2014 PROGRAM CATALOG

Transcription

2014 PROGRAM CATALOG
taramandala.org
V I SI O N A N D MI S S I O N
Tara Mandala was established to foster the
development of innate wisdom for the benefit of
all beings. It is a vibrant international Buddhist
Community with practice groups around the
world. The hub of the community is the 700acre retreat center in Pagosa Springs, Colorado,
home to the deepest and largest mineral hot
springs in the world.
Fierce Tara who protects the earth.
Symbolically, the Mandala of Tara, the female
Buddha of compassion, is a template of the
awakened mind. Experiencing the phenomenal
world with an integrated state of compassion
is Tara’s Mandala.
We offer a complete path of practice, study, and deep retreat in authentic lineages of
Buddhism and nurture a full path to ultimate realization focused on the teachings of
Machig Labodrön, offering both the Mother and Father Lineage paths. We provide
solo retreat cabins for long term deepening of the practice. Tara Mandala also offers
a Living Dharma Volunteer (LDV) Program, group practices and retreats, and webbased teachings. Tara Mandala’s community and practice groups are modeled on
the Mandala Principle and Vajrayana Buddhist ideals of the unity of wisdom and
skillful means, feminine and masculine.
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The Trikaya Tara Temple.
Ta ble o f C o n t e n t s
About Lama Tsultrim Allione .......................................................................................................6
Letter from Lama Tsultrim: Tara Mandala Celebrates 20 Years! ......................................... 7-12
20th Anniversary Special Events ................................................................................................13
Lama Tsultrim’s Teaching Tour ...................................................................................................14
Tara Mandala Retreats..................................................................................................................15
The Mother Lineage Path ...................................................................................................... 16-18
Personal Retreat in Prajna Residence Hall .................................................................................19
Retreat Descriptions................................................................................................................ 20-40
Visitor Days ..................................................................................................................................41
Retreat Registration .....................................................................................................................43
Financial Assistance & Other Information .................................................................................44
Retreat Accommodations ............................................................................................................45
Tara Mandala Retreat Cabins.......................................................................................................46
Community Building and Tara Mandala Store ..........................................................................47
Trikaya Tara Temple.....................................................................................................................48
Living Dharma Volunteer Program .............................................................................................49
Special Thanks and Gratitude / Donors and Members ........................................................ 50-52
Reflections on the 20th Anniversary and the future of Tara Mandala.................................. 53-55
A N ot e on D ana
Most Tara Mandala retreats are completely dana based. Dana is a Pali word that means
generosity. The teachers in our programs donate their time in service to the Dharma and
only receive what retreatants offer at the end of the retreat. Traditionally teachings are
given freely, so there is no required amount of dana. Tara Mandala charges a retreat fee
that covers our food, facilities, staff, and overhead costs. Unless specified, dana is not
included in this price. Below the retreat fee, we have listed a suggested dana amount in an
effort to give participants an idea of what a traditional offering might be for each retreat;
however, no minimum amount is required. Please remember that the precious teachings are
priceless, and the offering of dana is an opportunity to practice the paramita of generosity.
There will be an opportunity to make dana contributions (cash or checks preferred) at the
end of each retreat.
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The Land of Tara...
ABO U T LA M A T S U LT R I M ALLI ONE
“Lama Tsultrim Allione has had a great devotion toward the teachings of Chöd for a long time. She has
been doing a lot of work to preserve and maintain the continuity of the teachings and practice of Chöd,
and she has a very pure heart motivation in doing this, which I deeply rejoice in.”
- His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley Dorje
Lama Tsultrim Allione, author and international teacher, founded Tara Mandala in 1993.
While living in the Himalayas in the 1970s, she was inspired by the vision of creating a
retreat center in the West. She was ordained as a Tibetan nun in 1970 at the age of 22 by His
Holiness the 16th Karmapa. At the age of 26, after nearly four years as a nun, she returned
her monastic vows, then married and raised a family of three children. While raising her
children she earned a Master’s degree in Buddhist Studies and Women’s Studies from
Antioch University.
Author of Women of Wisdom, a ground breaking book on the lives of great Tibetan women
practitioners, Lama Tsultrim also authored the recently published National Best Seller,
Feeding Your Demons: Ancient Wisdom for Resolving Inner Conflict now translated into
twelve languages. Feeding Your Demons presents Lama Tsultrim’s pioneering technique
based on Chöd, using five steps to nurture the parts of ourselves we usually fight against.
Numerous audio programs, DVDs, and magazine articles have been produced about her life
and work, including Feeding Your Demons: The Life and Work of Lama Tsultrim Allione,
a one-hour documentary by Jaap Verhoeven.
For many years, she has focused on the teachings from the lineage of Machig Labdrön,
the 11th century Tibetan yogini who founded the Chöd lineage. In 2007 while traveling in
Tibet, Lama Tsultrim was recognized as an emanation of Machig Labdrön by the resident
lama at Machig Labdrön‘s monastery, Zangri Khamar.
In 2009, Lama Tsultrim Allione was selected by an esteemed committee of scholars and
practitioners to receive the international Outstanding Woman in Buddhism Award given in
Bangkok, Thailand. Her teaching inspiration comes from her sublime Tibetan teachers and
her experience as a Western woman.
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L oo k in g b a c k :
T w entie th anniv er sa ry
De a r Frie n d s,
Tara Mandala was conceived in the early ‘70s while
I was a Tibetan Buddhist nun living in the Himalayas. I
envisioned a retreat center in the United States where the
authentic Tibetan Buddhist tradition of deep meditation could
take root. I never forgot this vision, but it was a long pregnancy.
I disrobed and became the mother of three and it was not until
1993 that I started to have specific dreams and visions of this
retreat center again. I decided it was time to look for land for
the retreat center I had envisioned twenty years earlier.
My late husband, David and I first walked on the land that was to become Tara Mandala
southwest of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, on Sept 18, 1993. As we turned onto Burns Canyon
Road off of Trujillo Road, I saw two hills with striated cliffs in a variety of colors on the right.
I had seen these hills in a vision and when we came up through the sharp curves of Burns
Canyon and emerged into the open meadow at the top, a breast-shaped peak lay in front of
Lama Tsultrim’s drawing of the future Tara Mandala 1993.
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Rainbow on the land during land consecration November 12,1994.
us. I had studied the ancient goddess sites in Europe where, in some cases, the body of the
goddess was found in the landscape itself. The main protectress of the Dzogchen tradition,
Ekajati, has a single breast like the mountain in the middle of the land. As we crossed the
border of the property, a huge golden eagle flew out of a big Ponderosa tree and circled us.
There were no roads or structures on the land, except a few old, decaying homestead cabins.
We climbed the breast-shaped peak and stood on the small flat area on the top with magnificent
views in all directions, four valleys stretched out in the four directions. The land was a
mandala with the peak in the center and four gates in the four directions. That September
day was absolutely glorious. The sky was a deep cerulean blue, it was still warm, the scrub
oak glowed in hues of rust and red, and purple asters were blooming amongst the remains
of wild sunflowers. A hidden meadow was below us to the west and, in the distance, the
sacred Anasazi site of Chimney Rock stretched its magical stone spires to the sky. The
terrain was alpine meadows with forests of cedar, juniper, scrub oak, tall Ponderosa pines,
and stands of Douglas fir trees on the north slopes.
We went home and I wrote a letter and organized two meetings on the land that autumn,
one on October 30 and one at Thanksgiving, for the Sangha to see the land. The first time
we explored the land and offered a Dakini feast (tsog) on the peak, at the end a big rainbow
appeared over the land. Everyone loved the land and enough funds arrived for the first
payment to be made. The vast generosity that has created Tara Mandala had begun.
We packed up our house in New York and moved to the land in the summer of 1994 with a
fledgling organizational structure and a group of friends. We started holding group retreats
that summer following the model from Tibet of summer encampments with everyone in
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tents, tepees, or yurts. A kitchen was established under a tarp shaded by a box elder, the
largest tree on the land. This generous box elder spread her arms over our kitchen for the
next eleven years. Volunteers appeared and served every possible function. Hundreds of
people came to the land that first summer in spite of the primitive conditions. David and
volunteers put up a larger canvas yurt that became our temple for the next fifteen years.
On November 12, 1994 we did the consecration ceremony for the land, asking permission
from the local guardians to use it for the Dharma. During the consecration, there was a
downpour so loud on the roof of the yurt that we could not hear our own voices. Toward the
end of the ceremony, it stopped and there was a strange silence as the sun broke through,
a rainbow lay right on the hillside near the yurt.
The stupa (a twenty foot stone reliquary) was our first building project, requiring years of
work and ceremonies for each stage. In May of 1994, I had three dreams in one night of
Nyala Pema Duddul, who took the rainbow body in 1872. In the last dream he shouted,
“Build the stupa and don’t forget!” That woke me up and so I got up and told everyone we
needed to start a stupa that day dedicated to his lineage. The stupa is made of natural stone
gathered from our land. Sang-ngag Rinpoche, an expert stupa builder, came and oversaw
the ceremonies for each stage. After four years, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu came to do the
consecration which happened to fall on 9.9.99. As the first ‘AH’ was sounded at the beginning
of the consecration ceremony, two red-tailed hawks flew directly overhead, locked talons,
and let themselves fall together directly over the stupa. The long ‘AH’ became a gasp as we
saw this happen. Red-tailed hawks perform a courtship “dance” where a male and female
lock talons and fall through the sky, something very rare to see. To me it represented the
divine union of masculine and feminine, skillful means and wisdom, at the heart of the
Vajrayana tradition.
During the first ten years when everyone camped, we got to know the land in all seasons
and to appreciate its magic.
The roofless solar showers
formed rainbows as you took
showers in the sun. We were
always outside and close to
the earth, living in a village
of yurts, tents, and tepees.
Elk and deer herds, lynx,
badgers, and bears passed
through. We hosted up to 150
people, feeding them from the
outdoor kitchen while many
great teachers came to offer
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their wisdom. Students developed in their practice,
retreat cabins were completed, and people started
doing long retreats.
Early on we started the Family Retreat with a vision
quest for teenagers and Buddhist teachings for the
younger children. We became one of the only Buddhist
retreat centers to hold retreats for the whole family.
Now after 20 years, former children from the family
David and Tsultrim the day the land was
found, September 18, 1993.
retreat have come back as volunteers or consultants
and are beginning to take responsibility for the future
of Tara Mandala.
I continued to teach, travel, fundraise, and do personal
retreats when possible. In 2001, I decided to do a yearlong solo retreat to restore my health, sit with some big
questions, and deepen my practice. During the retreat
on the full moon of June 5th, the Buddha’s birthday,
I had a dream of the design for the future temple at
First yurt onstruction became our first
meditation hall Gompa 1994.
