Training the Heart and Mind
A Path of Liberation Retreat with
Khenpo Kunga
In this retreat, senior Tergar lama Khenpo Kunga will offer experiential instructions on the nature of mind alongside teachings on the ancient practice of Lojong, or Mind Training.
The Mind Training lineage contains some of the most-cherished teachings of the Buddhist tradition. These instructions offer practical advice for transforming the heart and mind through a series of contemplations and meditations. Passed down from teacher to student for more than a thousand years in Tibet, the Mind Traiing teachings continue to be widely taught and practiced today. His Holiness the Dalai Lama and other great masters frequently offer instructions from this tradition, extolling the profound simplicity of its teachings and its power to open the heart and transform the mind.
This retreat offers a rare opportunity to receive in-depth instructions on the Seven Point Mind Training, one of the most treasured teachings of the Mind Training lineage. Basing his teachings on a commentary by the great 19th Century master, Jamgon Kongtrul, Kenpo Kunga will also offer instructions on the nature of mind, drawing on a unique set of "pointing out instructions" from the lineage of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche.
The daily schedule will include periods of silent meditation, teachings by Khenpo Kunga, and opportunities for interviews and small group discussions with senior Tergar instructors.
Qualifications
This retreat is open to all individuals who meet at least one of the following criteria:
1) Have attended all three Joy of Living Levels and completed the practice requirements
2) Have attended the Path of Liberation Level I or Mahamudra Level I with Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche and completed its practice requirements or will complete them prior to the retreat (attendance at the 2010 St. John’s month long retreat or the advanced track of the weeklong retreat fulfills this criteria)
3) Have completed the full preliminary practices (the 4 x 100,000 ngöndro)
4) Have received pointing out teachings from a qualified Buddhist lineage holder (a tulku or rinpoche)
5) Have had a daily meditation practice for at least five years and attended either group or solitary practice retreats (with 6+ hours of formal meditation practice each day) under the guidance of a Buddhist teacher for a total of at least thirty days
Accommodations: Residential and commuter options are available for this retreat. Onsite retreat fees include breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. Commuter fees do not include breakfast, although we are exploring options to provide a light breakfast for those driving in for the early morning meditation session. Those staying in area hotels will need to make arrangements for breakfast. Lunch and dinner are included in the commuter retreat fees.
Both the Basic Rate and Sponsor Rate include the same course fees, meals and accommodations. *The Sponsor Rate, for those who choose to pay it, enables us to offer work/study scholarships for those who could not otherwise afford to attend.
Accommodations and Costs On SIte: The limited lodging accommodations available at Holy Wisdom Monastery are now full. If you live in Madison, you may choose to be a "commuter." If you desire to be on the wait-list for a room at Holy wisdom, you may register for one of the "Holy Wisdom wait-list" registration options. Alternatively, you can register as a "commuter" and find your own accommodations elsewhere in the area. We are recommending the Baymont Inn & Suites Madison West to those looking for a local hotel. See below for more information.
Accommodations and Costs Off Site: We have negotiated discounted rates and free shuttle service with the Baymont Inn and Suites Madison West. We selected the Baymont because they are close to the retreat center, they offered us a nice discount on room rates, and they are the only hotel that would provide free shuttle service to and from the retreat center. They will hold a block of rooms for Winter Retreat Registrants until December 3, 2014. If you need lodging in Madison, please contact them at 608-831-7711 and mention Tergar.
Work Study: There will be a few spaces for work-study attendees. If you wish to attend on a work-study basis, please contact the registrar at john@tergar.org. Because of the limited options for rooms, you may need to plan to share a room at a local hotel. The cost for commuter work study is $195 plus the cost of lodging.
Meals: The retreat center will provide vegetarian meals. If you have any special dietary needs, please email us at winterretreat@tergar.org and we will do what we can to get the retreat center to address those needs.
Payment and Cancellation Policy: All registrations must be accompanied by a payment of at least $250. All fees must be paid in full by December 1, 2014. Cancellations before December 1, 2014 will be refundable subject to a $50 cancellation fee. Cancellations between December 2, 2014 and December 18, 2014, will be refundable subject to a cancellation fee of $250. For cancellations after December 18, 2014, no refunds will be possible.
Rates
Holy Wisdom Single Room Basic: $875 (now on wait-list)
Holy Wisdom Single Room Sponsor: $1,035 (now on wait-list)
Holy Wisdom Double Room Basic: $695 (now on wait-list)
Holy Wisdom Double Room Sponsor: $845 (now on wait-list)
Commuter Basic: $475
Commuter Sponsor: $625
About Khenpo Kunga
Khenpo Kunga became a monk at a young age and began his education at Tergar monastery, where he studied the rituals, prayers, and other traditional practices of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. At fifteen, he entered an extended meditation retreat and spent three years mastering the profound contemplative practices of the Kagyü lineage. Following this period of intense meditation practice, he entered the renowned Dzongsar monastic college near Dharamsala in Northwest India. After studying there for eleven years and receiving his Khenpo degree (roughly equivalent to a PhD), he taught at Dzongsar college for three additional years. Khenpo Kunga's primary teacher is Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, though he has studied with many other revered masters as well. In recent years, Khenpo Kunga has taught in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and the United States as one of the main teachers for the worldwide network of Tergar monasteries, meditation centers, and meditation groups.
About the Path of Liberation
Based on the ancient Buddhist teachings of Tibet, the Path of Liberation presents a course of practice and study that addresses the fundamental confusion that lies at the root of all suffering and allows the meditator to move beyond habitual thoughts and deeply ingrained emotional patterns to the innate purity of awareness itself. Read more...