At Lerab Ling

Dates: from 21 to 23 February

Practising Riwo Sangchö—a ritual of offering incense smoke—and reciting lungta prayers intently, right after the Tibetan New Year (Losar) is of immense benefit for our spiritual path.

As we enter the New Year, this practice based on Guru Rinpoche, is an opportunity to gather the accumulations of merit and wisdom, purify our obscurations, and, in particular, pacify any obstacles and factors that prevent the accomplishment of the Dharma and awakening in the present lifetime.

Moreover, through the practices of lungta (windhorse), we raise our inner subtle wind-energies, increase our life-span, merit and prosperity, and create the best circumstances for good health, peace and happiness in our lives. The ultimate point of such practice is to awaken the clarity aspect of our minds, to bring us into closer contact with our own rigpa.

The powerful practice of Sollo Chenmo—a practice of invocation and offering to Gesar—will also be recited once a day.

In brief, there is no better way to enter into the New Year auspiciously!

All practice sessions will be held and guided by Rigpa Senior Practice Holders and each year a new collection of short evocative teachings are shared to inspire our practice.

The Tibetan New Year (Losar) period is traditionally a very important time for practice in all Tibetan Monasteries. Holding annual practice intensives and drupchös during this period in Lerab Ling was very much initiated by Sogyal Rinpoche, and the Lerab Ling practice team does its utmost to continue this annual tradition of group Vajrayana practice for the benefit of the whole sangha and all beings.

In particular, during the first month of the Tibetan calendar (this year 18 Feb.-18 Mar.), the Holy month of Bumjur Dawa, the effects of positive actions is said to be multiplied 100,000 times. Therefore practice is emphasized during this period.

WHO THIS EVENT IS FOR

The Riwo Sangchö intensive is recommended for Ngöndro students and Dzogchen Mandala students who have already received a Guru Rinpoche empowerment. It is a great opportunity for those new to the practice or those already familiar to deeply connect with and accomplish one of Rigpa’s daily sadhana practices.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN?

This practice intensive is most suited for students that:

• Have a firm grounding in the practice of ngöndro, which includes having received all the ngöndro teachings, up to and including guru yoga,
• Have started their ngöndro accumulations;
• Have already received some instructions for sadhana practice, including a basic understanding of the key principles of the Vajrayana. This means you have either followed:
  
  • Rigpa’s study and practice programme of the Vajrayana cycle from the Three-year retreat, Home Retreat or Vajrayana online retreats streamed from Lerab Ling,
  • Or you received these instructions during previous drupchens with Orgyen Tobgyal Rinpoche,
  • Or you are a student from a sangha other than Rigpa and have received these instructions from a qualified Vajrayana teacher.

To participate in this practice intensive, a Guru Rinpoche empowerment (for example: Tendrel Nyesel, Rigdzin Düpa, Lama Norlha, Könchok Chidü…) is absolutely required.

PREPARING YOURSELF FOR THIS EVENT

You can support your practice by studying the Riwo Sangchö section of A Guide to Vajrayana Practice for the Rigpa Sangha which is available at ZAM. This will help make your participation as meaningful as possible.

More study resources are listed in Rigpa’s Riwo Sangchö Study & Practice Page.

Which texts to bring:

• Daily Sadhana book

PRACTICAL INFO

START Saturday 21 February – 8am
END Monday 23 February – 7pm

CHECK-IN AND PICK-UP BADGES
Friday 20 February: 2pm to 6pm
Saturday 21 February : 12pm to 2pm
In case of late arrival, after 6pm on Friday, please contact registration@rigpa.org

CONTRIBUTION to the event – on donation basis (suggested donation of 21€/day)
(Does not include accommodation, meals or offerings)

LANGUAGES 
Teachings: English
There is no translation for this event

MAKE AN OFFERING TO THE DRUPCHÖS

You can also make a meaningful connection with these practices by making an offering online dedicated to remove obstacles for yourself or a loved one. Your dedication will be included during the practices.

PRACTICE TRAINING EVENTS

Lerab Ling is continuously holding practice training around all practice events, mainly for practice holders in the area of Chöpön, Umdze and Practice Coordination. If you are interested, please contact practice@rigpa.org for more details. We will then submit the registration for you (no need in this case to register for the events yourself).

TEACHERS

This event is held and presided by Lerab Ling’s team of Senior Practice Holders, with the help of the whole Practice and Chopön team. 

PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE

08.00 – 09.15 Riwo Sangchö – session 1
short break
09.45 – 12.00 Riwo Sangchö & Sol Lo Chenmo – session 2
lunch break
14.00 – 15.15 Riwo Sangchö – session 3
short break
16.00 – 18.30 Tendrel Nyesel Tsok with Extended Dharmapalas (incl. Magön Chamdral) & Yeshe Kuchokma

MORE INFORMATION

Shedra Wiki article on Riwo Sangchö