Tara Mandala. At that time we had no buildings and a
three-story mandala temple seemed impossible, but I
made a drawing of it. I decided during that retreat that
the nature of mind, specifically Prajnaparamita, simple
direct teachings leading to the experience of our true
condition, would be the focus of my teachings. After
the retreat, we developed the Kapala Training Program
based on Machig Labdrön’s lineage, “Feeding Your
Demons”, and the nature of mind teachings.
The level of support needed for the land to serve as
Outdoor kitchen 1996
a retreat center was profound and over the years we
were always the recipient of incredible generosity. In
1996, within three years of our original purchase, the
entire 700 acres (over one square mile of land) had
been fully paid off.
In 2004, after ten years on the land, we began a capital
campaign. Again, the generosity of the Sangha, family,
and friends was extraordinary.
By 2009 we had
completed three core buildings: the temple, community
building, and Prajña residence hall. Three Bhutanese
Morning meditation on Ekajati Peak
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carvers and Tibetan artist Lama Gyurme, brought their extraordinary artistry to the temple.
Through the expert design and implementation of Lama Gyurme, Tara Mandala became
home to one of the most extraordinary Buddhist temples in the world and the only one
dedicated to the sacred feminine in the West.
After all this work was done, there were some beautiful moments for David and I with our
arms around each other, looking out at Tara Mandala from the temple saying, “We did it!”
Then, like the intense lightning that strikes in summer, he was gone. On July 22, 2010
David passed away in the night from a heart attack. He was only 54, a bright light suddenly
went out; our protector was gone.
That day and in the days that followed there were many rainbows as well as an extremely
unusual moon bow one night. A moon bow is a rainbow that can only form under rare
atmospheric conditions. It stretched from the top of Ekajati Peak to our home where David had
passed away. He had become a very powerful yogi in the last years of his life and apparently
he had completed his work on this plane and transferred into the dimension of light. For
my children, the community, and me this was a shocking loss. Gradually we recovered,
went on, and grew closer, deeply touched by the mystery of David’s sudden departure. We
still feel his presence on the land and in 2013 completed a memorial for him on Prayer
Flag Ridge. Our endowment fund “The David Petit Sustainability Fund” is a tribute to his
efforts to bring Tara Mandala into being. This fund will ensure the future of Tara Mandala.
Since 2007, after visions of Machig led me back to her monastery in Tibet where I was
recognized as her emanation and given her remaining relics, we have focused on establishing
her lineage in both the hidden treasure (terma) and historical oral (kama) traditions at Tara
Mandala.
After we brought the first three-year retreatants out of retreat in 2012, I began to feel
the need for a path for those dedicated practitioners who could not leave their normal
lives for three years, but wanted to practice the path to completion. So in 2013, we began
Gateway, a seven-year cycle in Dzinpa Rangdröl, a terma cycle received by Do Khyentse
Yeshe Dorje from Machig Labdrön, with Sang-ngag Rinpoche as our guide. Also in 2013,
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu returned and blessed our temple and gave teachings. In 2014, we
have launched Magyu: the Mother Lineage path based on Machig’s lineage and meditation
practices (see page 16).
In the past twenty years, we have grown to become a thriving, international community
with Satellite Sanghas in many countries as well as in many parts of the USA and we have
birthed an amazing retreat center. We plan to eventually add more staff cottages, build
another residence building, more retreat cabins, to complete the library in the temple and
to build the endowment. Tara Mandala carries no debt, both the land and buildings have all
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Teachings in the Old Gompa Yurt 1996.
been fully paid for, thanks to all of you. Every year your ongoing support, your membership,
and your generosity keeps our operations going.
There have been many blessings and much energy from the luminous dimensions that
have created Tara Mandala; I have continually drawn on them for support. My precious
Tibetan teachers have offered a steady stream of blessings. Those who love the place and
the vision of a community steeped in ancient Buddhist wisdom serving the modern world
and dedicated to the sacred feminine have created Tara Mandala.
When I sit in the temple, it feels like the walls are woven with your love. It has not been
easy, but we have given the world a place of retreat and renewal, a deep resource to draw
on. We have gradually grown up together. As we reach this amazing milestone, I want to
thank each one of you for making Tara Mandala possible. It is a time to celebrate.
W ith i n f i nite g ratitud e ,
Lama Tsultrim Allione
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20 th Anniversary special events
An Afternoon Event with Jetsunma
Tenzin Palmo & Lama Tsultrim Allione
J une 14
“Intimate Dialogue ~ Dharma Stories
and Favorite Teachings” ...............................................................25
J uly 25-27
TARA MANDALA’S 20th YEAR
CELEBRATION! ......................................................... 31-32
With Krishna Das, Lama Tsultrim Allione, Scott Blossom,
and Chandra Easton
J uly 26
Krishna Das in Concert
.........................33
J uly 27
Historical walking tour
of Tara Mandala
with Lama Tsultrim .........................................31
S ep te m be r 19 - 21
Founder’s Weekend with Guest Artists Peter Rowan and Yungchen
Lhamo........................................................................ 38
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201 4 Te a ch in g T o u r
M a r c h 16-21
Kapala Training Level I
Kripalu Center, Lenox, MA
www.kripalu.org
M a r c h 21-23
Chöd Retreat
Kripalu Center, Lenox, MA
www.kripalu.org
M a r c h 24, 7:30p m
Public Talk: Dakini Wisdom
Shambhala Center
New York City, NY
(212) 625-6544
M a r c h 25, 6:30-8:30p m
Public Talk: Feeding Your Demons
ABC Home Deepak Homebase
New York City, NY
www.deepakhomebase.com
M a r c h 26, 7p m
U S A P r e m i e r : “ F e e d i n g Yo u r D e m o n s :
The Life & Work of Lama Tsultrim Allione”
Rubin Museum
New York City, NY
www.rmanyc.org
M a r c h 27
The Bardo: Six Moments of Opportunity
Nalanda West, Seattle, WA
www.nalandawest.org
M a r c h 28 – 30
Yeshe Tsogyal and the Nature of Mind
Whidbey Island, WA
A p r i l 4-6
Zhitro: Awakening to Death and Dying
Orgyen Dorje Den
Alameda, CA
A p r i l 12
Benefit: Machig Labdron & the Nature of Mind
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Woodacre, CA
A p r i l 13
Feeding Your Demons Daylong Retreat
Against the Stream
Santa Monica, CA
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A p r i l 13, 7:30p m
LA Pr e m i er o f “F eed i n g Yo u r D em o n s:
The Life & Work of Lama Tsultrim Allione”
Shambala Meditation Center
Los Angeles, CA
www.lashambala.org
A p r i l 18 – 20
Feeding Your Demons Weekend Retreat
Naropa University
Boulder, CO
www.naropa.edu
O c t o b e r 18 – 20
Workshop and Keynote Speaker at Naropa
University: Feeding Your Demons
40th Anniversary Symposium
Boulder, CO
O c t o b e r 24 - 26
The Mandala of Enlightened Union: Inviting the
Sacred Masculine/Feminine
Kamalashila, Langenfeld, Germany
www.kamalashila.de
O c t o b e r 29 - N o v e m b e r 2
Dzinpa Rangdröl Ngöndro
Kamalashila, Langenfeld, Germany
www.kamalashila.de
November 3
Screening: “Feeding Your Demons: The Life &
Work of Lama Tsultrim Allione”
Warsaw, Poland
November 4
Feeding Your Demons
Warsaw, Poland
poland.taramandala@gmail.com
N o v e m b e r 7 - 13
Kapala Training Level II
Tenuta San Vito, Tuscany, Italy
To register email Sara at
sanvito@san-vito.com
N o v e m b e r 14 -16
Song of the Vajra Retreat
Merigar, Tuscany, Italy
www.dzogchen.it/merigar-west
For the most current information, please visit
taramandala.org.
2 014 ta r a mandala re t re ats
M ay 5 – 1 1
Feeding Your Demons™:
Kapala Training Level I .................... 20
with Lama Tsultrim Allione
M ay 1 5 – 2 8
Dakini Retreat..................................... 21
with Lama Tsultrim Allione, Ellen Booth Church
and Miranda Shaw
M ay 31 – J u n e 27
Three Yana Retreat......................... 22-24
with Lama Tsultrim Allione and others
M ay 31 – J u n e 27
Shamatha Retreat ............................... 24
M ay 31 – J u n e 7
Sutrayana: The Path to Enlightenment
through the Buddha’s Journey ......... 23
J u n e 10 – 17
Mahayana: Vast View, Open Heart.. 23
with Lama Tsultrim and Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
J u n e 14
20th A n n iversary S pe c ial
E ve n t : An afternoon of Intimate
Dialogue – Dharma Stories and Favorite
Teachings............................................. 25
with Lama Tsultrim and Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
J u n e 20 – 27
Vajrayana: The Mandala Principle... 24
J u ly 1 – 6
Parchangma Chöd,Gateway: Foundation
(also open to others)........................... 26
with Lama Tsultrim Allione and Anna Raithel
J u ly 9 – 13
Green Tara .......................................... 27
J u ly 9 – 13
NNR Chöd .......................................... 28
with Chandra Easton
J u l y 1 6 – 22
Family Retreat ............................... 29-30
with Lama Tsultrim, Jonathan Barfield, Mary
Flowers, MacAndrew Jack, Charlotte Rotterdam,
and Alexis Slutzky
J u l y 2 5 – 27
Tara M a n dala ’s 20 th Y ear
Celebratio n ! ........................ 31-33
with Krishna Das in concert, Scott Blossom,
and Chandra Easton
A u g u s t 9 – 20
White Dakini Drubchen ................... 34
with Sang-ngag Rinpoche
A u g u s t 23 – 25
Gateway: Complete Transmission
(by invitation only)
with Tulku Sang-Ngag Rinpoche
September 1 – 6
The Heart of the Heart ...................... 35
with Lama Tsultrim and Annette Kaiser
S e p t e m b e r 9 – 15
Kapala Training Level II.................... 36
S e p t e m b e r 9 – 15
Kapala Training Level III ................. 37
S e p t e m b e r 18 – 21
20th A n n iversary F o u n ders
W eeke n d ....................................... 38
with Lama Tsultrim Allione, Peter Rowan and
Yungchen Lhamo
S e p t e m b e r 27 – O c t o b e r 1
P’howa & Zhitro:
Practices for Death and Dying ......... 39
with Chagdud Khadro and Lama Tsultrim Allione
S e p t e m b e r 27 – O c t o b e r 1
Tibetan Medicine
Rejuvenation Retreat ......................... 40
with Matthew Schmookler and Nashalla G. Nyinda
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MA GYU :
T he mot her linea g e
In t r o d u c t i on
Lama Tsultrim after her recognition as emanation Machig,
Tibet 2007
The 11th century teacher Machig Labdrön
evolved two paths of practice: the Father and
Mother Lineages. The Mother Lineage came
from Machig’s own experiences with direct
transmissions from female deities such as
Tara and Vajra Yogini, her own meditation
experiences, and the practices she evolved
through teaching and practicing as a woman
in her lifetime. The Father Lineage evolved
from her male teachers, thus the word “father”
was used.
