Ati Ling Tibetan Buddhist Center

The retreat will be based on a Dharma treasure (terma) of the late Chokgyur Lingpa, a contemporary and spiritual brother of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. Chokgyur Lingpa is regarded as the last of the one hundred major tertons (treasure revealers) and the universal monarch of all Tertons.

Chokgyur Lingpa (1829-1870) displayed many amazing miracles throughout his life and worked alongside Jamyang Khyentse, Jamyang Kongtrul, Mipham Gyatso and Patrul Rinpoche in developing the Rime Movement, a non-sectarian approach to integrating all major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Chokgyur Lingpa's fourth incarnation, Tsikey Chokling Rinpoche, bestowed the Padma Dakini empowerment when he visited Ati Ling in 2000 and 2004, and we are privileged to maintain the practice of this treasure under the guidance of Jigme Tromge Rinpoche, who was recognised early in life as being the reincarnation of Tsewang Norbu, the son of Chokgyur Lingpa and regarded as an Avalokiteshvara emanation.

Empowerment is required for participation in this retreat. Due to time constraints, Rinpoche will offer the empowerment during the Saturday midday break only if some retreatants do not have it.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Friday morning at 9.00am and end on Sunday evening around 5pm. Please note we do NOT offer dinner on Thursday night, even if some retreatants need to arrive that evening.

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation). Day-only includes just lunch.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 707-632-5364.

OFFERINGS
During intensive practice retreats, we make offerings of tsog and butterlamps.Tsog is a most profound method of purification and for gaining realization. Offering tsog and butterlamps are said to be two of the most effective ways for accumulating merit through generosity, and for this occasion where we honor a great lama like Chagdud Rinpoche, it is particularly beneficial to make such offerings as a way to strengthen present and future connections with true masters. All dedications will be read during the pujas. Those who are unable to attend retreat but would still like to make offerings are also welcome to do so.

There are several ways to make offerings:
1) with secure credit card donation processing online at www. padmapeace.org
2) by downloading a PDF form and mailing with a check made out to 'Ati Ling'
3) by calling the treasurer on 707-632-5364 to arrange payment by credit card

Rigdzin Dupa 100,000 Tsog Offerings Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche
Memorial Day Weekend May 28th - 30th 2011

This annual Rigdzin Dupa ('Gathering of Awareness-Holders') Retreat is based on the sadhana by the great treasure-revealer Jigme Lingpa (1729-1798) and constitutes the lama aspect -- here represented by Guru Rinpoche -- of the Three Roots practice of the Longchen Nyingthig lineage.

This classic Nyingma practice was very important to Chagdud Rinpoche, and Jigme Rinpoche uses it as the basis for the month-long Dzogchen retreat in Brazil every year.

This year Jigme Rinpoche will once again offer empowerment and lead the 100,000 Tsog Offering Rigdzin Dupa Retreat, and everyone is warmly welcomed to join.

Attendance is possible on a per-day basis for those who are unable to attend the whole retreat. Note that empowerment is required for attendance at this retreat, and will be offered on the Saturday morning.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Saturday morning at 9.15am and end on Monday evening around 5pm.

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation). Day-only includes just lunch.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 707-632-5898.

OFFERINGS
During intensive practice retreats, we make offerings of tsog and butterlamps. Tsog is a most profound method of purification and for gaining realization. Offering tsog and butterlamps are said to be two of the most effective ways for accumulating merit through generosity, and for occasions where we are doing a practice due to the kindness of great lamas like His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Khenpo Ngaga or Chagdud Rinpoche, it is particularly beneficial to make such offerings as a way to strengthen present and future connections with true masters. All dedications will be read during the pujas. Those who are unable to attend retreat but would still like to make offerings are also welcome to do so. Butterlamps are $1.50 each; tsog offerings can be in any amount.

Nyung Ne Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche

Saturday and Sunday March 26th-27th 2011

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Jigme Rinpoche will lead the fasting and purification Nyung Ne retreat based on Chenrezig practice this coming weekend. Doing any kind of dharma practice during this holy first month of the New Year is considered to be of greatly enhanced benefit for oneself and all beings, so this weekend is a wonderful opportunity to deepen one's practice and create merit.

All are welcome to join, regardless of previous practice experience, and no empowerment is required -- a book empowerment is offered. The only meal will be lunch on Saturday, and on Sunday retreatants will also not take liquids. Full length prostrations are a part of the practice, and retreatants are in silence throughout the weekend. The format may seem daunting for newcomers, but Jigme Rinpoche's focused and compassionate guidance, the group support, and the natural soothing beauty of the setting will allow retreatants to go through the weekend with joy and inspiration. We look forward to welcoming old sangha members and new for this event.

If you wish to join the retreat but have any health concerns, please first consult with your medical practitioner if necessary. If you would like to dedicate the weekend as a time for practice during Saga Dawa but are unable to meet the retreat requirements for some reason, please contact us to discuss alternatives.

The retreat begins 9am on Saturday and ends on Sunday around 5pm. For those traveling from further afield, it is possible to arrive on Friday night and/or stay over on Sunday night for Monday breakfast.

The cost from Saturday to Sunday will be $35 for overnight accommodation in the dormitory (private rooms at a higher rate are also available - please clarify when you make your reservation). Please email info@padmapeace.org if you have any questions.

Vajrakilaya Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche,
Chagdud Khadro & Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche

19 - 21 February 2011

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Following the example of Guru Padmasambhava and many superb lineage masters, we perform Vajrakilaya to overcome outer, inner, and secret obstacles to dharma practice and activity. We apply the skillful means of wrathful compassion to the poisons and demons of our own minds.

The complete Vajrakilaya drubchen performed at Tibetan New Year prevents the obstacles from the past year from carrying forward into the New Year. It is said in Tibet that participation in a single week's drubchen practice generates as much merit and potential realization as a year's retreat. This event at PPI is not as elaborate as a full drubchen, but is still a powerful group practice that can be of enormous benefit. This year we are delighted to also welcome Chagdud Khadro and Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche for the event.

Empowerment is required to attend the retreat. Please notify the treasurer if you wish to attend, but do not have the empowerment.

Texts required for the drubchod are: Vajrakilaya, Galaxy of Heartdrops and Protectors, all of which are available for sale at PPI's Lotus Light store.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Saturday morning at 9.30am and end on Monday evening around 5.30pm. Please note we do NOT offer dinner on Friday night, even if some retreatants need to arrive that evening.

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation). Day-only includes just lunch.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 70-632-5898.

Vajrasattva Accumulations

Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th February 2011

Accumulation of one million recitations of Vajrasattva’s 100-syllable mantra by Chagdud Gonpa sanghas in North and South America is an auspicious way to welcome Iron Rabbit Losar on March 5th. In a world where violent emotions are rife, our meditation can manifest the pacifying nectar of Vajrasattva. In a time when obscurations confuse our relationships and our commitments, our meditation can merge with the mirror-like wisdom of Vajrasattva’s enlightened mind.

A superb simultaneity will take place on Saturday, February 12th and Sunday, February 13th, when practitioners in North and South America gather in their own centers and meditation groups to join together in Vajrasattva practice.

PPI will have a work party running this weekend, so everyone will start the morning with a Vajrasattva session, hold the mantra during the day, and we will close again as a group in the evening. Anyone not actively participating in the work party is most welcome to come for the day and sit to practise.

Practitioners with Vajrasattva empowermnent can choose to do any practice for which they have empowerment, whether the extensive Dudjom Vajrasattva sadhana, the more concise practice in Lamps of Clarity, or the Vajrasattva section of the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro. Without empowerment, Vajrasattva should be visualized above one’s head rather than as self-visualization.

If you are not able to come to Ati Ling or another CGF center near you but wish to do the accumulations on your own, please keep track of the number of 100-syllable mantra recitations you do and send them to info@chagdudgonpa.org. This process of accumulation will continue until Losar.

Sunday December 12th, 9.30am - 5.30pm

Yeshe Ling, CA

Join Jigme Rinpoche and sangha for a day of practice at Yeshe Ling, a beautiful retreat space in the hills north of San Francisco.

Through connecting with the blessings of Arya Tara and His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, this tsog and confession will help strengthen our individual practice as well as remove group and personal obstacles. May all beings benefit!

Please bring your Red Tara and Galaxy of Heartdrops text and a tsog offering. Those without a Red Tara empowerment are still welcome to join, and will refer to the concise Tara text.

Participants are requested to bring a bagged lunch. To register, please email laurel.harris@gmail.com.

Padma Dakini Drubchod

November 12-14, 2010

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

with Jigme Rinpoche, Chagdud Khadro & other CGF lamas

Empowerment is required for participation in this retreat, and will be given on Saturday morning. Please contact us if you do not have the empowerment but wish to attend the retreat.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Friday morning at 9.00am and end on Sunday evening around 5pm. Please note we do NOT offer dinner on Thursday night, even if some retreatants

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation). Day-only includes just lunch.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 707-632-5898.

