This event is available both In-person and Online.
Chod Empowerment and Weekend Workshop: A Sacred Gathering of Liberation Through Severance
-Saturday & Sunday
-4 Sessions across the Weekend
-Including Empowerment by Shar Khentrul Rinpoche
About This Event
The ancient practice of Chöd is one of the most extraordinary and rarely encountered paths in the entire Vajrayana tradition. Born from the fearless realisation of the 11th-century yogini Machig Labdrön, Chöd strikes at the very root of what binds us, the deeply held clinging to self that generates all suffering, fear, and confusion across our lives and countless lifetimes. We live in an age of extraordinary distraction, yet beneath the noise, the fundamental questions remain: What is the self we protect so fiercely? What would it mean to truly let go? Chöd does not offer a comfortable answer it offers a direct and embodied encounter with these questions, through sound, movement, ritual, and the living transmission of an unbroken lineage.This weekend retreat is a rare opportunity to step fully into that tradition. Over four immersive sessions across Saturday and Sunday, you will receive the Chöd lineage empowerment from Shar Khentrul Rinpoche, before moving progressively through instrument instruction, sadhana transmission, and culminating in a complete group Chöd practice, Q&A, and dedication of merit. Whether you come as a complete beginner or a seasoned practitioner, this weekend has the power to open something real.
What is Chöd?
Chöd (གཅོད་, pronounced ‘Chö’) means ‘to sever’ or ‘to cut’ and that single word points directly to its purpose: the complete severing of ego clinging and conceptual grasping at the very root of suffering. It is a practice unlike any other in the Vajrayana, originating with the great 11th-century Tibetan yogini Machig Labdrön, whose realisation was so radical, so complete, that she founded an entirely new lineage. Where most Dharma practices invite stillness, Chöd moves. The practitioner chants, drums, and wanders traditionally to wild and fearsome places, charnel grounds, mountain passes, cemeteries and there performs the ritual of offering the body itself to all sentient beings. It is an act of ultimate generosity and fearlessness, dissolving the illusion of a self. At the heart of this practice are the sacred instruments, the Chöd drum (damaru) and bell (drilbu). These are not accompaniments they are the voice and the heartbeat of Chöd itself, inseparable from the practice. To learn to play them is to begin to enter the transmission from the inside.
Program Highlights
-Chöd Empowerment bestowed by Shar Khentrul Rinpoche – opening the door to the full transmission -Introduction to Chöd – history, lineage, and the living transmission from Machig Labdrön -Learn the Chöd Drum (damaru) – proper technique, rhythms, and the inner meaning of the beat -Learn the Bell (drilbu) & Kangling – how to hold, strike, and coordinate with drum and voice -Sadhana transmission, guided practice, and teaching commentary -Full Chöd practice session with Q&A and dedication of merit -Opportunity to purchase authentic Chöd drums, bells, and kangling
Schedule by Timezone
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan
SATURDAY, June 13, 2026 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Session 1 – Chöd Empowerment and Teaching 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Session 2 – Drum & Bell Technique with Drungngur Tenzin Lamsang
SUNDAY, June 14, 2026 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM: Session 3 – Sadhana Transmission, Practice and Teaching 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Session 4 – Q&A Session
Our Teachers
Shar Khentrul Rinpoche Shar Khentrul Rinpoche has received the Chöd transmission across multiple great traditions Nyingma, Kagyu, Jonang, and Gelug and has himself completed Chöd retreat. He received the transmission of Taranatha’s Opening the Gates to the Sky empowerment from Kalka Jetsun Dhampa, considered a reincarnation of Taranatha himself and the spiritual head of Mongolia. This depth of lineage and cross-tradition mastery is rare in the modern world, and it flows directly into this weekend. Rinpoche carries the living flame of authentic Vajrayana transmission and is deeply committed to offering the full breadth of Tibetan Buddhist practice including the rarely taught Chöd to students in the modern world. His teaching is characterised by warmth, precision, and the fearless confidence of one who has walked the path himself.