Machig was the only teacher to develop this distinction between male and female lineages.
It allowed her to honor both the lineage from her teachers, and the teachings that came
directly to her. In Machig’s time, there were some disciples who held both lineages, as well
as those who held one or the other. Both men and women held these lineages; it was not
the case that one was for women and one was for men. For example, Machig’s second son,
Tönyöm Samdrub, was the main holder of the Mother Lineage.
At Tara Mandala, Lama Tsultrim has chosen to follow this model. The Father Lineage was
established through the Gateway Program
which began in 2013 and is carried on in all
the other practices she teaches from her male
teachers. She is now introducing the Mother
Lineage in the form of the Magyu Program.
Lama Tsultrim met Buddhism in India and
Nepal while still a teenager, deepened it
through her years as a Buddhist nun in the
early ‘70s, and honed it as the mother of
three and through her unceasing commitment
to the Tibetan Buddhist path, extensive
solo retreats, daily practice and continual
study with her sublime Tibetan teachers.
Interfacing these teachings with the western
psyche, she developed particular methods to
make the teachings accessible and effective
in the modern world and to create genuine
transformation for the whole being.
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Teachings at Merigar, Italy 2013
MA GYU :
As with other Vajrayana teachers before her, Lama Tsultrim has received meditative visions
throughout her life. These visions have informed and guided her life in many ways, including
her inspiration to manifest Tara Mandala as a seat for authentic and deep practice in the
West. Just as Machig Labdrön herself experienced a thousand years ago, Lama Tsultrim has
received specific practices from Sambogakaya beings in visions as a result of her sincere
connection with the Dharma. She has refined these received teachings, organized them
into a consolidated and complete path for students to follow, and is offering this program
as Magyu: The Mother Lineage Path.
Overview of the Magyu Program
The Magyu Program is an invaluable opportunity to enter this extremely fresh practice
stream revealed by Lama Tsultrim. The psycho-spiritual integration of this path inherently
distinguishes it from the more traditional Father Lineage. The Magyu Program in the mother
lineage works directly with the individual through helping each student to identify his
or her particular encumbered patterns and relevant practices to transform those patterns.
There are special webcasts and tele-teachings for those enrolled in the Magyu Program, as
well as direct contact and support through interviews and emails with Lama Tsultrim and
her authorized Magyu teachers. The Magyu Program is a path of personal development
and individuation as well as a path of spiritual evolution leading to the stabilization of the
recognition of the ground of being and its display within the individual.
THE PATH
Similar to the Gateway Program in the Father Lineage, the complete path of the Magyu
Program will take approximately seven years (it may take less or more time depending on the
student’s commitment), and will be undertaken within a supportive sangha of practitioners.
Unlike the Gateway Program which has certain retreats that must be done each year, the
Magyu students works their way through the retreats and practice commitments according
to their own timing. This allows flexibility for those in the Magyu for having a baby, an
illness, or some other life changing situation. Those who have completed Kapala Training
Levels 1, 2 or 3 prior to entering the Magyu Program, will not have to repeat them but will
need to document the practice hours required for each level. Each student enrolled in the
Magyu Program will receive a “Kalyanamitra” or Spiritual Friend, who is an authorized
teacher providing personal practice support, email contact and phone calls as well as
personal meetings. From Kapala Training Level 3 and higher, each Magyu student will
also have personal interviews with Lama Tsultrim as part of the program. Due to the fact
that this is a fresh and evolving lineage there may be some additions and variations once
the program is underway.
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MA GYU :
Both women and men will participate in the Magyu Program. The Mother Lineage is oriented
toward dedicated practitioners who wish the walk the path fully with guidance and support.
It includes solitary retreats, group retreats and dedicated daily practice. A mother lineage
practitioner should be prepared to commit to a daily practice, with occasional retreats and
day-long practices, as well as all the necessary group retreats. The path follows five levels of
Kapala Training beginning with such practices as Feeding Your Demons and Prajnaparamita,
then going more deeply into the Nature of Mind practices taught by Machig. It also includes
other practices and retreats compiled and revealed by Lama Tsultrim. This path cultivates
both the spiritual and emotional awakening of the practitioner, integrating the ancient
Tibetan Buddhist practices with modern teachings appropriate for our western disposition.
The Magyu Program of the Mother Lineage can be a complete path by itself or it is possible
to combine it with the Gateway Program of the Father Lineage or some of those practices
such as the ngondro for those students with the time, inclination, and endorsement of their
Kalyanamitra and Lama Tsultrim.
A p p l i c a t i on P r o c e s s a n d R e q u i r e m e n t s
To enroll in the Mother Lineage you must submit an application and be interviewed by Lama
Tsultrim or an authorized Magyu teacher. You will be contacted to set up your interview.
You will also be provided with log books to track your practice hours for each requirement.
The application can be found on our website at taramandala.org.
F i n a n c i a l Comm i t m e n t
The financial commitment for those in the Magyu Program is to be a continual member of Tara
Mandala at the level of Supporting Member ($30, 22 Euros a month or higher). Membership
also entitles you to store and retreat discounts according to the level of membership you hold.
Magyu students are also asked to make an annual tuition offering of $350 (255 Euros) by
January 31 in order to support the program, webcasts, text development and other program
costs. Students will also make Dana offerings to their teachers and Kalyanamitra in gratitude
for teachings and guidance as is customary.
For a complete description of the Magyu, please visit taramandala.org.
18
p er sonal re t re ats in pr a j ñ a
Prajña Residence Hall: Open for Personal Retreats
April 4 – May 2
We will be opening our lovely residence
hall for personal retreats for one month this
spring. You will have your own spacious room
large enough for prostrations and yoga. All
rooms have a sink with a granite countertop
and wood floors with all non-toxic natural
finishes. There are shared baths and toilets
on each floor. It is also possible to rent a
suite with a private bath. Two meals a day
will be provided in the community building
with the option of a silent table. Fridays in
April (4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th) are arrival
and departure days and May 2nd is the final departure day. The minimum stay is one week
and the maximum stay is one month within these dates.
Please note: There is a minimum stay of 7 days for this retreat.
Prici n g
One week: $476
Two – Four weeks: $455 per week
19
F e e din g Yo ur De mons ™ : Ka pala
Training Le v el I
With Lama Tsultrim Allione
May 5 - 11
Inspired by the ancient practice of Chöd, Feeding Your
Demons™ is a five-step process created by Lama
Tsultrim Allione that allows us to offer compassion
and understanding to our own inner demons rather than
engaging in battle and struggling with them. This process
is of great benefit when working with a wide variety of
personal demons and other dilemmas of modern life.
The demon work will be balanced by the deep practice
of Prajna Paramita, a “nature of mind” practice.
This training is for individuals who wish to work in
an intensive way with their own inner demons. In
addition, this retreat is the first step for licensed healing
professionals who want to become certified to use this
process professionally. By completing Kapala Training
Level II you can apply for this official certification. This
is a required retreat for Mother Lineage students.
This course meets the qualifications for 29 hours of Continuing Education. Tara Mandala is
licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as a continuing education provider
(#3260). CE hours are offered for Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) and for Licensed
Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs). Please sign up for CE hours at the time of registration;
a $20 fee applies.
Prici n g
Retreat Fee/ Lodging and all meals:
Dorm Yurt: $630 | Double: $784 | Queen Double: $1,085
Queen Single: $1,330 | Camping is free with a Retreat Fee of $490
Suggested Dana: $210 – $280
LAMA TSULTRIM ALLIoNE’S bio can be found on page 6.
20
da k ini re t re at
With Lama Tsultrim Allione, Ellen Booth Church
and Miranda Shaw, PhD
May 15 – 28
For the first time in ten years, Lama Tsultrim will offer
this celebrated and unique retreat which she developed to
bring transformational personal work into the container
of spiritual practice. It involves meditation practice, art,
mask making, sound, and movement. We will work with the
Dakini Mandala morning and night followed by dedicating
two days each to the five Dakini families. We will be
honored by the presence of Miranda Shaw, PhD, author
of “Passionate Enlightenment” and “Buddhist Goddesses
of India” who will give her slideshow about the history
of women and goddesses in the Vajrayana tradition. This
is a required retreat for Mother Lineage students.
Prici n g
Dorm Yurt: $1,162 | Double: $1,365 | Queen Double: $1,918 | Queen Single: $2,198
Camping and Commuting are free with a Retreat Fee of $980
LAMA TSULTRIM ALLIONE’S bio can be found on page 6.
miranda shaw, ph.D.is a Buddhist scholar known for her groundbreaking
work on women in Tantric Buddhism, chronicled in her renowned book
“Passionate Enlightenment.” Author of “Buddhist Goddeses of India,” a
thorough and fascinating study of the divine feminine. Dr. Shaw serves as
Associate Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Richmond and
continues to explore and write about the sacred arts and embodied spiritual
practices of Himalayan Buddhism.
ellen booth church (Yeshe Choepel) has been practicing Tibetan
Buddhism for over 25-years. She is a Buddhist teacher, meditation coach
and former member of the Tara Mandala Board of Trustees. She is also an
accomplished educator and author of many educational books for parents and
teachers. Currently an adjunct Professor of Education at Nova Southeastern
University, Ellen has also assisted in creating three satellite Tara Mandala
Sanghas.
21
Th r e e Yana R e tr e at
With Lama Tsultrim Allione and
guest teacher Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
May 31 - June 27
A retreat that covers the historical and contemplative development of Buddhism involving
a combination of meditation practice and daily teachings. During each section there will be
noble silence and six hours of practice per day as well as two hours of teachings by Lama
Tsultrim and invited guest teachers. An optional oral exam will be give at the end at the
end of each yana.
P ricing F ull T hree yana retreat May 31 – J une 27
Dorm Yurt: $1,988 | Double: $2,072 | Queen Double: $2,828 | Queen Single: $3,472
Camping free with a Retreat Fee of $1,904
Suggested Dana for Full Three Yana Retreat - $720 - $960
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo was raised in London and became a Buddhist
while still in her teens. At the age of twenty, she traveled to India, becoming
one of the first Westerners to be ordained as a Buddhist nun. Her lineage is
within the Drukpa Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The international
bestseller “Cave in the Snow” chronicles her twelve years of seclusion in a
remote cave in the Himalayas. Deeply concerned with the plight of Buddhist
nuns, she established Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery in India, at the request of
her Guru, His Eminence the Eighth Khamtrul Rinpoche, Director of Khampagar
Monastery.
