HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

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justsit
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HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by justsit »

From The Guhyasamaja Center in Washington DC blog comes the official news:
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama will give Kalachakra empowerment in Washington
DC, July 6-16, 2011, at the Verizon Center. Details being arranged, will post more info as it becomes available.

Guhyasamaja is NOT the sponsor, so please do not email questions to them.


About the Kalachakra initiation here.

E Ma Ho!
:woohoo:
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BFS
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by BFS »

Thank you, justsit!

I will second that:
E Ma Ho!
:woohoo:
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catmoon
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by catmoon »

HHDL seems to be saying the empowerment is primalriy about world peace, while Berzin seems to be saying it is primarily about astrology and weaponry.


This I find quite confuzzling.
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justsit
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by justsit »

The official website for the empowerment has been created, here, and is under construction. Dates are listed as July 6-15, 2011. The host group is the Capital Area Tibetan Association.
Check the website for more information as it becomes available.

Sarva mangalam!
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kirtu
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by kirtu »

:woohoo: :twothumbsup: :applause:

Total good news!

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
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kirtu
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by kirtu »

catmoon wrote:HHDL seems to be saying the empowerment is primalriy about world peace, while Berzin seems to be saying it is primarily about astrology and weaponry.


This I find quite confuzzling.
Hi Catmoon!

I think you have misunderstood Berzin (as have many).

The Kalachakra tantra is a complete system to enlightenment. Thurman in his usual unique style refers to Kalachakra as a Buddhist time machine (since the Kalachakra involves time - as one well-known verse from the tantra says: "All beings arise in time, time constantly consumes them all ..." ). HHDL has said that actually the Kalachakra is really not directly a peace making teaching or practice but is associated in the legends surrounding the origin of the Kalachakra with unity, unifying different peoples into one vajra people, even people of different religions. In this sense the Kalachakra is associated with peace.

The Kalachakra tantra is deemed to be very clear - it teaches about enlightenment in very clear terms and is a model for expressing other Buddhist tantric systems in a clear manner. It''s actually studied for that clarity.

HHDL's Kalachakra empowerments are a kind of traveling Buddhist Woodstock in the very best way possible. It is very powerfully transformative.

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Ngawang Drolma
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by Ngawang Drolma »

I think I can attend :woohoo:
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justsit
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by justsit »

Wonderful!

Tickets on sale here.
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kirtu
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by kirtu »

The International Kalachakra Network - resources primarily for Kalachakra initiates but also for the empowerment and the very rich Kalachakra teaching and mythology.

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
arisaema81
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by arisaema81 »

I am gladened and saddened by this. Is this event only for the rich? No offence intended but I simply cant afford it.
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kirtu
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

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arisaema81 wrote:I am gladened and saddened by this. Is this event only for the rich? No offence intended but I simply cant afford it.
The tickets for the full 11 days will be about $475. There are many people who will not be able to afford (at least not all at once). I think a fund should be established to but tickets and distribute them. The thing is that tickets will go on sale on 1 Dec and might sell out immediately but probably won't (in past Kalachakra's 11 day tickets have been available until days before the beginning).

Personally I would certainly be happy to help people attend the Kalachakra but am now ensnared in financial issues myself.

Kirt
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
Ngawang Drolma
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by Ngawang Drolma »

Thanks a lot Justsit! Would you advise buying tickets now?

Best,
Laura
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catmoon
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by catmoon »

kirtu wrote:
arisaema81 wrote:I am gladened and saddened by this. Is this event only for the rich? No offence intended but I simply cant afford it.
The tickets for the full 11 days will be about $475. There are many people who will not be able to afford (at least not all at once). I think a fund should be established to but tickets and distribute them. The thing is that tickets will go on sale on 1 Dec and might sell out immediately but probably won't (in past Kalachakra's 11 day tickets have been available until days before the beginning).

Personally I would certainly be happy to help people attend the Kalachakra but am now ensnared in financial issues myself.

