Heart Advice on Meditation Practice
2009-06-08 00:00 - 2009-06-09 00:00 (America/Phoenix) | AZ
Please join us for a special two-evening teaching of Traga Rinpoche’s Heart Advice on Meditation Practice.If you have any further questions, please contact Matthew at matthew@drikungkagyutucson.org or call 884-0554.
This event is free and open to the general public.
As a courtesy to those with allergies, please refrain from wearing perfume. Thank you!

Directions (Central Tucson)
ï N on Country Club Rd past Grant, Ft.Lowell and Prince Rds
ï Left at Racquet Club Ranch #3935, before Tucson Racquet & Fitness
ï Pass 1st drive on right. Event entry at next driveway, #36A, adobe house with prayer flags
ï Park to left in large dirt lot with palm trees

Monday and Tuesday Evening @ 7-9pm

Matthew and Rachel’s House
3935 North Country Club Road, #36A
Tucson, Arizona 85716
(Click here for a map)
For More Information:
Matthew Vasquez: 884-0554

Achi Practice
2009-06-10 00:00, 2009-06-24 00:00
Achi Chokyi Droma was the grandmother of Lord Jigten Sumgon, who founded the Drikung Kagyu Lineage. Achi is considered chief protectress of the Drikung Kagyu.In Achi meditation practice, we use visualization and mantra as a means of concentration. The practice lasts approximately an hour and a half, and consists of opening prayers for dedicating the motivation to benefit all others, the body of the practice using visualization (contemplation of the mental visual image) and mantra (chanted prayers). The practice concludes with dedication prayers where, again, we think of our wish to benefit all other beings.
The prayers, visualization, and dedication are read from a sadhana (traditional practice text).
This particular practice was written by Jigten Sumgon, our lineageís founder, and translated in to English by Khenchen Gyaltsen Rinpoche.
Beginners are welcome at this practice.
2nd & 4th Wednesdays, Every Month
Pati Stein 1871 N. King Street Tucson, Arizona 85749 (Click here for a map)
For More Information: Pati Stein: 465-1882

Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava's Teachings on the Six Bardos
2009-06-13 00:00 - 2009-06-14 00:00
Event Day and TimesFridays 6/5 and 6/12, 7-9pm, and Saturdays/Sundays, 6/6-7 and 6/13-14, 9am-5pm
Natural Liberation, Padmasambhava’s Teachings on the Six Bardos provide extensive instruction on each of the six transitional processes, or bardos, that make up our experience in samsara.
This event continues from Traga Rinpoche’s prior teachings in January/February 2009.
These teachings contain methods for naturally, or spontaneously, liberating ourselves from the sufferings that are inherent in each of the six realms so we can obtain ultimate liberation.

“The transitional process from the time we are born until the time we die is crucial in determining whether we will go up or down.”
“With a human incarnation, we possess greater power than other beings to bring about good, but also greater power to bring about bad. We have the ability to know and to understand, and we must make best use of the favorable conditions of a human incarnation.”
“We must not meaninglessly waste this opportunity. If we conduct ourselves well in
our life, then later, as we approach death (in the Bardo), and in our next life, we will go further and further up. There is no doubt about this.”
“Otherwise, we will suffer great fear and pain as we die, our minds will suffer agony and despair, and (due to our ignorance) we will not recognize the Bardo of Becoming. The purpose of the Six Bardos teachings is to profoundly move us to engage in practice during the Bardo of Living.”
Traga Rinpoche

Of all the methods taught by Buddha Shakyamuni to achieve enlightenment, the methods of Mahamudra and Dzogchen provide us the most profound view – that of the mind’s true nature. Traga Rinpoche will also present an overview of these two methods and clarify for us the differences and similarities inherent in them.

An excellent book on these teachings is Natural Liberation: Padmasambhava’s Teachings on the Six Bardos, with commentary by Gyatrul Rinpoche and translation by B. Alan Wallace (Wisdom Publications, 1997).

We are once again very fortunate to be receiving these profound teachings from The Venerable Traga Rinpoche.

1871 N. King Street Tucson, Arizona 85749 (Click here for a map)
For More Information:
Pati Stein: 465-1882

White Tara Practice
2009-06-17 00:00, 2009-08-19 00:00, 2009-09-02 00:00, 2009-09-16 00:00, 2009-10-07 00:00, 2009-11-18 00:00
Tara Embodies the female wisdom activity of the mind. She is often called the mother of all the Buddhas
His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche has taught extensively on the benefits of White Tara practice. White Tara offers peace, prosperity, health and long life through her enlightened activities. She is depicted with a female body that is the brilliant white of a thousand autumn moons. Her third eye in her forehead symbolizes her vision of the unity of ultimate reality while she simultaneously sees the relative and dualistic world with her other two eyes. Her hands and feet also have eyes, showing that all her actions are governed by her ultimate wisdom and compassion. She is the protective, helpful and comforting mother who shows limitless kindness, generosity and protection towards those who are tossed in the ocean of suffering.