Drungngur Tenzin Lamsang Drungngur Tenzin Lamsang is a highly trained ritual master and holder of the authentic Chöd lineage transmission. With years of dedicated practice in the traditional Tibetan manner, Tenzin Lamsang brings rare expertise in the precise technique of Chöd drumming, bell work, and the melodic chant unique to this practice. Under his guidance, students will receive direct, hands-on instruction in the sacred instruments across both days of the weekend.
Sacred Instruments – Rare Purchase Opportunity
Authentic Chöd instruments are rarely available outside of Tibet and specialist Dharma centres. Across both days, a carefully curated selection of genuine Chöd instruments will be available for purchase, sourced from traditional craftspeople. These are not decorative items, they are consecrated tools of practice, and their acquisition at such an event carries the blessing of the teaching context.
-Chöd Drum (Damaru) – The ritual drum central to the Chöd practice; traditionally made from two human skull caps joined together, now more commonly crafted from wood with authentic skull-shaped resonance chambers.- -Bell (Drilbu) – The hand bell, representing the wisdom of emptiness; held in the left hand and rung in precise coordination with the drum and ritual movement. -Kangling – The thigh bone trumpet, blown to call forth Dakinis and cut through conceptual mind. An iconic and powerful Chöd instrument, available in wood.
Who Should Attend? This event warmly welcomes practitioners at all stages of their journey. No prior experience with Chöd or ritual instruments is required. All are welcome to come with an open heart and a willingness to engage.
-Complete beginners curious about Tibetan Buddhist ritual practice -Students with some Vajrayana background wishing to encounter Chöd for the first time -Established practitioners seeking to refine their drum and bell technique under expert guidance -Anyone drawn to the fearless, embodied, and musically rich dimension of the Dharma
Guardian of the North • Lord of Wealth • Magnetizing Protector
Receive the empowerment and oral transmission of the sādhana of Red Vaiśravaṇa, in his dynamic form riding the blue steed and wielding the red spear—a powerful protector who removes obstacles, magnetizes prosperity, and establishes favorable conditions for both worldly success and Dharma practice. For those who are Drolmi Kazug practitioners, this is one of the key protectors invoked within that practice, making this empowerment especially meaningful for deepening your connection to the lineage and its magnetizing activity.
This empowerment is being offered in an extraordinarily rare astrological alignment—the Year, Month, Day, and Hour of the Horse, aligned in the Fire Horse year to help magnetize and catalyze the activity on the day for Dharma Protector activities. Such a convergence occurs only once in a 60-year zodiac cycle, greatly amplifying the power of the empowerment for magnetizing success, protection, and accomplishment.
This offering is also dedicated to the unfolding of the Golden Age, and specifically to the success of the 2027 Global Art Tour, celebrating 1000 years of the Kālacakra Tantra in Tibetan Buddhism and the changing of the Kalki King in Shambhala—a pivotal moment in the vision of a harmonious world and enlightenment for all beings.
The Power of Red Vaisravana
This form of Vaiśravaṇa is not merely a wealth deity, but a protector who actively engages with the forces that shape our karmic conditions.
Through this practice:
-obstacles and adverse conditions are pacified -supportive circumstances arise in alignment with your intentions -the four enlightened activities—pacifying, enriching, magnetizing, and subjugating—are accomplished without obstruction
He works in connection with the eight classes of beings—yakshas, nagas, and other unseen forces—transforming them into allies on the path, harmonizing environmental and karmic influences that affect wealth, health, and success.
A Practice of Offering, Alignment, and Magnetizing Activity
This sādhana emphasizes generosity and offering as the foundation of prosperity. Through offerings such as golden drink, torma, and ritual substances, practitioners establish a relationship with protective forces and create the causes for abundance to arise.
Rather than chasing results externally, this practice works at the root— transforming the unseen conditions that determine outcomes.
Who This Practice Is For
This empowerment is especially beneficial for those who:
-face obstacles in wealth, livelihood, or success -seek to magnetize opportunities, influence, and recognition -want to create stable conditions to practice Dharma without hindrance -wish to work skillfully with karma, environment, and unseen forces
Schedule by Timezone
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore, Taiwan — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 at 11:00 AM
Melbourne, Australia— Mon, 13 Jul 2026 at 1:00 PM Hanoi, Vietnam — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 at 10:00 AM Vienna, Austria — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 at 5:00 AM São Paulo, Brazil — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 at 12:00 Midnight New York, USA — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 at 11:00 PM San Francisco, USA — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 at 8:00 PM
This event is available ONLINE only + Pre-recorded course in English.