Mudra

Sunday October 10th, 9.30am

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

We are delighted to announce that Jigme Rinpoche will teach on mudras, the symbolic hand gestures used in Vajrayana practice that are an integral part of the meditation. All are welcome, and no previous knowledge is required, although reference will be made to certain Chagdud Gonpa sadhana practices. This is a wonderful opportunity to receive direct instruction from a teacher deeply versed in Vajrayana ritual.

The teaching will be followed by lunch, which will be provided by PPI. So that there is an opportunity to try and incorporate the mudra teachings into the practices, Sunday puja will be in the afternoon instead of the morning, starting at 2pm.

There is no charge for the teachings, although it is traditional to make an offering to the lama.

To allow us to plan properly for lunch, please call (707) 632 5629 or contact us by email if you wish to attend.

Much of our human struggle springs from a discordance between our heart and our head. In the Buddhist tradition, we have wonderful practices of wisdom through which we clear away confusions and ignorance and enlighten our mind. And we have compassionate exercises to soften our heart. Together they bring heart and mind into a natural relationship of mutual support.

The public talk is on Friday night, followed by the weekend program.

The cost for attending the whole weekend is $120; for a single session (Fri evening, Sat am, Sat pm, Sun am) it is $35.

To register for the whole program ($120) click here. If you only plan to attend a single session, you can pay on the door -- preregistration is not needed, contrary to the information on the Shambhala website.

For more information about Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, please see his website.

For more information, contact activity@atiling.org

Ngondro Practice Days

Third Saturday of the Month

July 17, August 21st

These Saturdays, running since May last year, are a chance to do some ngondro practice with others on the same path, in a supportive environment. This kind of intensive focus once a month is invaluable for helping maintain a solid, regular practice at home, and increases the harmony and strength of the sangha. Wherever you are at with your ngondro, come along for as much of the day as you can, and if you wish, stay over for Sunday morning puja. Because of different rates of progress, individuals will proceed at their own pace, rather than doing each part as a group. There will be a chance to clarify any practical questions with students who have already completed ngondro, and Jigme Rinpoche will also be around on some of the Saturdays, and for Sunday puja.

Parents are welcome to bring children, but please note full-time supervision must be arranged with another adult.

To keep costs down, please bring a brown-bag lunch. Hot and cold drinks will be available in the dining-hall.

Overnight retreatants: dinner Saturday, dorm bed (pls bring your own bedding), breakfast Sunday -- requested donation of $20.

Lion-faced Dakini Empowerment and Retreat

Yeshe Ling, CA

July 23-25

Despite his especially busy schedule this year, Jigme Rinpoche will once again offer this wonderful retreat on the practice of the Lion-Faced Dakini of Pristine Awareness. This is a profound practice for dispelling obstacles and swiftly accomplishing the realization of intrinsic awareness, composed by HH Dudjom Rinpoche from a treasure of his previous incarnation, Dudjom Lingpa. Jigme Rinpoche received this practice directly from HH Dudjom Rinpoche, so the lineage is very short and powerful.

In the intimate, relaxed environment of this retreat, there is an ideal opportunity to really absorb the teachings and settle into the practice. Those who have attended in the past have found the retreat to be very special, and Rinpoche’s teachings to be very helpful to their dharma understanding and meditation practice. While speaking to the deepest meaning, the teachings are nonetheless direct and practical, and thereby easy to integrate into one’s life.

The Lion-Faced Dakini retreat will begin on Friday afternoon and finish on Sunday evening. Yeshe Ling is a secluded retreat place in the hills north of San Francisco, with a simplicity and natural environment that enhances meditation. Chagdud Rinpoche, and then Jigme Rinpoche have given many teachings at Yeshe Ling, so the blessings are strong on the land. So drop, for a moment, your busy life, and join us for this great opportunity to be with an authentic master of the realization lineage.

The greatest benefit comes from attending the whole retreat without coming and going, allowing the mind to settle into the practice. However if some individuals really cannot do this, arrangements can be made for partial attendence.

Preregistration is required. $125 before July 16, 2010; $150 after July 16.

For details and registration, email laurel.harris@gmail.com .

Rigdzin Dupa 100,000 Tsog Offerings Retreat

Friday 18th - Sunday 20th June, PPI

This classic Nyingma practice was very important to Chagdud Rinpoche, and Jigme Rinpoche uses it as the basis for the month-long Dzogchen retreat in Brazil every year.

This year Jigme Rinpoche will once again offer empowerment and together with Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche will lead the 100,000 Tsog Offering Rigdzin Dupa Retreat, and everyone is warmly welcomed to join.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Friday morning at 9.15am and end on Sunday evening around 5pm.

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation). Day-only includes just lunch.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 415-663-9421.

OFFERINGS
During intensive practice retreats, we make offerings of tsog and butterlamps. Tsog is a most profound method of purification and for gaining realization. Offering tsog and butterlamps are said to be two of the most effective ways for accumulating merit through generosity, and for occasions where we are doing a practice due to the kindness of great lamas like His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Khenpo Ngaga or Chagdud Rinpoche, it is particularly beneficial to make such offerings as a way to strengthen present and future connections with true masters. All dedications will be read during the pujas. Those who are unable to attend retreat but would still like to make offerings are also welcome to do so. Butterlamps are $1.50 each; tsog offerings can be in any amount.

Meditation Practice and Q&A with Jigme Rinpoche

Easter Weekend April 3rd-4th, Saturday April 24th

Padmasambhava Peace Institute, Cazadero

We are delighted to announce that Jigme Rinpoche will lead weekend meditation sessions comprising instruction, practice, and question-answer periods, in the peaceful setting of the PPI shrine-room. These days will be suitable for both experienced meditators and also beginners who wish to have more guidance, and there will be enough room for floor and chair seating. Please note the emphasis will be on actual sitting practice rather than extensive teaching, although there will be time to clarify questions with Rinpoche, and study materials are available from the library. Everyone is welcome to stay on after 5.30pm to make use of the library or simply continue with some more sitting, until 8pm -- please just be sure to bring your own food.

All events are free of charge, although donations are always welcome, and it is traditional to make an offering to the teacher. If retreatants choose to stay overnight there is a charge for meals and dormitory accommodation.

The day will run from 9.30am to 5.30pm, with a morning, lunch and afternoon break. Brown-bag lunch please. Note we will NOT serve breakfast or dinner unless retreatants have pre-arranged an overnight stay with the treasurer (see 'FOR ALL EVENTS' below).

Sun: -- 6.30-8.30am sitting; 8.30-9am breakfast; 9.30-noon Sunday puja; lunch till 1.00pm followed by Easter Egg Hunt; 2.30-5.30pm sitting. Parents please bring your own Easter Egg goodies -- we will help hide them!

If you wish to stay overnight during the retreat, there is a $30 charge to cover Saturday dinner, dormitory accommodation, and Sunday breakfast and lunch.

FOR ALL EVENTS -- To keep costs down, please bring a brown-bag lunch. Hot and cold drinks will be available in the dining-hall. Parents are welcome to bring children, but please note full-time supervision must be arranged with another adult. Cushions for sitting are available but please bring your own if you are more comfortable with that.

Overnight retreatants: Please bring your own bedding, ie sheets, sleeping bag, pillow etc. Remember that nights at PPI can be cold in early April! For those wishing to stay Friday or Sunday night also, there is a $20 charge for dinner, dormitory accomodation and breakfast.

Exposing the Heart - The Power and Purpose of Discipline

Thursday, April 8th, 7pm

Open Secret Bookstore, San Rafael CA

"If, lacking discipline, one cannot accomplish one's own good,
It is laughable to think of accomplishing the good of others"
(From The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva)

Jigme Tromge Rinpoche will teach on discipline (sila, or tsultrim) as the basis for one's practice, and explain how to understand and implement the different levels of sila so that we can develop a peaceful mind and bring genuine benefit to others.

His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche wrote: "Discipline is the foundation of all Dharma practice. It provides the ground upon which all positive qualities can be cultivated. In the same way that all the oceans and mountains are supported by the underlying mass of the earth, all the practices of the Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana are supported by the backbone of discipline...
Mahayana practitioners...wish that all beings might keep perfect discipline in order to be free from samsara's bonds....Infused with the bodhisattva's motivation, discipline grows greatly in its power. It culminates in the discipline of the Vajrayana, which is to maintain the samayas, the sacred links between the spiritual master and the disciple -- the very life-force of the Vajrayana...
Without discipline there is no way to achieve either the temporary happiness of liberation from suffering, or the ultimate bliss of enlightenment".
(From 'The Heart of Compassion')

All are welcome! The talk is at 7pm, Open Secret Bookstore - 923 C Street, San Rafael, CA 94901-2805

________________________________________________________________________________

Teaching on Barched Lamsel

March 28th, 2-6pm

Berkeley Shambhala Streetspace

Why do we make supplications to Guru Rinpoche, and how should we relate to him in the context of prayers such as the Barched Lamsel? --

Guru Rinpoche, embodiment of buddhas of the three times, Guru who is great bliss, lord of all accomplishments;
Guru who is the dynamic and wrathful tamer of maras, dispeller of all hindrances - I pray to you.
Bestow your blessings. Please remove all outer, inner, and secret obstacles,
and grant your blessings that our wishes be spontaneously accomplished.

