About the Practice of White Tara
Of the 21 Taras, the two most popular are Green Tara and White Tara. White Tara, a manifestation of the Buddha, also known as the Mother of Compassion, is regarded for her qualities of healing and activities to benefit others. She grants grants health, healing and longevity swiftly like a mother running to help her crying child. All powerful White Tara has 7 eyes — with an eye in her forehead, and one on each hand and foot — symbolizing her compassionate vigilance to see all the suffering of the world.
Almost everyone has obstacles in their life that could lead to an untimely death. This is because we have fixed karmas and unfixed karmas. If the obstacles are due to the exhaustion of your good karma and merit, then in order to prolong your life now, you need to practice powerful ways to collect a lot of merit, such as taking long life initiations, reciting the mantras of long life deities, saving the lives of animals and people, offering medicine to people and taking care of sick people, offering food, clothing and shelter to the poor people. This of course only matters if you yourself are making your life meaningful to live long and practice the Dharma.
If the obstacles in your life and untimely death are due to the accumulation of negative karma, the you must purify it. Tara will help with it as she is very quick to fulfill our wishes and to grant us happiness and a long life, as well as to help us develop wisdom.
About the Empowerment
Receiving this empowerment is considered to be a great blessing and supportive of a long and healthy life. She is part of a trilogy of 3 long life deities, Amitayus, Tara and Namgyalma.
Who can attend (online and in person)?
This retreat is open to all.
About the Empowerment (Jenang blessing)
Khentrul Rinpoche will bestow the jenang Empowerment of White Tara. This is useful for those who want to connect to the transformative power of long life.
Who can attend (online and in person)?
This retreat is open to all.
Retreat Schedule
Melbourne, Australia
AEST – Melbourne, Australia
Saturday, December 31st
DAY 1
9:30 am – 11:00 am – Session 1 – How and why we make make offerings
01:00 pm – 03:00 pm – White Tara Empowerment and teaching
04:00 pm – 05:30 pm – Session 2 – Tara Practice and Accumulation
07:30 pm – 09:00 pm – Session 3 – Tara Practice and Accumulation
Sunday, January 1st
DAY 2
09:00 am – 11:00 am – Session 4 – Tara Practice and Accumulation
01:00 pm – 02:30 pm – Session 5 – Tara Practice and Accumulation
03:00 pm – 05:00 pm – Long Life Offering Ceremony to Khentrul Rinpoche
07:30 pm – 09:00 pm – Session 6 – Tara Practice and Accumulation
Monday, January 2nd
DAY 3
9:00 am – 10:30 am – Session 7
HKT - Mongolia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore
HKT – Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan
Saturday, December 31st
DAY 1
6:00 am Session 1 – How and why we make make offerings
10:00 am White Tara Empowerment
1:00 pm – Session 2
4:30 pm – Session 3
Sunday, January 1st
DAY 2
6:00 am – Session 4
10:00 am – Session 5
12:00 pm – Long Life Offering Ceremony to Khentrul Rinpoche
4:30 pm – Session 6
Monday, January 2nd
DAY 3
6:00 am – Session 7
Central Europe
Central Europe
Saturday, December 31st
DAY 1
3:00 am – White Tara Empowerment
6:00 am – Session 2
9:30 am – Session 3
Sunday, January 1st
DAY 2
11:00 pm (Saturday, December 31) – 01:00 am – Session 4
03:00 am – 04:30 am – Session 5
05:00 am – 07:00 am – Long Life Offering Ceremony to Khentrul Rinpoche
09:30 am – 11:00 am – Session 6
Monday, January 2nd
DAY 3
11:00 pm (Sunday, January 1) – 01:00 am – Session 7
BRT - São Paulo, Brazil
BRT – São Paulo, Brazil
Saturday, December 31st
DAY 1
11:00 pm (Friday, December 30) – 01:00 am – White Tara Empowerment
02:00 am – 04:00 am – Session 2
05:30 am – 07:30 am – Session 3
Saturday, December 31st
DAY 2
07:00 pm – 09:00 pm – Session 4
11:00 pm – 12:30 am (Sunday, January 1) – Session 5
Sunday, January 1st
01:00 am – 03:00 am – Long Life Offering Ceremony to Khentrul Rinpoche
05:30 am – 07:00 am – Session 6
DAY 3
07:00 pm – 09:00 pm – Session 7
EDT USA & Toronto
EST / AST – East Coast USA, Toronto
Friday, December 30th
DAY 1
09:00 pm – 11:00 pm – White Tara Empowerment
Saturday, December 31st
12:00 am – 02:00 am – Session 2
03:30 am – 05:30 am – Session 3
DAY 2
05:00 pm – Session 4
09:00 pm – Session 5
11:00 pm – Long Life Offering Ceremony to Khentrul Rinpoche
Sunday, January 1st
3:30 am – Session 6
DAY 3
5:00 pm – Session 7
West Coast, USA
PT – West Coast
Friday, December 30th
DAY 1
06:00 pm – White Tara Empowerment
09:00 pm – Session 2
Saturday, December 31st
12:30 am – 02:30 am – Session 3
DAY 2
2:00 pm – Session 4
6:00 pm – Session 5
8:00 pm – Long Life Offering Ceremony to Khentrul Rinpoche
Sunday, January 1st
12:30 am – Session 6
DAY 3
2:00 pm – Session 7
OFFER TO THE LONG LIFE PUJA
There are a lot of items involved that need to be offered and costs related to putting on this long life puja. Traditionally thousands of offerings are made along with all of the traditional item such a monks, robes, statues, items representing the Dharma, medicines etc. We appreciate your donation to help sponsor this.
