Join
Dakini's Whisper Members for
A Deep Dive Into a One-Month Immersion
GRADUATED PATH RETREAT
Dakini Day, Tuesday, August 3
through
Dakini Day, Wednesday, September 1
InvitatioN
Dakini’s Whisper invites you to join all your fellow Dakini's Whisper members for a deep dive into A One-Month “Graduated Stages of the Path” Retreat.
The Lamrim, “Gradual Stages of the Path to Awakening” is the foundation of Buddhism, and especially essential for Cho and advanced Tantric practitioners. This Retreat is an opportunity for beginning students and Tantric Practitioners to engage in intentional, planned, and focused study, contemplation, and meditation on these foundations, both personally and collectively as a sangha.
By participating in this opportunity, we greatly aspire to follow in the footsteps of our great masters who devoted their lives to dharma practice, the source of happiness, and we commit to devoting some of our busy lives to retreat. Please do not miss this precious opportunity, carefully structured, to create virtuous propensities and karma, individually and collectively, towards awakening.
PERSONAL RETREAT STRUCTURE AND GUIDANCE
Personal retreat means stepping away from our ordinary lives and “taking the essence (chu-lenpa)” from what our precious human lives offer us. During this time, each retreatant will commit to daily, personal retreat time with study, contemplation, and meditation focused on Lamrim and the foundations of Buddhism, as well as participation in DW offerings that will support your personal retreat.
This Personal Retreat Month will begin on August 3, 10 am PST, with Dakini Day Tsok Feast, and close on Dakini Day, September 1, 10 am PST, with Tsok Feast.
Weekly Resources
To provide support and to enhance your daily personal retreat experience, it is recommended that each week you focus your retreat time on the following sequentially arranged Lamrim topics. E-Learning Master Courses and the Heart of Cho, Cho Foundations by Choying Khandro, 2020, provide teachings, resources and practice methods for each week’s focus as indicated below. (For those who have not completed these Master Courses, this is an opportunity to incorporate them into your daily schedule. Others are encouraged to review and reference the material throughout the month as part of their study, contemplation and meditation.)
As a DW member, you have free access to the courses to be used in your retreat -
Master Course 1: Foundations (NOTE: If you read Heart of Cho book as part of your Retreat you can skip these references to MC1.)
Master Course 5: Topography of the Path
Master Course 7: Song of Spiritual Realization
If you have difficulty accessing any of them, please let Ellen at dakiniswhisperteam@gmail.com know.
August 3 - Opening Retreat
Vajrayogini Cho Tsok
Week 1, Aug 4 - 7 Beginning Teaching of Lamrim
(MC 1 Blueprint of the Path)
MC 5 Prep, Intro
MC 7 Overview, Teachings and the Lineage
The Heart of Cho, pp. 17 - 33
Week 2, Aug 8 - 14 Small & Medium Scope
(MC 1 Groundwork)
MC 5 Motivation, Precious Human Life, Death & Impermanence
MC 7 Guru Devotion, Spiritual Opportunities, Death & Impermanence
The Heart of Cho, pp. 34 - 70
Week 3, Aug 15 - 21 Small & Medium Scope
(MC 1 Groundwork)
MC 5 Refuge, Karma, Suffering, The Determination to be Free
MC 7 Refuge, Seeking Freedom
The Heart of Cho, pp. 71 -98
Week 4, Aug 22 - 28 Great Scope
(MC 1 Wall & Roof)
MC 5 Self-Cherishing, Bodhicitta, Bodhisattva Vows, Five Forces
MC 7 Seven-fold Cause and Effect to Bodhicitta, Equalizing, Emptiness
The Heart of Cho, pp. 99 -148
Closing Days, Aug 29 - 31 Guru Yoga
(MC 1 Golden Roof)
The Heart of Cho, pp. 146 - 165
September 1 - Closing Retreat
Vajrayogini Cho Tsok
Examples of Daily Schedule
Below is a range of options for you to plan your personal retreat daily practice.
You will notice that each option references MCs (Master Courses) and Heart of Cho (book). So, during that session, the retreatant will use the specific MC resources and Heart of Cho page numbers as indicated for the weekly sequential Lamrim focus. These resources can be studied, contemplated and integrated into Lamrim meditation and Mahamudra Shamatha/Vispashyana.
At a minimum, two sessions per day will provide continuity and contribute to the collective energy. Your actual daily retreat plan will depend on the level of your own intention and motivation and can be adapted to your own situation.