These are the words spoken by Padmasambhava and revealed as a treasure by Terchen Chogyur Lingpa, and in various forms this supplication is relied upon by many lineages of Tibetan Buddhism. Many people who have done retreats with Chagdud Rinpoche or other lamas will know this prayer from reciting it in preparation for extensive practice, and also may have experienced its benefits when it has been suggested as a focus for their personal practice during difficult times. It is considered a very powerful prayer for the removal of obstacles, and is particularly significant in troubled, degenerating times.

Jigme Tromge Rinpoche will teach on the Barched Lamsel on Sunday March 28th from 2 - 6pm at Berkeley Shambhala Streetspace, explaining its purpose, and also how we can interpret concepts such as hindrances and obstacles.

No previous study or practice experience is necessary -- all are welcome, including children who are able to play quietly in the front room with adult supervision. Suggested donation is $15-20 but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.

DÜ SUM SANG GYAY GU RU RIN PO CHHE
NGÖ DRUB KUN DAG DE WA CHHEN POI ZHAB
BAR CHHAD KUN SEL DUD DUL DRAG PO TZAL
SOL WA DEB SO JIN GYIY LAB TU SOL
KHYI NANG SANG WAI BAR CHHAD ZHI WA DANG
SAM PA LHUN GYIY DRUB PAR JIN GYIY LOB

Teachings on Samaya

Sunday February 28th & March 7th, 2-6pm

Berkeley Shambhala Streetspace

Over two weekends, Jigme Rinpoche will offer teachings on 'samaya', the commitments involved in Vajrayana Buddhism -- how they are defined, and keeping and breaking them. The talks are suitable for anyone who is doing Vajrayana practices or is thinking about doing so.

Every empowerment involves samaya, as do many relationships with teachers and fellow sangha. Samaya is not just about keeping numerical commitments, or being nice and friendly; it relates to how we understand our experiences. When we understand how samaya works, we perceive everything much more clearly -- both our interpersonal relationships, and also phenomena in general -- and thus our view, meditation and conduct can become stable and pure. Maintaining samaya properly means our meditation will be strong, and can be a source of joy and confidence in practice.

All are welcome, including children who are able to play quietly in the front room with adult supervision. The suggested donation is $15-$20, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Address: 2177 Bancroft Avenue, Berkeley. Click for directions and parking.

Throma Retreat with Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche

Tibetan New Year -- Losar 2010

February 13-14, PPI

Empowerment is required for this retreat
For those who do not have the empowerment for the Dudjom Throma, Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche will offer the wang on Saturday morning from 8.00-9.30am. Please be sure to inform the treasurer that you will be taking the empowerment, and arrange for accommodations on Friday night if necessary. Everyone who is coming for the empowerment should be at the shrine-room several minutes before 8am.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Saturday morning at 9.30am and end on Sunday evening around 5.30pm. Please note we do NOT offer dinner on Friday night, even if some retreatants need to arrive that evening.

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation). Day-only includes just lunch.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 415-663-9421.

OFFERINGS
During intensive practice retreats, we make offerings of tsog and butterlamps. Tsog is a most profound method of purification and for gaining realization. Offering tsog and butterlamps are said to be two of the most effective ways for accumulating merit through generosity, and for this occasion where we honor a great lama like Chagdud Rinpoche, it is particularly beneficial to make such offerings as a way to strengthen present and future connections with true masters. All dedications will be read during the pujas. Those who are unable to attend retreat but would still like to make offerings are also welcome to do so.

Vajrakilaya Retreat

26-28 December 2009

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Jigme Tromge Rinpoche will be Vajra Master for the annual Ati Ling / Padmasambhava Peace Institute Vajrakilaya Drubchod.

Empowerment is required to attend the retreat. Please notify the treasurer if you wish to attend, but do not have the empowerment.

Texts required for the drubchod are: Vajrakilaya, Galaxy of Heartdrops and Protectors, all of which are available for sale at PPI's Lotus Light store.

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation). Day-only includes just lunch.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 415-663-9421.

Red Tara Tsog

on the anniversary of Chagdud Rinpoche's Parnirvana

17 November 2009

Rohnert Park

In commemoration of H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche's Paranirvana on November 17th, Jigme Rinpoche will lead a Red Tara tsog. The tsog will take place at 7pm on Tuesday, Nov 17th in Rohnert Park at a sangha home; please contact Sharon at sharonbf@comcast.net if you have questions or need directions to Rohnert Park. Please bring tsog items of choice (pre-arranged on serving dishes if necessary), and your own cushion. It is appreciated if you can come early to help setup or stay after to help clean up. Please contact Sharon if you would like to come early. Red Tara was Chagdud Rinpoche's heart practice and we hope to see you there to share in its blessings!

Padma Dakini Drubchod

in commemoration of Chagdud Rinpoche's Parinirvana

14 - 15 November 2009

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Empowerment is required for participation in this retreat. Due to time constraints, Rinpoche will offer the empowerment during the Saturday midday break only if some retreatants do not have it.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Saturday morning at 9.00am and end on Sunday evening around 5pm. Please note we do NOT offer dinner on Friday night, even if some retreatants need to arrive that evening.

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation). Day-only includes just lunch.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 415-663-9421.

Lha Bab Duchen

9 November 2009

Monday, November 9th marks Lha Bab Düchen, one of the four great wheel days, and the anniversary of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni’s descent from the heavens. When the Buddha’s mother was reborn in Indra’s heaven, to repay her kindness, Buddha Shakyamuni ascended to this heaven and taught there for three months, liberating her and benefiting the gods of that realm.

Lha Bab Düchen is one of the four great festivals of Lord Buddha Shakyamuni. Due to the power of the Buddha’s blessing, all virtue and nonvirtue is multiplied 10 million times during this day. Through virtuous practice and activity on a sacred day such as this, we can powerfully enhance our capacity to deepen our practice and to benefit others.

Jigme Rinpoche and sangha will be doing Shower of Blessings puja at PPI -- please call 707 632 5629 by Saturday night if you are interested in joining us.

Riwo Sangchod Teachings

1st and 8th November 2009, 2-6pm

Shambhala Streetspace, Berkeley CA

No empowerment is required. Texts for this concise practice will be available for purchase and Jigme Rinpoche will explain how to do the practice and its significance. No previous practice or study experience is necessary to attend the talks; all are welcome. The suggested donation for each day is $15-$20, but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.

For directions to Streetspace, please see www.berkeley.shambhala.org . PLEASE NOTE THE STREETSPACE IS ON THE GROUND FLOOR at 2177 Bancroft Avenue -- IT IS NOT IN THE UPSTAIRS PART OF THE MAIN BUILDING.

Medicine Buddha Empowerment and Teachings

25 October 2009, 2 - 6pm

Shambhala Street Space, Berkeley CA

No previous practice or study experience is necessary to attend the talk; all are welcome. Suggested donation: $25 -- nobody will be turned away for lack of funds. Traditionally, an offering can be made to the empowering lama.

Teaching on Bodhicitta -- the mind of enlightenment

Sunday 18 October 2009, 2-6pm

Shambhala Street Space, Berkeley CA

In the first of four sessions at Shambhala Streetspace arranged under the auspices of the Bay Area Red Tara Group, Jigme Tromge Rinpoche will teach on 'bodhicitta' -- ('mind of enlightenment' or 'awakening mind'). Shantideva, the eighth-century Indian master who wrote 'The Way of the Bodhisattva', said of bodhicitta:

"The pain-dispelling draft,
This cause of joy for those who wander through the world --
This precious attitude, this jewel of mind,
How shall it be gauged or quantified?"

"For like the supreme substance of the alchemists,
It takes the impure form of human flesh
And makes of it the priceless body of a Buddha.
Such is bodhicitta: we should grasp it firmly!"

No previous practice or study experience is necessary to attend the talk; all are welcome. The suggested donation is $15-$20, but nobody will be turned away for lack of funds.

Bay Area Red Tara Group event coordinator: Michelle Paterson at (925) 980-4240 or email mzchel@sbcglobal.net

Meditation Class with Jigme Tromge Rinpoche

Weds 16, 23, 30 September, 7 October 2009

Glaser Center, Santa Rosa

We are delighted to announce that Jigme Rinpoche will once again offer meditation instruction at the Unitarian Universalist Church's Glaser Center on Wednesday evenings from 7-9pm. Rinpoche gives very clear instruction on a range of meditation techniques, allows time for silent practice, and explores the challenges and joys that a practitioner encounters. Sessions are appropriate for all level of practitioner regardless of previous experience and there will be time for questions, as well as suggestions for reading. All are welcome and admission is free of charge, although it is traditional to make an offering to the lama at the end of the teaching.

