The Breath of Compassion and Pristine Awareness, Wangapeka Retreat Centre, NZ

with Lama Mark Webber (Lama Chokyi Gyaltsen), February 9 to March 8, 2024 

1.    Deepening Our Understanding and Practice of Chenresig—Empowerment and Instructions by Orgyen Patrul Rinpoche

2.    The Inner Yoga of Anapanasati – recollection of breath – a three-week silent retreat

February 9: (7-9 pm.)
Orientation to the retreat and retreat conduct.

February 10-15.
Deepening our Understanding and Practice of Bodhicitta: 
1) Drikung Yangzab Dzogchen Empowerment of the outer, inner and secret natures of Chenresig and group practice of the eight petal mani mantra that is uniquely practiced by the Drikung yogis at the Lho Lungkar Retreat Center in Tibet.

2) Transmission & commentary of Orgyen Patrul Rinpoche’s The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones, the practice of view, meditation and action. This remarkable text gives pithy instructions on Chenresig practice and bodhicitta from profound realizations of Great Perfection (Dzogchen).

February 16 to March 6 (3 weeks).
The Inner Yoga practice of Anapanasati -The Recollection of Breath.
Lama Gyaltsen shares in detail an ancient way of practicing Anapanasati, taught to him by the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche. It is a rare and deep purification practice of channels, winds and bindu. It lays the basis for the gradual settling of mind into the natural unity of samatha/vipassana. There will be sessions on physical awareness practices to help balance the winds and channels. It is superb for generation stage practices and unfolding the Mahamudra or Dzogchen without support. Commitment must be made for the full three-weeks of this 2^nd part of the retreat. Starting with group instruction that leads into individual guidance. Silent deep retreat. No cell phones or computers.

March 7: Empowerment and or oral transmission to be announced.
This retreat is suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners with plenty of opportunities to ask questions.

For information regarding cost and financial assistance please see the Wangapeka website

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lama Mark Webber (Lama Yongdu Chokyi Gyaltsen) has been studying and teaching Buddha-dharma for almost fifty years. For thirty years his main root teacher was the great Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche who taught all three cycles of the Buddha’s teachings, including Abhidhamma, Vipassana in the lineage of Mahāsi Sayādaw, generation and completion stage practices of the Tantrayana and Mahamudra/Dzogchen of many lineages, especially of the Karma Kagyu and Sakya. Under the guidance and transmissions of the late Drikung Kyabje Ontul Rinpoche and transmissions from H.E. Lho Ratna Rinpoche, Lama Webber has been teaching principally the richness of the Drikung Mahamudra, Drikung Dzogchen Yangzab and Orgyen Nuden Dorje Dzogchen traditions, transmissions of pith texts of Padmasmabhava, Je Gampopa, Jamgön Ju Mipham, Patrul Rinpoche and Shantideva’s Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra a transmission from Amnyi Trulchung Rinpoche.

He has a deep and long-term interest in the sciences and collaborates in marine biology research and the arts which he integrates with the teaching of Buddhism. Lama Webber is a founding board director of the national ecological research institute IMERSS (imerss.org)

Lama Webber’s compassionate activities demonstrate a profound commitment to freeing beings from innumerable suffering states. His emphasis with practitioners and students is on uncovering pure Dharma to reveal its extraordinary benefits and share the great joy of its deep study, meditative practices and integration into all aspects of our lives.