Retreat outlines:
12 Sep 10: Theme is dropping assumptions:
See Rangjung Dorje quote from Aspiration Prayer:
Since perception is mind and emptiness is mind,
Since knowing is mind and delusion is mind,
Since arising is mind and cessation is mind,
May all assumptions about mind be eliminated.
9:00 Chant
9:10 Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit")
Read Tilopa's "Six Words of Advice"
9:25 Shamatha -
Online Ch. 1 Resting Mind, (3) Blue Light at the Heart
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (2x2:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x2:00)
10:30 Movement/yoga
11:00 Shamatha
Online Ch. 1 Resting Mind, (6) Following Breath
11:30 Tilopa Sitting
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Movement/Yoga
1:30 Tilopa Sitting
Read portions of Kyer-gong-pa's "The Vajra Song Recognizing Mind as the Guru"
2:00 Vipashyana - Looking at Resting Mind
"Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
Online Exploring Mind: (1) "Shape of mind"
Online Exploring Mind: (2) "Colors of mind"
Online Exploring Mind: (3) "Location of mind" without "looking at"
Online Exploring Mind: (5) "Origin, Abode, Destination" (3x5:00)
Online Exploring Mind: (6) "Self-Aware Primordial Wisdom"
Read Rangjung Dorje quote: "... is experience"
2:45 Tilopa Sitting
10 Oct 10: Theme is dropping assumptions:
See Rangjung Dorje quote from Aspiration Prayer, as above.
9:00 Chant
9:10 Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit")
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Like a Subject (no object) Meditation:
When you notice an object of meditation, notice who is looking and drop the object.
9:25 Shamatha
Online Ch. 1 Resting Mind, (3) Blue Light at the Heart
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (2x2:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x2:00)
10:30 Movement: Tibetan Lojong
11:00 Dogzen9 exercise: "Pure awareness aware only of itself"
Detach awareness from what it is aware of and be aware of awareness itself.
Awareness aware only of itself is pure, having no forms, no feelings, no
perceptions, no mental objects, nothing within the field of consciousness.
When pure awareness is aware of itself, there is just the empty nature of the
capacity to be aware directly knowing itself.
Notice: What happens at the instant that I become aware that I am aware?
11:30 Vipashyana - Looking at Still Mind
"Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
Online Exploring Mind: (1) "Shape of mind"
Online Exploring Mind: (3) "Location of mind"
12:00 Eat, watch Dharma talk on DVD: Teachings on "Vajra Song Recognizing Mind as the Guru"
1:15 Vipashyana - Looking at Thoughts and Appearances
"Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
Online Exploring Thoughts: (1) "Shape of thoughts"
Online Exploring Thoughts: (2) "Colors of thoughts"
1:45 Outdoor activity - brief walk
Online Exploring Thoughts: (3) "Location of thoughts"
Online Exploring Thoughts: (4) "Luminosity and Voidness of Thoughts"
Read/contrast/discuss two different translations of "Vajra Song Recognizing Mind as the Guru"
14 Nov 10:
9:00 Chant
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (30:00)
Member-guided Shamatha: meditation on mental Buddha image (20:00)
"Here Expander", followed by sky gazing outside
Member-guided vipashyana: meditation #3 from Dogzen9 above
12:00 Eat, watch Dharma talk on DVD: Teachings on "Vajra Song Recognizing Mind as the Guru"
Dogzen Dyads: "Tell me how you know you are aware"
Formless meditation
12 Dec 10:
9:00 Chant
Physical practices (12-fold breathing, belly breathing)(12:00)
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (15:00)
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (3x3:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x3:00)
Member-guided Shamatha: Togal meditation on visual phenomena with eyes closed (2x5:00)
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (5:00)
Movement/stretching/yoga
Vipashyana: "Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
"Who wishes to meditate?" (3x3:00)
From DogZen9: "Pure awareness aware only of itself" (3x3:00)
How does this differ from "loosening"? - Discuss
Member-guided Vipashyana:
Online Exploring Mind: (4) "Luminosity and Voidness of Mind" (2x5:00)
12:30 Lunch - Merry Mahamudra
Dogzen dyads: "Tell me what awareness is" (0:45)
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (1x10:00)
Chant
09 Jan 11:
9:00 Chant
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (15:00)
Read from David Loy's, "The World Is Made Of Stories"
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (3x3:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x3:00)
Member-supplied shamatha meditations
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Formless meditation
Dogzen dyads: read instructions (booklet pp 49-51)
Dyad #1: “Tell me what awareness is.” (8x5:00)
Dyad #2: “Tell me what awareness isn't.” (8x5:00)
Discuss/Debrief
Lunch, followed by walking outside
Member-supplied shamatha meditations:
"VSM" = Vipashyana Stillness Meditation (2x10:00)
Analytical meditation from Nithartha: Duality, Separation vs Difference (2x10:00)
Dogzen - From "Nine Introductions to Awareness": "Ingression of novelty" (2x5:00)
Shifting attention to back of body and what's behind us
Formless meditation
13 Mar 11: Theme is simplifying meditation
9:00 Chant
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (15:00)
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (3x3:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x3:00)
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit")
Stretch break
Vipashyana - Looking at Resting Mind
Loosely based on DogZen dyad: Use an almond as object, in your hand or on the floor.