22
s utr ayana: T he j o ur ne y of t h e b udd h a
May 31 - June 7
Sutrayana looks deeply at the life of the Buddha and his teachings including the Four Noble
Truths, the Noble Eight-fold Path, the Twelve
Links of Interdependent Origination and other
key teachings of the Buddha. We will be doing
intensive practice of Shamata (sitting with the
breath) and walking meditation and tracking the
life of the Buddha.
P ricing
Retreat Fee Lodging and all meals:
Dorm Yurt: $664 | Double: $780
Queen Double: $1,096 | Queen Single: $1,256
Camping is free with a retreat fee of $560
Suggested Dana for each Yana - $240 - $320
M AHAyana: VAST VIEW, OPe n HEART
June 10 – 17
Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo will be a guest teacher
during part of the Mahayana retreat and will teach
on the 37 precepts of a Bodhisattva. Lama Tsultrim
will teach the Prajnaparamita practice and the
Heart Sutra as well as the Four Immeasurables
(Loving Kindness, Compassion, Empathetic Joy,
and Equanimity), the historical development
of Mahayana, and a brief introduction to
the Mahayana philosophies of Yogacara and
Madhyamika.
P ricing
23
VAJ RAyana: T HE m an dal a pri n ci p l e
June 20 - 27
During the Vajrayana portion of the retreat we will
study how the Vajrayana developed historically and
learn the fundamentals of Vajrayana practice. Lama
Tsultrim will give an introduction to the five Buddha families, the mandala principle, and deity yoga
as well as giving transmission for the 5 Dakini Mandala, the 5 Buddha Mandala, and the Yab Yum Mandala. The Three Yana retreat is a required retreat for
Father Lineage (Gateway) and Mother Lineage students.
P ricing
sha m atha retr e at
May 31 - June 27
This month-long program focuses on intensive sitting and walking meditation practice within
a closed retreat container. Each day includes 1-hour morning sitting practice, 3-hour morning
sitting/walking session, 3-hour afternoon sitting/walking session and 1-hour evening sitting
practice (total 8 hours). Brief dharma talks, meditation instruction and opportunities for
participant questions ground participants’ meditation practice. Please visit taramandala.org for
more information.
24
20 t h A nn i ve r s ary ev e nt
Int imat e D i alog u e ~ Dh arma
Stori es and Favorit e Te ac h i ngs
An Afternoon with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
and Lama Tsultrim Allione
June 14
2:30–3:15
Book signing with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo
3:30–6:15
Join us for this rare treat: Lama Tsultrim
Allione and Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, who
have known each other since the 1970s,
will share their journeys and Dharma stories
from over 45 wonderful years of practice and
adventure. They will guide us in meditation
and dialogue in the joy of the Dharma. Light
refreshments will be served at this event
which will be preceded by a book signing with Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo.
Prici n g f o r thi s b ene fit:
Suggested Donation: $108 – $1,008, a joint benefit for Tara Mandala and Dongyu Gatsal
Ling Nunnery
jetsunma Tenzin palmo bio can be found on page 22.
25
parchan gma ch ö d
With Lama Tsultrim Allione and Anna Raithel
July 1 – 6
The Parchangma Chöd is an integral part of Do
Khyentse’s Dzinpa Rangdröl (Self-Liberation of
Clinging) treasure cycle (terma). In this retreat, you
will learn the five melodies and the musical patterns
for the drum, bell, and kangling. This centuries-old
practice is sung and accompanied by the use of a
traditional Chöd drum and bell. Healing comes when
fear, fixation, and self-clinging are cut through, giving
rise to the awareness of the pure nature of emotions
and the emptiness of mental obscurations.
This retreat requires a Chöd drum and bell, both of
which are available through the Tara Mandala Store.
A kangling is optional. This is an open retreat and also a required retreat for the Gateway
Foundation students.
Prici n g
Dorm Yurt: $540 | Double: $672 | Queen Double: $930 | Queen Single: $1,140
annA raithel After finishing her B.A. in Religion, Anna moved to Tara
Mandala where she has lived for the last five years. She is the Temple Director
and Lama Tsultrim’s Executive Assistant, and is the primary Umdze and Chopon.
Anna has also studied Tibetan language and the musical instrument, gyaling.
26
gree n ta r a
July 9 – 13
Emanation of active compassion, Green
Tara embodies the forces so necessary in
today’s world. She has one foot stepping
down to actively help beings and one foot
in meditative equipoise, expressing her
ability to rest in awareness while actively
relieving the suffering of beings.
Green Tara is the female Buddha of
compassion and provides protection
from fears and obstacles. She embodies
active compassion and serves as a
model for modern day contemplative
life. In this retreat, you will learn the
Green Tara practice from the Luminous
Secret Vajra Treasury, a treasure cycle
of Adzom Drukpa.
Prici n g
Dorm Yurt: $450 | Double: $560 | Queen Double: $775 | Queen Single: $950
Suggested Dana: $150-200
27
C hö d
With Chandra Easton
July 9 – 13
The Chöd taught and practiced during this
retreat will be the Chögyal Namkhai Norbu
Chöd which came to this great Dzogchen
Master in a dream.
Chöd is a unique blend of the Tibetan
Shamanic traditions and the Buddhist tradition
of compassion and emptiness. This centuriesold practice is sung and is accompanied by
the use of a traditional Chöd drum and bell.
Healing comes when fear, fixation, and selfclinging are cut through, based on nurturing
not fighting what assails us, giving rise to the
awareness of the empty nature of afflictive
emotions.
Required materials: The Chöd practice
requires a Chöd drum and bell, both of
which are available through our store. Also
recommended is a headlamp or small booklight for night practice.
Prici n g
Chandra Easton has studied the Sutrayana, Mahayana, and
Vajrayana teachings with many qualified teachers, both at the scholastic
and practice levels. Her primary studies have been in the Tibetan
Vajrayana teachings. She has received teachings and empowerments
from many authentic teachers including H.H. Dalai Lama, Khenpo Wangchuk
Sonam, Gyatrul Rinpoche, Adzom Paylo Rinpoche, and Lama Tsultrim Allione,
among others.
28
family retre at
With Lama Tsultrim Allione, Jonathan Barfield,
Mary Flowers, MacAndrew Jack,
Charlotte Rotterdam, and Alexis Slutzky
July 16 – 22
Every family, and each person in every family, has demons and allies. The more these
become conscious the less likely we are to pass down our demons or fail to recognize our
allies. This year the family retreat will focus on family lineage demons and allies as well as
the five steps of the Feeding Your Demons™ process. With the parents, we will also look at
how demons and allies express themselves in families. Both teens and parents will learn the
five step process and the younger children will learn a simplified version involving drawing
and clay that they can use themselves. We will also look at the allies in our family lineage
and stories that we have inherited from our own family. As we become more aware, we can
shift old patterns into new ones and work with establishing what is nurturing in our family
lineage. The children will also spend time outside with nature projects. The teens will be
guided by working with their life visions as they dive deeper into their own relationship
with themselves, their family and community in a 24-hour solo vision quest.
P ricing
ADULT: Dorm Yurt: $525 | Double: $581 | Queen Double: $707 | Queen Single: $952 Camping
$476 | Commuting $476
TEEN: Dorm Yurt: $472 | Double: $531 | Queen Double: $657 | Camping $426 Commuting
$426
CHILD: Dorm Yurt: $422 | Double: $481 | Queen Double: $607 |Camping $376 Commuting
$376
Suggested Dana: $210 - $280
29
Family Retreat Teachers
jonathan barfield Ph.D., lives in Telluride, CO and is a psychotherapist
using cognitive, mindfulness, and compassion based approaches. He lectures,
facilitates workshops, and publishes internationally on the subjects of
Buddhism and Ecology, Buddhism and Psychotherapy, and the Psychology
of Meditation. He has a private practice in Telluride, CO and has led many
vision quests for youth.
MARY FLOWERS brings over 25 years of experience with children of all ages
as she guides the children’s program this year. As an award- winning educator,
Mary’s approach focuses on the integration of heart and mind through all facets
of learning. She delights in connecting Dharma and daily life and looks forward
to sharing many-colored adventures with Tara Mandala’s family retreatants.
macandrew jack has broad clinical experience and exceptional training
in a variety of settings including university research clinics, hospital-based
behavioral medicine, college counseling centers, inpatient treatment centers,
emergency rooms, community based clinics, and private practice. He is an
Associate Professor at Naropa University has published and presented nationally
and internationally on mind-body connections in therapy and mindfulness
practice.
Charlotte Rotterdam is a teacher, organizational leader,
and consultant/coach. She has been teaching meditation and Feeding
your Demons™ internationally for several years. She is Adjunct
Faculty at Naropa University and received her Masters degree in
comparative religion from Harvard Divinity School. Ms. Rotterdam
has been a student of Tibetan Buddhism for 15 years and of Lama Tsultrim
Allione for the last ten. Ms. Rotterdam served as Executive Director and later
President of the Board of Tara Mandala and is an Authorized Teacher under
Lama Tsultrim Allione.
alexis slutzky MFT, is a mentor and guide bringing earth-based wisdom
into contemporary forums. She is a council trainer with The Ojai Foundation’s
Center for Council and has worked as a facilitator in their youth programs for
many years. Alexis partners with a variety of organizations and is passionate
about working with young people in their transition toward adulthood.
30
20 t h ye a r ce l ebr ation
With Krishna Das, Lama Tsultrim Allione,
Scott Blossom and Chandra Easton
July 25–27
An amazing and historic weekend with Lama Tsultrim Allione and Krishna Das, who have
known each other since they met in Bodhgaya, India in 1971. These two renowned teachers
have followed different traditions on their spiritual paths, which have crossed many times,
bridging East and West. Throughout the weekend, we will explore favorite teachings, dance,
kirtan, stories, meditations, dialogue, and the spiritual journey. Scott Blossom and Chandra
Easton will lead morning yoga practice.
The weekend will include a book and CD signing and wine reception, benefactors
dinner, screening of “Feeding Your Demons: The Life and Work of Lama Tsultrim
Allione”, a documentary film, yoga, meditation, hanging out with Krishna Das,
a full concert, and a walking tour of Tara Mandala.