Kirt
If my reading of various websites is accurate, then such a fund has in fact been establshed. Certainly funds are being collected to allow monks from Asia to attend. Maybe you should look into it. BTW last I heard, ticket sales have been delayed and will not begin until Dec 15.
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Mr. G
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by Mr. G »

Can a Kalachakra practitioner provide the daily commitments involved with this practice? I would like to attend a Kalachakra teaching, but more as a blessing than adding on to my current commitments.
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Heruka
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by Heruka »

a condensed six session yoga will cover commitments. dalai lama has a guru yoga text for kalachakra that also covers six session yoga for daily rites and commitments, you can find all kinds of useful information on kalachakra in his holliness book, kalachakra tantra, rite of initiation.
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Mr. G
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by Mr. G »

Thanks Heruka!

How long does 6 session guru yoga take when done properly?
  • How foolish you are,
    grasping the letter of the text and ignoring its intention!
    - Vasubandhu
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by Ngawang Drolma »

Hi Heruka, it carries a practice commitment of the six sessions?

Thanks a bunch :)

Best,
Laura
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by Ngawang Drolma »

mr. gordo wrote:Can a Kalachakra practitioner provide the daily commitments involved with this practice? I would like to attend a Kalachakra teaching, but more as a blessing than adding on to my current commitments.
This is how I feel too, but my mind is still open to the idea :)

Best,
Laura
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kirtu
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by kirtu »

Ngawang Drolma wrote:Hi Heruka, it carries a practice commitment of the six sessions?
HHDL is very open with this. If you are a Gelugpa then you should consider the 6 Session Guru Yoga which will take 10 -15 minutes (or possibly less) in the short (non-emergency) version (yes, there is an emergency version of the 6 Session Guru Yoga that can be done in 1-2 minutes). At Toronto HHDL gave a short visualization with a brief explanation as the minimal daily commitment for example (the visualization is very easy and not ornate or elaborate). But the totally minimal commitment is to generate compassion daily and if possible meditate briefly on emptiness and compassion (the visualization given is all about this for example). So even within the minimal commitment there are levels (this is the Kalachakra way in general!). HHDL will go through a series of possibilities toward the end before the empowerment actually ends.

The Kalachakra Guru Yoga can also be done in a long and very long form which will take a while. The long (or it may be a medium form) given in Graz will take at least 45 minutes for 1 session. HHDL requested that Tibetans who were making a commitment to the daily practice consider doing one of their sessions using this longer (or as mentioned perhaps medium) sadhana.

And if you recite mantra as part of the session this will extend the time even in the short form. In a longer short form this would be 5 minutes or so per session (although you could shorten it) and you could do this 3 sessions in the morning and 3 sessions in the evening (the standard 6 session guru yoga although you could also do it all in one sitting or six separate times a day or however you want to divide it up pretty much).

In general the Kalachakra commitments are very flexible (this is true from any of the lamas currently giving Kalachakra that I am aware of). The Kalachakra is given more as a blessing but can certainly be taken as a practice.

Kirt
Last edited by kirtu on Mon Nov 22, 2010 10:18 pm, edited 2 times in total.
“Where do atomic bombs come from?”
Zen Master Seung Sahn said, “That’s simple. Atomic bombs come from the mind that likes this and doesn’t like that.”

"Even if you practice only for an hour a day with faith and inspiration, good qualities will steadily increase. Regular practice makes it easy to transform your mind. From seeing only relative truth, you will eventually reach a profound certainty in the meaning of absolute truth."
Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

"Only you can make your mind beautiful."
HH Chetsang Rinpoche
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Mr. G
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Re: HH the Dalai Lama Kalachakra Empowerment Washington DC 2011

Post by Mr. G »

Thanks for that info Kirt!

I also think H.H. Sakya Trizin may be giving a Kalachakra blessing next year in the U.S. as well.
  • How foolish you are,
    grasping the letter of the text and ignoring its intention!
    - Vasubandhu
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