by LiveStream
Covid vaccination is required for in-person attendance.

The Oral Reading Transmission (Lung) will be given by Lama Sonam Tsering Rinpoche on April 11th and 17th and the Refuge Ceremony on April 11th. Mark your calendar.

 Both the Lung and Refuge Vows must be received
in real time and in its entirety.

2021 Livestream Refuge Ceremony from  Pema Osel Ling

The Refuge Ceremony has generally be given once a year during the Ngondro Retreat. If you have not received the Refuge Vows or would like to refresh your Refuge Vows, please don’t miss this opportunity.

Sam Bercholz 2016 Annual Ngondro Retreat
Samuel Bercholz returns to Pema Osel Ling on April 9th & 10th for the first weekend of the Ngondro Retreat with featured lecture on:

“Understanding the Student-Teacher Relationship”

and will include commentary on Dungse Thinley Norbu Rinpoche’s
A Cascading Waterfall of Nectar. Sam will also share his personal dharma stories enjoyed and loved by everyone. All Ngondro Retreat participants are requested to have a copy of A Cascading Waterfall of Nectar which is available through the Vajrayana Foundation Bookstore, the Dharma Treasures as well as from the publisher, Shambhala Publications.

If you order A Cascading Waterfall of Nectar  from Dharma Treasures online and plan to attend the Ngondro Retreat in person, you can arrange to pick up the book when you arrive.

2021 Ngondro Faculty – Livestream from Pema Osel Ling
We welcome back our Ngondro Faculty, Lama Sonam Tsering Rinpoche,
Amy Green, Drubpon Pema Rigdzin, Stefan Graves and Choying Wangmo
and also welcome Lama Sonam Rinpoche’s translator, Cy Kassoff.

In addition to the Lung and the Refuge Ceremony, we will receive teachings, advice and instructions for practice, participate together in group Ngondro practice and group practice with accumulations, our own private practice session and Questions and Answers with Lama Sonam Rinpoche. During the retreat, we offer daily tsok and butterlamps with Daily Practice and on the Holy Days of the Medicine Buddha – Saturday April 9th, Guru Rinpoche Day – April 11th and on Full Moon Day – Saturday April 16th.  If you wish to make tsok, butterlamp offerings or offerings for the Ngondro Retreat, there will be opportunity during the registration process or you can make it here.

To register and for additional information
https://www.vajrayana.org/events/219/

If you are a current Ngondro Program Participant of the Vajrayana Foundation and attend the Ngondro Retreat in-person at Pema Osel Ling, remember to get you 10% discount on the registration fees. (No discount is offered for food or lodging.) 

See the Ngondro Retreat Schedule here.

 

Amitabha Phowa Retreat
Thanksgiving Weekend November 25 – 28 with Lama Sonam Tsering Rinpoche

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

In-Person and By Streaming

(Please note: In-Person attendance will require proof of vaccination, as well as Masks being worn in the shrine room and in public indoor settings)

The Vajrakilaya Explanatory Tantra says “Death is a concept; Phowa leads us to the celestial realm.”

Lama Sonam Rinpoche will teach on Amitabha Phowa, using Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche’s Chariot to the Realm of Bliss instruction manual, a text that was compiled by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche in 2008 (see the text list for availability in print and digital formats).


“Phowa, or transference of consciousness at the time of death, is one of the most precious among all the pith instructions and tantras of the Great Secret Vajrayana. It is a profound pith instruction for accomplishing buddhahood with very little effort. It is a practice for sentient beings in these degenerate times, ignorant and lazy beings with short lives and coarse passions, who even though they may have obtained instructions on creation and completion, are under the sway of distraction and unable to complete their practices. Even those who have committed the great sins of the five actions with immediate consequences, if they encounter this path, are immediately liberated at the moment of death. P’howa is an auxiliary practice on the profound, extraordinary path of the Great Perfection.


“There are practices of Outer, Inner and Secret Phowa. The Three Concepts Phowa utilizes visualization of the Buddha Amitabha as the destination, your mind as the traveler, and the central channel as the path. This Phowa requires faith and devotion in Buddha Amitabha.

“All beings who have not already received instructions for liberation at the moment of death definitely need these instructions on the profound path of Phowa. It is the best method for cutting the root of samsara and avoiding falling into the lower realms at the end of this human life. It is essential.” ~ Lama Sonam Tsering Rinpoche, 2018

Register and more information ~~~~> https://www.vajrayana.org/events/202/

Virtual Ngondro Teachings with Lama Sonam Tsering Rinpoche Continues until April 12th

~ DudjomTersarNgondro

Lama Sonam Rinpoche has kindly offered to add afternoon teachings each day from April 6-11. Please find the new schedule here. Visit https://www.vajrayana.org/events/143/ to register and receive streaming links.


You may forward your questions to office@vajrayana.org before or during the next session. To request a special interview (for up to one week) with Archaya Sam Bercholz and Lama Sonam Tsering Rinpoche, please email office@vajrayana.org
Thanks again for participating in our streaming retreat and for supporting Pema Osel Ling, Becky