Fall Retreat: The Five Elements & Serenity Ridge Dialogues with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

Join us for five very special days with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and special guests.

Our planet is as alive as it is sacred. The five elements of earth, water, fire, air, and space are not just natural resources, but are fundamental aspects of a living universe. The elements exist not only at a gross, physical level, but in many increasingly subtle forms, with distinct qualities and effects. In fact, every experience one can have, from the sensations of one’s physical body, to emotions, to the most fleeting of thoughts, is composed of the interaction of these five elements. Come learn, connect and experience their power for yourself!

This retreat brings something entirely new to Serenity Ridge. In the mornings, Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will teach on the Five Elements, with a special emphasis on the cleansing and healing power of the five tsa lung exercises and the Nine Breaths of Purification. In the afternoons he will be joined by Geshe YongDong Losar, from Vancouver Island, Canada, along with researchers and healthcare practitioners of both Eastern and Western medicine. Collectively they will present research, knowledge and their own experiences regarding how connecting to the elements, to the breath, awareness and the body can help us to connect more fully to the joy of life, to heal injury and trauma, and to be more present to each moment.

For more information click HERE

Our special guests include:

Geshe YongDong Losar is the youngest monk ever awarded the Geshe degree at Nangzhig Bon Monastery. Following his graduation in the spring of 1992, Geshe YongDong escaped Tibet. In India he studied at both Menri and Sera Monasteries. In the fall of 1999, Geshe YongDong moved to British Columbia, Canada. Living on Vancouver Island, he founded Sherab Chamma Ling, the first Tibetan Bon Buddhist Center in Canada. He is the Resident Spiritual Director and continues to teach regularly at his center today.

Menpa Phuntsok Wangmo is director of the Shang Shung Institute School of Tibetan Medicine. Menpa Wangmo organized and instructed the first full-length, traditional Tibetan Medicine training program offered in the Western World. Menpa Wangmo teaches Tibetan Medicine programs around the world.

Lonny Jarrett is recognized worldwide as a leading practitioner, author, scholar and teacher of East Asian medicine. Lonny has been practicing Acupuncture and Herbology in Stockbridge, Massachusetts since 1986. He holds Master’s Degrees in Neurobiology (University of Michigan) and Acupuncture (Traditional Acupuncture Institute) and  studied Contemporary Pulse Diagnosis with Dr. Leon Hammer for 10 years.

Sat-Bir Singh Khalsa is a researcher in the field of body mind medicine, specializing in yoga therapy. Originally from Toronto, he earned his Ph.D. at the University of Toronto, where he also began his practice of Kundalini Yoga under the tutelage of Yogi Bhajan.

Alejandro Chaoul-Reich, Ph.D., has studied for nearly 30 years in the Tibetan Bön tradition with Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, His Holiness Lungtok Tenpai Nyima Rinpoche, and Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. He holds a Ph.D. in Tibetan religions from Rice University and is the director of the Mind Body Spirit Institute at the Jung Center of Houston. For the last 20 years he has been teaching and researching the benefits of Tibetan mind-body practices for people touched by cancer.

This event will have translations available in Hungarian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Schedule (New York Time) – Subject to change
Link to your local time zone
Tuesday, October 11
7:00 p.m.–8:30 p.m. Dialogue
Wednesday, October 12
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Teachings by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
11:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Break
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Guided Practice
12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Break
1:00 p.m.–1:45 p.m. Lunch
1:45 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Break
3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Dialogue
4:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Break
5:00 p.m.–5:45 p.m. Guided Practice with Dialogue Presenters
5:45 p.m.–6:45 p.m. Dinner
6:45 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Break
7:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Evening Talk with Dialogue Presenters
Thursday–Saturday, October 13–15
7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Morning Practice
8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m. Break
9:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Teachings by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
11:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Break
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Guided Practice
12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Break
1:00 p.m.–1:45 p.m. Lunch
1:45 p.m.–3:00 p.m. Break
3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Dialogue
4:30 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Break
5:00 p.m.–5:45 p.m. Guided Practice with Dialogue Presenters
5:45 p.m.–6:45 p.m. Dinner
6:45 p.m.–7:00 p.m. Break
7:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m. Evening Talk with Dialogue Presenters
Sunday, October 16
7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m. Morning Practice
8:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m. Break
9:30 a.m.–10:45 a.m. Concluding Teachings by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
10:45 a.m.–11:15 a.m. Break
11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Capstone Conversations with Dialogue Presenters
12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Break
1:00 p.m.–1:45 p.m. Lunch

