SCHEDULE 2006

SCHEDULE OF COURSES FOR SPRING- 2006
with John Myrdhin Reynolds/ Lama Vajranatha

March 24-25-26, 2006
Budapest, Hungary  [Evening lecture, weekend meditation workshop]
Dzogchen and Mahamudra: Mind and Consciousness in Buddhsit Meditation

The state of contemplation (samadhi), which represents the culmination of the Tantric process of transformation, is known as "Dzogchen" in the Nyingmapa, or Old Tantra School, and as "Mahamudra" in the New Tantra schools of Tibet. But both the Dzogchen Semde of Padmasambhava and Vairochana the translator and the Mahamudra of Milarepa and Gampopa speak of four yogas or stages in contemplation. These stages will be compared in terms of experiences in meditation practice in the Sutra system, such as Vipashyana and Zen. During the weekend workshop, some of the basic methods of Dzogchen, known as Semdzins and Rushans will be taught and practiced. These practices aim at totally relaxing all our tensions and rigidities of body, energy, and mind, revealing a pure awareness (rigpa) in its nakedness that lies beyond the mind and its conditioning processes.
Contact: Shambhala Center, sambhala@elender.hu, www.tibet.hu.
Tel. 0036-1-266-8084; Marti, tel. 00-309134571

March 31, April 1-2
Berlin, North Germany [Evening lecture, weekend workshop]
Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings from the Zhang-zhung Nyan-gyud

In Tibet there exist two authentic traditions for the transmission of Dzogchen, namely, the Nyingmapa and the Bonpo. Both of these traditions focus on discovering within our immediate experience the Nature of Mind, which lies beyond time and conditioning by society and culture. This intrinsic awareness, known as Rigpa, which is the Nature of Mind itself, is ever-present in our daily experience in this life and even after death, like the presence of the sun in the sky beyond the clouds. Before Indian Buddhism came to Central Tibet in the 8th century CE, Tibet had already developed a rich cultural tradition known as Bon, which had ties with Central Asia and the mysterious land of Zhang-zhung in the west of Tibet. The teachings and practices of Yungdrung Bon, "the eternal tradition," stemming from the Buddha Tonpa Shenrab, are allotted among the four Gateways of Bon: Shamanism, Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen, and the Nine Ways of Bon. Although this cultural backgound of Bon will be considered, this seminar will focus on Dzogchen in the Bonpo tradition from Zhang-zhung, known as the Zhang-zhung snyan-rgyud, "the Oral Tradition from Zhang-zhung." Copies of the author's new book on this ancient tradition of Dzogchen will be available at the course.
Contact: Chris Poche, chrispoche@yahoo.de, tel. 0306-998468

April 7-8-9, 2006
Milano, North Italy [Evening lecture, weekend workshop]
Bonpo Dzogchen Teachings from the Zhang-zhung Nyan-gyud

In Tibet there exist two authentic traditions for the transmission of Dzogchen, namely, the Nyingmapa and the Bonpo. Both of these traditions focus on discovering within our immediate experience the Nature of Mind, which lies beyond time and conditioning by society and culture. This intrinsic awareness, known as Rigpa, which is the Nature of Mind itself, is ever-present in our daily experience in this life and even after death, like the presence of the sun in the sky beyond the clouds. Before Indian Buddhism came to Central Tibet in the 8th century CE, Tibet had already developed a rich cultural tradition known as Bon, which had ties with Central Asia and the mysterious land of Zhang-zhung in the west of Tibet. The teachings and practices of Yungdrung Bon, "the eternal tradition," stemming from the Buddha Tonpa Shenrab, are allotted among the four Gateways of Bon: Shamanism, Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen, and the Nine Ways of Bon. Although this cultural backgound of Bon will be considered, this seminar will focus on Dzogchen in the Bonpo tradition from Zhang-zhung, known as the Zhang-zhung snyan-rgyud, "the Oral Tradition from Zhang-zhung." Copies of the author's new book on this ancient tradition of Dzogchen will be available at the course.
Contact: Andrea Melis, melisand@fastwebnet.it.