If you have any questions, please contact Rinpoche's assistant. Please do not call the Glaser Center for more information.

We will meet in the GREEN ROOM (on the ground floor, towards the back of the building). For directions and parking information, click here.

Dharma book loans from our newly-extended and computer-catalogued library, as a support for these classes and for personal practice, will be made possible through an intown drop-off/return system starting during this course of classes. More details will be posted shortly.

Chagdud Gonpa Daily Practices Empowerments

26 - 27 September 2009

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

We are pleased to welcome everyone to PPI to receive this series of empowerments from Jigme Tromge Rinpoche. Receiving an empowerment from a qualified lama allows one to engage in the practice of a particular deity, under the lama's guidance. Empowerment opens the path of practice to those who have a genuine commitment to engaging in the precious teachings of the Buddhadharma, realizing their own true nature, and using this realization for the benefit of themselves and all beings.

Even if one has only a limited understanding of a particular deity's qualities, or of the empowerment procedure, receiving an empowerment carries tremendous blessings through the direct transmission of wisdom, power and compassion of the enlightened beings and masters who have held the practice lineages. Jigme Rinpoche will offer clear guidance and explanations throughout the day, enabling everyone to participate fully regardless of their degree of familiarity with Buddhism.

Please note the empowerment schedule may change; if you are planning to attend to receive a specific empowerment, CHECK BACK on the website by September 15th in case any changes have been made. If you are principally interested in embarking in ngondro and need the empowerments for that but can only attend one day, you should register for Sunday.

If you have any questions about the empowerments offered, please write to office@atiling.org.

Tendrel Nyesel, Essence of Siddhi, Takhyung Barwa, Vajrakilaya, Black Throma, Lion-faced Dakini

Guru Rinpoche with consort, White Vajrasattva, Wrathful Guru, Thangtong Gyalpo, Red Tara

PER DAY, PER PERSON including lunch (and Sat dinner & Sun breakfast for overnight retreatants)

For those coming from further away, it is possible to stay over on Friday night or Sunday night for an additional charge of $20 in the dorms; $40 in the Tara House.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the Treasurer on 415-663-9421.

P'howa Empowerment & Practice Retreat with Chagdud Khadro

9 - 11 October 2009

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Chagdud Khadro trained in p’howa extensively under His Eminence Chagdud Tulku, who authorized her to teach and to give the p’howa empowerment. Her teachings have found a receptive audience not only among dharma students, but also among health professionals who are seeking new, more profound techniques to alleviate the pain and grief of those they work with. People of other faiths have likewise found the training of p’howa training valuable. The Amitabha Buddha empowerment, required for the practice of p’howa, will be offered on Saturday morning.

COSTS: Costs are per person, per day and include all meals and teachings, except for day-only which is just lunch.

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 415-663-9421. Please note that private rooms are allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.

A limited number of scholarships are available for this event. If you would like to apply for a scholarship because of financial constraints arising from your medical condition, please write to michele@atiling.org by September 20th.

If you are able to offer a scholarship for this retreat (from $40 to $180) please contact us as soon as possible. Thank you for your generosity -- may all beings benefit.

SCHEDULE: Full details to be announced shortly. Retreat will start on Friday evening 6.30pm, and end on Sunday evening around 5pm.

Rigdzin Dupa 100,000 Tsog Offerings Retreat

5 - 7 September 2009 (Labor Day Wkend)

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

This classic Nyingma practice was very important to Chagdud Rinpoche, and Jigme Rinpoche uses it as the basis for the month-long Dzogchen retreat in Brazil every year.

This year Jigme Rinpoche will once again offer empowerment and lead the 100,000 Tsog Offering Rigdzin Dupa Retreat, and everyone is warmly welcomed to join.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Saturday morning at 9.30am and end on Monday evening around 5pm.

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation). Day-only includes just lunch. (Prices below are current as of Aug 25th, when early bird registration ended)

To register, or to reserve a room in the Tara House, please call the treasurer on 415-663-9421.

Ngondro Empowerments & Retreat -- March 2009

Sat 14th - Sun 15th -- Empowerments and Teachings

Monday 16th - Friday 20th -- Practice and Teachings

Padmasambhava Peace Institute, Cazadero, CA

Jigme Rinpoche will be offering the empowerments for the Dudjom Tersar Ngondro, essential for anyone who is planning to undertake the so-called 'preliminary practices' that establish the foundation for the entire Vajrayana path, and which are part of the prerequisites for attending a Great Perfection (Dzogchen) retreat. Ngondro is a powerful transformative practice which purifies negativities and creates merit. It comprises contemplations and 100,000 prostrations with refuge and bodhicitta, 100,000 mandala offerings, 100,000 Vajrasattva mantra recitations, and 100,000 Guru Yoga mantra.

Receiving an empowerment from a qualified lama allows one to engage in the practice of a particular deity, under the lama's guidance. Empowerment opens the path of practice to those who have a genuine commitment to engaging in the precious teachings of the Buddhadharma, realizing their own true nature, and using this realization for the benefit of themselves and all beings. The empowerment carries tremendous blessings through the direct transmission of wisdom, power and compassion of the enlightened beings and masters who have held the practice lineages.

Following on from the empowerments, retreatants will have the opportunity to practice ngondro under the guidance of Rinpoche and senior students, and Rinpoche will give further teachings and transmissions during the week. This is an ideal setting for both beginners and those who have been doing ngondro for some time and who would benefit from the support of a group setting.

There are no prerequisites for attending this retreat; all are welcome regardless of previous knowledge or experience. It is helpful, but not necessary, to have read one or both of Chagdud Rinpoche's 'Gates to Buddhist Practice' and Jane Tromge's 'Ngondro Commentary'. The Lotus Light store at PPI carries all the products needed for those who are just starting out with ngondro, such as texts, photos, mandala pan and offering substances and commentaries, but does not stock the Therma-rest mattresses popular for doing prostrations.

Retreatants can attend for the whole week or just single days. However, the experience of all-day practice and teaching in a group setting under the lama's guidance is an extremely helpful basis for continuing the ngondro in one's daily life, so it is strongly recommended that retreatants try to stay for as much of the retreat as possible.

All costs include accommodation, three meals a day, empowerments and instructions. Offerings to the lama, traditionally made at the end of retreats or teachings and in accordance with the practitioner's means, are not included.

Thangka Painting Workshop with Ang Tsherin

Saturday February 28th - Sunday March 1st, PPI

"Painting Guru Padmasambhava"

Following two very successful workshops last year, we are delighted to announce another master-class with Ang Tsherin for 2009:

Thangka paintings are vehicles, in the form of meditation tools, to transition from the ordinary world to sacred realities. These meditational deities embody a particular aspect of the fully-evolved, enlightened mind. From the Buddhist point of view, painting a thangka is considered a highly meritorious action.

In this class, Tsherin will teach how to use the traditional grid measurement and outline the image of Padmasambhava with a fine brush and ink.

Ang Tsherin was born in 1968 in Kathmandu, Nepal. He started studying thangka painting at the age of 12 under the guidance of his father, Master Urgen Dorje. He has worked with his father in numerous projects including painting thangkas and Tibetan Buddhist monastery murals both in Nepal and southern Tibet. Tsherin came to this country in 1998 and worked as a thangka painter and instructor at several Buddhist centers in California. He has shown his work at various museums and art centers around the world, including the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. See his website at www.atsherin.com.

Cost: $175 (includes all materials, does not include overnight accommodations if needed)

Registration : The class will be limited to 10-15 students. Early registration is advised. To register, please call 415-663-9421. For further information about the class or accommodations, email us at info@padmapeace.org.

Meditation and The Mind -- A Practice Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche

Sat 7th - Sun 8th February 2009

Padmasambhava Peace Institute, Cazadero, CA

We always talk about taming the mind, but sometimes lose track of the essence of meditation. Whether we are practising calm abiding or insight meditation, or deity yoga and visualizations, or dzogchen, sometimes the meditation method itself becomes a trap. We become caught up in some aspect of the practice, elaborating unnecessarily or lulling ourselves into a stupor. Thus the precious time we allocate to our practice may be wasted, and we do not fully develop our potential to benefit self and others.

In this retreat combining teachings and sitting meditation, Jigme Rinpoche will provide a clear framework for establishing or renewing a meditation practice. Everyone is welcome to join regardless of their previous experience. This kind of retreat undertaken as a group in a peaceful location with a qualified spiritual teacher is restorative and inspiring. Free from the outward distractions of our everyday work, leisure and relationships, we take the time to see what is going on inwardly, and we familiarize ourselves with techniques for handling the so-called 'monkey mind'. There will also be time for questions -- a wonderful chance to seek clarification from a teacher who has worked extensively with students of all levels of understanding and practice.