Click here for more information

Berkeley Event: The Twenty-One Nails, Part 2 with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

The Twenty-One Nails is one of the most cherished texts within the Dzogchen Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung. It is among the innermost secret cycles of dzogchen, directly cutting through doubts about one’s natural state of mind by tracing the nature back to its own source.

The Twenty One Nails can be understood as the most direct expression of enlightenment, a Buddha’s own natural condition. Each nail describes this state from a different point of view. The views are called ‘nails’ or ‘seals’ because they stabilize the experiential understanding of the natural state. For one who understands this, nothing else is needed.

These teachings are said to have come directly from the primordial Buddha, Kuntu Zangpo, passed by mind to mind transmission to eight successive Buddhas, and then transmitted orally to twenty-four human Bön lineage holders, all yogis and siddhas. It was first written down by disciples of the twenty-fourth master, Gyerpung Nangzher Lopo. These teachings have been transmitted in an unbroken succession down to our teachers of the present day: Lopon Sangye Tenzin Rinpoche, His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, and Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche.

The teachings and practices presented by Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche at this retreat are an exceptional gateway for new students to experience both the wisdom and practicality of the Bon teachings. For those already connected to Bon, this is a precious opportunity to be with Rinpoche and deepen their study and practice. We welcome everyone to join us for this series of teachings on the Twenty-One Nails.

Newcomers are welcome!

About Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE is a master of the Dzogchen tradition of Tibet, a Bön lineage holder and a highly respected and beloved teacher to students throughout the United States and the world. Fluent in English, he is known for his clear and insightful teaching style and his ability to make Tibetan practices easily accessible to his students. He is the director of Ligmincha International, founded in 1992 in order to preserve and introduce to the West the teachings and arts of the Tibetan Bön Buddhist tradition. He has authored numerous books and has an active on-line presence on Facebook and cybersangha.net.

Schedule (New York Time)
Link to your local time zone
– More Details Coming Soon!

A-Tri Trul Khor, Part 3 with Alejandro Chaoul

Prerequisites: Open to all past attendees of A-Tri Trul Khor training, Parts 1 & 2.

The 16 principal movements of the A-Tri Trul Khor are dynamic exercises that work to clear obstacles related to body, breath and mind, strengthen awareness, and bring us in the natural state of mind.

Part 1 brought us into connection to the subtle body through the external Tsa Lung and the Nine Breathings of Purification as well as the preliminary movement of the A-Tri Trul Khor. In

Part 2 went deeper into the practice connecting through the breath with the breathing practice of Jam Lung and the remaining fifteen Trul Khor exercises.

Part 3 will emphasize the subtler aspects of practice – the role of the mind. Included in this retreat are the secret tsa lung exercises, deeper experience with the Jam lung practice, and more exploration of the Bön A-tri Tibetan Yoga. The goal of the retreat to provide the skills, knowledge and experience for students to engage with trul khor as an ongoing practice. This retreat is also the springboard (and prerequisite) for those wanting to enter the Trul Khor instructor training program.

Schedule:
Thursday
4:00-6:00pm: Onsite registration
6:00-6:45pm: Dinner
6:45 – 7:00: Break
7:00-8:30 p.m.: Teaching

Friday
8:30–9:30 a.m. Registration & Breakfast
9:30–11:00 a.m. Teaching
11:00–11:30 a.m. Break
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Teaching
12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Break
1:00 p.m.–1:45 p.m. Lunch
1:45 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Break
2:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Teaching
4:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Break
4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Teaching
5:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Break
6:00 p.m. Dinner

Saturday
8:30–9:30 a.m.  Breakfast
9:30–11:00 a.m. Teaching
11:00–11:30 a.m. Break
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Teaching
12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Break
1:00 p.m.–1:45 p.m. Lunch
1:45 p.m.–2:30 p.m. Break
2:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m. Teaching
4:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m. Break
4:30 p.m.–5:30 p.m. Teaching
5:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Break
6:00 p.m. Dinner

