Due to the necessities of these times, this exceptional Dakini Ngöndro from A.dzom Rinpoche’s Ösel Nyingtig terma cycle was revealed at the behest of Lama Tsultrim Allione and was transcribed with the help of Tulku Ösel Dorje who will be teaching this retreat alongside Lama Tsultrim. This cycle for accomplishing the Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal was first revealed in Tibet at Yeshe Tsogyal’s birthplace. At that time Yeshe Tsogyal actually revealed her face to A.dzom Rinpoche and it was later encoded at Tara Mandala.

What is Ngöndro?

• The Tibetan word ngöndro, which means “that which goes before” or “preliminaries,” refers to a collection of practices that condense all the teachings into skillful methods that essentialize the wisdom of the Buddhas and Guru Rinpoche for actualizing one’s own primordial wisdom.  

What to Expect?

• In this retreat:  we will learn to contemplate and meditate on the Four Thoughts that Turn the Mind to the Dharma, and then we will arrive at the uncommon preliminaries of Refuge, Bodhicitta, Vajrasattva, Mandala Offerings, a short Chöd and receiving the blessings of the lineage in a unique Guru Yoga that centers around the enlightened feminine. 
• The practice: as we enter this practice we will encounter Yeshe Tsogyal along with other female wisdom emanations including Samanatabhadri, the feminine aspect of the Primordial Buddha and the embodiment of the Ground of Being, Prajñapārāmita the embodiment of wisdom, Vajra Varahi the fierce Dakini, Machig Labdrön founder of the Chöd lineage, and Green Tārā the embodiment of compassion in action.  
• The teachings: the instructions found within this lineage will express the ultimate significance of what is meant by Dakini. Unlike most ngöndros, these preliminary practices are permeated with the profound Dzogchen view. In this practice, one’s progress is not evaluated on the basis of accumulating hundreds of thousands of recitations but rather on one’s meditative experiences and the time one invests.
• Commitments: Once you receive these teachings it will be up to you whether you receive it simply as a blessing or you enter the Ösel Nyingtig Program. If you take that step you will be  expected to keep the Samaya until the next Ösel Nyingtig retreat in 2023. This means committing to practice this Dakini Ngöndro every day. The minimum requirement would be simply recitation of the text, but ideally you would be doing it for at least an hour a day.
• Entering the Ösel Nyingtig Program: At the end of this retreat you will have the opportunity to apply to enter the Ösel Nyingtig Program, which enables you to receive further teachings during the year, webcasts, and ongoing practice opportunities.  Details will be explained at the retreat. More information on the Ösel Nyingtig cycle can be found here.

Who Can Attend?

• Anyone who has a heartfelt connection with the Ösel Nyingtig. This path is open to everyone who feels a connection, can devote themselves to daily meditation practice (see expectation above on keeping samaya), and is inspired to do this practice which offers a complete path to awakening.

How To Prepare and What to Bring?

• If you don’t have an established daily meditation practice already, we encourage you to begin one in preparation for this retreat.
• The teachings in this retreat are suitable for anyone who has had several years in Vajrayana practice. 
• Some familiarity with teachings on Prajñaparamita, Chöd, and Green Tara is highly recommended. 
• You will need a mala for this retreat. You can purchase a mala and review the other items in the associated practice bundle in our Dakini Store.

What is a Virtual Retreat?

Virtual Retreats are Tara Mandala At-Home intensive retreats, teachings and in-depth workshops during which practitioners receive dharma teachings, engage in guided practice, experience hands-on learning, and connect with other participants through an easy-to-use online platform (Zoom) during consecutive days (with few exceptions) and daylong offerings. This modality of learning is appropriate for practitioners who are able to create a practice container of their own, setting aside a dedicated retreat space, removing themselves from social media, and taking care of necessities with the mind of compassion in action for the specific dates and times that the teachings occur. 

Virtual Retreats are meant to be attended live given that direct transmission (Tib. lung) may be given. However, access to recordings of the sessions are available for additional viewing for various timeframes specified by the price level selected.

Tiered-Prices

Tara Mandala is working to expand opportunities for access to Buddhist teachings and practices while offering an equity-informed fee structure when possible. With our new tiered pricing, we strive to make the Dharma more accessible to all while furthering the important conversations that must happen around current structures that inhibit equal access to underprivileged communities. We encourage you to select the registration tier at the highest level within your capacity to assist Tara Mandala in covering the costs of offering these wonderful teachings while also benefiting from access to the recordings of the teachings post-retreat. We thank you in advance for your support and your practice!

$566 – Tier 1 (includes access to recordings of all sessions for up to 30 days from the end of the retreat)
Registration at this level covers the basic costs for this retreat and allows Tara Mandala to maintain sustainability.

$622 – Tier 2 (includes access to recordings of all sessions for up to 1 year from the end of the retreat)
Registration at this level covers the program costs for this retreat and provides additional support for the year-round work of Tara Mandala.

$291 – Access Level (includes access to recordings of all sessions for up to 7 days from the end of the retreat)
Registration at this level is offered 35% below the cost of holding this retreat to assist participants with financial limitations and encourage the exploration and practice of dharma.

Choosing the Tier 1 or Tier 2 levels allows Tara Mandala to continue to make dharma teachings accessible and inclusive while also allowing its year-round operations to continue and expand while being a repository for wisdom literature, a center for translation, a beacon for the feminine in Buddhism. Tara Mandala is an  active dharma organization and retreat center that provides refuge for deep practice and transformation. There are many ways to support and engage with Tara Mandala’s worldwide activities. Click here to learn more. We appreciate your support and generosity! 

Offering dana to the teacher: The practice of offering dana, which means “generosity,” is the traditional offering the student makes to the teacher as a symbol of appreciation, gratitude, and reciprocity for receiving the precious teachings. Information on offering dana to the teacher will be provided during the virtual retreat. To learn more about dana and suggested dana ranges, please click here. 

Payment Plans and Financial Assistance
Tara Mandala has two scholarship funds and offers deferred payment plans as resources for anyone with financial limitations. For more information and to apply, visit our Scholarships and Financial Assistance Page. 

Sustaining Sangha:
If you are currently a member of our Sustaining Sangha, you may apply your retreat discount to this program.

Click Here for Our Cancellation and Refund Policy

VIRTUAL RETREAT SCHEDULE
Listed times are the online portions of the retreat. All times are Mountain Time. 
Please use this link to see how this daily schedule translates into your timezone. 

Thursday, June 30
10:00am -12:00pm: Teaching Session
3:00pm – 5:00pm: Teaching Session

Friday, July 1- Sunday, July 3
9:00am – 9:45am: Practice Session
11:00am -1:00pm: Teaching Session
3:00pm – 5:00pm: Teaching Session

Monday, July 4
11:00am -1:30pm: Closing Session and Tsog