P ricing
31
J u l y 25, 4:00 - 6:00 p m – Boo k a n d CD S i g n i n g a n d W i n e
R e c e p t i on w i t h l a m a t s u l t r i m , K r i s h n a d a s a n d
M a r c o s p i nn e r
Mr. Spinner created a beautiful book of photos taken at Tara Mandala in 2012-2013 which are
accompanied by gratitude poems and comments. Krishna Das will be signing copies of his CDs
and Lama Tsultrim will also be present for conversation and to sign books.
J u l y 25, 6:15 p m – B e n e f a c t o r s ’ D i nn e r w i t h K r i s h n a
D a s a n d L a m a T s u lt r i m at H aw k H i l l R a n c h
A gratitude dinner for those great benefactors who have made Tara Mandala possible. By
invitation only.
J u l y 25, 8:00 p m – S c r e e n i n g o f “ F e e d i n g Yo u r D e mon s :
T h e L i f e a n d Wo r k o f L a m a T s u l t r i m A l l i on e ”
at the temple with Lama Tsultrim available for questions afterwards
J u l y 26, 8:00p m – K r i s h n a D a s Con c e r t (see page 33)
J u l y 27, 10:30a m - 1 2 : 3 0 p m – H i s t o r i c a l wa l k i n g t o u r o f
Ta r a M a n d a l a w i t h L a m a T s u lt r i m
Krishna das became a devotee of Neem Karoli Baba, (the guru of Baba
Ram Das) in the 1970’s, living near him with Ram Das. He also began his
Buddhist practice of meditation in India sitting Vipassana retreats with
S.N. Goenka and continues to study and practice with many great lamas.
scott blossom is a Traditional Chinese Medical practitioner, Shadow
Yoga teacher and Ayurvedic Consultant. He has been studying yoga for over
twenty years and teaching for thirteen. His primary teachers are Zhander Remete,
founder of Shadow Yoga, and Dr. Robert Svoboda, Ayurvedic physician and
scholar. Scott lives in Berkeley, CA with his wife, Chandra, and their two
children. Visit www.shunyatayoga.com to learn more.
Chandra Easton has studied the Sutrayana, Mahayana, and
Vajrayana teachings with many qualified teachers, both at the scholastic
and practice levels. Her primary studies have been in the Tibetan
Vajrayana teachings. She has received teachings and empowerments
from many authentic teachers including H.H. Dalai Lama, Khenpo Wangchuk
Sonam, Gyatrul Rinpoche, Adzom Paylo Rinpoche, and Lama Tsultrim Allione,
among others.
32
20 t h A nniv er sa ry e v e nt:
kr is h na das con cert
July 26 | 8:00pm
Layering traditional Hindu kirtan with instantly accessible melodies and modern
instrumentation, Grammy-nominated Krishna Das has been called yoga’s “rock star.” With
a remarkably soulful voice that touches the deepest chord in even the most casual listener,
Krishna Das has taken the call-and-response chanting out of yoga centers and into concert
halls. He has become a worldwide icon and the best-selling chant artist of all time with over
300,000 records sold on which he sings both Buddhist and Hindu chants. “I guarantee you
one thing tonight: No one’s problems will be solved. So just forget about everything and sing.
Let go and give yourself wholeheartedly to what we’re doing for this short period of time.
Sing your heart out and we’ll see what’s left to worry about when it’s over.” -- Krishna Das
c o n c e rt o n ly – $30
Concert Fee is $30
Krishna das became a devotee of Maharaji Neem Karoli Baba (the
guru of Baba Ram Das) in the 1970’s, living near him with Ram Das. He
also began his Buddhist practice of meditation in India sitting Vipassana
retreats with S.N. Goenka and continues to study and practice with many
great lamas, while never leaving the stream of devotion to Maharaji.
33
w h it e da k ini d ru bch e n
With Tulku Sang-ngag Rinpoche
and Lama Tsultrim Allione
August 9 – 20
The annual Drubchen (Great Accomplishment
Ceremony) of the White Dakini practice from Do
Khyentse’s Dzinpa Randröl (Self-Liberation from
Fixation) treasure cycle will be performed at Tara
Mandala. This lineage comes directly from Dilgo
Khyentse Rinpoche to Sang-ngag Rinpoche, our
Drubchen Vajra Master. We will experience a traditional
empowerment given by Rinpoche and we will be led
through an in-depth process of learning and practicing
the White Dakini mandala. This practice is the union
of Machig Labdrön and Yeshe Tsogyel surrounded by
the dakinis of the five families. In addition to the precious teachings from Tulku Sang-ngag,
Lama Tsultrim will help frame the experience through discussion and further teachings
and will give two days of introductory teachings. This retreat is open to anyone interested.
Prici n g There will be two days of introductory teachings, August 9 – 11. Please
choose either to register for the teachings and Drubchen (Aug 9 – 20) or Drubchen only
(Aug 11 – 20).
Teachings & Drubchen:
Dorm Yurt: $996 | Double: $1,170 | Queen Double: $1,644 | Queen Single: $1,884
Camping is free with a Retreat Fee of $840
Drubchen only:
Dorm Yurt: $830 | Double: $975 | Queen Double: $1,370 | Queen Single: $1,570
sang-ngag Rinpoche is the founder and spiritual director of Ewam
International Centers around the world. Born in 1952 into one of the oldest
families in Tibet in an area called Chamdo in the Kham region, Rinpoche
was recognized in early childhood by the great rimé lama (representing all
traditions of Tibetan Buddhism), Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö (1893-1959)
as well as by the former Zigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, to be the reincarnation of
the Gochen Tulku.
34
t he he a rt of the h ea rt
With Annette Kaiser and
Lama Tsultrim Allione, guest teacher
September 1 – 6
Annette Kaiser, lineage holder of the Sufi
master Irina Tweedie, who is the author of
“Chasm of Fire,” will teach on the stillness
of the moment. In silence we experience –
beyond words – a dynamic that is the source
of all forms emerging in beauty and harmony.
There are rhythms and cycles, big and small,
ever-changing patterns, a constant coming
and going, all held in the Heart of the Heart.
During the retreat we will practice meditation,
have small group discussions, do dream work, and take walks in nature as well as learning
some Qigong exercises while we experience the silence. Lama Tsultrim Allione will honor
us twice with her teachings as well.
Prici n g
Dorm Yurt: $540 | Double: $672 | Queen Double: $930 | Queen Single: $1,140
annette kaiser is a spiritual teacher and the spiritual director of Villa
Unspunnen (Switzerland) and Windschnur (Germany). She is a lineage holder of
Irina Tweedie, author of “Daughter of Fire: A Diary of Spiritual Training with a
Sufi Master.” She was born in Zurich, Switzerland in 1948 and is married with
two adult children. After completing her studies in economics, she worked for
many years in the field of development cooperation and became involved in
women’s rights. She developed the “Integral Practice DO” and runs her own
Tai Ji and Qigong school.
35
f e e din g y o ur d e mons :
ka pala t raining l ev el I I
September 9 – 15
This retreat is a continuation of the Kapala Training
program. It consists of a deepening of the Prajña
Paramita practice, an introduction to Jamgön Kongtrül’s
text “Transmitting the Meaning of the Mother”, and
Machig Labdrön’s method for cutting through discursive
thoughts with sound. Feeding Your Demons™ work
will continue individually and in dyads and will expand
through mapping of family lineage demons, physical
body demons, and hydra demons.
For licensed therapists or counselors, completion of
this Level II retreat and the required 108 Feeding
Your Demons™ Tracking Forms allows one to apply
for certification to use the five steps of Feeding Your
Demons™ professionally.
This course meets the qualifications for 29 hours of Continuing Education. Tara Mandala is
licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as a continuing education provider
(#3260). CE hours are offered for Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) and for Licensed
Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs). Please sign up for CE hours at the time of registration;
a $20 fee applies.
PREREQUISITES: Kapala Training Level I and the interim assignments
Prici n g
36
Fe e din g Yo ur De mons ™ :
Kapala Training Le v el I I I
With Lama Tsultrim Allione and others
September 9 – 15
PREREQUISITE: Completion of Kapala
Training Level I, Kapala Training Level II,
the Three Yana retreat, Chöd retreat, and the
interim assignments.
In Kapala III we will go further into Machig
Labdrön’s lineage, learning specific new
practices and deepening our understanding
of the roots and branches of her lineage tree.
Lama Tsultrim will be giving the Machig
empowerment and associated practices
during this retreat.
This course meets the qualifications
for 29 hours of Continuing Education. Tara
Mandala is licensed by the California Board
of Behavioral Sciences as a continuing
education provider (#3260). CE hours are
offered for Marriage and Family Therapists
(MFTs) and for Licensed Clinical Social
Workers (LCSWs). Please sign up for CE
hours at the time of registration; a $20 fee
applies.
Prici n g
© Katrin Brueggemann
37
20 t h anniv er sa ry
fou nder s week end
With Peter Rowan and Yungchen Lhamo
September 18 – 21
This weekend celebrates the Founders of Tara
Mandala. September 19 will be a big Chod Feast
with musical offerings from our very talented
Sangha as well as Peter and Yungchen Lhamo,
toasts, poems, stories. Tibetan music, like
bluegrass, has its roots in the earth with strong
spiritual overtones. Both kinds of music share
a yearning for transcendence. Peter Rowan and
Yungchen Lhamo are Tibetan Buddhists whose
similarities and differences create a dynamic,
creative collaboration which we will witness and share over this weekend that celebrates
the founding of Tara Mandala, another East-West experiment!
There will also be morning practice, stories, songs and an anniversary slideshow with poems
from Tara Mandala poets. Included in the celebrations will be a benefactors’ reception at
Lama Tsultrim’s home with the artists and a raffle and silent auction.
Prici n g
PETER ROWAN: GRAMMY-Award winner and six-time GRAMMY nominee,
Peter Rowan is a bluegrass singer-songwriter with a career spanning over
five decades. From his early years playing under the tutelage of bluegrass
patriarch Bill Monroe, Peter’s stint in Old & In the Way with Jerry Garcia
and his subsequent breakout as both a solo performer and bandleader, Rowan
has built a devoted, international fan base through his continuous stream of
original recordings.
yungchen lhamo was born in Tibet and escaped to India
overland in 1989. Lhamo’s name means “Goddess of Song” - a name given to
her by a Lama soon after she was born near Lhasa. She has made pilgrimage
to Dharamsala, to receive the blessings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama . She
reaches out to the world through her music; to share the great beauty of her
culture and spread understanding about the situation in Tibet. She moved to
to New York City in 2000.
38
P ’h o wa & zhitr o :
p r ac tices for de ath & dy ing
With Chagdud Khadro and Lama Tsultrim Allione
September 27 – October 1
These two extraordinary women are teaching P’howa
and Zhitro together this year. Chagdud Khadro will
teach P’howa, the transference of consciousness into an
exalted state at the moment of death. P’howa transforms
death into an opportunity for liberation and releases us
from the fear of dying. It assures us that we won’t die
in a state of spiritual uncertainty and drift helplessly
after death.