Sunday
8:30–9:30 a.m. Breakfast
9:30–11:00 a.m. Teaching
11:00–11:30 a.m. Break
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Teaching
12:30 p.m.–1:00 p.m. Break
1:00 p.m.–1:45 p.m. Lunch

About the Teacher
Alejandro Chaoul-Reich, Ph.D., is a senior student of Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. He completed the seven-year program at Ligmincha Institute in 1999 and also graduated as a teacher from the Three Doors Academy in 2011. Under the auspices of Ligmincha, since 1995 he has been leading meditation and trul khor (Tibetan yoga) retreats throughout the United States, Latin America and Europe. He also serves as a board member of the Ligmincha Texas Institute for Tibetan Meditative and Healing Arts. Alejandro received his Ph.D. in Tibetan religions from Rice University and is a faculty member at the University of Texas (UT) M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, where his team collaborates with Ligmincha in research funded by the National Cancer Institute to investigate possible benefits of Tibetan mind-body practices with different cancer populations, and teaches Bon meditation for patients and others. He also teaches in the area of spirituality and health and end-of-life care at UT’s Medical School in Houston and leads meditation for medical students, staff and faculty.

Schedule (New York time)
Link to your Local Time Zone
More details coming soon!

COURSE

Transforming Our Emotions Through the Six Lokas

with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

This meditation course will give you a thorough introduction to the Six Lokas practices of the Tibetan Bön Buddhist tradition.

At one time or another each of us suffer strong emotions that throw us off balance, cause us to act in ways that we later regret, and make us lose touch with our true nature. Centuries ago the masters of the Bön lineage developed the meditations of the Six Lokas specifically to remedy this situation, to help us live our lives in a balanced and relaxed way.

The meditations focus on the root causes of our suffering: anger, desire, greed, ignorance, jealousy, pride and laziness. Through each meditation we examine our habitual patterns so that we may recognize them, then invoke the enlightened energy of the Buddhas to purify and transform us so that we and all other beings might not continue to suffer in this way. The practices have a deep healing and transformative power, and are traditionally practiced at length as a preliminary to dzogchen contemplation.

Registration is now open

COURSE

Treasures of Bön: History, Lineage & Practices

with Geshe Denma Gyaltsen and John Jackson

Bön counts itself among the oldest spiritual traditions in the world. With origins steeped in an oral, shamanic tradition and yet deeply rooted in teachings of the buddha Tonpa Shenrap, the buddha who preceded Shakyamuni Buddha. Bön offers practices for the challenges we face in our lives, and a complete path to enlightenment..

Ligmincha International is pleased to share our online course designed for anyone who would like to learn more about, or deepen their existing knowledge about this ancient, profound tradition. This course is ideal for beginners who have recently connected with Bön teachings, and want to know more about where it comes from and the many varied forms of practice in the tradition. It is also well suited for practitioners who have learned several practices and would like to know how all the practices fit together into a beautiful and complete system of philosophies and meditations.

We use a new format for this course, in which Geshe Denma Gyaltsen, our resident lama of Ligmincha Texas, and John Jackson, mentor for many of our courses and frequent international teacher, enter into deep conversations around the essential masters and teachings of our tradition. Each topical conversation is followed by a guided meditation, led by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche or Geshe Denma Gyaltsen , which illustrate and demonstrate the themes discussed.

John Jackson will be the mentor for this course.

Registration is now open.

COURSE

Tibetan Dream Yoga

with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

It is said that the practice of dream yoga deepens our awareness during all our experience: the dreams of the night; the dream-like experience of the day; and the bardo experiences after death. Indeed, the practice of dream yoga is a powerful tool of awakening, used for hundreds of years by the great masters of the Tibetan traditions. Unlike in the Western psychological approach to dreams, the ultimate goal of Tibetan dream yoga is the recognition of the nature of mind or enlightenment itself.

In this four-week workshop, students will explore and practice the ancient Bön Buddhist teachings of Tibetan dream yoga. The workshop provides detailed instruction for dream yoga practice, with discussion of the relationships between dreaming and waking and between dreaming and death. Rinpoche also will provide instructions for foundational practices done during the day and for the uses and methods of lucid dreaming.