The retreat will begin at 9.30am on Saturday 7th and end at 6pm on Sunday 8th. Retreatants can arrive on Friday night after 6pm, but please note that dinner will not be provided.

* Bed and lower sheet provided; please bring your own sheet, sleeping bag/blankets, pillow and towel. Otherwise, these can be rented at an additional charge of $12 per person for the weekend. PLEASE NOTIFY US 1 WEEK IN ADVANCE IF YOU WILL REQUIRE BEDDING.

Vajrakilaya Empowerment and Drubchod

December 26-28 2008, PPI

Jigme Tromge Rinpoche will be Vajra Master for the annual Ati Ling / Padmasambhava Peace Institute Vajrakilaya Drubchod and is offering the Vajrakilaya empowerment the evening before the retreat.

Full or partial attendance is possible, but empowerment is required to attend any part of the retreat, and will be offered on Friday 26th December in the evening at 8pm.

Texts required for the drubchod are: Vajrakilaya, Galaxy of Heartdrops and Protectors, all of which are available for sale at PPI's Lotus Light store.

All costs are per person per day including tsog and three meals a day. Offerings to the lama/s are not included.

Rigdzin Dupa 100,000 Tsog Offerings Retreat

Commemorating of H.E. Chagdud Rinpoche's Parinirvana

Saturday 15th - Monday 17th November 2008, PPI

This annual Rigdzin Dupa ('Gathering of Awareness-Holders') Retreat is based on the sadhana by the great treasure-revealer Jigme Lingpa and constitutes the lama aspect (here represented by Guru Rinpoche) of the Three Roots practice of the Longchen Nyingthig lineage. This classic Nyingma practice was very important to Chagdud Rinpoche, and Jigme Rinpoche uses it as the basis for the month-long Dzogchen retreat in Brazil every year.

This year we are honored that Lama Padma Gyatso of Chagdud Gonpa Amrita in Seattle will act as Vajra Master in Jigme Tromge Rinpoche’s absence.

Lama Padma Yontan Gyatso (Richard Baldwin) began his formal Buddhist training in India in 1970 with the the late Venerable Kalu Rinpoche and back in America also studied with Dezhung Rinpoche. He graduated from the Buddhist Studies Program at the University of Washington in 1974 and subsequently embarked on a number of meditation retreats. In 1982 he became a student of H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche and in 1996, Chagdud Rinpoche ordained him as a lama and appointed him as the teacher at Chagdud Gonpa Amrita, Seattle.
Lama Padma teaches and practices with meditation and study groups throughout the Northwest, including several Buddhist groups in state prisons. He has been an avid practitioner of Tai Chi Chuan for forty years and offers Chi Kung classes and workshops.
Having translated from Tibetan the extensive Tromge Chenrezig text, in 2004 Lama Padma deepened his connection with the Chenrezig practice when he travelled to Tibet and met with the terton Tromge Dechhen Kyabje Wangpo, who acknowledged him as a lineage-holder of the practice. After completing extensive retreats over several years as directed by Tromge Dechhen Rinpoche, last year Lama Padma was authorized to offer the empowerment for the Tromge Chenrezig.

The retreat will go through Monday, since 17th November is the actual parinirvana date. Attendance is possible on a per-day basis for those who are unable to attend the whole retreat. Note that empowerment is required for attendance at this retreat, but there will not be an empowerment this year.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Saturday morning at 9.30am and end on Monday evening around 5pm.

COSTS: Per person per day (includes meals, tsog feast, accommodation)

	Day-only	Overnight in dormitories	Overnight in private room w shared bath
	Day-only	Overnight in dormitories	Solo occupancy	Double occupancy
CGF-member	$45	$60	$95	$75
Non-CGF member	$55	$70	$105	$85

Tibetan Thangka Painting Class

November 1-2, PPI

Thursday Teachings & Meditation in Sebastopol and San Rafael

SEBASTOPOL: September 18... October 2, 23, 30... November 6

SAN RAFAEL: October 22, November 5

Development Stage in Vajrayana Buddhism

Deity yoga practice is a central facet of Vajrayana Buddhism but without proper introduction there can be confusion over what exactly the deities represent and how we relate to them. Moreover, the form of the sadhana needs to be correctly understood so that its structures and often elaborate language facilitate rather than hamper one's view and meditation. Whether you are already familiar with one or more sadhanas, or know very little about the dazzling array of deities in Tibetan Buddhism and what their role in practice is, these sessions will offer a wealth of information and valuable guidance from Jigme Rinpoche.

Jigme Rinpoche will be offering teachings in two-hour sessions September through November. All levels of practitioners are welcome, and there will be time for question-answer sessions.

With Rinpoche away for extended periods much of the rest of the year, this program provides an excellent opportunity to make a commitment to regularly hearing teachings, working on implementing them and then returning to the lama for further guidance and feedback.

Admission is free of charge. For the Sebastopol event, we are very grateful to Dr Isaac Eliaz and the staff of the Amitabha Clinic for kindly offering the use of the clinic for this event.

2) SAN RAFAEL Open Secret Bookstore, 923 C Street, San Rafael, CA 94901. Telephone (415) 457 4191. This is a wonderful bookstore that is worth exploring before teachings start! Click here for map and directions.

Lion-faced Dakini Empowerment and Retreat

October 24-26, Yeshe Ling

On the weekend of Friday 24th to Sunday 26th October, Jigme Rinpoche will lead the annual practice retreat of Sengei Dongma, The Lion-Faced Dakini of Timeless Awareness. This is a practice of H.H.Dudjom Rinpoche's, based on the profound terma revealed by the great terton, Dudjom Lingpa. It is a very powerful practice to dispel obstacles and bring liberation for oneself and others in a short time. Several years ago, when Jigme Rinpoche was first requested to conduct a Lion-Faced Dakini retreat at Yeshe Ling, his father, Chagdud Rinpoche suggested that this particular practice would be especially beneficial. In these times, when there are so many obstacles to practice and difficult circumstances in the world at large, it is particularly useful. Jigme Rinpoche will give teachings on the meaning of the practice, as well as detailed instructions on the meditation.

Since the retreat will take place later than usual in the fall, indoor accommodations will be available in the event of rain.

Times: The retreat will begin with the empowerment on Friday evening, the 24th of October and end at 5:00 PM, Sunday, the 26th.

Peaceful Manjushri Empowerment and Retreat

Friday 12th to Sunday 14th September, Napa Valley

Manjushri practice increases intelligence and understanding, by cutting through our ignorance of absolute nature. The primordial Buddha Vairochana vowed to emanate throughout the universe as the princely and ever-youthful Bodhisattva of Wisdom, committed to helping beings discover the true nature of reality. For this reason Manjushri is usually depicted as holding the two tools needed for this investigation; in his right hand he wields the double-edged sword of logic or analytical discrimination, and in his left the Prajnaparamita Sutra, the sacred text on emptiness which is fundamental to all schools of Buddhism.

Jigme Tromge Rinpoche will lead this Peaceful Manjushri residential retreat in the beautiful rural setting of Yeshe Ling. The concise but extremely profound Manjushri sadhana we will use is a treasure of His Holiness Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche, the great Dzogchen master and terton who revealed it at Wu Tai Shan (Five-Peaked Mountain) in northeastern China, the holy mountain considered to be the seat of Manjushri. Because Jigme Tromge Rinpoche received the transmission for this practice from His Holiness, the lineage is very direct and powerful, and the blessings of Manjushri are very accessible to those who receive the empowerment and commit to regular practice of the sadhana.

Schedule: 6 p.m. Friday 12th to 4 p.m. Sunday 14th September 2008
Venue: Yeshe Ling, Chagdud Rinpoche’s private retreat land two hours north of San Francisco.

For more information or to register, please call (707) 963 8340 or email yeshe.ling285@gmail.com .

Sakya Jetsunma Chimey Luding

Teachings on 'Parting from the Four Attachments'

Monday 7th - Wednesday 9th July 2008

TIME: The teachings will begin on Monday afternoon at 4.00pm and end on Wednesday afternoon around 5pm. Those who are able to arrive earlier on Monday are encouraged to be at PPI by 2.30pm to welcome Jetsunma when she first arrives at the center.

SCHEDULE: Please aim to attend all three days if possible, so as to receive full transmission and instruction on this important text. Copies of the text will be available on sale at PPI's bookstore.

COSTS: Retreat fees are per person per day including teachings and meals. We would like to facilitate as many people as possible to make a connection with this extraordinary teacher, therefore are offering discounted rates (as shown below) for this weekday event. Partial scholarships and student discounts are also available; please email us to discuss.

Please note that the customary offering made by individual students to the lama at the end of the event is NOT included here.

To register, please call 415-662-2675. Reservations are confirmed only on receipt of payment.

Thursday Teachings and Meditation in Sebastopol

May 1, 8 & 29 .......... June 5, 12 & 26 .......... July 3, 10 & 24

Jigme Rinpoche will be offering teachings in two-hour sessions three Thursdays a month May through July. All levels of practitioners are welcome, and there will be time for question-answer sessions.