https://dzokden.org/donations/long-life-offering-fund-to-khentrul-rinpoche/
OFFER LONG LIFE MANTRAS
For Rinpoche’s long life we are accumulating the White Tara Mantras, you can offer them here
https://airtable.com/shr9ie87dewcT9wqa
OFFERING DANA TO RINPOCHE
Its customary at the end of empowerment for students to make an offering of Dana to the guru. As this is an online event, you can make the offering of Dana to Rinpoche here.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS?
email [email protected]
As we prepare to do the White Tara long life retreat, Khentrul Rinpoche reflects on the meaning of a long life and why we need these practices. This is his last public talk of the year and a message to all students on what they can reflect on for the next year and the rest of their lives.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85811404442?pwd=TFQ1N0RCUjFHQ25hamY0akY1VTZXZz09
Webinar ID: 858 1140 4442
Passcode: 108108
Friday Dec 30th 7:30 PM AEST Melbourne, Australia
Friday Dec 30th 4:30 PM Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan
Friday Dec 30th 3:30 PM Hanoi, Vietnam
Friday Dec 30th 10:30 AM Romania
Friday Dec 30th 9:30 AM Central Europe
Friday Dec 30th 5:30 AM Sao Paulo, Brazil
Friday Dec 30th 3:30 AM East Coast USA, Toronto
Friday Dec 30th 12:30 AM West Coast USA
Aug 4 7:30 PM Vienna:
Aug 5 3:30 AM AEST – Melbourne, Australia
Aug 5 1:30 AM HKT – Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan
Aug 4 7:30 PM CET – Central Europe
Aug 4 2:30 PM BRT – São Paulo, Brazil
Aug 4 1:30 PM EST / AST – East Coast USA, Toronto
Aug 4 10:30 AM PT – West Coast
This is an introductory public teaching precending the CHÖD Empowerment & Retreat.
Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82131713687?pwd=NkNKRWNCQVlBTHdKQzlaMVdFQSthQT09
Webinar ID: 821 3171 3687
Passcode: 108108
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
in-person only
Register at Dzokden Kalapa in Austria
This page is information for the RETREAT WEEKS 2, 3 and 4.
WEEK 2: August 23th – 30th (7 nights)
WEEK 3: August 30th – September 6th
WEEK 4: September 6th – 13th
If you want to participate in the Higher Empowerments and 1st week of the retreat, you also need to register here as well.
We are grateful to be able to offer the Three Isolations (Wensum) Retreat at the Dzokden Kalapa Retreat Center in the Austrian mountains. This retreat is a rare opportunity to practice in a similar way to how aspiring yogis practice during the traditional three-year Kalachakra retreat, in a uniquely beautiful natural setting. This retreat will support the participants in cultivating the Three Isolations of Body, Speech, and Mind as a solid ground for entering the Kalachakra Completion Stage of the Six Vajra Yogas. You are welcome to take part in the entire retreat or any of the weeks of your choosing.
Online Meditation Guidance from Khentrul Rinpoche + In-person Retreat
Rafa Lobsang Dorje will lead the retreat with Rinpoche’s blessing. He received the Wensum teachings from Rinpoche in 2017 and has participated in about ten Wensum retreats in group and solitary settings. He also recently led two long Wensum retreats at Kalapa.
Each participant can also request a personal interview with Rinpoche via Zoom to discuss their meditation progress and help alleviate any obstacles to their practice.
REQUIREMENTS
All participants must have received the Four Higher Empowerments of Kalachakra with instructions for the Three Isolations (Wensum) from Shar Khentrul Rinpoche. Everyone who has already taken these Higher Empowerments is automatically approved for participation. There is the possibility of receiving them on week 1 (register here). If you have not received them yet and have the aspiration to do so, fulfill the request here as soon as possible.
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 in Europe again.
Note: the Kalachakra Four Higher Empowerments are not the same 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”. If you are not sure that you have received the Four Higher Empowerments, write to us before starting your registration.
How to prepare myself for this retreat
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.
During the retreat, Guru Puja and Kalachakra Tsok gatherings will also be held on special occasions. If these are new to you, we strongly encourage you to additionally register for their two associated courses on our learning center to prepare yourself in advance. However, these courses are not mandatory prerequisites for participation.
Materials
Bring your practice book “The Profound Path of Vajra Yoga”. You can also bring Rinpoche’s commentary “The Hidden Treasure” and the Higher Empowerments Booklet as a reference for your practice. Other reading materials not directly related to the Wensum practice are not allowed.
REGISTRATION COSTS for EACH WEEK (for weeks 2, 3 and 4)
250,- (reduced registration for those with a reduced income or who prefer to stay in a tent at the retreat center)
375,- (normal registration option)
500,- (sangha supporter registration level – with this option, your generosity will also support other practitioners who may need a reduced registration cost)
Retreat Infos and Guidelines
This is a strict retreat. 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 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.
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.
