Blog

Spring 2021

Spring 2021

Spring has officially arrived and with it a sense of renewal, a spark of hope. Trees are leafing and blossoming. So many wildflowers dot the hillsides. Bees are buzzing and early morning birds chatter like townsfolk exclaiming the beauty of this valley.  Living a quiet life, especially since everything came ...
An Update from Elaine

An Update from Elaine

Elaine Jackson, our resident teacher, has been in self quarantine with her partner Keith since the beginning of March. She is using this time for retreat and doing prayers for the center and all of us.  She shares this with you during this time. Walking into my meditation room this ...
Our COVID-19 Update

Our COVID-19 Update

Hello dearest community, In these uncertain times, our team, like so many communities worldwide, has had an opportunity to reflect on the interdependence of all beings. Recent events are inviting us to practice great mindfulness and caring, knowing that the ripples of our actions extend to all people, near and ...
Want to Know the Dalai Lama’s Secret?

Want to Know the Dalai Lama’s Secret?

By Catherine Graham A glimpse of the beaming face of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, especially in these queasy times, is hugely uplifting. It’s like the sight of ray of sunshine after weeks of grim rain. Consistently over the decades, media pictures show him laughing playfully, or connecting humorously with ...
Nurturing the Land: Letting Its Magic Shine

Nurturing the Land: Letting Its Magic Shine

by Heidi Oehler, Vajrapani Institute's Executive Director It’s time to take a deep exhale. Time to breathe and be. How often do you get caught up in the doing? The going? The ‘making’ things happen? Sensing into this energy, can you feel the quality of this? Can you feel the ...
Innate Creative Vigor

Innate Creative Vigor

Here at Vajrapani Institute, we are blessed with a very rare gift to help hold a sacred container for all people on their spiritual paths. Along with an amazing calendar of group retreats all year long, we also offer a special opportunity to go on private retreat here. So often, ...
From Boy Scout to Buddhist: A Conversation with Rob Preece

From Boy Scout to Buddhist: A Conversation with Rob Preece

In 2016, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Buddhist teacher, author, psychotherapist, and artist, Rob Preece. Since 2012, Rob Preece has led a number of meditation retreats at Vajrapani Institute. Rob will be leading two retreats at Vajrapani Institute in 2019, the first in March, titled Awakening the ...
Prayer Wheel of Compassion Phase One Complete!

Prayer Wheel of Compassion Phase One Complete!

Vajrapani Insititute has now finished Phase One of the Prayer Wheel of Compassion project that we first announced in December 2016.  Thank you!  But we still need your help; please read on. The 10 ft x 7 ft Prayer Wheel will contain 5 trillion (5,000,000,000,000) copies of OM MANI PADME HUM, ...
From Storms to a Record Breaking Year

From Storms to a Record Breaking Year

Dear Community Member, First of all, thank you for taking the time to look at this Annual Report. Thank you for caring. If there is a word that summarizes 2017, it would be: ‘Caring’. Depending on when you joined the community, you are probably already aware of the dramatic events that punctuated ...
Letter from Heidi to the Community

Letter from Heidi to the Community

Hello Family! It’s so good to be sharing with you all! Excitement dances through me as I write about stepping into serving you all once again.  Vajrapani Institute - the land, the founders, the staff (past and present) and the community, hold such a dear place in my heart. I ...
H.E. the 7th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche - Brief Biography

H.E. the 7th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche – Brief Biography

His Eminence the 7th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche was born in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India, on 18 November 1985. In 1987, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama recognized him as the reincarnation of the 6th Kyabje Yongzin Ling Rinpoche (1903 – 1983), who was the most Senior Tutor ...
Interview with Elaine Jackson, Resident Teacher

Interview with Elaine Jackson, Resident Teacher

We are excited to welcome Elaine Jackson as our new Resident Teacher.  She is a founder and former Director of Vajrapani Institute and a treasured member of our community for  many years. Here's an interview our staff member Louie Markovitz conducted with Elaine. What drew you to the spiritual path? Although ...
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Upcoming Retreats

“All Into One”: An experiential retreat on Calm Abiding and Emptiness based on Guru Yoga and the 3 Principal Aspects of the Path

Venerable René Feusi

April 25 - May 5, 2024
About the Retreat We are so pleased and honored that one of our most precious teachers is returning again to Vajrapani.   This retreat is a rare opportunity to meditate with Venerable Rene more deeply on the teachings he gave last year in the Bay Area on Guru Yoga as a basis for realizing Mahamudra or realizing "mind as it is."   Utilizing once again the Guru Yoga practice, The Hundred Deities of the Land of Joy, as the life force for collecting merit and clearing obstacles on our spiritual path, Venerable Rene will also offer experiential teachings and meditations…

Online Book Club – Vol 4: Following in the Buddha’s Footsteps

Venerable Gyalten Chimé

May 1 - June 19, 2024
When On Zoom Every Wednesday for 8 weeks 6:30 - 8:30pm Pacific Time Zoom Link will be sent a day before the Wednesday night class.     Prerequisites: None – Open to all students   It is recommended that participants read the first few chapters prior to the first Book Club session on May 1st.   About the Book This weekly online book gathering will feature facilitated conversation, discussion and meditation sessions with Buddhist monastic Venerable Chimé.   Delve into the substance of spiritual practice in this fourth volume of the Dalai Lama’s definitive series on the path to awakening,…

Vajrapani Institute is affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition www.FPMT.org