Lama Tsultrim will teach the Zhitro (Peaceful and
Wrathful) practice, which is used to help those
who have died. Knowing a practice to help those
who have passed away, provides assistance to
the dead and gives those who remain a positive
practice to do for their loved ones.
Prici n g
chagdud khadro met His Eminence Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche in Nepal
in 1978, became his wife in the US in 1979, and remained his devoted student
for twenty-three years. In 1997, Rinpoche invested her as the future Spiritual
Director of Chagdud Gonpa Brazil. At Khadro Ling, the seat of Chagdud
Gonpa Brazil, she has worked with a team of lamas, artists, and talented sangha
members to construct a Guru Rinpoche Palace, publish texts, accomplish
education projects, perform spiritual care for the dying, and preserve and
teach Vajrayana ritual arts.
39
ti be tan m e di c in e
r e juvenation ret re at
With Matthew Schmookler and Nashalla G. Nyinda
September 27 – October 1
The Tibetan Medicine Rejuvenation Retreat is
designed to create a uniquely relaxing experience
that rejuvenates body, energy, and mind into their
naturally relaxed, coordinated, and balanced
condition. The journey will begin with your seeing
a Tibetan doctor who will create an individualized
treatment regimen for you incorporating Tibetan
herbal supplements, dietary guidelines, and a
schedule of therapies to be carried out through the
week. The days include group meditation, Yantra
yoga classes, Tibetan Kunye Therapies, massage, hot springs visits, and informational talks.
Prici n g
Queen Double: $775 | Queen Single: $950
Camping and Commuting are free with
a Retreat Fee of $350
matthew schmookler is one of seven instructors of Yantra Yoga in
the US. He was authorized to teach by the great Tibetan cultural scholar and
Dzogchen master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Matthew is also a Tibetan Medicine
and Massage Practitioner, who graduated from Shang Shung Institute School of
Tibetan Medicine with certification as Doctor of Traditional Tibetan Medicine.
nashalla g. nyinda TMD, holds a BA in Interdisciplinary Studies from
Naropa University in Asian Medicine and Buddhist Psychology. She began
studying Tibetan Medicine in 1999 studying extensively in Nepal and India;
taking a decade to complete her Menpa degree. In 2009 she traveled to Tibet
and received her degree from Qinghai Tibetan Medical College and The Shang
Shung Institute of Tibetan Medicine. Dr. Nyinda, practices and teaches while
maintaining a clinic in Boulder, Colorado.
40
2 0 1 4 Tar a Mandala O PEN H O U S ES
May 4, June 29, and Sept 7 | 9:30am – 2pm
Tara Mandala is open to the public several times each year. You are welcome to join us
for a guided tour of our beautiful Retreat Center and Tara Temple, which includes a brief
introduction to meditation with time for Q&A and a vegetarian buffet lunch. Please plan to
arrive by 9:30am. All visitors must sign in. The tour starts promptly at 10am and ends by
1pm, followed by lunch. Our Tara Mandala Store will be open during your visit.
We look forward to welcoming you to Tara Mandala. There is no charge
but reservations are required. You can reserve your place on our website at
taramandala.org.
(Visiting at other times is by appointment only.) Please contact us if you have any questions
at (970) 731-3711 ext 108 or by email at registrar@taramandala.org.
41
S pec ial O ff er
Tar a M andala partner s wit h
the Sp rin gs Resort and Spa
Treat your body to a day of relaxation
before or after your retreat.
We invite you to visit the beautiful town of Pagosa
Springs, home of the World’s Deepest and Largest
Geothermal Hot Spring, a 30-minute drive from
Tara Mandala.
The Hot Springs have an array of minerals that
have extraordinary therapeutic effects on the
body. The minerals include: Sodium, Potassium,
Magnesium, Silica, Chloride, Fluoride, Arsenic,
Boron, Iron, Lithium, Manganese, Sulfate, and
Zinc. There are also no added chemicals in the pools.
In honor of the launch of the Magyu, Mother Lineage, we wanted to let you know that we
have created a special partnership with The Springs Resort and Spa for our retreatants.
Ta r a Ma n d al a Spa & H ot S p ri ngs Pack age
$108 (regular price $155) – A special 1 hour San Juan
Essential Massage and All Day Come and Go Hot
Springs Pass.
Visit the Tara Mandala website (taramandala.org) to
learn more about the Springs Package and see what
other discounted Spa treatments are being offered.
A percentage of the proceeds goes to Tara Mandala.
S p e ci a l Ta r a M a n d a l a di s c o u n t e d H o t e l
r at e s at Th e Sp ri n g s R e s o rt and S pa Hot el
Book Online with Promo Code: TARAM at www.pagosahotsprings.com.
For the most current special Tara Mandala packages please visit taramandala.org.
To learn more about The Springs Resort and Spa, visit www.pagosahotsprings.com.
42
RE T RE AT REG I S T R ATI O N
Retreat Fees are per person and include the cost of the retreat, meals, practice texts (except
Drubchen), and full use of the facilities from check-in on the first day of the retreat until
it ends. Accommodations and meals are not available between retreats. The retreat fees
do not include teacher dana, unless otherwise specified. Our Sangha members can receive
a 5-25% discount.
Tax-deductible donations to the Evada Scholarship Fund are used to help people who
otherwise might not be able to attend our retreats to come to Tara Mandala.
Dana is offered to support the teachers of your retreat. Dana is the Pali word for generosity.
The teachers in our programs donate their time in service to the Dharma and only receive
what retreatants offer at the end of each retreat.
R e g i s t r a t i on PR O CEDURES
•
•
•
•
Space is limited, so please register early!
Register securely online at: www.taramandala.org.
A minimum of 50% of your Retreat Fee is required with your registration form.
I f you do not initially pay in full, the balance is due at least 30 days before the retreat
begins.
• Y
our space and accommodations are held when the retreat fee is received; your space
and accommodations are fully guaranteed only when the entire retreat fee is received.
C h a n g e s , C a n c e l l a t i on s , R e f u n d s
Please understand that last minute cancellations are extremely costly for us. The staff time,
food ordering, and budget committed to each program is based upon the number of people
who have registered. In addition, you may have contributed a portion of your program cost
to the Evada Scholarship Fund. These contributions cannot be returned because others are
then affected.
ancellations or Change Requests must be received in writing for a refund or credit to
• C
be issued. We recommend that you send an email to registrar@taramandala.org with
the subject line: “Retreat Cancellation Request.”
• Refund/credit amounts are dependent on the timing of the written request.
• If we receive your written Cancellation or Change Request 31 days or more before the
retreat starts, you will receive a full refund minus a $75.00 processing fee and minus
any scholarship funds donated.
• No refunds/credit for Cancellations or Change Requests received 30 days or less before
the retreat start date can be considered.
• Cancellations or Change Requests cannot be accepted by phone.
• There is a $50.00 fee for all returned checks.
43
F I NANC I AL A SSIS TA N C E
P ay m e n t P l a n s
Deferred payment plans are available based on financial need. You must fill out an application
and work out a payment schedule with the office. If approved you must provide post-dated
checks or your credit card number for scheduled payments. Financial assistance forms are
on our website.
E va d a S c h o l a r s h i p F u n d
The Evada Fund is designed to assist those who, due to financial hardship, may not otherwise
be able to attend our retreats. These funds are available to cover up to 50% of the lowest
retreat fees for programs at Tara Mandala. Financial assistance forms are on our website.
Special Needs
Retreats are not meant as a substitute for psychotherapy. We recommend that if you are
currently undergoing psychotherapy you inform your therapist of your intention to participate
in a retreat. Retreats can be emotionally demanding and physically strenuous. If you have
a health condition or are aware that you may require medical supervision, we recommend
that you not participate in a retreat. We do not have the appropriate staff or facilities to
accommodate special needs of this nature.
Con t i n u i n g E d u c a t i on
Tara Mandala is licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as a continuing
education provider (#3260). CE hours are offered for Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs)
and for Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs). The number of CE hours offered is
listed below programs for which credit is available. Please sign up for CE hours at the time
of registration; a $20 fee applies.
S t ay i n g Conn e c t e d
We have an email distribution list that we use to keep people informed of upcoming retreats and
other Tara Mandala news. We invite you to join by visiting our website at www.taramandala.
org. Those who subscribe to the our email list will also receive Words of Wisdom: a Dharma
quote selected by Lama Tsultrim and framed by current photos from Tara Mandala. We are
on Facebook under Lama Tsultrim Allione and Tara Mandala Retreat Center.
Our website is updated regularly and has information about our center.
TARA MANDALA
PO Box 3040, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
E-mail: info@taramandala.org Phone: (970) 731-3711
taramandala.org
This program guide is printed on post consumer waste recycled paper and is produced annually by
Tara Mandala, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit religious organization.
All Rights Reserved © Tara Mandala, 2014
44
R E T R EAT A C cOM mO DAT I ONS
Prajña Residence Hall offers 16 rooms on
two floors with stunning views of the San
Juan mountains to the East and Ekajati peak
to the West. The building is beautifully handpainted with traditional Tibetan flower imagery
on the window lintels. The outer plaster is
a brilliant golden yellow ochre limestone
that matches the community building. Our
rooms offer beautifully decorated, extremely
comfortable accommodations with a sink and
granite counter in each room. The amenities
of the residence hall allow retreatants to take
advantage of our retreats year-round.
Dorm Yurts are communal style and consist
of 6 to 12 twin beds with fitted sheets, pillows,
and side tables. Bring your own sleeping bag. All facilities, including full baths, are in the
community building.
Camping continues to be an option for anyone coming here during the warm months.
Bring your own tent and gear and sleep under the big open sky on Tara Mandala’s beautiful
land. All facilities, including full baths, are in the community building. Camping is free.
45
TARA MANDALA R E TR E AT CA B I N S
Retreat, or returning back to a place of origin, is an age-old practice in many cultures. Our
retreat cabins provide a rare and precious opportunity to be completely secluded and alone
in a remote mountain setting. Here you are free to maintain intensive practice and connect
with your innermost being.
All of our cabins are ideal for solitary retreat. They feature vast views and are
remotely located for ultimate privacy. Each cabin has a single bed, wood stove
heat, a gas burner or cooking stove, and kitchen supplies. Retreatants bring their
own food, bedding, and practice materials. Shopping once a week is provided
for longer retreats.
Re n ta l F e e s
Retreat cabins may be rented for a minimum of two nights, and as long as any number
of years with the permission of an authorized teacher; rates are based on length of rental.