Daily Personal Retreat Practice Options:
Example 1 - One Session per Day
Short Six-Session Guru Yoga x3 +“Foundations of All Good Qualities” + MCs and Heart of Cho resources + Lamrim Meditation + Mahamudra Shamatha/Vipashyana
Example 2 - Two Sessions per Day
1st Session
Short Six-Session Guru Yoga x3 +“Foundations of All Good Qualities” + MCs and Heart of Cho resources + Lamrim Meditation + Mahamudra Shamatha/Vipashyana
2nd Session
Ganden Lhagyama (from “Ganden Cho Practices”) + “Three Principal Aspects of the Path” + MCs and Heart of Cho resources + Lamrim Meditation + Mahamudra Shamatha/Vipashyana + Dedication Prayer (Jetsun Dampa’s or Shantideva’s Aspiration Prayer)
Example 3 - Two Sessions per Day with Five Dakini Practice
1st Session
Short Six-Session Guru Yoga x3 +“Foundations of Good Qualities” or “Three Principal
Aspects of the Path”(alternate) + MCs and Heart of Cho resources + Lamrim Meditation + Mahamudra Shamatha/Vipashyana
2nd Session
Machik Guru Yoga + Lamrim Meditation + Five Dakini Practice (short or long)
Example 4 - Three Sessions per Day with Dentok Chikma
1st Session
Short Six-Session Guru Yoga x3 + “Foundations of Good Qualities”, or “Three Principal Aspects of the Path” (alternate) + MCs and Heart of Cho resources + Lamrim Meditation + Mahamudra Shamatha/Vipashyana
2nd Session
MCs and Heart of Cho resources + Lamrim Meditation + Mahamudra Shamatha/Vipashyana
3rd Session
Machik’s Guru Yoga + Cho Dentok Chikma
Example 5 - Four Sessions per Day with Dentik Chikma or Five Dakini Practice
1st Session
Short Six-Session Guru Yoga x3 + “Foundations of Good Qualities” + MCs and Heart of Cho resources + Lamrim Meditation + Mahamudra Shamatha/Vipashyana
2nd Session
“Song of Spiritual Realization” + MCs and Heart of Cho resources + Lamrim Meditation + Mahamudra Shamatha/Vipashyana
3rd Session
Machik’s Guru Yoga + Supplication to Machik Five Dakinis
4th Session
Five Dakini Practice (short or long) with Mantra Accumulation / Cho Dentok Chikma (alternate) + Lamrim Meditation + Mahamudra Shamatha
Additional Daily Practice Components
You are encouraged to include the following additional practices in your daily retreat practice:
-
Throughout the day or in the morning and evening, whenever possible, recite Eight-Line Praise to Vajrayogini, accumulate the number, and report that to Betty.
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Bring body-oriented practices, such as Qigong, Subtle Body Training and “Magical Wheel” exercises into your retreat time.
-
Journaling
-
Volunteering for DW to integrate virtuous activity with your retreat.
Each person enters a retreat from their own place and space, intention and motivation. If you require some guidance on designing the retreat according to your time constraints, please contact Ellen to schedule an interview with Khandro-la in advance.
GROUP GATHERINGS IN SUPPORT OF PERSONAL RETREAT
DW Journeys (Mahamudra, Cho Mastery and Kechara ) Retreats will gather at their regularly scheduled days and times. Some DW regularly scheduled group practices will also be offered as well as additional opportunities for student-hosted group meditation and discussion. There will be no Sunday Public Teaching during Retreat Month.
Following is a complete list of DW scheduled group offerings during this Personal Retreat Month (as always, times are listed as PST). You can also see the DW calendar anytime for up-to-date information on offerings (link here):
Tuesday, 8/3, 10 am-12:30 pm Dakini Day
VYCT and Opening of Retreat
Saturday, 8/7, 9-10:30 am
Magical Movements (for those registered for series or as drop-in)
Sunday, 8/8, 10-11 am
Student Hosted Group Study, Contemplation, Meditation
Saturday, 8/14, 7 am-1 pm
Kechara Journey (for KJ students)
Sunday, 8/15, 10-11 am
Student Hosted Group Study, Contemplation, Meditation
Sunday, 8/22, 11a - 1 pm
Cho Mastery Journey (for CMJ students)
Sunday, 8/22, 10-11 am
Student Hosted Group Study, Contemplation, Meditation
Sunday, 8/29, 9-11 am
Mahamudra Journey (for MMJ students)
Wednesday, 9/1, 10 am-12:30 pm Dakini Day
VYCT and Closing of Retreat
The zoom link
