One Month Retreat for Rigpa’s Senior Teachers and Senior Practice Holders
Claire and Jana on behalf of the retreat team
2023 will open with an important milestone in Rigpa when our senior teachers and senior practice holders finally gather in person as a group to focus on their shared vision and roles - after over two years of meeting only via Zoom. This precious occasion of coming together is inspired by Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche, who last summer advised that the senior holders spend one month in retreat together.
With that in mind, from 4 - 31 January 2023, the senior holders will travel to Lerab Ling from across the world - non-European countries like Australia, Bhutan, Canada, Chile and USA, as well as from closer to home, across France, Europe, and Lerab Ling itself.
Their retreat programme will include:
daily meditation and group sadhana practices
facilitated discussions
presentations and group work
Practical Wisdom sessions
advice from lamas
connecting to the wider Rigpa Sangha via practice streamings
some social time
The group will be joined by Rigpa’s Vision Board and representatives of the International Steering Group* and the Dharma Leadership team.* Mindrolling Jetsün Khandro Rinpoche continues to closely follow the plans and the development of the retreat.
The retreat was shaped thanks to input from many groups in Rigpa
In recent months as preparation for the event, many teams within Rigpa were asked for their input about what the senior holders could address. Input was gathered from the International Steering Group, the Lerab Ling Chapter, Dharma Councils, national Rigpas via the International Coordination Group, Chairs of National Rigpa’s Boards, Rigpa’s entrusted teachers and practice holders, Rigpe Shyonnu, the Vision Board and other groups and holders. (*See below to learn more about these groups.) These groups reflected on their hopes for this gathering of our senior holders, and shared important questions for the group to reflect on and begin to explore. These discussions have helped to shape the event, highlighting topics and areas for discussion.
Important step towards fulfilling their pledge
The spirit of the month’s retreat is to be a spacious and nourishing time for the group - a time to listen and explore ways of working together as a supportive team on a common vision, learning from each other, and practising together. While not every solution may be found over 28 days, there is confidence that this time and space will be an important step towards fulfilling their pledge to continue the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and hold the transmission of the Dharma for future generations.
Thank you for supporting this important gathering
The senior teachers and senior practice holders are moved by the encouragement and support from across Rigpa, including financial support. National Rigpas very generously contributed towards travel costs for some participants. Moreover, the retreat would not be possible without the support of the sangha who contribute to the Tertön Sogyal Foundation Study & Practice grants which has enabled the senior teachers and senior practice holders to take part. If you wish to make a contribution to the Study & Practice grants you can find out more here.
The whole sangha can join the streamed practices from this retreat
During this holders’ retreat, the sangha is warmly invited to connect with the group by joining streamed group practices:
morning group practices of Meditation and Riwo Sangcho will be streamed several times per week;
Tendrel Nyesel Tsok on Guru Rinpoche and Dakini days
The team aspires to share some impressions from the retreat during those streamed practices.
So please join us in practice and keep an eye on Prajna for the schedule and link!
We look forward to sharing more news about the retreat in further blog posts after the retreat.
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*The groups who were consulted about the content of the retreat include Rigpa’s main governance and expert teams:
The Vision Board
Chairs of National Rigpa’s Boards
International Steering Group
International Coordination Group
The Lerab Ling Chapter read more
Dharma Leadership Team and Dharma Councils:
The Dharma Leadership Team is the successor to both Rigpa’s curriculum team and the empowering holder’s team. The mission of this team is to oversee the integrity and continued evolution of Rigpa’s path of study and practice, together with the Vision Board and Steering Group. They work to support Rigpa’s teachers and practice holders to be effective guides on Rigpa’s path through the creation and guidance of the Dharma Councils.
The Dharma Councils are small teams of Rigpa teachers, practice holders and other experts who specialise in supporting students and teachers at each of Rigpa’s five stages of study and practice, for example Mahayana or Ngondro.
Rigpa’s entrusted teachers and practice holders
Rigpe Shyönnu read more
Sangha Engagement Team
This expert team is responsible for ongoing learning about our sangha and new audiences, how we can best serve and communicate with them, and sharing this with Rigpa leadership.
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