Special April 2025 Retreat programs
We we pleased to announce the His Eminence Trishab Rinpoche will be joining us for our April retreat programs and will bestow empowerments and teachings. Rinpoche will also join us for the Chakrasamvara Fire Puja and our Sacred Tantric Lama Dances. This will be an incredible opportunity. Please see the registration pages for which events are In-Person ONLY or are also being offered ONLINE. Please register early to reserve you spot and also to help us for planning purposed. We will also be joined by Ven. Lama Norbu, Ven,. Lama Choswang, Khenpo Tenzin, Lama Padma Rigzin, Ani Tanzin and Ani Chodron.
Please scroll down to find more details for all the special events happening in April.
This project has been made possible in part by a grant from the Alliance for California Traditional Arts, in partnership with the California Arts Council, a state agency, the Walter & Elis Haas Fund, and the Flora Hewlett Foundation.
Chakrasamvara Fire Puja April 8th to 11th
This 4-Day ritual ceremony is being conducted for Dharma practitioners who have completed the Chakrasamvara Diety yoga practice. We are inviting sangha to join to receive the blessing from this profound Fire Puja offering ceremony. IN-PERSON ONLY. Those sangha who you like to attend, to observer the ritual ceremony, will be invited to recite the mantras. Chakrasamvara is a Buddhist deity and tantric meditation practice that represents the union of wisdom and method. This practice is part of the FiveFold Path of Mahamudra, which is conducted after completing ngondro and Bodhichitta practices. Attending the Chakrasamvara Fire Puja is a rare and bless-ful event.
This puja will be held daily from 8am to 5pm at DKC.
You may attend all days or any of the days. Please do register for our planning purposes.
Dzamabala (Prosperity) Empowerment (April 13th) with His Eminence Trishab Rinpoche
His Eminence will bestow the Empowerment of Dzambala, who is the deity of Prosperity and Generosity. After the empowerment, we will have an afternoon session the practice of Dzambala.
Dzambala is considered an emanation of Chenrezig, Dzambala is an embodiment of the perfect generosity of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the past, present and future. He is visualized as a great king, sitting astride a turquoise dragon. In his left hand rests a mongoose who spits out precious jewels, a symbol of abundance.
His practice, known as “Summoning Good Fortune”, can lead to the cessation of material suffering, the generation of wealth and prosperity, the relief of poverty and suffering (both on a psychological and material level), and the development of the compassionate mind of enlightenment. We do the practice with the wish that all beings be relieved of all suffering of poverty, hunger and thirst, and that all needs may be fulfilled.
Please bring something to share for the potluck lunch or if you are on a special diet, please bring your lunch or you can go out to eat nearby.
Namgyalma (Long Life) Empowerment (April 26th) with His Eminence Trishab Rinpoche
H.E Trishab Rinpoche will bestow the Namgyalma Empowerment, who is the the deity of Long Life. Namgyalma is one of the three long-life deityies, along with Amitayus and White Tara. She is of profound power and compassion, able to see all three times (past, present & future), able to purify all the karmas and obstacles – internal and external – to health and longevity.
It is said her compassion is so powerful that any being who merely hears or sees her mantra will never be reborn in the lower realms again. If her mantra is hung from a high place (like a stupa, a tree, a rooftop, or a mountain peak) every being – even the tiniest insect, or being without a body – who walks in, on or under that structure, or who is even touched by its shadow, will be liberated from rebirth in the lower realms. Any wind or breeze that touches her mantra will purify the negative karma of any being it touches thereafter.
Namgyalma’s practice is performed for longevity, and removal of obstacles. It is a powerful method for purification and ultimate liberation.
Please bring something to share for the potluck lunch or if you are on a special diet, please bring your lunch or you can go out to eat nearby.
Grand Achi Puja April 21st to 24th
We will have a 3 1/2 day Grand Achi Puja, which invokes all the blessings of Achi Chokyi Dolma, one of the great Dharma Protectors, led by H.E. Trishab Rinpoche along with other Drikung monastics and sangha members. The long Dharma text will be chanted in Tibetan by the monastics and the short Achi text and mantra accumulations will be recited by all other participants. The short Achi text will be available in different languages and can be downloaded for those attending online.
Mother Achi is great grandmother to Lord Jigten Sumgon Ratna Shri, the founder of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. She promised Lord Jigten Sumgon that she would protect the teachings which he brought to light and transmitted. Thus Mother Achi is the special enlightened guardian of the Drikung Kagyu lineage and its practitioners. Whoever practices and appeals to Achi Chökyi Drolma will be freed from unfavorable circumstances and obstacles in this life, as well as obstacles connected with Dharma practice.
Achi rides a blue wisdom horse to symbolize the swiftness of her enlightened activities, and holds a wish-fulfilling jewel to symbolize her ability to bestow everything needed and desired when asked.
Her practice removes inner and outer obstacles, creating positive, supportive conditions (worldly and otherwise) for successful spiritual practice.
On these days, please plan to bring your lunch or go out to eat nearby.
Sacred tantric Lama Dances April 27th, starting at 9am, followed by a potluck lunch and afternoon gathering
There is also a very early morning ceremony where the monastics invoke the blessings for all the masks to empower them with the deities themselves.
The sacred dances will begin at 9am and will include 7 traditional dances. In between the dances, some cultural song or dance will be performed by our local sangha and friends.
At the conclusion of the dances, there is will a group cultural dance followed by a potluck lunch. Please bring something to share for the potluck lunch or if you are on a special diet, please bring your lunch or you can go out to eat nearby.