Kopan West 2008
with Ven. Tenzin Chogkyi
October 31- November 9


The focus of this retreat will be to understand and stabilize various spiritual states of mind leading to enlightenment; teachings on these states have traditionally been arranged in what is known as the graduated path to enlightenment (Tibetan: lamrim) by masters like Lama Atisha and Lama Tsong Khapa. This course will introduce students to an experiential method of approaching these topics based on the famous Kopan course begun by Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. The retreat will include teachings, discussions and meditation: “Students can deepen their practice, and learn new skills that will enable them to apply Dharma principles to deal with their delusions, reduce their suffering and change their relationship to reality,” explains Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi.
The last weekend of the retreat will be a silent lamrim retreat. Students have the option to attend the entire retreat, or experienced students who cannot attend the full retreat are welcome to attend only the silent retreat on the final weekend, November 7,8 and 9. Partial attendance, apart from these two options, is not permitted except by special permission by Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi.
Tenzin
Chogkyi became
interested in meditation after reading Be Here Now and
Autobiography of a Yogi in the early '70's. For the next
30 years, her spiritual path was meandering and
haphazard, and included several dead ends, until she
bought a one-way ticket to India in early 1991 with the
intention of meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She
became a student not only of His Holiness, but also of
Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche and Lama Zopa Rinpoche during
the year she spent studying at Tushita Retreat Center in
Dharamsala and Kopan Monastery. |
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In late 1991, she was asked by Lama Zopa Rinpoche to come
back to the US to become the co-director of Vajrapani Institute
in California. In 1995, she began working at FPMT International
Office, first as co-director and then later as center services
coordinator. In early 2000, she began a long, solitary retreat
that lasted 6 ½ years. Since emerging from retreat in the
summer of 2006, she has been living at Land of Medicine Buddha,
assisting with various aspects of the spiritual program, and
readjusting to the world. Tenzin Chogkyi decided to become
ordained in the third year of her long retreat, and then left
retreat for a quick trip to India in 2004 for novice ordination
with His Holiness.
This 10 day retreat can be done also to fulfill the FPMT program Discovering Buddhism Module 3, “Practicing the Path.” (http://www.fpmt.org/retreat/dbschedule.asp): “The retreat will be a very practice-oriented approach. By that I don’t mean just sitting on the cushion meditating, but also a practical approach: how do these teachings help us reduce our suffering? How do they help us deal with our delusions?” asks Venerable Tenzin Chogkyi.
SUGGESTED READING
(Especially for students with little or no background in Buddhism)
- The Four Noble Truths by Geshe Tashi Tsering (Wisdom Publications)
- The Path to Enlightenment by His Holiness the Dalai Lama (Snow Lion)
-What Makes You Not a Buddhist, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche (Shambala Publications)
-How to Meditate, Kathleen McDonald (Wisdom Publications)
-Guided Meditations on the Stages of the Path, Thubten Chodron (Snow Lion Publications)
WHAT TO BRING:
-Very comfortable clothing for sitting, lots of layers.
-A pen and a notebook for taking notes.
WHAT TO NOT BRING:
-Laptops
-Cell phones
- Work projects, etc
SCHEDULE
31st Oct. |
3:00 to 5:00 pm |
Registration |
|
6:00pm |
Dinner |
7:30pm |
Introductory session |
|
|
|
November |
7:00 – 8:00 am |
Intro. to Meditation followed by Mindfulness Practice |
1st to 7th |
8:00 – 9:00 am |
Breakfast |
|
9.00 - 12.00pm |
Two sessions of combined teaching and meditation, approx. 1 ¼ hours with a tea break in between. |
|
12.00 – 2:30 pm |
Lunch |
|
2:30 – 3:30pm |
Discussion group with assigned questions |
|
3.30pm |
Tea |
|
4:00 – 6:00pm |
Approx. ½ hour review of discussion groups, followed by
1 ½ hour teaching and meditation |
|
6:00 pm |
Dinner |
|
7:30pm |
Evening meditation session: purification with the four opponent powers |
|
|
|
November |
7:00 – 8:00 am |
Mindfulness Practice |
8th |
8:00 – 9:00 am |
Breakfast |
|
9.00 – 9.45am
10.00 – 10.45 am
11:00 – 11:45 |
Three meditation sessions
|
|
12.00 pm |
Lunch |
|
2.30 – 3.15 pm
3.30 – 4.15pm
4:30 – 5:15 pm |
Three meditation sessions |
|
5:15 - 6.00pm |
Yoga or other exercise |
|
6.00pm |
Dinner |
|
7.30pm |
Evening meditation session: purification with the four opponent powers |
|
|
|
November |
7:00 – 8:00 am |
Mindfulness Practice |
9th |
8:00 – 9:00 am |
Breakfast |
|
9.00 – 9.45am
10.00 – 10.45 am
11:00 – 11:45 |
Three meditation sessions
|
|
12.00 pm |
Lunch (retreat will end Nov. 9 after lunch) |
| Fees: (inclusive of
accommodation, meals, retreat fees) |
| |
Non-Member |
Member |
| |
|
10% |
| Camping |
$840.00 |
$756.00 |
| Main Dormitory |
$880.00 |
$792.00 |
| Semi Private Dormitory |
$920.00 |
$828.00 |
| |
|
|
| Private Room (single) |
$1,200.00 |
$1,080.00 |
| Private Room (double) |
$1,080.00 |
$972.00 |
| Cabin (single) |
$1,360.00 |
$1,224.00 |
| Cabin
(double) |
$1,160.00 |
$1,044.00 |
| |
|
|
| Scholarship Application deadline |
Nov
31st |
|
No one will be turned away for lack of funds
Click
here for details regarding financial aid
Click
Here for Course and Registration General Info
Cancellation
Policy
A position for Course Manager Scholarship is no longer available for this course. Click here for more
information about the Course Manager position.
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