If we recite her mantra and make a connection to her, we draw closer to developing her enlightened qualities in ourselves.

Bring your bells and damarus!
1st & 3rd Wednesdays, Every Month
Ada Pierce McCormick BuildingUniversity of Arizona Campus1401 East First Street
Tucson, Arizona 85719(Click here for a map)
For More Information: Zehra Conner: 299-1083

Sangha Meditation: Practice, Study, and Discussion
2009-06-20 00:00, 2009-06-27 00:00, 2009-08-15 00:00, 2009-09-05 00:00, 2009-09-12 00:00, 2009-09-19 00:00, 2009-10-03 00:00, 2009-10-10 00:00 and 1 more date
Sangha Meditation is an on-going meditation group that primarily focuses on ìThe Gradual Pathî meditation practices recommended by our centerís director, Khenpo Sherab Ozer Rinpoche, as well as other Drikung Kagyu lineage masters. This group is intended for introductory, as well as intermediate and advanced practitioners.
If you have any further questions, please contact Matthew at matthew@drikungkagyutucson.org or call 884-0554.
These sessions are free and open to the general public.
As a courtesy to those with allergies, please refrain from wearing perfume. Thank you!

Directions (Central Tucson)
ï N on Country Club Rd past Grant, Ft.Lowell and Prince Rds
ï Left at Racquet Club Ranch #3935, before Tucson Racquet & Fitness
ï Pass 1st drive on right. Event entry at next driveway, #36A, adobe house with prayer flags
ï Park to left in large dirt lot with palm trees

Saturday, February 28 @ 10:30am – 12:00pm

Matthew and Rachel’s House
3935 North Country Club Road, #36A
Tucson, Arizona 85716
(Click here for a map)
For More Information:
Matthew Vasquez: 884-0554

Sutra Mahamudra: Jewel Ornament of Liberation - Teachings, Contemplations & Meditations
2009-07-10 00:00, 2009-07-11 00:00 - 2009-07-12 00:00, 2009-07-13 00:00 - 2009-07-14 00:00
The Jewel Ornament of Liberation is a masterwork of Tibetan Buddhism. For more than eight centuries it has provided a complete foundation for Buddhist study and practice ñ covering the initial entry into the path and continuing through to the achievement of Buddhahood. It includes teachings on Buddha-nature, finding a spiritual master, impermanence, karma, the cultivation of Bodhicitta, the development of the six perfections, the ten Bodhisattva bhumis, Buddhahhood, and the activities of a Buddha.
This special teaching will include separate Friday day, and Monday/Tuesday evening sessions. You may attend individual sessions or all of them.

This teaching will be followed by a Lama Chopa (Guru Yoga) TsokñFeast on Wednesday, 7/15, from 7-9pm.
Schedule:
Friday, 7/10, 9am-12pm, 2-5pm & 7-9pm
Saturday & Sunday 7-11-12, 9am-12pm & 2-5pm
Monday 7/13, 7-9pm
Tuesday 7/14, 7-9pm

Directions (Central Tucson)
ï N on Country Club Rd past Grant, Ft.Lowell and Prince Rds
ï Left at Racquet Club Ranch #3935, before Tucson Racquet & Fitness
ï Pass 1st drive on right. Event entry at next driveway, #36A, adobe house with prayer flags
ï Park to left in large dirt lot with palm trees

Matthew and Rachel’s House
3935 North Country Club Road, #36A
Tucson, Arizona 85716
(Click here for a map)

For More Information:
Matthew Vasquez: 884-0554

Lama Chopa (Guru Yoga) Tsok Feast
2009-07-15 00:00
The Jewel Ornament of Liberation teachings will be followed by a Lama Chopa (Guru Yoga) TsokñFeast on Wednesday, 7/15, from 7-9pm*.* Please bring a very small food offering of nuts, fruit, crackers, cookies, etc.

Among the most profound of Tibetan Buddhist ritual ceremonies is the Lama Chopa Tsok Feast Offering. It is a ceremony of prayer, chanting, music, meditation and a ritual feast. It contains all of the points of the Lamrim meditation on guru devotion, presented in a way that directly appeals to our senses and emotions. The more devotion we have to our teacher, the more there is the wish to make offerings to him, and the Lama Chopa ceremony creates the opportunity for making many kinds of offering – food, drink, lights, incense, music, and the best form of offering to the Guru, which is the offering of practice itself; in this case the practice of doing the chanting, visualizations and prayers of the first part of the ceremony and the meditation on the Lamrim which forms the second part of the ritual. And since the guru is the highest object of offering, the merit created is enormous.