Retreat fees cover: cabin rental, fuel (wood and propane), retreatant care (weekly shopping
for retreats of more than one week in length), and various supplies. Food is not provided.
2 Nights (minimum stay*) = $70/night | 3-5 Nights = $50/night
6-28 Nights = $40/night | 28 Nights or more = $700/month ($23/night)
*Minimum stay varies based on weather, and can be as long as one week during winter months.
For more information about our current retreat schedule or solo retreats, please visit our
website at taramandala.org or call (970) 731-3711 x108.
w e at h e r
Our retreat land, located at 7500-8000 feet elevation, presents varied weather
conditions. Summer days are sunny and can reach over ninety degrees and
afternoon thunderstorms likely. Nights may be quite cool dropping between forty and fifty
degrees, requiring a warm sweater or jacket. In the spring and fall, night temperatures can
go below freezing.
46
T HE C O M M U N I T Y B U I L D I NG
The Community Building was the first structure to be built at Tara Mandala and was completed
in 2005. It is a 6000 sq’ double-walled, adobe structure which houses our kitchen, dining
room, store, full bathrooms with soaking bathtubs, and offices.
The wood for this building was harvested from the land using horses. Lama
Gyurme and his brother Palden from Tibet were the artists for the wood carving
and painting. All the interior plasters are different colors of clay that were found
on the land, and the decorative paintings of traditional Tibetan motifs were
created using natural mineral pigments.
TA R A M ANDALA STO RE
The Tara Mandala Store carries a variety of Buddhist
and Tibetan treasures to support one’s practice. The
store carries a unique selection of art, textiles, practice
and ritual items such as thangkas, statues, bell and
dorjes, Chöd drums, shrine items, malas, mala counters,
high-grade Tibetan and Bhutanese incense, clothing
and much more. The Store is also home to the ever
popular Tara Mandala Herbs, 21 herbal formulas infused
with awareness and cultivated directly from the land
or nearby mountains.
In addition to Lama Tsultrim’s autographed books,
Feeding your Demons and Women of Wisdom, we have a variety of books on Sutrayana,
Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhism.
To p l a c e a n o r d e r, y o u m a y v i s i t o u r w e b s i t e : t a r a m a n d a l a . o rg ; e m a i l :
store@taramandala.org; or call (970) 731-3711 x103.
47
Th e T rik aya Ta r a T e m p l e
The main temple at Tara Mandala was born from a dream Lama Tsultrim had
during a year-long solitary retreat on June 5, 2001 – the night of the Buddha’s
birthday. The dream began with depth radiance blue, then the three levels
and a mandala formation were revealed to her by the great Dzogchen master
from the 8th century, Vimalamitra.
The 12,000 sq’ temple was constructed between 2007-2009, using the skills of traditional
Bhutanese wood carvers and Tibetan artists.
he third and top floor represents mind and the pure awareness: Dharmakaya. This is
• T
an open room with four doors and is painted the same blue from the original dream.
• The second floor represents sacred speech and the luminous radiance of pure form:
Sambogakaya. This floor houses offices, guest quarters for visiting teachers, library,
and archives.
• The ground floor represents the physical embodiment of enlightened energy in our
world: Nirmanakaya. This level is the main temple with a circumambulation corridor
and four entrances.
The exterior has more than eighty uniquely painted lintels, such as a series of twelve
astrological animals, mythic beasts and animals representing the elements, and deities for
each direction, which are located on each of the three floors representing the three kayas.
The artist for the entire temple has been Lama Gyurme Rabgye, who worked with David
Petit and Lama Tsultrim Allione to create one of the most exquisite representations of
Vajrayana Buddhist cosmology in the world.
48
LIV IN G D H A R MA VOL U N T EER S
The intention of the Living Dharma Program is to
offer participants the opportunity to develop the
skills and abilities with which to integrate Dharma
practice and mindfulness in daily life. Through
the teachings of Vajrayana, volunteers will gain
a new perspective on how Dharma practice can
transform the attitude with which one approaches
all aspects of life and work. Creating such a shift
in perspective requires significant effort on the
part of the volunteer; one is invited to take on
this challenge through service, the support of a
practice community, and a curriculum of Dharma
teachings and practice.
Volunteers camp in summer and are housed in
dorms in colder months. Volunteers work an
average of 35 hours per week at an assigned job. Work opportunities include: kitchen,
temple, garden, land crew, retreat setup, the Tara Mandala Store, Prajna residence hall,
community building, and the office.
Those who can make a full 3-month commitment beginning in June to the Living
Dharma Program will participate in the Three Yana Retreat in June. Following that
period, daily group practice and weekly teachings with an authorized teacher comprise
the core of the spiritual curriculum. The evening teaching sessions of group retreats
is often available, depending on the boundaries of each retreat. Volunteers also take
part in all community practices, events, councils, and karma yoga. While personal
practices are honored without discrimination, all Living Dharma Volunteers must make
a commitment to fully participate in the Vajrayana teachings and practices offered.
Applications and volunteers are welcomed year-round. A one-month minimum commitment
is required and preference is given to applicants who are available for longer periods. Visit
our website for more information.
“As a volunteer, you’re really offering yourself to the Dharma, and the karmic effects of
such are abundant. Between the incredible teachers, the profound teachings, the familylike community, and the many offerings of the land itself, you feel truly blessed and held.
If you want a summer of pure relaxation and spiritual coasting, the Living Dharma program at Tara Mandala is the wrong choice. If you want to challenge yourself, face your
‘stuff,’ delve into the beautiful teachings, and create bonds that will last a lifetime, Dakini
Land awaits!” -Erik Andersson, Volunteer
49
2013 DONOR S AND SUS TA I N I N G
SANG HA MEM BE RS
S P E C I AL T H ANK S AND G RAT I T U D E
Special thanks and gratitude to all who have contributed to the ongoing
vibrancy of Tara Mandala through their donations and work. We apologize
for any omissions.
m a ha b e n e fa ct o rs in 2013
Annette Marwald • Marco Spinner • Ulla Tretter • Anonymous
TARA THANKA $1,000 Donors
Albert Reed • Ani Kelsang Rinjung • Astrid Klostermeier • Augusta Talbot • Bobbi Popovec
• Brian Lahti • Cary Twomey • Catherine Fehrmann • Catherine Horan • Chandra Easton •
Cindy Lyon • Dori Langevin • Erin Hill-Selover • Gayle Dixon • Jeff Tipp • Jessica Rafka
• Jonathan Barfield • Julie Williams • Karen Fong • Karla Jackson-Brewer • Katharine
Menton • Keely McDonald • Koncha Pinos • Lil Fishman • Linda Bonde • Lisa Erickson •
Lisa Foreman • Lisa Maas • Mali Jimenez • Margaret Howe • Marianne Gunther • Marie-Jo
Galas • Mark Jahnke • Michael Stevens • Monica Mesa • Monica Metea • Nancy Thompson
• Robyn Catchlove • Shellie Noyes • Sherab Chodron • Stephen Becker • Steven Young •
Sue May Hall • Tansy Foster • Taylor Pattinson • Timotha Doane • Tsultrim Allione • Vera
Claus-Maisel • Victor Neves • Walter Maisel
SUSTAINING SANGhA DONATIONS
Anonymous • Albert Reed • Aleksandra Suriel • Amy Holmgren • Anette Marweld • Ani
Kelsang Rinjung • Anja Klein • Anke Nowicki • Ann Patterson • Anna Marie Taylor • Anna
Rayne-Levi • Anna Sanders • Annalis Prendina • Astrid Klostermeier • Augusta Talbot • Avery
Otto • Barbara & Jon Landau • Barbara A Graham • Barbara Hicks • Barbara L. Secrest •
Barbara Staemmler • Benjamin Imdieke • Bernard Koellhofer • Betina Holdrich • Bettina
Grote • Bettina Hoeldrich • Bobbi Popovec • Brian Hodel • Brian Lahti • Bridget Bailey
• Brook Stone • Carol Jolley • Carre Hamm • Cary Twomey • Catherine Horan • Cathy
Travis • Chandi New • Chandra Easton • Charmaine Larsen • Cheryl Kellogg • Chimae L.
