Four Higher Kalachakra Empowerments & Retreat with Khentrul Rinpoche

in-person only
August 14th – 23th (9 nights)

Register for this event on Dzokden Kalapa here
This is for registration for the Kalachakra Four Higher Empowerments and Retreat (week 1) only.
If you would like to participate in the following weeks 2-4 of the retreat, you also need to register here as well. 

Rinpoche has kindly accepted a request to bestow the Four Higher Empowerments of Kalachakra in Europe again. After receiving these empowerments, you will have all the qualifications to prepare yourself to enter the profound completion stage of Kalachakra in the future. To ensure that students succeed in their paths, Rinpoche bestows these Higher Empowerments only to pre-approved students who genuinely wish to deepen their practice of the Kalachakra path. This is an important step to reinforce the bond between vajra master and student in working together towards enlightenment. You are more than welcome to present yourself as a candidate to receive these empowerments by sending your application here. To make sure that we can evaluate your application in time, please send it in as soon as possible. However, if you have already been approved, you can simply register for this event directly. 

The last time Rinpoche gave these Higher Empowerments in Europe was in 2017. Do not miss this opportunity if you are considering applying, because it may take years for us to be able to receive them again. (Note: the Kalachakra Four Higher Empowerments are not the same Kalachakra Empowerments that Rinpoche has given in Hong Kong in 2020 and in other places such as in Vienna in 2019, which are called “The Seven Empowerments of a Growing Child”.)

About the Empowerments and Retreat
“Up to this point, 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 to abandon them in favour 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 Kalachakra 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 Rinpoche, “Unveiling Your Sacred Truth 3”)

The retreat encompasses 1) a day of preparations with Preliminary Practices, Guru Puja, Kalachakra-Tsok, and a walk in the nature with Rinpoche, 2) The Kalachakra Four Higher Empowerments, 3) Teaching-Transmission of the Wensum (Three Isolations) Practice, 4) a printed booklet about the Empowerments and Practice, 5) A personal interview with Rinpoche (upon request; Rinpoche will be presented in-person only during the first days of the retreat), 6) one week of Kalachakra Dark Retreat (Three Isolations / Wensum) with practice sessions guided by senior students, as well as 7) food and accommodations at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center. 

SCHEDULE
14th August afternoon – arrivals and introduction (check-in 2 PM – 5 PM)
15h August – Dharma Protector Day – Kalachakra Preliminary Practices, Guru Puja Ritual and Kalachakra-Tsok, Walk in the nature around Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center with Rinpoche
16th August – New Moon – Four Higher Empowerments and teaching-transmission of the Three Isolations (Wensum) practice.
16th – 23th August – Kalachakra Dark Retreat; personal interviews with Rinpoche
23th August – check-out 12 PM – 2 PM

How to prepare for this retreat
If this will be your first time taking part, we strongly encourage you to prepare yourself as much as you can with the Kalachakra Preliminary Practices. In addition to the longer sadhanas “Divine Ladder” and “Enlightening the Heart”, you will need to know the sadhana “Secret Dakini Treasure”. For the latter, you must register here for the oral commentary Rinpoche gave recently if you have not already done so. We encourage you to study all the sadhanas as much as you can, including the transliterations and chantings, because there will be some sessions of chanting in Tibetan without a recording during the retreat.

Materials
Bring your practice book “The Profound Path of Vajra Yoga”. You can also bring Rinpoche’s commentary “The Hidden Treasure” as a reference for your practice. Other reading materials not directly related to the Wensum practice are not allowed during the retreat period.

Retreat Information and Guidelines
After the Four Higher Empowerments on August 16th, the strict retreat will begin. The retreat will be closed and in silence. During this period, participants are not allowed to receive visitors or use computers, tablet devices, mobile phones, and so forth. We can store personal phones and other electronic devices in our office. If someone needs to contact you in case of emergency, they can email [email protected] or call +43 676 395 8898. Both e-mailbox and phone will be checked at least once each day. Rinpoche 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 starting on the 16th August consists of four practice sessions and additional activities such as occasional pujas, interviews, and so forth. 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. 

In the Jonang Tradition, this practice is done using a special mindfold to generate complete darkness. You do not need to buy this in advance. We will buy it for you and you will receive it as a gift after Rinpoché has blessed it for you to practice. Also, if you are attending the Higher Empowerments for the first time, we will give you a meditation belt. If you arealdy have one, then we will ask Rinpoché to bless yours.

Volunteer Opportunities
This is a strict retreat, and participants should avoid engaging in too much physical activity and interacting with others unnecessarily. We need at least one volunteer to cook breakfast, lunch, and a light dinner for the participants. A room separate from that used by the retreat participants will be provided for volunteer cooks, who will be able to enjoy all the areas in the retreat center except for the Kalachakra Temple itself where the participants will practice. Unlike the participants, 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. Rinpoche strongly encourages us to support our dharma brothers and sisters by volunteering.

If you are considering this opportunity, please write as soon as possible to [email protected], so that we can arrange a video call to plan your participation. You can also volunteer for only a portion of the event rather than for the whole retreat; you can offer as much as possible according to your capability. 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.

Payment Options
Please email [email protected] in advance if you absolutely need a partial scholarship.

You can proceed with a credit card or paypal. If you wish to pay by direct debit deposit or wire transfer to our bank account, please choose that option at checkout and use the following information. (In this case, please send an email to inform us about your wire transfer.)
Suchandra Institut – Verein zur Förderung von Frieden und Harmonie
Branch: Raiffeisenbank Zirbenland, Im Dorf 16, 8763 Möderbrugg
Account: AT76 3836 8000 0201 1344
BIC: RZSTAT2G368
SWIFT: RZBAATWWXXX
REGISTRATION COSTS (in Euros) for the whole period of nine nights
€ 750,- (reduced registration for those with a reduced income or who prefer to stay in a tent at the retreat center)
€ 1.000,- (normal registration option)
€ 1.500,- (sangha supporter registration level – with this option, your generosity will also support other practitioners who may need a reduced registration cost