Vajrasattva Retreat in Chicago

Chicago Ratna Shri Sangha Autumn 2006 Retreat

Practice Retreat of Dorje Sempa (Vajrasattva): October 27-29, 2006


The retreat will be led by Drupon Thinley Ningpo Rinpoche retreat master of the Tibetan Meditation Center and Phuntsok Dargye Ling. http://www.drikungtmc...

Also present at the retreat will be Lama Gyalsten of the Tibetan Meditation Retreat Center ordained Sangha. Additionally the newly arrived resident lama of the Affiliated Drikung Sanghas of the Midwest (Chicago and Madison), Drupon Richen Dorjee Rinpoche will be present. http://www.vajrapub.o...


This will be a wonderful opportunity for those who have not met Drupon Rinchen Dorje Rinpoche to do so, for all of us to practice the vast foundational practice of Dorje Sempa together, and for all of us to practice with THREE of our most experienced and valued teachers. Most auspicious!
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?In the Vajrayana Path of Buddhist Practice, Vajrasattva meditation is a special practice for the Purification of nonvirtuous causes, so with confidence and without hesitation, enter into the Vajrasattva Practice.?
*---from Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen's
commentary on the practice*

Khenchen Rinpoche reminds us to purify our negativities before they bring bad karma.
Comprising the 2nd Section of the Drikung Kagyu Ngondro, Vajrasattva meditation is one of the most important practices we can engage in to further our effective activities on the Path, and to eliminate our own and others? suffering.

Khenchen goes on to state, ?While any meditation or Deity Yoga practice we do
embodies all the Buddha?s teachings and incorporates purification and the
cultivation of compassion and wisdom, Vajrasattva Practice provides a clear
specialized method to purify the negative thoughts that oppose these practices.?


Dorje Sempa Empowerment (wong) - The empowerment will be given by Drupon Rinpoche at Kathie Shaw's house, 4508 North Monticello Avenue, Chicago, IL 60625 on Thursday evening the 26th at 6:30 pm. All are welcome, including people not attending the retreat. Even if you are not able to attend the retreat over the weekend,
everyone is invited for the Dorje Sempa Empowerment to be conferred by Drupon Thinley Ningpo Rinpoche:

The Empowerment is free. Donations are always welcome.

Please note: This is the empowerment for the second section of the Drikung Kagyu Ngondro practice. We will be focusing on this practice in the retreat starting
at the Cenacle Retreat House the following day. The empowerment was
arranged primarily for those who need it to participate in the retreat, but is open to all who may be interested. You must have the Vajrasattva empowerment within the Drikung Kagyu lineage in order to attend the retreat .

Retreat Check in - Check in at the Cenacle is from 4:00 until 6:00 on Friday the 27th. If you can't arrive by 6:00 please let us know.

Cenacle Retreat and Conference Center
513 Fullerton Parkway
Chicago, Illinois 60614

Cenacle is located 1½ blocks west of Clark Street on Fullerton Parkway between North Cleveland Avenue and North Cambridge Avenue.
Information, a map and detailed directions can be found on their site at: http://www.cenaclesis...


Parking - Parking is free at the Cenacle on a first come first serve basis, with 30 spaces available. After that, parking is available at the Children's Memorial Hospital parking lot 1½ blocks north on Clark Street. Bring your parking ticket to the Cenacle and they will give you a voucher that allows you to park for $3 a day. Can't beat that for Lincoln Park.

Friday schedule - Dinner will be at 6:00 with Introductory Practice and Questions and Answers regarding the practice with Ven. Drupon Thinley Nyingpo from 7:30 until 8:30.

Practice Texts - Hopefully you already have the Ngondro text or have ordered one from Vajra Publications. http://www.vajrapub.o... The sangha will have some texts available for purchase at the retreat, as well as katags, some books and a few other carefully selected items.

Cushions - The floor in the meeting room is tile over concrete. If you want cushions or any additional padding under you, we ask that you bring your own.

Tsok offerings - Normally we ask people to bring food for tsok offerings at the end of a teaching or retreat. In this case, Cenacle requests that people do not bring food from outside the facility so our tsok offerings will be prepared for us by the Cenacle staff.

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Just want to let you know there are a few rules set up by the Cenacle
Retreat Center that
the Sangha will be following, as we have agreed with them and signed
contracts, etc.

If you have not registered for the retreat, you will not be
admitted. This is the Center's
rules, and I apologize to anyone who is inconvenienced by this.

It is recommended that if you attend the retreat, that you attend ALL
sessions of it. If this isn't possible
this time, there will be other retreats in the future that will
hopefully fit to each individual?s schedule.
This is called a retreat, because each person is making a commitment to
be present for all sessions -
this commitment is important and increases the benefit to all who are
participating.

I must emphasize that the Cenacle Retreat Center does not allow people to
just come and go... These are their rules, and I am sure there are good reasons for them ? like security (i.e. knowing who is in their building at all times.) This is a residential Catholic monastic community, and we must respect their rules.

I am really sorry if this is inconvenient for anyone, but this retreat also involves making a commitment from our end - as a sangha and as individual participants, as well, that we should respect.

Thanks for your cooperation.

The Cenacle Retreat and Conference Center was founded in 1920 by the Catholic
Cenacle Sisters and is located in the beautiful Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago.
While rooted in the Catholic tradition, Cenacle welcomes groups and individuals of
diverse backgrounds, working to provide a quiet atmosphere for retreats and conferences.