April 21-22-23, 2006
Bielefeld, North Germany [Evening lecture, weekend workshop]
Practice of the Dakinis - The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism

The Dakini or Khandroma, literally "she who moves through space" or "she who goes in the sky," is a manifestation of energy in female form. There are worldly Dakinis who are human beings such as female spiritual teachers, or else witches possessing psychic powers, but also non-human Dakinis such as goddesses and nature spirits in female form. In addition, there are Wisdom Dakinis who are transcendent or beyond Samsara and represent the manifestations of enlightened awareness in female form, such as the female Buddha Tara, or female Bodhisattvas such as Lakshmi and Sarasvati, or Guardians in female form like Ekajati. In the Tantric Buddhism of Tibet, the Dakini embodies the Wisdom Principle of Buddha enlightenment, for which reason she is said to be the Consort of all the Buddhas. More generally, the Dakini represents the feminine principle that is outside the control of patriarchal society and the rational male ego consciousness. This course will survey the importance of the Dakini Principle in the Higher Tantra practice of Tibetan Buddhism and introduce some of the meditation practices connected with Dakini Yoga of Vajrayogini.
Information: www.institut-lebensrad.de.
Contact: Thomas and Miguel, lebensrad@aol.com.

April 28-29-30, 2006
Regensburg, South Germany [Evening lecture, weekend workshop]
Guiding the Soul and Liberating the Mind: Psychic Self-Defense and Transcending Obstacles on the Spiritual Path

When one enters into the practice of the spiritual path, whether Buddhist or another spiritual path, certain obstacles and difficulties inevitably arise. Aside from adverse material conditions in our environment due to current social, economic, and political conditions, in terms of karma, these obstacles may be classified into three. There are external or outer obstacles such as the arising of enemies due to past karma, as well as the opposition of evil spirits and spirits of the dead along the path, internal or inner obstacles such as illnesses and imbalances in our energy, as well as negative emotions and states of mind due to past karma, and secret obstacles such as ignorance and impure karmic visions in the waking state, as well as in dreams and the bardo after death. In this weekend workshop, we will explore and use some of the Tibetan Buddhist methods for counteracting and dissolving these obstacles that interfere with our life and obstruct the free flow of our energies.
Contact: Wolfi Reutter, wolfi@grandtouring.de.

May 12, 2006
Duisburg, Central Germany [Evening lecture]
Dzogchen and Buddhist Meditation: Discovering the Nature of Mind

Dzogchen is regarded as the ultimate teaching of the Buddha, pointing directly to the Nature of Mind, in the Nyingmapa, Kagyudpa, and Bonpo traditions of Tibet. Introduced into Tibet in the eighth century of our era by the great Buddhist Tantric master Padmasambhava, who came from the country of Uddiyana in Central Asia, Dzogchen has been preserved until the present day, especially among the Nyingmapa and Kagyudpa schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

This Nature of Mind, one's innate Buddha-nature, which has been present from the very beginning, even before the cycle of death and rebirth known as Samsara, transcends all time and conditioning, just as the mirror is in no way changed or modified by whatever objects it reflects. This evening lecture will introduce the practice of Dzogchen in comparison with other systems of Buddhist meditation practice.
Contact: Michel Hellbach, tushita@tushita.com.

May 13-14, 2006
Pfauenhof, near Duisburg, Central Germany [Weekend retreat practice]
Buddhist Meditation in terms of Sutra, Tantra, and Dzogchen

Dzogchen, "the Great Perfection", which teaches the Path of Self-Liberation, is traditionally regarded in Tibet as the highest and most profound teaching of the Buddha. In terms of meditation practice, Dzogchen distinguishes between "the mind", or the normal thought process that is cyclical and samsaric in nature, and "the Nature of Mind", which is the primordial state of enlightenment that lies beyond all time, conditioning, and causality. Although inconceivable by the finite intellect and inexpressible in words, as the very ground of our existence as living beings, this Natural State can be directly encountered within our immediate experience. By way of direct introduction and meditation practice, this primordial, yet everpresent, state of Buddhahood, which resides at the very core of every individual living being, is revealed like the brilliant face of the sun in the sky when the dark clouds of ignorance and delusion are dissipated. During the weekend workshop, some of the basic methods of Dzogchen, known as Semdzin and Rushan, will be taught and practiced, which aim at totally relaxing all our tensions and rigidities of body, energy, and mind, with the emphasis on practice and how meditation can be integrated into one's daily life.
Pfauenhof, Pauendyck 1, 47665 Sonsbeck-Hamb. (Niederrhein), Germany
Contact: Michel Hellbach, tushita@tushita.com.

