2024 Three-Year Retreat – Schedule, Prerequisites, and Fees

Tentative Schedule and Outline of Main Practices

If we have sufficient registrations to offer the retreat the plan is to begin the first phase of the retreat in the Fall of 2024 followed by the second and third phases with a one-year gap between. Specific start and end dates will be announced once the retreat is finalized. The rough schedule and main practices are outlined below:

First Phase: 10 months start date September 2024, ends July 2025

Orientation training, Gampopa, Milarepa and Marpa Guru yogas, Könchok Chidü and Mahamudra

Second Phase: 11 months, start date September 2026, ends July/August 2027

Inner and secret Vajrayogini, Outer, inner, secret and very secret Chakrasamvara

Third Phase: 12 months, start date September 2028, ends August/September 2029

Six Dharmas of Naropa, Jinasagara, Krisnachola drupchen

Prerequisites

The very first step is to have experience practicing shamatha/visashyana and to attend at least one month-long retreat (dathün).

The next step is to request and receive the pointing-out transmission from a teacher/lama followed by permission to practice the Kagyu Ngondro.

After completing Ngondro, you should receive Vajrayogini empowerment and complete the mantras. Attending the fire offering is also helpful.

Need some help planning your path to complete the prerequisites?

Feel free to contact us to discuss your preparation plans [email protected]

Empowerments

Thrangu Rinpoche has given empowerment for this retreat since it was first established. Due to his advanced age, however, he is limiting his travel and will not be able to give the empowerment for the upcoming cycle of the retreat. Thrangu Rinpoche has identified Dungse Lama Pema, the head lama of Thrangu Monastery in Richmond, B.C. and Rinpoche’s senior representative in North America, to offer the empowerment and we are delighted that Lama Pema has agreed to do so.

With the current plan to start the first phase of the retreat in the fall of 2024, we are planning for the empowerment to be offered by Lama Pema in the spring of 2024 at Sopa Chöling.

Expenses

Fees for this retreat are CAD$1,200 per month. you should plan for a minimum cost of

CAD$ 12,000 for the first phase, CAD$ 13,200 for the second phase and CAD$14,400 for the third phase of the retreat or a total of CAD$39,600 for the entire retreat.

A deposit of CAD$500 is required when your application has been accepted. This deposit is fully refundable if the retreat is not offered due to insufficient registration.

A payment of 50% of the total retreat fees is required before the beginning of the first phase. The balance is payable before the beginning of the second phase.

IMPORTANT

If you have completed the necessary prerequisites to participate in the retreat but have some financial limitations to paying the fee in two payments, we will consider some form of deposit and an installment payment agreement. There are also some scholarship opportunities available that can be discussed with the Druppon upon approval of your application and the review of your financial circumstances.

Additional Costs

Please also plan on travelling to the Sopa Chöling retreat centre for the empowerment in Spring 2024 for which there is traditionally a teacher’s gift offered.

Participants must also show proof of travel health insurance for each phase of the retreat if travelling from outside of Canada.

Fees
Phase 1 (CAD$1,200/month)	CAD $12,000
Phase 2	CAD $13,200
Phase 3	CAD $14,400
Practice Texts	CAD $2000 (approx)
sub total		CAD $41,600
ADDITIONAL COSTS
Teacher’s Gift for Empowerments Spring 2024
Travel for the empowerment and each of the three phases
Health Insurance for non-Canadians
Costs associated with visa applications for longer stays in Canada