For directions and more information, please visit their website at www.cenaclesisters.org

Drupon Rinpoche will lead us in intensive guided Vajrasattva Practice for the
duration of the retreat. In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, you must have received
the Empowerment for this practice from a qualified lama to engage in the retreat.
This is an excellent and rare opportunity to deepen your individual practice
under Rinpoche?s compassionate direction. If you have not received the empowerment,
but would like to take part in the retreat, please contact us at ratnachi@hotmail.com.


Ven. Drupon Thinley Rinpoche has been Retreat Master at the Tibetan Meditation Center in Frederick, Maryland, since December 2001. Rinpoche, a native of Tibet, received the profound essence instructions in the the practice and mastery of Mahamudra under the great yogi, Ven. Pachung Rinpoche, while still a young monk in Tibet. Upon arriving in India, he completed the traditional 3-year retreat under the care and instruction of His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche. During this retreat he studied and practiced the Five-fold Path of Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa. He was awarded the title Drupon, or Retreat Master, by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche based on his accomplishments both in philosophy and practice of sutra and tantra.



Drupon Rinchen Dorjee, a Gelong (fully ordained monk) was born in Rusar in Nagchu State of the Tibet Autonomous Region. At the age of 18, he entered Tana Monastery, where he studied with Gelong Yeshe, who was a disciple of the great Pachung Rinpoche. In 1993 he arrived in India at Jangchub Ling Monastery near Dehra Dun, where he continued his studies for an additional three years, after which he began his first 3-year retreat.

Drupon Dorjee completed his first 3-year retreat on the Five-fold Path of Mahamudra and the Six Yogas of Naropa at Drikung Kagyu Dorjee Ridrubkhang in Almora, near the India/Tibet border. After completing his retreat at Almora, he was named retreat master. He then continued in retreat for another year at Tadopani in Nepal, after which he went to Lapshi on the Nepal/Tibet border, where he remained in retreat for an additional 3 years in Singchampok (Lion) cave, one of the caves Milarepa himself used for long-term retreats.


Unfortunately there is no bio info on Lama Gyaltsen at the moment. 


*R e t r e a t S c h e d u l e

*_*Thursday, October 26, 2006

*6:30 pm - 9 pm *Vajrasattva (Dorje Sempa) **Empowerment*
Location: 4508 North Monticello Avenue, Chicago

Please plan to attend if you have not already received the Empowerment. The Empowerment is also available
to those who cannot attend the Retreat.
_*
*_

*Friday, October 27, 2006*

4 - 6 pm Check-in and Registration. Shrine Room (Conference Room D) opens for meditation

6 pm Dinner*

7:30 - 8:30 pm Introductory Practice
Questions and Answers regarding the practice with Ven. Drupon Thinley NYingpo 7:30 - 8:30 pm

*Saturday, October 28, 2006*

7:00 - 8:00 am Optional Shamatha Meditation (Conference Room D)

8:00 am Breakfast*

9:00 - Noon Vajrasattva Practice With Drupon Thinley Rinpoche presiding (Conference Room D)
There will be a short break during the session.

Noon - 2:00 pm Lunch* (Break begins at Noon, however lunch is served from 12:30 - 1:30 pm)

2:00 - 5:30 pm Vajrasattva Practice With Drupon Thinley Rinpoche Presiding (Conference Room D)
There will be a short break during the session and before dinner.

6:00 - 7:00 pm Dinner*

7:00 - 8:00 pm Vajrasattva Practice With Drupon Thinley Rinpoche Presiding

8:00 - 9:00 pm Optional Shamatha Meditation (Conference Room D)

*Sunday, October 29, 2006*

7:00 - 8:00 am Optional Shamatha Meditation (Conference room D)

8:00 am Breakfast*

9:00 - 11:30 am Vajrasattva Practice With Drupon Thinley Rinpoche Presiding (Conference Room D)
There will be a short break during the session.

11:30 - 12:30 pm Thank you and Katag Offering for Drupon Thinley Nyingpo Rinpoche

12:30 pm Lunch*

* All meals will be provided buffet-style in the Cenacle Dining Room.
There are no refunds for meals not eaten or for participants who depart early.
No other food or beverage is permitted to be brought in or taken out of Cenacle.
*_

R e g i s t r a t i o n I n f o r m a t i o n:_ *

Vajrasattva Practice Retreat with
Drupon Thinley Nyingpo Rinpoche

Fees:

$300 (single accomodation)
$260 (double accomodation)
$160 (commuters - includes all meals)
Please note there are very few rooms left.

Registration Fee includes all retreat sessions (including Empowerment), 2 nights accommodation and 6 meals including dinner, Friday, October 27th, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Saturday, October 28th, and Breakfast and lunch, on October 29th. The fee also helps to defray the costs of bringing Rinpoche to Chicago.

Name________________________________________
Address_______________________________________
City, State, Zip__________________________________

Day Phone_____________________________________
Evening Phone__________________________________
E-mail_________________________________________

Empowerment Rec?d Prior to Retreat ________Yes_________I need the empowerment.Chicago Ratna Shri Sangha

*Emergency Contact (Name and Phone #)*________________________________________________

*Release of Liability:*
I (we) forever release and discharge anyone involved with Chicago Ratna Shri Sangha for any liability resulting from my (our) participation in Vajrasattva Practice Retreat.

Signature____________________________________


*Mail check with registration information (include statement of /Release of Liability/) to:

Chicago Ratna Shri Sangha
c/o Kathie Shaw
4508 North Monticello Avenue
Chicago IL 60625 *

Registration will be taken in the order received.
Please make checks payable to *?Chicago Ratna Shri Sangha.? *

Signature:_____________________________________Date:___________________________________

Questions? e-mail or call: <diane.chicagoratnashri@worldnet.att.net>/ 630-667-9662 <www.drikungmidwest.org>