1. Be aware of the almond.
2. Detach awareness from what it is aware of and become aware of awareness itself.
3. Tell us any comments or observations you have about that. Comments are said without
breaking the state
4. Eat the almond. Repeat
In what fashion does looking at the mind create the mind? (2x6:00)
"Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
Lunch, followed by walking outside
Who wishes to meditate? (2x2:00) ("I am" vs "no one")
See in what ways you (subject) create or make real the object of experience (2x3:00)
Member-supplied vipashyana meditations:
Formless meditation with eyes closed. What's different?
"Emptiness from the start" from "DogZen Cultivating"
"Standing outside the realm of description" from "DogZen Cultivating"
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit")
Closing Comments & Chant
12 Sep 10: Theme is dropping assumptions:
See Rangjung Dorje quote from Aspiration Prayer:
Since perception is mind and emptiness is mind,
Since knowing is mind and delusion is mind,
Since arising is mind and cessation is mind,
May all assumptions about mind be eliminated.
9:00 Chant
9:10 Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit")
Read Tilopa's "Six Words of Advice"
9:25 Shamatha -
Online Ch. 1 Resting Mind, (3) Blue Light at the Heart
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (2x2:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x2:00)
10:30 Movement/yoga
11:00 Shamatha
Online Ch. 1 Resting Mind, (6) Following Breath
11:30 Tilopa Sitting
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Movement/Yoga
1:30 Tilopa Sitting
Read portions of Kyer-gong-pa's "The Vajra Song Recognizing Mind as the Guru"
2:00 Vipashyana - Looking at Resting Mind
"Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
Online Exploring Mind: (1) "Shape of mind"
Online Exploring Mind: (2) "Colors of mind"
Online Exploring Mind: (3) "Location of mind" without "looking at"
Online Exploring Mind: (5) "Origin, Abode, Destination" (3x5:00)
Online Exploring Mind: (6) "Self-Aware Primordial Wisdom"
Read Rangjung Dorje quote: "... is experience"
2:45 Tilopa Sitting
10 Oct 10: Theme is dropping assumptions:
See Rangjung Dorje quote from Aspiration Prayer, as above.
9:00 Chant
9:10 Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit")
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Like a Subject (no object) Meditation:
When you notice an object of meditation, notice who is looking and drop the object.
9:25 Shamatha
Online Ch. 1 Resting Mind, (3) Blue Light at the Heart
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (2x2:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x2:00)
10:30 Movement: Tibetan Lojong
11:00 Dogzen9 exercise: "Pure awareness aware only of itself"
Detach awareness from what it is aware of and be aware of awareness itself.
Awareness aware only of itself is pure, having no forms, no feelings, no
perceptions, no mental objects, nothing within the field of consciousness.
When pure awareness is aware of itself, there is just the empty nature of the
capacity to be aware directly knowing itself.
Notice: What happens at the instant that I become aware that I am aware?
11:30 Vipashyana - Looking at Still Mind
"Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
Online Exploring Mind: (1) "Shape of mind"
Online Exploring Mind: (3) "Location of mind"
12:00 Eat, watch Dharma talk on DVD: Teachings on "Vajra Song Recognizing Mind as the Guru"
1:15 Vipashyana - Looking at Thoughts and Appearances
"Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
Online Exploring Thoughts: (1) "Shape of thoughts"
Online Exploring Thoughts: (2) "Colors of thoughts"
1:45 Outdoor activity - brief walk
Online Exploring Thoughts: (3) "Location of thoughts"
Online Exploring Thoughts: (4) "Luminosity and Voidness of Thoughts"
Read/contrast/discuss two different translations of "Vajra Song Recognizing Mind as the Guru"
14 Nov 10:
9:00 Chant
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (30:00)
Member-guided Shamatha: meditation on mental Buddha image (20:00)
"Here Expander", followed by sky gazing outside
Member-guided vipashyana: meditation #3 from Dogzen9 above
12:00 Eat, watch Dharma talk on DVD: Teachings on "Vajra Song Recognizing Mind as the Guru"
Dogzen Dyads: "Tell me how you know you are aware"
Formless meditation
12 Dec 10:
9:00 Chant
Physical practices (12-fold breathing, belly breathing)(12:00)
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (15:00)
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (3x3:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x3:00)
Member-guided Shamatha: Togal meditation on visual phenomena with eyes closed (2x5:00)
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (5:00)
Movement/stretching/yoga
Vipashyana: "Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
"Who wishes to meditate?" (3x3:00)
From DogZen9: "Pure awareness aware only of itself" (3x3:00)
How does this differ from "loosening"? - Discuss
Member-guided Vipashyana:
Online Exploring Mind: (4) "Luminosity and Voidness of Mind" (2x5:00)
12:30 Lunch - Merry Mahamudra
Dogzen dyads: "Tell me what awareness is" (0:45)
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (1x10:00)
Chant
09 Jan 11:
9:00 Chant
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (15:00)
Read from David Loy's, "The World Is Made Of Stories"
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (3x3:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x3:00)
Member-supplied shamatha meditations
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Formless meditation
Dogzen dyads: read instructions (booklet pp 49-51)
Dyad #1: “Tell me what awareness is.” (8x5:00)
Dyad #2: “Tell me what awareness isn't.” (8x5:00)
Discuss/Debrief
Lunch, followed by walking outside
Member-supplied shamatha meditations:
"VSM" = Vipashyana Stillness Meditation (2x10:00)
Analytical meditation from Nithartha: Duality, Separation vs Difference (2x10:00)
Dogzen - From "Nine Introductions to Awareness": "Ingression of novelty" (2x5:00)
Shifting attention to back of body and what's behind us
Formless meditation
13 Mar 11: Theme is simplifying meditation
9:00 Chant
Read Tilopa's Six Words of Advice
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit") (15:00)
Clarifying p23 "Tightening" (3x3:00)
Clarifying p25 "Loosening" (2x3:00)
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit")
Stretch break
Vipashyana - Looking at Resting Mind
Loosely based on DogZen dyad: Use an almond as object, in your hand or on the floor.