Directions (Central Tucson)
ï N on Country Club Rd past Grant, Ft.Lowell and Prince Rds
ï Left at Racquet Club Ranch #3935, before Tucson Racquet & Fitness
ï Pass 1st drive on right. Event entry at next driveway, #36A, adobe house with prayer flags
ï Park to left in large dirt lot with palm trees

Matthew and Rachel’s House
3935 North Country Club Road, #36A
Tucson, Arizona 85716
(Click here for a map)

For More Information:
Matthew Vasquez: 884-0554

Public Talk: Khenchen Gyaltsen Rinpoche
2009-08-07 00:00
Bodhicitta: The Essence of All BuddhismThis is a free public talk given by the Most Venerable Khenchen Gyaltsen Rinpoche. This event is sponsored by Dharmakirti College. Please call 403-0830 for additional information.
Benedictine Convent
800 N.Country Club
Tucson AZ 85716

Guru Yoga and Permissions & Prohibitions Teaching
2009-08-08 00:00 - 2009-08-09 00:00
“A Guru Yoga that Brings the Dharmakaya onto the Path,î is a practice of profound meaning and rich with blessing for the modern regular practitioner with limited time. The practice of guru yoga, merging with the mind of the master, lies at the very heart of the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition.
“The practice of guru yoga, merging with the mind of the master, lies at the very heart of the Vajrayana Buddhist tradition of Tibet. Through the guru yoga practice, all obstacles can be removed and all blessings received. With the help of the outer teacher, we can discover the inner teacher, the true nature of our own mind. If we wish to progress towards enlightenment, we need the guidance of a qualified master, while we seek to rid ourselves of ignorance and free ourselves from the tyranny of ego. The hallmark of the guru yoga practice, in fact the very practice itself, is a lucid, pure and intelligent devotion.”

ìPermissions and Prohibitions: Their Mode of Abidingî gives pith advice on ìwhat is to be practiced and what is not, in accordance with causalityís mode of abiding.î Khenchen Gyaltsen wrote this text on July 4, 2008, at Drigung Drenshe Ling in Germany, and will be providing commentary on its meaning.

Khenchen Gyaltsen Rinpoche will be returning to his students in Tucson. It is very rare to meet a Lama with such extensive training in Buddhist philosophy and such profound meditation experience. In addition, Rinpoche’s complete fluency in English makes him exceptionally capable of communicating the profound meaning of the teachings.

Benedictine Convent
800 N.Country Club
Tucson AZ 85716

Achi Empowerment and Practice
2009-09-26 00:00 - 2009-09-27 00:00
Achi is one of the protectors of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage, but she actually protects all beings from harm. Achi was the grandmother of Lod Jigten Sumgon, the founder of the Drikung Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. She is like a mother, who loves her students fiercely and will do anything to protect them – so that the Dharma, especially the Drikung Kagyu – will flourish.
Achi’s blessing are said to be extremely quick and her practice is done daily in virtually every Drikung Lineage monastery both inside and outside of Tibet. Individuals who practice Achi and recite her mantra are certain to be protected from obstacles and hindrances, especially hindrances to their Dharma practice.
An Empowerment is offered on Saturday, Sept 26th, followed by practice sessions for the rest of the week end. This particular practice was written by Jigten Sumgon, our lineageís founder, and translated in to English by Khenchen Gyaltsen Rinpoche.

1871 N. King Street Tucson, Arizona 85749 (Click here for a map)
For More Information:
Pati Stein: 465-1882

Progressing Along the Path - Refuge Teachings
2009-10-17 00:00 - 2009-10-18 00:00
Refuge is considered the foundation of the path to liberation, the basis of all vows, the source of all enlightened qualities and the point of differentiation between buddhists and non-buddhists. Together with generating Bodhichitta, it forms the foundation for accomplishing the level of complete enlightenment and the source of all that is positive in existence and peace.
Refuge is one of the preliminaries to Mahamudra practice and is the second in a series of teachings from Drupon Rinchen Dorje. Drupon Dorje will be teaching Refuge from the Jewel Ornament of Liberation. This teaching is open to all levels of practitioners and beginners are welcome.
Our own Khenpo Sherab Ozer Rinpoche has encouraged us to seek guidance from Drupon Dorje with respect to Mahamudra practice and Drupon Dorje has graciously agreed to teach the stages of the path. †

1871 N. King Street Tucson, Arizona 85749 (Click here for a map)
For More Information:
Pati Stein: 465-1882

Sanga Meditation: Practice, Study and Discussion
2009-10-31 00:00

Community Meditation: Practice, Study, and Discussion
2009-11-21 00:00, 2009-11-28 00:00