Admission is free of charge. We are very grateful to Dr Isaac Eliaz and the staff of the Amitabha Clinic for kindly offering the use of the clinic for this event.

Statue Filling and Consecration

Spring 2008

Keeping a holy object on one's shrine as a source of refuge and blessings is an essential part of many practitioners' home practice. While obtaining the statue itself may not be so complicated, getting it filled and consecrated by a qualified lama so that it is imbued with the blessings of generations of lamas can be more difficult. Gathering the appropriate substances, filling the statues properly, and conducting the consecration puja all take considerable time and effort so Jigme Rinpoche is organizing to consecrate a whole group of statues at once this coming winter. We will also work on preparing the large statues at Ati Ling and Yeshe Ling that need to be consecrated.

Practitioners who already have unconsecrated statues are invited to bring them to PPI in November when preparations for the consecration will begin. IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOUR STATUE COMES WITH ITS OWN PROTECTIVE PACKAGING (INCLUDING COTTON WOOL FOR THE FACE) AND IS CLEARLY LABELLED ON THE BASE AND OUTER PACKAGING WITH YOUR NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS. Everyone is encouraged to help with mantra rolling or other preparation work whenever possible, whether for an hour or so when coming up to PPI or for a whole day -- this is a beautiful meditation, offering and source of merit.

For those who do not have a statue, but wish to purchase one and have it consecrated for their own practice or as an offering for fellow sangha, family members or friends, the Lotus Light store at PPI has a selection, and Rinpoche will be happy to make suggestions for which statue would be most appropriate for a particular individual or household.

Final consecration ceremonies will take place in May 2008, not March, due to changes in Rinpoche's schedule. More details, including the date of the final consecration ceremony, will be posted soon.

Riwo Sangchod and Sur Practice -- Sunday 4th May

The practice of Riwo Sangchod (Mountain of Burnt Offerings) has been done every day at the Padmasambhava Peace Institute since we moved here in early 2004, and this spring we will dedicate one whole day to the practice. A Guru Rinpoche practice revealed by Lhatsun Namkhai Jigme in the 17th century, and codified by the late His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Riwo Sangchod is very important for purifying any negativities associated with offerings. For example, one might forget to dedicate the merit of an offering made, or not rejoice in one that is received, or even experience resentment or jealousy. During the ritual, we make extensive actual and imagined offerings to the enlightened beings and to all those beings with whom we may have karmic debts. Whether or not we realize it, all of us are in one way or another dependent on the generosity of others, and so this kind of practice can be very valuable for clearing obstacles and increasing mindfulness in how we give and receive, on both a worldly and a dharma level.

No empowerment is required. Jigme Tromge Rinpoche will lead the practice, which will begin at 9.30am and end at 6pm. The daily puja will be incorporated into the day's practice.

There is no charge for joining this day's practice. A simple lunch will be provided as an offering to the sangha. REGISTRATION FOR ALL RETREATANTS IS REQUIRED, TO PLAN FOR LUNCH and for any overnight stays or extra meals: please email atiling@hotmail.com. If anyone wishes to stay overnight on Saturday or Monday, please first phone 707 632 5629 to check availability in the Tara House and to arrange for meals; overnight guests will be charged at sangha rates for room and board.

Nyung Ne Retreat

Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th May 2008

Jigme Rinpoche will lead the fasting and purification Nyung Ne retreat based on Chenrezig practice. All are welcome to join, regardless of previous practice experience, and no empowerment is required.

The only meal will be lunch on Saturday, and on Sunday retreatants will also not take liquids. Full length prostrations are a part of the practice, and retreatants are in silence throughout the weekend. The format may seem daunting for newcomers, but Jigme Rinpoche's focused, compassionate guidance, the group support, and the natural soothing beauty of the setting will allow retreatants to go through the weekend with joy and inspiration. We look forward to welcoming old sangha members and new for this event, the fourth such held at the Padmasambhava Peace Institute.

If you wish to join the retreat but have any health concerns, please first consult with your medical practitioner if necessary. If you would like to dedicate the weekend as a time for practice with the group but are unable to meet the retreat requirements for some reason, please contact us to discuss alternatives.

The retreat begins 9am on Saturday and ends on Sunday around 5pm. For those traveling from further afield, it is possible to arrive on Friday night.

The cost from Saturday to Sunday will be $45, including one meal (Saturday lunch) and overnight accommodation in dormitory (private rooms at a higher rate are also available)

ALL REGISTRATION IS PREPAID. PRICES INCREASE AFTER 1st MAY. Please call the treasurer on 415-663-9421 to reserve a place for this retreat.

Tools for the Mind -- Weekend Workshop of Teachings & Meditation

Berkeley Shambhala Center

Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th March 2008 all day

Taking basic sitting meditation as the starting point, Jigme Tromge Rinpoche will teach a series of contemplations and meditation techniques based on an 18th century Tibetan text by Tromge Terton Drimed Khakyod. Although broadly described as instruction on shamatha (‘calm abiding' meditation), these practices have considerable range and profundity. Each technique, clearly and succinctly explained, focuses on a different aspect of practice – for example, one-pointed concentration, compassion, understanding of relative and absolute reality and so forth – and as we progress through the teachings, our foundation is strengthened and we learn which tools to apply to counteract specific pitfalls.

The teachings are open to everyone regardless of their level of knowledge or practice, and will be as relevant to experienced practitioners as to those who prefer practice instructions without the complexities and rituals of Tibetan Vajrayana. The workshop will be taught in English and will include silent sittings based on the teachings and also time for a question-answer session each day.

Costs: $125 for two-day workshop, $65 for single day attendance. Please make checks payable to "BARTG". (Click on link below to print out registration form)

Saving Lives Ceremony near Newark, CA

Saturday 9th February, 11am

Jigme Rinpoche will lead a saving lives ceremony in the Don Edwards SF Bay Wildlife Refuge, Newark, CA, from 11am onwards - all are welcome. We are purchasing eggs of a brine shrimp species native to the area, eggs which are normally given as food to tropical fish, and we have the permission of the refuge stewards to release millions of these eggs in one of the refuge salt-ponds.

For those who wish to make an offering towards saving these lives (the price for a pound of eggs is $84) please call the treasurer on 415 663 9421 with your pledge (any amount from $5 upwards) by Wednesday 6th February, and also email us with the details and any dedications. Thanks to Melissa Taylor for opening this particular avenue for the saving of countless lives, and to the Refuge for supporting the activity.

Directions to Don Edwards NWR Visitor Center and Refuge HQ (our meeting place):
From Highway 84 (at the east end of the Dumbarton Bridge), exit at Thornton Avenue. Travel south on Thornton Avenue for 0.8 miles to the Refuge entrance on the right. Turn right into the Refuge and follow Marshlands Road to the stop sign. Turn left into the parking lot.

1) Please be at the Visitor Center by just before 11am. If you have the p'howa text, you can bring the Aspiration Prayer to be Reborn in Dewachen.

2) Due to the many people who made offerings, and the refuge's concern to keep the number of released eggs to a safe limit, some of the offering monies will be used in the next three weeks for other saving of lives. We are currently checking out more options that do not damage the environment or other life forms, and will soon post details of further ceremonies.

Losar (Tibetan New Year) Celebration Pujas

7th and 10th February 2008

Join Jigme Rinpoche and the sangha in welcoming in the Tibetan New Year up at PPI. For those who are free on the first morning of the new year -- Thursday February 7th -- we will offer katags to the shrine and Chagdud Rinpoche's throne, and do short puja with Shower of Blessings (Guru Rinpoche) tsog starting at 6am. (Sangha are welcome to come up the night before - please call 707 632 5629 to let us know you would like to stay over.) Please bring your texts, katags and an offering for the tsog. All guests are welcome also if you do not empowerments.

On Sunday 10th February, starting at 9.30am, we will do puja with Red Tara tsog, and look forward to as many people as possible taking the opportunity to practice together for an auspicious start to the Year of the Rat. Please bring an offering for the tsog. Note that because we have a rental group in residence on that day, we will not be providing lunch -- please bring your own food if you plan to stay on after puja.

Vajrakilaya Retreat and Fire Puja

9.30am Saturday 29th to 5pm Monday 31st December 2007

Padmasambhava Peace Institute, Cazadero

Jigme Tromge Rinpoche will be Vajra Master for the annual Ati Ling / Padmasambhava Peace Institute Vajrakilaya Drubchod -- newcomers and old sangha members alike are invited to attend this event for one to three days.

The complete Vajrakilaya drubchen performed at Tibetan New Year prevents the obstacles from the past year from carrying forward into the New Year. It is said in Tibet that participation in a single week's drubchen practice generates as much merit and potential realization as a year's retreat. This event at PPI is not as elaborate as a full drubchen, but is still a powerful group practice that can be of enormous benefit. Full or partial attendance is possible, but empowerment is required to attend any part of the retreat, and will be offered on Saturday morning.