1. Be aware of the almond.
2. Detach awareness from what it is aware of and become aware of awareness itself.
3. Tell us any comments or observations you have about that. Comments are said without
breaking the state
4. Eat the almond. Repeat
In what fashion does looking at the mind create the mind? (2x6:00)
"Look at mind like an entomologist looks at a bug." - Thrangu Rinpoche
Lunch, followed by walking outside
Who wishes to meditate? (2x2:00) ("I am" vs "no one")
See in what ways you (subject) create or make real the object of experience (2x3:00)
Member-supplied vipashyana meditations:
Formless meditation with eyes closed. What's different?
"Emptiness from the start" from "DogZen Cultivating"
"Standing outside the realm of description" from "DogZen Cultivating"
Formless meditation ("Tilopa Sitting", "Just Sit")
Closing Comments & Chant
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Last updated: 13 Mar 11
Texts:
"Clarifying" = Clarifying the Natural State by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Rangjung Yeshe
Publications, 2001. Available at Namo Buddha Publications and Namse Bangdzo
Bookstore.
"Crystal" = Crystal Clear: Practical Advice for Mahamudra Meditators, Commentary by
Thrangu Rinpoche on text by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Rangjung Yeshe Publications,
2003. Available at sources above.
"Guide" = "A Meditation Guide For Mahamudra", available in PDF form online
"Pointing Out" = Pointing Out the Dharmakaya, Commentary by Thrangu Rinpoche on
text by Wangchuk Dorje, Snow Lion Publications, 2003. Available at sources above.
Other Resources:
"Aspiration" = "Aspirational Prayer for Mahamudra of Rangjung Dorje", available online.
"DogZen Cultivating" - "DogZen - Cultivating Naked Awareness", available online
"DogZen9" = "Nine Introductions to Awareness", available online
"Essential Advice" =" Dakpo Tashi Namgyal’s Essential Advice on Maintaining
Mahamudra Practice", available online
"Here Expander", available online
"Dogzen Dyads", available online
"VSM" = Vipashyana Stillness Meditation, available here
"Clarifying" = Clarifying the Natural State by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Rangjung Yeshe
Publications, 2001. Available at Namo Buddha Publications and Namse Bangdzo
Bookstore.
"Crystal" = Crystal Clear: Practical Advice for Mahamudra Meditators, Commentary by
Thrangu Rinpoche on text by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal, Rangjung Yeshe Publications,
2003. Available at sources above.
"Guide" = "A Meditation Guide For Mahamudra", available in PDF form online
"Pointing Out" = Pointing Out the Dharmakaya, Commentary by Thrangu Rinpoche on
text by Wangchuk Dorje, Snow Lion Publications, 2003. Available at sources above.
Other Resources:
"Aspiration" = "Aspirational Prayer for Mahamudra of Rangjung Dorje", available online.
"DogZen Cultivating" - "DogZen - Cultivating Naked Awareness", available online
"DogZen9" = "Nine Introductions to Awareness", available online
"Essential Advice" =" Dakpo Tashi Namgyal’s Essential Advice on Maintaining
Mahamudra Practice", available online
"Here Expander", available online
"Dogzen Dyads", available online
"VSM" = Vipashyana Stillness Meditation, available here
Monthly Retreat Schedule During 2010-2011
"What then, is the correct Mahamudra practice? The Ordinary mind is itself the correct practice. That is to say, to let the ordinary mind remain in its own natural state. If to this mind one adds or subtracts anything, it is then not the ordinary mind but the so-called 'mind-object' [Yul]. To make not the slightest intention and effort to practice, and yet not to be distracted for a single moment, is to practice the natural mind correctly. Therefore, as long as you can keep your Self-awareness, no matter what you do, you are still practicing Mahamudra." - Thrangu Rinpoche, Six Yogas of Naropa, page 46 |