Website: GlideWing (https://www.glidewing.com/twr/dreamyoga_home.html)

COURSE

The Three Heart Mantras

with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

 The Three Heart Mantras are used in many different meditations in the Bön tradition and play a major role in the ngöndro practices. They are said to be the essence of enlightenment in sound and energy, and as we sing or chant the mantras our awareness is transformed to be in union with the Buddhas. They are used for purification, protection and as primary practices toward self-realization.

It is said that creating these mantras in any form brings merit and purification, so they are commonly found carved into stones, printed on prayer flags where they spread their benefits through the winds, and even drawn with gold ink and kept on shrines as an object of reverence and meditation. Their blessings are said to be endless. Also within this course Tenzin Rinpoche explains the essence of the Guru Yoga, Refuge and Bodhicitta practices, making this an excellent introduction to the tradition.

Lourdes Hinojosa will be the mentor for this course.

Registration opening soon.

COURSE

The Five Elements: Healing with Form, Energy and Light

with Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche

In this course Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche explores how the five elements from the Tibetan Bön tradition relates to our daily experiences, emotions and relationships. Rinpoche guides meditations for each of the elements, designed to help clear our obstacles and bring balance to our lives.

The course is structured into six parts of one week each:

• Overview of the Five Elements
• The Earth Element
• The Water Element
• The Fire Element
• The Air Element
• The Space Element

Each section of the course includes a video of Rinpoche’s teaching, Rinpoche leading a guided meditation, readings from his book Healing with Form, Energy and Light, and assignments for journal writing, discussion, formal and informal practice.

The course is designed so that you may integrate study and practice into your everyday routine, learning at your own pace, yet enjoying the support of classmates and the course mentor.

John Jackson will be the mentor for this course.

Registration opening soon

COURSE

Sherap Chamma: Mother of Wisdom and Love

with Marcy Vaughn

Ligmincha Learning is pleased to announce that we will be offering our course introducing the practices of Sherap Chamma, Mother of Wisdom and Love, taught by Marcy Vaughn.

In many cultures the primordial female energy is seen as the origin of existence and the source of all positive qualities. As such, Sherap Chamma is the source of wisdom, and her medicine is love and compassion. The teachings of Sherap Chamma comprise one of the most important tantric cycles of the ancient Bön tradition.

Join Marcy Vaughn in this special course to learn a beautiful and simple meditation practice that will enable you to connect directly with the divine feminine energy. With visualization, the sound of mantra, and deep contemplation, participants can make a personal connection to this sacred form of the universal mother, Sherap Chamma, and are guided through this connection to innate wisdom and the love and compassion that naturally radiate from that wisdom.

Those experienced in meditation as well as those who are beginning are warmly welcomed.

COURSE

Meditation, Breath and Movement

with Alejandro Chaoul-Reich

Location: ligminchalearning.com

Tsa lung is a series of ancient yogic practices that brings balance and harmony to our physical body, energy and mind. The term tsa lung can be translated as the energy-winds (Tibetan: lung, Skt. prana, Chinese, qi) in the Channels, for these practices are designed to open the subtle channels, guiding the healthy flow of the energy-winds so that we can enjoy good health and reconnect with more calmness to a quiet, peaceful mind. These exercises are easy to perform and are suitable for everyone.

There are three levels of tsa lung practice: external, internal and secret. External tsa lung works primarily on the physical level, using simple movements and breath exercises to balance the energies within our body. Internal tsa lung works more at the level of breath and subtle energy, bringing our attention to opening the five chakras and the central channel. Secret tsa lung uses subtle visualizations within the chakras and central channel to bring harmony to the mind, so that we can rest in our inner refuge, nature of mind. All of the tsa lung exercises integrate and balance the five elements within: earth, water, fire, wind and space.

These practices are drawn from the Bön Mother Tantra (Tibetan: Ma Gyud) the highest tantra in our tradition. They are a beautiful complement to any meditation practice, and particularly to dzogchen. They are frequently performed at the beginning of a session so that meditation is deeper and more stable. External tsa lung is commonly performed in all Ligmincha centers and groups.

Registration is now open