Texts required for the drubchod are: Vajrakilaya, Galaxy of Heartdrops and Protectors, all of which are available for sale at PPI's Lotus Light store.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT UNTIL FRIDAY DECEMBER 21ST! PRICES GO UP ON DEC 22ND....

All costs are per person per day including three meals a day. Offerings to the lama/s are not included.

NOTE: For private rooms, priority will be given to those staying on for the New Year's Eve party.

All registration is prepaid. Please call the treasurer on 415-663-9421 to arrange payment - leave a message with your contact details if there is no reply. Reservations are confirmed only on receipt of payment.

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT UNTIL FRIDAY DECEMBER 21ST! PRICES GO UP ON DEC 22ND....

During this retreat, when we practise intensively and deepen our connection with spiritual masters such as Chagdud Rinpoche, who led the Vajrakilaya Drubchhens every year in North America and later Brazil, we make offerings of tsog and butterlamps.Tsog is a most profound method of purification and for gaining realization. Offering tsog and butterlamps are said to be two of the most effective ways for accumulating merit through generosity. Forms for making offerings will be available at registration and throughout the retreat, and all dedications will be read during the pujas.

New Year's Eve Party 2007!

Monday December 31st 7pm to Tuesday 1st January 2008 morning

Once again, the end of the Vajrakilaya retreat will take us on into party-mode -- with music, dancing, food and drink. All are welcome -- please feel free to bring friends and family (children under 12 free of charge). In the morning there will also be a short puja with Jigme Rinpoche, since this January he is not going to Brazil.

Costs are $35 per person in the dorms, and $50 per person in Tara House, and includes the sit-down dinner at 8.30pm, snack buffet, drinks, and breakfast. The Vajrakilaya retreat will end around 5pm, and guests are welcome to join us for the New Year celebrations from 7pm onwards until the next morning. Please note lunch will NOT be served on New Year's Day, but small snacks will be available for the drive home.

2007 Annual Padma Dakini Drubchod Retreat

and Teachings

In Honor of His Eminence Chagdud Rinpoche's Parinirvana

with Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche

Friday 16th -- Sunday 18th November 2007

Padmasambhava Peace Institute, Cazadero

Attendance is possible on a per-day basis for those who are unable to attend the whole retreat.

To allow those without the Padma Dakini empowerment to participate in this retreat even if they have to work on Friday, the Padma Dakini empowerment will be given on Saturday morning.

To begin the retreat we will spend Friday doing Chagdud Rinpoche's heart-practice of Red Tara, and on Friday night will offer butterlamps for his auspicious rebirth and the happiness and good fortune of all beings. All are welcome to attend on Friday even without empowerment (a book empowerment can be given) but everyone needs to have Padma Dakini empowerment to attend Saturday and/or Sunday.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Friday morning at 9.30am and end on Sunday evening around 5pm. If you decide to arrive on Thursday night or leave on Monday morning, there is a small extra charge - please speak to the treasurer. Note that breakfast is available on the Friday 16th and Monday 19th, but we do NOT offer dinner on Thursday 15th.

COSTS: All costs are per person per day including three meals a day, and tsog.

NOTE THAT CHARGES INCREASED AFTER NOVEMBER 5TH. EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS WILL BE APPLIED TO FUTURE EVENTS ALSO.

COSTS per person per day (includes meals, accommodation and event costs)

Meditation and Mind-training Instruction in Santa Rosa and San Rafael

Fall 2007

For those interested in receiving instructions from Jigme Tromge Rinpoche on meditation and mind-training, ongoing sessions are conducted in Santa Rosa and San Rafael on weekday evenings.

SANTA ROSA - Glaser Center, Unitarian Universalist Church, 547 Mendocino Avenue

His Eminence Namkha Drimed Rinpoche at PPI

Rigdzin Dupa 100,000 Tsog Offerings Retreat

& Teachings by His Eminence

September 14th - 16th 2007

This annual Rigdzin Dupa ('Gathering of Awareness-Holders') Retreat is based on the sadhana by the great treasure-revealer Jigme Lingpa and constitutes the lama aspect (here represented by Guru Rinpoche) of the Three Roots practice of the Longchen Nyingthig lineage. The Rigdzin Dupa is also the sadhana used as the basis for the Great Perfection retreat Jigme Rinpoche leads every year in Brazil. Empowerment will be given on the Saturday morning. Newcomers as well as old students are welcome, and children are also invited to attend.

His Eminence Namkha Drimed Rinpoche is a renowned terton who has a long-standing connection with His Eminence Chagdud Rinpoche and the sanghas of North America and Brazil. For more information about His Eminence and his activity, please see www.ripaladrang.org.

Attendance is possible on a per-day basis for those who are unable to attend the whole retreat. Note that empowerment is required for attendance at this retreat; please let us know if you are interested in attending but have not received the empowerment for this practice.

TIME: The retreat will begin on Friday morning at 9.30am and end on Sunday evening around 5pm.

COSTS: All costs are per person per day including three meals a day, and tsog.

COSTS per person per day (includes meals, accommodation and event costs)

Please call (707) 632 5629 to reserve a room in Tara House (the 'lama house'); rooms are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

To register, please email atiling@hotmail.com or phone (707) 632 5629, and ALSO call the treasurer on 415-663-9421 to arrange payment. Reservations are confirmed only on receipt of payment.

During intensive practice retreats, we make offerings of tsog and butterlamps.Tsog is a most profound method of purification and for gaining realization. Offering tsog and butterlamps are said to be two of the most effective ways for accumulating merit through generosity.

You can arrange offerings before the retreat by downloading and mailing the form, or calling the treasurer on 415 663 9421 for credit card payment. Althernatively you can and also during - forms for making offerings are available at registration and throughout the retreat, and all dedications will be read during the pujas. Those who are unable to attend retreat but would still like to make offerings are also welcome to do so.

On Sunday during the retreat the lamas will conduct a ceremony for the deceased. Special prayers are offered to confer blessings and benefit for any being, human or animal, wherever they may be in the six realms, and however long ago they passed away. To make an offering on behalf of a deceased being that you would like included in the ceremony, please download and mail the offerings form, or call the treasurer on 415-663-9421.

Lion-faced Dakini Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche

Labor Day Weekend Sept 1st - 3rd

Join us for the annual Lion-faced Dakini (Sengei Dongma) Retreat at Yeshe Ling in the beautiful Napa Valley. Jigme Rinpoche will give the empowerment and lead the retreat for this practice written by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, based on the terma revealed by Dudjom Lingpa. It is a very powerful practice for dispelling obstacles and bringing liberation for oneself and others. Several years ago, when Jigme Rinpoche was first requested to conduct a Lion-faced Dakini retreat, his father His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche suggested that this particular practice would be especially beneficial.

The retreat begins at 9am on Saturday 1st September and ends at 5pm on Monday 3rd September.

Cost: CGF members $180, non-members $200 if registration and payment is received by August 25th. After August 25th the cost is $205 for CGF members and $225 for non-members.

PLEASE NOTE THAT ATILING IS NOT REGISTERING RETREATANTS FOR THIS EVENT -- please contact the organizers directly at lahdvm@isp.com or call (707) 963 8340.

"Developing Equanimity, Insight and Compassion" - continued

Meditation Practice

Unitarian Universalist Church, Santa Rosa, CA

August 7th and 21st 2007

Following on from the meditation classes Jigme Rinpoche offered through March, April and May (click here for more info), and the June/July sessions led by Lon, Rinpoche will be leading two more classes in August.

We will review contemplation on the Four Thoughts That Turn The Mind - an indispensable foundation for this and all other practices - and then move on to the practices as taught previously. Newcomers are also welcome, as practices will be outlined afresh.

VENUE: Green Room, Glaser Center, Unitarian Universalist Church, 547 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa 95401 (between 7th and 10th St, one block S of College Avenue).

Parking is available at the Seventh Street parking garage adjoining the building.

See www.uusantarosa.org for directions. Please do not call the Glaser Center for information; instead contact us at PPI on (707) 632 5629.

Please bring a notebook and a cushion. Chairs are also available for those unable to sit on the floor. Note that due to leasing regulations we will not be providing beverage or snacks - please bring your own if required. Attending the practice group is free of charge; donations towards rental costs are welcomed.

Public Teaching on Freedom and Clarity

Wednesday May 23rd 7pm, San Francisco

Shamatha, as taught by Jigme Rinpoche for this evening event, is a powerful yet down-to-earth method of working with the mind to reveal its positive potential. By learning to control the mind, one finds freedom from distraction and troubling emotions, developing greater clarity and awareness in all the activities of one's life. Using this method of focusing the mind in an open, relaxed way, even for a short time each day, one can transform counter-productive habits and cultivate qualities that benefit oneself and others.

Location: Institute of Classical Homeopathy, 2325 3rd Street, Suite 426, San Francisco CA 94107. (Enter the building at the front door or at 948 Illinois Street -- near the corner of 20th, blue door. Press the ICH button.)