Say • Christine Anisko • Christine Daverio • Christine Hill • Christine Ho • Christopher
& Jennifer Warren • Cindy Lyon • Csilla Torok • Cynthia Morrow • Cynthia Rubenstein •
Dagmar Lowenkamp • Dana Price • Daniel Lesny • DeAnn Glenn • Debra Kupchok • Debra
50
SANG HA MEM BE RS
V Quayle • Dennis Rose • Diana Sullivan • Dixon (Frick) Burden • Elinore Evans Rampe
(Hoke) • Eliot Shieler • Elizabeth (Liz) Cramer • Elizabeth Navas • Ellen Booth Church
• Ellen Miriam Ziegler • Ellen Serrano • Elsa Wolman Katana • Eric & Jeanine Kuhrts •
Eric Horstman • Erica Rayner-Horn • Fran Anderson • Frances (Pema) Lin • Francie Nolde
• Gail Flynn • Gail Tiefenbach • Gayle Dixon • Gena Mccarthy • Greg Powers • Gudrun
Binder • Heidi Oman • Heidi Rotterdam • Heidi Wong • Helen Terre Blanche • Hugh
Danville • Jacqueline Mills • James South • Jeff Tipp • Jennifer Fahey • Jennifer Hector •
Jenny Terbell • Jessica McDuffee • Jim Boal • Joan Sheehan • Jonathan Barfield • Jonathan
Weber • Josephine Doig • Joyce Thom • Judith Harrington • Julia Jean • Julie Kostuch • Julie
Wester • Julie Williams • Karen Bewick • Karen Fong • Karen Williams • Karla JacksonBrewer • Katalin Koda • Katharine Menton • Katherine Barr • Kathy Garvasi • Katia Wolf
• Katie Langton • Katiza Satya Ivulic • Keely McDonald • Keith Weinstein • Kenneth Sloan
• Khandro Noble • Kimberly Rettenwander • Koncha Pinos • Kyle Nelson • Laara Jansen
• Larissa (Lara) Bruhns • Laura Pavicevic-Johnston • Lauren Palmateer • Leah ConroeLuzius • Lee Weinstein • Lenore Olmstead • Letitia Quinn • Lila Friedman • Linda Wetmore
• Lindsay Morgan • Lisa E (Orineya, Naya Rose) Dwyer • Lisa Erickson • Lissa Treasure •
Lizzy Hoke • Louella Montgomery • Louise A. Venetucci • Louise Brewer • Lucia Roncalli
• MacAndrew Jack • Mali Jimenez • Marcia Meyers • Marco Spinner • Margaret (Sherab
Wangmo) Carlson • Margarita Loinaz • Margot Truini • Maria Protopsaltis • Maria Rosa
(Rosie) Kaufman • Marie-Jo Galas • Marilyn O’Mara • Mark Jahnke • Martha Roberts •
Marti Hanna • Mary Ann Littleton • Mary Flowers • Mary Gilliland • Maureen Freehill •
Maya Goodson • Melissa Ambrose • Melissa Berryman Faria • Michael Stevens • Michele
Stupka • Michelle Hemingway • Michelle Cormack • Michelle Johnson • Michelle Vesser
• Mimi Maduro • Monica Mesa • Monica Metea • Morgan McDonald • Nancy Thompson •
Nonnie Welch • Pamela Ambrose • Peggy Shropshire-Mobbs • Penelope R. Burton • Peter
Weinstein • Petra Sloan • Polly M Ryan • Rachel Homer • Rain Hastings • Rebecca Owens
• Renee Pitts • Rhenna St. Clair • Richard Klein • Robert Olander • Roberta Godbe Tipp
• Roberta Kvenild • Robin Gayle • Robyn Catchlove • Rodney Fuller • Rodney Spencer
• Rosario Escobedo • Rosemary (Akhila) Bourne • Ryan Jacobson • Sabine Hayoz Kalff
• Sabine Schirmaier • Sahaj Wood • Sally Goodwin • Sandra Jayne Belen • Sandy Gougis
• Sara Crampton • Sara Lefkowitz • Sarah Hylton • Sean Feit • Sechmet Botger • Shanti
Loustaunou • Sharon Jackson • Sharon Slebodnick • Shellie Noyes • Shena Jade Jensen •
Sherab Chodron • Shirsten Lundblad • Sietske (Yutso) de Haan • Skipper Kripitz • Stella
Bonnie • Stephen Becker • Steve LeClair • Steven Kuhn • Sue May Hall • Susan Miller •
Susan Glumac • Susan Lynn Kelsey • Susan Moffat • Susie Kessler • Suzanne Lippuner •
Suzanne Manz • Tansy Foster • Tanya Dalley • Tara McLeer • Taylor Pattinson • Ted Faris
• Thomas Fischbach • Thomas Nelson • Timotha Doane • Timothy Eyes • Tina Starfire •
Tom Hirschi • Trish (Patricia) Heck • Troma Khandro • Trudy Goodman • Tsultrim Allione
• Ute Bangert • Vajra Lila • Valerie Sowinski • Vera Claus-Maisel • Zita Arocha
51
SANG HA MEM BE RS
2013 capital campaign
Alysia Trombla • Anette Marweld • Anna Raithel • BAE Acupuncture PLLC • Barbara
Coloe • Barbara D Demuth-Mullally • Barbara & Jon Landau • Benjamin Imdieke • Berit
Andersen Sandvik • Carmen Correa • Carre Hamm • Catherine Horan • Chanda Mollers
• Chandi New • Chandra Easton • Cheryl Kellogg • Chimae Say • Dagmar Lowenkamp •
Daniel Blacklock • Debbra Gill • Deborah Epstein • Deborah Klibanoff • Dian Doody •
Diane Abrashkin • Eileen Crist Patzig • Eleanor Loudon • Elizabeth Navas • Ellen Booth
Church • Emanuel Seiler • Erica Rayner-Horn • Frances (Pema) Lin • Helen Terre Blanche
• Inna Kogan • Irina Kurlyandchik • Jason Baumann • Jeanne Lepisto • Jennifer MacFarlane
• Jeris Miller • Judith Marcus • Karen Fong • Karen Lee • Katia Wolf • Keelin Curran •
Kimberly Rettenwander • Larissa (Lara) Bruhns • Lauren Palmateer • Leila Jerene • Letitia
Quinn • Lila Friedman • Lil Fishman • Linda Barnett • Linda Morris • Louella Montgomery
• Lucille Laurin • Lucinda Herring • MacAndrew Jack • Mai Nguyen • Marco Spinner •
Margaret (Sherab Wangmo) Carlson • Maria Heiss • Melissa Berryman Faria • Morgan
McDonald • Nancy Hagel • Nancy Nordhoff • Patricia Amsler • Peggy Shropshire-Mobbs •
Polly M Ryan • Ruth Ewing • Sally Goodwin • Sandra Mastromonaco • Shanti Loustaunou
• Sharon Slebodnick • Shellie Noyes • Sofia Stephenson • Steven Kuhn • Susan Glumac •
Susan Lirakis • Tanya Dalley • Taylor Pattinson • Tom Hirschi • Tracy Dickerson • Tsultrim
Allione • Ursula Tretter • Victor R Neves
2013 Maintenance fund
Alysia Trombla • Barbara D Demuth-Mullally • Erica Rayner-Horn • Jeanne Lepisto • Jeris
Miller • Keelin Curran • Maria Heiss • Nancy Nordhoff • Patricia Amsler • Peggy ShropshireMobbs • Sally Goodwin • Shanti Loustaunou • Sharon Slebodnick • Shellie Noyes
2013 david sustainability fund
Debra V Quayle • Jenny Terbell • Sidney (Yudron Wangmo) Skinner • Tanya Dalley • Tina
Starfire
2013 machig statue fund
Anette Marweld • Benjamin Imdieke • Dagmar Lowenkamp • Eleanor Loudon • Morgan
McDonald • Sofia Stephenson • Steven Kuhn • Susan Glumac • Tanya Dalley
52
Re fl e ct i on s on t h e 20 t h
Ann iv e rs ary and th e Fu t u re
of Tara Mandala
F ROM O U R DE V ELOPMENT C OU NCI L
Those who pass through the gate of
Tara Mandala for the first time are
struck by the beauty of the land, the
magnificence of the temple, and the
comfort, form and function of the
retreat facilities. During their time
here, they engage in world-class programs led by extraordinary teachers,
supported by a dedicated staff and
Living Dharma Volunteers. Whether
in isolated retreat cabins or in a group
retreat, each is guided in the traditions of transforming encumbered
Lama Tsultrim and David Petit the day Tara Mandala land was
found Sept 18, 1993
patterns into wisdom through both
authentic Tibetan Buddhist wisdom
traditions and innovative methods de-
veloped for the 21st century western Buddhist. And as they return to a chaotic world beyond
our gate, they are renewed and inspired by what they have learned, and join an international
community that radiates out from Tara Mandala with numerous Satellite Sanghas in Europe and
the USA.
Twenty years ago, Tara Mandala existed as only our founder’s dream for a retreat
center in America where people could reach the depths of meditation that occur in
Tibet.
Today thousands of people have contributed their efforts, prayers, practice,
butter lamps, tsog offerings, karma yoga, and donations to help enrich the community to become
what it is today: the largest center of its kind — a center to nurture to steward the re-emergence
of the sacred feminine within the Buddhist tradition, two well articulated and planned 7-year
practice paths, serving an international community that expands every year. Thank you for all
your help reaching those goals, together we have raised more than $7.5 million to bring Tara
Mandala to where it is today. For this special anniversary year we are focusing on sustainability,
we hope you will consider joining us in making these goals a reality.
53
WAT ER
Tara Mandala’s first project for this year is to develop
its water infrastructure.
As
many of you have experienced, our shallow wells do not adequately support the
activities taking place on the land now, plus we are in an extended drought cycle in the Southwest. We recently consulted with a hydrologist and performed a geophysical study that points to
a large fracture near a spring on the northwestern edge of the land. According to the hydrologist
this fracture has the greatest potential of providing ample water for our future needs. The plan
mandates well drilling, production yield tests and, if the amounts are sufficient, almost a mile
of pipe from the source to our settlement area. Additionally, to increase our water we would
like to create a system to harvest rain water for our gardens. The existing gutter systems for the
Tara Temple and Community Building require storage tanks and a pumping system for water
that will sustain our gardens and landscaping. We estimate a need for $175,000 to complete
these two projects and have sufficient water for our summer programs. Currently, we are also
researching new technologies for low-flush toilets as well as other water saving options.
T HE D AV I D PE T IT SUSTA INABILI TY FUN D
In honor of Tara Mandala co-founder David Petit, whose devotion built
Tara Mandala, we have developed
the
“David
Petit
Sustainability
Fund”. Our 20th anniversary fundraising efforts will focus on establishing this $2 million fund.
Please take a moment to visualize
Tara Mandala as financially secure
with an annual investment income
sufficient to supplement our program and membership income. Imagine our children and grandchildren practicing at Tara
Mandala with a sense of security. We have a good start on this, having well built structures
and absolutely no debt, both our land and our buildings are completely paid for. However in
order to keep our programs affordable and to pay our operating expenses the budget needs to be
supplemented. The David Petit Sustainability Fund would provide investment income to supplement the operating budget.
54
Num b e r o f g i f t s ne e d ed
Number of Gifts
$ Amount of gifts
Would Equal $
1
1,000,000
1,000,000
1
500,000
500,000
1
250,000
250,000
1
100,000
100,000
2
50,000
100,000
4
25,000
100,000
6
10,000
60,000
8
5,000
40,000
Other Donations less than 5,000
25,000
total
$2,175,000
O THE R WAYS T O SU PPO RT TAR A MAN DALA
J o i n o r In c r e a s e Yo u r P a r t i c i p a t i on i n t h e S u s t a i n i n g
Sangha Membership
Sustaining Sangha members provide operating support that makes retreats affordable, provides
budgetary flexibility for our leadership to engage in new initiatives, and helps us adequately
compensate our dedicated staff. By making a monthly, semi-annual or annual commitment,
members enable Tara Mandala to effect peaceable change on the planet through growing the
Holy Dharma.
In c l u d e T a r a M a n d a l a i n Yo u r E s t a t e P l a n s
Recognizing impermanence is a key part of the Dharma. Acknowledging death as inevitable
and putting our final affairs in order is a gift to our families and friends. Consider naming Tara
Mandala as a contingent beneficiary of your will or trust, or name Tara Mandala the beneficiary
of an IRA or retirement account. Our staff can provide you with language to make this bequest
upon request, and we would be happy to speak with your attorney or financial planner to ensure
that documents are executed correctly.
To act on these or other opportunities to contribute, or to learn more about supporting Tara
Mandala, please call Josephine Doig, Executive Director director@taramandala.org or call 970731-3711 ext. 110.
55
56
Visit taramandala.org for a current retreat
calendar and information about solo retreats.
Group Retreats u Solo Retreat Cabins
Vast View u Open Heart
AN INTERNATIONAL
Retreat Center
P.O. Box 3040
Pagosa Springs, CO 81147
taramandala.org

2014 PROGRAM CATALOG

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