Two times are available for the Oral Transmission to accommodate more timezones. The Commentary has been pre-recorded by Khentrul Rinpoche *Restricted teaching, please see info below*
Important note: If you are already enrolled in the Secret Dakini Commentary in the Dzokden Learning Center, you will gain automatic access to oral transmissions. The information has been added to your course.
Khentrul Rinpoche will bestow the oral transmission to the Secret Dakini Nogndro. This incredibly poetic practice text presents all the path until Enlightenment concisely. It focuses on the ultimate meaning of the different preliminary practices. Some sections that are extensive in the other Kalachakra Sadhanas are presented here very concisely, whereas others appear in a more comprehensive, non-traditional way.
The “Secret Dakini Treasure” is especially recommended for those practicing wensum (Three Isolations) and the First Vajra Yoga. For this reason, Rinpoche wishes that practitioners planning to attend the longer wensum or 1st Yoga retreat attend this transmission beforehand.
Who can attend? 1) All who have received the Four Higher Empowerments with Rinpoche or, if not: 2) Any stable Dharma practitioner who has done the Ngöndro extensively in any tradition and has the aspiration to receive Higher Empowerment.
In both cases, they should know quite well the Kalachakra sadhanas “The Divine Ladder” and “Enlightening the Heart”. To get to know Rinpoche’s flexible approach to the Ngöndro, look at the chapter 14 of “Unveiling Your Sacred Truth — Book 2”. For online resources, visit:https://dzokden.org/getting-started
If you do not have the requirements yet, Rinpoche encourages you to prepare yourself as much as you can during the year in order to be able to attend.
Schedule by Timezone
Melbourne, Australia — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 at 10:00 AM Hong Kong, Hong Kong — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 at 8:00 AM Hanoi, Vietnam — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 at 7:00 AM Vienna, Austria — Sun, 7 Jun 2026 at 2:00 AM São Paulo, Brazil — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 at 9:00 PM New York, USA — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 at 8:00 PM San Francisco, USA — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 at 5:00 PM
This event is available both Online and In-person.
Vajra Vega Wheel of Protection: Wrathful Kalachakra Empowerment & Protection Retreat with Khentrul Rinpoche Friday to Sunday
Learn the Most Powerful Spiritual Protection Practice Done before the Kalachakra Empowerment By special request from our Asian students, Khentrul Rinpoche will bestow the rare VajraVega Jenang and Wheel of Protection in the Asia time zone.
This extraordinary, seldom-given practice creates a powerful vajra-protective sphere of Vajra Vega and 60 protectors, traditionally performed at the start of Kalachakra empowerments to secure the space—and included in select extensive Kalachakra sadhanas. Vajra Vega, the wrathful form of Shri Kalachakra and the King of the Wrathful Deities, is the protector aspect in Kalachakra. There are many benefits to establishing a connection with Vajra Vega. The essence of Vajravega is that he represents the non-conceptual primordial wisdom that arises when the winds enter the central channel. This is the method by which the root ignorance of conceptuality is cut. It is also the basis or container where the precious six vajra yogas arise. When we establish a wheel of protection with Vajra Vega, we are symbolically stopping the arising of dualistic appearances and abiding within the non-conceptual wisdom. Vajra Vega is considered the King of Spiritual Protection, and his 60 retinues are incredibly powerful. Who is Vajra Vega?
Mudra and ritual instruction classes will be led by Senior Students of Rinpoche. For those joining in person, if you wish to help set up and be part of creating the Tormas for this empowerment contact [email protected] We are looking for volunteers in Australia to make merit and help create the 60 tormas for this empowerment and help set it up.