If you have questions about this event prior to the event, please email lahdvm@isp.com, or phone 707-963-8340.

Developing Equanimity, Insight and Compassion

Meditation Instruction, March - May 2007

Jigme Rinpoche will offer a series of teachings on meditation based on a text revealed in the 18th century by the great Tromge Terton Drimed Khakyod. Although broadly described as instruction on samatha (calm abiding) meditation, this is the text that Rinpoche has used for several years as part of the teachings for the month-long annual Dzogchen retreat, as it encompasses a wide range of techniques and contemplations drawing on all nine yanas.

The sessions are open to everyone regardless of their level of knowledge or practice, and will be as relevant to experienced practitioners as to those who prefer practice instructions without all the complexities and rituals of Tibetan Vajrayana.

The teachings progress systematically, building step by step on what has already been learned and practised, and so it is of most benefit if people are able to attend the entire course. However, each session is also self-contained in that previous material will be reviewed, and new material introduced, so it is also possible to attend on a drop-in basis. Note that each session will include time for silent sitting practice with Rinpoche.

Nyung Ne Retreat

Saturday and Sunday 19th - 20th May 2007, Padmasambhava Peace Institute

For the first week in Saga Dawa, Jigme Rinpoche will lead the fasting and purification Nyung Ne retreat based on Chenrezig practice. Doing any kind of dharma practice during this holy month is considered to be of greatly enhanced benefit for oneself and all beings, so this weekend is a wonderful opportunity to deepen one's practice and create merit.

All are welcome to join, regardless of previous practice experience, and no empowerment is required. The only meal will be lunch on Saturday, and on Sunday retreatants will also not take liquids. Full length prostrations are a part of the practice, and retreatants are in silence throughout the weekend. The format may seem daunting for newcomers, but Jigme Rinpoche's focused, compassionate guidance, the group support, and the natural soothing beauty of the setting will allow retreatants to go through the weekend with joy and inspiration. We look forward to welcoming old sangha members and new for this event, the third such held at the Padmasambhava Peace Institute.

The retreat begins 9am on Saturday and ends on Sunday around 5pm. For those traveling from further afield, it is possible to arrive on Friday night.

The cost from Saturday to Sunday will be $35, including one meal (Saturday lunch) and overnight accommodation in dormitory (private rooms at a higher rate are also available - please call 707 632 5629 to reserve a space). Please email atiling@hotmail.com or call 707 824 0291 to reserve a place on the retreat.

Torma-making and Choponing Workshops

Saturday May 5th and May 12th, Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Ati Ling in association with PPI invite you to attend two one-day workshops on torma-making and choponing. Tormas are the ceremonial offerings you see at Tibetan pujas and ceremonies and the chopon is the person who acts as the lama's hands in those ceremonies, making the offerings and conveying ritual items between the shrine and the lama.

Learning at least the basics of these skills can facilitate dharma events and deepen one's own understanding of how ritual works to support and enhance a practice. It is also important for traditional lineages to be preserved as carefully and accurately as possible; this is why usually only a qualified chopon or torma-maker is asked to train others. For these workshops the instructor will be Ana Paula Govea from Chagdud Gonpa Khadro Ling in Brazil, who has served as main chopon there for the last three years, and who received guidance from lamas such as Jigme Rinpoche and Lama Rigdzin (sent to Khadro Ling by Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche) and who trained with long-time CGF chopons Magnus Childers and Dorje Kirsten. Ana Paula speaks excellent English and has extensive experience helping centers around Brazil with making tormas and choponing.

Topics to be covered include: dough-making, basic torma shapes, decorating, working with wax, tormas for drubchods, tsog choponing instructions and set-up/maintenance/take-down procedures.

The workshops will take place from 9.30am to 6pm on the first two Saturdays of May at the Padmasambhava Peace Institute in Cazadero, and participants are encouraged to attend both workshops so that they can cover as much ground as possible. There will be a $20 charge per Saturday to cover expenses, but this does not include an offering to the instructor (optional). PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN LUNCH and ALSO your own bedding if you plan to stay over for Sunday puja or to do more practice/study with Ana Paula (recommended). Dinner will be served on Saturday after the workshop - please be sure to let us know if you will NOT be staying for dinner. Bearing in mind that you will be working with food-coloring, dough and wax, please wear clean but suitable 'work' clothes.

To register, please call us on (707) 632 5629 or email to this address (questions also to this address), stating clearly if you plan to stay over for breakfast/puja on Sunday.

Throma Drubchod at Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Friday March 30th - Sunday April 1st 2007

TIME: The retreat will begin on Friday morning at 9.30am and end on Sunday evening around 5pm.

COSTS: All costs are per person per day including three meals a day, and tsog.

To register, please email atiling@hotmail.com or phone (707) 632 5629, and ALSO call the treasurer on 415-663-9421 to arrange payment. Reservations are confirmed only on receipt of payment.

Practice Retreat & Ngondro Teachings with Jigme Rinpoche

9.30 am Saturday 3rd to 6pm Sunday 4th March 2007, PPI

All practitioners, whether doing ngondro or other practices, are invited to join this weekend retreat led by Jigme Rinpoche. Rinpoche will offer teachings on ngondro, and provide guidance for all retreatants on whatever they are working on. Group practice of this nature under the lama's supervision helps stabilize one's approach to practice and is a wonderful opportunity to ask the lama questions.

The cost for the weekend, including dormitory accommodation and all meals (lunch Sat thru to lunch Sun) is $60. To register, please call the treasurer on (415) 663 9421 to arrange payment, AND also email atiling@hotmail.com. If you have any questions, please contact us at atiling@hotmail.com.

Accommodation in private rooms is available on a first-come-first-served basis - to register for this please call us on 707 632 5629 prior to calling the treasurer.

Tibetan Buddhist Center

ARCHIVE OF 2007 - 2011

ATI LING / JIGME RINPOCHE EVENTS

Annual Padma Dakini Drubchod

commemorating

H.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche's Parinirvana

November 18th - 20th 2011

Rigdzin Dupa 100,000 Tsog Offerings Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche Memorial Day Weekend May 28th - 30th 2011

Nyung Ne Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche

Saturday and Sunday March 26th-27th 2011

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Vajrakilaya Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche, Chagdud Khadro & Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche

19 - 21 February 2011

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Vajrasattva Accumulations

Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th February 2011

Red Tara Tsog

& Confession

Practice

Sunday December 12th, 9.30am - 5.30pm

Yeshe Ling, CA

Padma Dakini Drubchod

November 12-14, 2010

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

with Jigme Rinpoche, Chagdud Khadro & other CGF lamas

Mudra

Sunday October 10th, 9.30am

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche

Awakening the Mind & Softening the Heart

October 1-3, Berkeley Shambhala Center

Lama Tsering Everest

Dream Yoga Retreat

September 3-6 (Labor Day Weekend), PPI

Ngondro Practice Days

Third Saturday of the Month

July 17, August 21st

Lion-faced Dakini Empowerment and Retreat

Yeshe Ling, CA

July 23-25

Rigdzin Dupa 100,000 Tsog Offerings Retreat

Friday 18th - Sunday 20th June, PPI

Meditation Practice and Q&A with Jigme Rinpoche

Easter Weekend April 3rd-4th, Saturday April 24th

Padmasambhava Peace Institute, Cazadero

Exposing the Heart - The Power and Purpose of Discipline

Thursday, April 8th, 7pm

Open Secret Bookstore, San Rafael CA

Teaching on Barched Lamsel

March 28th, 2-6pm

Berkeley Shambhala Streetspace

Teachings on Samaya

Sunday February 28th & March 7th, 2-6pm

Berkeley Shambhala Streetspace

Throma Retreat with Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche

Tibetan New Year -- Losar 2010

February 13-14, PPI

Vajrakilaya Retreat

26-28 December 2009

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Red Tara Tsog

on the anniversary of Chagdud Rinpoche's Parnirvana

17 November 2009

Rohnert Park

Padma Dakini Drubchod

in commemoration of Chagdud Rinpoche's Parinirvana

14 - 15 November 2009

Padmasambhava Peace Institute

Lha Bab Duchen

9 November 2009

Riwo Sangchod Teachings

1st and 8th November 2009, 2-6pm

Shambhala Streetspace, Berkeley CA

Medicine Buddha Empowerment and Teachings

25 October 2009, 2 - 6pm

Shambhala Street Space, Berkeley CA

Teaching on Bodhicitta -- the mind of enlightenment

Sunday 18 October 2009, 2-6pm

Shambhala Street Space, Berkeley CA

Meditation Class with Jigme Tromge Rinpoche

Rigdzin Dupa 100,000 Tsog Offerings Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche
Memorial Day Weekend May 28th - 30th 2011

Vajrakilaya Retreat with Jigme Rinpoche,
Chagdud Khadro & Lama Pema Dorje Rinpoche