May 17-24, 2006
Riga and countryside, Latvia [Evening lectures, weekend retreat practice]
Tantric Practices according to Nyingmapa Tradition: Maha Anu Ati

The Nyingmapa Lamas, belonging to the oldest school of Tibetan Buddhism, established in Tibet by Padmasambhava in the 8th century, divide the teachings of the Buddha into nine seccessive vehicles to enlightenment. Among them, the Lower Tantras, known as Kriya, Charya, and Yoga, approach the higher spiritual reality in terms similar to religion and mysticism. However, the Higher Tantras, known as Mahayoga, Anuyoga, and Atiyoga, take a very different approach to the spiritual path, namely, as transformation and the alchemical transmutation of the energy of the negative emotions into enlightened awareness. In terms of Tantric transformation practice, we will explore during the country retreat the meditation practices of the Heruka sadhana for Vajrakilaya, the special personal wrathful deity practice of Padmasambhava in terms of Maha, Anu, and Ati, as well as the Dakini Yoga of Princess Yeshe Tsogyal, his consort. One may attend the Riga lectures separately from the weekend retreat in the country.
Contact: Arthur Artalsin, artalsin@yahoo.co.uk.

May 25, 2006
Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania [Afternoon lecture]
Astrology and Geomancy in Tibetan Culture

In Tibet, there exist two distinct systems of astrology employed in compiling the yearly astrological almanac and calendar. Jyungsti or "element calculation," also known as Nagtsi, "Chinese astrological calculation," is based on calendrical cycles, such as the five elements and the twelve animals, as well as geomantic symbols such as the Parkha and Mewa. Although very similar to traditional Chinese astrology, its origin lies in the ancient Central Asian traditions of Bon. Kartsi, "astral calculation," also known as Gartsi, "Indian astrological calculation," is a medieval Siddhantha system of astrology, similar to Western astrology, with the zodiac and the nine planets, as well as the mansions of the moon, brought to Tibet in the 11th century and closely associated with thre Kalachakra Tantra. Both of these systrems will be considered in this lecture.
Contact: Rita Baniene, rbaniene@yahoo.com.

May 26-27-28, 2005
Kaunas, Lithuania [Evening lecture, weekend workshop]
Goddesses and Witches - The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism

A major trend in the development of religion in the West during the past century has been the re-emergence of the Goddess Archetype in our culture. In this evening talk and weekend workshop, we will look at the role of the Dakini, or Goddess, in Tibetan Buddhism. The Dakini or Khandroma, literally "she who moves through space" or "she who goes in the sky," is a manifestation of energy in female form. There are worldly Dakinis who are human beings such as female spiritual teachers, or else witches possessing psychic powers, but also non-human Dakinis such as goddesses and nature spirits in female form. In addition, there are Wisdom Dakinis who are transcendent or beyond Samsara and represent the manifestations of enlightened awareness in female form, such as the female Buddha Tara, or female Bodhisattvas such as Lakshmi and Sarasvati. In the Tantric Buddhism of Tibet, the Dakini embodies the Wisdom Principle of Buddha enlightenment, for which reason she is said to be the Consort of all the Buddhas. More generally, the Dakini represents the feminine principle that is outside the control of patriarchal society and the rational male ego consciousness. This course will survey and introduce some of the ritual and meditation practices connected with Dakini Yoga.
Contact: Rita Baniene, rbaniene@yahoo.com

June 2-3-4-5, 2006
Kamalashila Institute, Eifel, Central Germany [Evening lecture, weekend workshop]
Practices of the Guardians: Protective Deities in Tibetan Buddhism

When the Tibetan king Trisong Detsan attempted to erect the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet at Samye in the 8th cen. CE, his efforts were opposed by the local gods and spirits who were addicted to receiving blood sacrifices. They knew well that the Buddhist monks of India were opposed to such practices. Advised by the scholar Shantirakshita, the king invited to Tibet the great Tantric master Padmasambhava from Uddiyana. Later known as Guru Rinpoche, this master was able to subdue these local gods and spirits in firece magical combats, converting them to the Dharma, and binding them with powerful oaths, he comissioned them henceforth to be guardians and protectors of the Dharma and its practitioners. Since that time, every Buddhist monastery, after sunset, performs the Rites of the Guardians, invoking and propiating these gods and spirits with puja offerings. We will examine these rites and rituals instituted by Padmasambhava, in particular the Mahakala Puja, especially with regard to how we, as human beings, can establish a harmonious relationship with the nature spirits who inhabit our natrual environment.

Eifelkloster, Kirchstrasse 22, 56729 Langefeld, Germany
Info: www.kamalashila.de
Contact: program@kamalashila.de
Tel. 0049-(0)2655-939055