Practices
There are two meditation tracks for this retreat. First is the Mahamudra Program. Second is the Yidam Program. Most retreatants will practice in the Mahamudra Program and the Yidam program will be reserved for those who have already received empowerment and instruction, as well as experience in the Yidam Program, which was designed by Khyabje Bokar Rinpoche for those who completed the training in the Mahamudra program. The great majority of instruction and support will be in the Mahamudra Program. Questions about this aspect can be raised and clarified with Lama Michael Conklin during the period when you’re trying to decide if this retreat is the place for you.
Retreatants studying in the Mahamudra Program will study and practice in the Mahamudra tradition as established and taught by Khyabje Bokar Rinpoche in the early 1990s through 2003. At Bokar Rinpoche’s request, Lama Michael and Lama Tara from Victoria have taught this program to over 200 students, for nearly 16 years.
The program is based on the idea that in the midst of daily life it is necessary to have a coherent approach that presents the essential elements of practice in a clear and concise progression. This structured path will allow one to fruitfully persevere in Dharma practice throughout an entire life.
Both experienced Mahamudra Program practitioners and those who are new to the program may apply. In other words, having completed the training in the Mahamudra program is not a prerequisite for this one-year retreat.
The retreat teacher will visit the retreat to give teachings and to meet with retreatants about one week per month. At the beginning of retreat, the visits may be more frequent.
Practices will include:
Calm Abiding (Zhinay)
Insight (Lhatong)
Mahamudra (the union of Calm Abiding and Insight).
Karma Kagyu Ngöndro (Refuge, Vajrasattva, Mandala and Guru Yoga).
Tonglen
Aspiration Prayers
The Milarepa tsok
and Chenrezig meditation.
Will I need to read Tibetan?
No. On this retreat, we may recite practices in Tibetan and English, but all the practices will be transliterated and translated.
Will you provide texts?
Yes, to those who do not have the KCC texts.
Will instruction be given if we don’t know a practice?
Yes.
If you have questions about the retreat practices, please write it in the Comments box below and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche giving an empowerment at SCOL in one of our event tents.
KCC's 2013 One Year Retreat 
vajrayanarobotsamurai
February 16, 2012 at 9:11 AM
For all practices with transliteration from Tibetan, will there be a Tibetan version (i.e., has Tibetan script) available?
Lekshe
February 16, 2012 at 7:33 PM
Yes! Our texts have the Tibetan on top, and underneath is the transliteration. Under that is the English. Sometimes we chant the English, so you’ll want that in your text, and we’ll want everyone to use the KCC version of the text for “shared” practices. But many people who can read Tibetan script will cover the transliteration to keep their reading up-to-par. This can be done with whiteout liquid or tape, or with that incredibly beautiful Japanese no stick tape–expensive, but beautiful. Even comes in gold!
vajrayanarobotsamurai
April 7, 2012 at 3:47 AM
will we have to try to do 100,000 prostrations in one month?
Lekshe
April 7, 2012 at 9:35 AM
No. Karma Kagyu Ngondro practices will constitute a portion of the practices each preson will do during the retreat. However, we will not be attempting to complete the traditional 111,111 of each of the 4 Ngondro practices.