An Annual Drop-in Meditation Retreat
June 15 – June 21
About This Retreat
Engaging in the practice of Guru Yoga together with making mandala offerings creates a vast collection of merit through which we can receive the powerful blessings of our Spiritual Guide and fulfill our spiritual wishes.
The word “guru” is Sanskrit for “spiritual guide” or “spiritual teacher.” These days, it is possible to have a spiritual guide who is male or female, lay or ordained, Eastern or Western. During this retreat, we will visualize our personal spiritual guide appearing in the aspect of Je Tsongkhapa, an emanation of the wisdom Buddha Manjushri and the 15th century founder of the New Kadampa tradition.
The word “mandala,” in this context, means “universe.” In a traditional rice mandala offering, we utilize a rice mandala kit to create an offering that represents a completely pure universe, a universe in which all living beings are free from suffering and filled with peace. When we participate in the Guru Yoga-Mandala retreat, we first use the prayers entitled “Offering to the Spiritual Guide” to imagine our spiritual guide appearing in front of us as Je Tsongkhapa. We then use the mandala kit to make repeated offerings to him, imagining we are giving countless purified universes, along with the imagined purified objects of our own attachment.
This practice is a very powerful way to create positive karma and purify negative karma. In this way, we can fulfill our deepest wishes to experience lasting happiness. Everyone is welcome to attend; no prior experience is required. With the exception of the introductory talk on Saturday, all sessions are self-guided and free to attend.
Retreat Schedule:
All sessions last between 1 and 1.5 hours and will be held downstairs (except for Saturday) in the retreat room/teen room.
Saturday, June 15
6:30am: Precepts
10:00am – 11:30am: Introductory Talk: What Does it Mean to Rely Upon a Spiritual Guide? ($10 or $5 students/seniors; discounts for Monthly Members)
11:45am – 12:15pm: Demonstration: How to Make a Mandala Offering
Sunday, June 16
No Retreat Sessions.
Monday, June 17
Sessions at 7am, 10:30am, 5:45pm, and 7pm
Tuesday, June 18
Sessions at 7:30am, 10:30am, 5:45pm, and 7pm
Wednesday, June 19
Sessions at 7am, 10:30am, 5:45pm, and 7pm
Thursday, June 20
Sessions at 7:30am, 10:30am, and 5:45pm
Friday, June 21
Sessions at 7am, 10:30am, 5:45pm, and 7pm
