Date(s) - January 2, 2019 - January 7, 2019
All Day
Non-Dual Awareness
Mahamudra and the View of the Mind-Only School
A Path of Liberation Retreat with Khenpo Kunga
With Senior Tergar Lama Khenpo Kunga
Middleton, Wisconsin, USA
This retreat is currently sold out. You can add your name to the waiting list by clicking on the registration link below.
The most direct path to awakening is through the nature of awareness. When we explore the nature of awareness as a lived, felt experience, the unconscious belief in a solid, enduring self falls away and gives way to a taste of non-dual mind. The experience of non-dual awareness is one of radiant, spacious clarity, a glimpse of wisdom and compassion that dissolves the emotions and beliefs that perpetuate suffering. The Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism has preserved the teachings on non-dual awareness in the philosophy of the Mind-Only School, also known as the Yogachara School, and in the nature of mind instructions of Mahamudra. For over a thousand years, the great meditators of Tibet have preserved these teachings, passing them on from teacher to student in an unbroken lineage of study and practice.
In this retreat, Tergar lama Khenpo Kunga will guide us through an exploration of non-dual mind. The retreat will include periods of group meditation along with teachings and discussions with Khenpo Kunga. This retreat will also include the transmissions for those who wish to begin the Path of Liberation – the path of formal Buddhist practice in the Tergar community. These transmissions include a refuge ceremony for those who wish to become Buddhist, “pointing out” teachings on the nature of mind, as well as the reading transmissions and an empowerment.
This retreat is open to all individuals who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Have attended all three Joy of Living Levels, Calming the Mind (Level 1), Opening the Heart (Level 2), and Awakening Wisdom (Level 3), and completed the associated practice requirements
- Have completed the full preliminary practices (the 4 x 100,000 ngöndro)
- Have had a daily meditation practice for at least five years and attended either group or solitary practice retreats (with 6+ hours of formal meditation practice each day) under the guidance of a Buddhist teacher for a total of at least thirty days
The daily schedule will include periods of silent meditation, teachings by Khenpo Kunga, and opportunities for interviews and small group discussions with senior Tergar instructors.
When:
January 2-7, 2019
The retreat begins on Wednesday, January 2 at 7:00 p.m. and ends Monday, January 7 at 11:30 a.m.
Costs:
- Program, lunches and dinners at Holy Wisdom: $525 (does not include accommodations)
- Program, Meals and Holy Wisdom Double Room: $775 (price per person sharing a room with two beds)
- Program, Meals and Holy Wisdom Single Room: $900
There are also a limited number of rooms available at Holy Wisdom. Please indicate when you register if you would like to stay at Holy Wisdom. For those who would like to stay at the retreat center, please select one of these options when you register.
Madison-area residents are encouraged to commute daily to permit out-of-town participants to attend.
Notes:
- Senior (65+) and Full-time Student discounts are available. Please use the discount code provided in the registration form.
- You will have the opportunity to choose to make a 50% deposit while registering with the remaining balance due by December 15.
- If your ability to pay makes it difficult to attend, please contact us about financial assistance at [email protected].
Additional Local Accommodations:
We have negotiated discounted rates and free shuttle service with the Baymont Inn and Suites Madison West. They will hold a block of rooms for Retreat Registrants until December 2, 2018. Contact them directly to register at 608-831-7711 and mention Tergar.
Meals:
The retreat center will provide vegetarian meals. Please indicate during registration if you have other dietary restrictions.
Cancellation Policy:
For cancellations before November 1, there will be a $50 administration fee. For cancellations between November 1 and December 18, there will be a cancellation fee of $250. Cancellations after December 18 will be subject to full cancellation penalties.
Contact:
Cindy Ahlberg
[email protected]
About Khenpo Kunga:
Khenpo Kunga became a monk at a young age and began his education at Tergar monastery, where he studied the rituals, prayers, and other traditional practices of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. At fifteen, he entered an extended meditation retreat and spent three years mastering the profound contemplative practices of the Kagyü lineage. Following this period of intense meditation practice, he entered the renowned Dzongsar monastic college near Dharamsala in Northwest India. After studying there for eleven years and receiving his Khenpo degree (equivalent to a PhD), he taught at Dzongsar college for three additional years. Khenpo Kunga’s primary teacher is Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, though he has studied with many other revered masters as well. In recent years, Khenpo Kunga has taught in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Europe and the United States as one of the main teachers for the worldwide network of Tergar monasteries, meditation centers, and meditation groups.
Location
Holy Wisdom Monastery, Middleton WI, United States