Included in the Retreat both Online and In-Person -Kalki Obstacle Removing Prayer -Vajra Vega Jenang (wrathful Kalachakra) Blessing Empowerment -Oral Transmission and practice text of Praises of Vajra Vega -Oral Transmission and practice text of Short Practice of Vajra Vega -Oral Transmission and practice text of Vajra Vega’s Wheel of Protection Sadhana -Lesson in how to make the torma and tea offering to Dharma Protectors -12 Kalachakra Offering Mudras
WHO CAN COME Online participants must have already taken the Kalachakra Wang before. In-Person students must have already taken the Kalachakra Empowerment (wang) or plan to take it in the future. The participant must already believe that the Kalachakra tantra is an important practice they wish to continue with in this life. Khentrul Rinpoche is being generous in offering the in-person attendees the opportunity to attend this retreat even just with the intention to take it in the future, rather than insisting on prior initiation as is customary.
OPTIONAL SUPPLIES TO BRING -Damaru -Bell and Dorje -Serkyem (Golden Tea Offering Set)
HYBRID FORMAT This workshop will be online and in person. Oral transmissions and empowerment must be received in real-time (i.e. not via video replay). Recordings will be added to learn.dzokden.org after the retreat. Everyone enrolled in person or online will be able to access the course.
For financial aid for online attendance Email [email protected] to request further financial aid. You must clearly state your financial reasons for needing the scholarship and your qualifications, as this is a supplementary practice as well as very unusual if not unheard of to be offered.
Schedule by Timezone
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan
FRIDAY, January 1, 2027 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM – SESSION 1 – Public Teaching
SATURDAY, January 2, 2027 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM – SESSION 2 – Vajra Vega Empowerment 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – SESSION 3 – Praises of Vajra Vega and Short Practice 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM – SESSION 4 – Oral Transmission and Teaching/Q&A
SUNDAY, January 3, 2027 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM – SESSION 5 – Wheel of Protection Practice and Q&A 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – SESSION 6 – Mudra Lesson 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM – SESSION 7 – Short Teaching and Tsok
This event is available both Online and In-person.
This rare Marichi Tara empowerment is being offered in Hungary as part of the launch of the Shambhala Global Art Tour, a worldwide initiative to awaken understanding of Shambhala—not merely as a mythical realm, but as a living vision of enlightened society and leadership.
At the heart of Shambhala is the principle of the Universal Monarch—leadership rooted in wisdom, compassion, and fearless clarity. In this transmission, we especially highlight the future of enlightened feminine leadership, reminding us that a balanced world requires both awakened masculine and feminine qualities in every leader and practitioner.
Marichi — The 21st Tara
Marichi, the radiant 21st Tara, blazes ahead of the sun. She is the Dharma Protector of Kalapa, the capital of the pure land of Shambhala, and represents the completion stage of Tara practice as taught by Jetsun Taranatha.
Glowing the color of sunset—luminous orange and gold—Marichi heralds the dawning sun of great bliss. Like sunlight itself, her blessings pervade everywhere, dispelling obstacles both seen and unseen.
As a Dharma protector, Marichi:
-Guards practitioners during travel and times of danger -Creates a cloak of invisibility, blinding harmful forces and obstacles -Protects sincere devotees and swiftly guides them toward awakening
Across Asia she is revered in many traditions. In Chinese astrology she is known as the Mother of the Big Dipper, goddess of astrology and all nine planets. In Japan, samurai warriors invoked her for her power of invisibility and protection in battle.
Khentrul Rinpoche’s Personal Dharma Protector
This empowerment is offered from that living lineage of faith and direct experience.Marichi has been intimately connected to Khentrul Rinpoche since childhood. While herding yaks as a young boy in Tibet, he relied on her mantra to protect the animals from wolves at night.
“From the moment I relied on Marichi, I never lost a single yak. I developed unshakable faith in her from childhood, and this connection has remained indestructible throughout my life.”
What’s Included
-Marichi Tara Empowerment -Oral Transmission of two Marichi Sādhanas -Teachings on Marichi, Shambhala, and Enlightened Leadership
Who This Is For
-Open to all — no prerequisites. -Ideal for those drawn to Tara, the enlightened feminine, or Dharma protectio -Kalachakra practitioners, as Marichi protects Shambhala itself -Dzokden practitioners, supporting the Drolmi Kazug Wish-Fulfilling Vase practice
Schedule by Timezone
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Mongolia, Singapore and Taiwan
