A virtual retreat from Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, Colorado
Sponsored by Santa Barbara Institute and the Center for Contemplative Research
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An in-person retreat at Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, CO sponsored by SBI
The Vajra Essence – Part III March 31 - May 30, 2022
In-person registration is now open for The Vajra Essence - Part III. This 8-week retreat will focus on completing Phase 4: “Determining the Characteristics and Qualities of the Ground”, Phase 5: "Determining Secret Dualistic Grasping and Revealing the Way of Natural Liberation", and Phase 6: "Teaching on the Essential Points of Practice and Their Key Distinctions" from The Vajra Essence: From the Matrix of Pure Appearances and Primordial Consciousness, a Tantra Self-Emergent from the Nature of Existence.Please be aware that in order to maintain moderate social distancing (in addition to a required vaccination against COVID-19), we have very limited capacity for in-person attendance. Only those who have been accepted to attend should register here.
Please do not share this registration link.
See below for more information on the teachings and additional details about the retreat.
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An in-person and virtual retreat from Crestone, CO The Vajra Essence - Part IV March 31 – May 27, 2023 Co-sponsored by the Center for Contemplative ResearchThis registration is for the virtual, online retreat.
During this 8-week retreat, Lama Alan will grant an oral transmission and commentary to Düdjom Lingpa’s revealed treatise, The Vajra Essence, picking up where we left off last May. Please read all of the details below for more information on the teachings and additional details about the retreat. The most important prerequisite for participating in this retreat is that all applicants must have already listened to the oral transmission and commentary on the opening phases of The Vajra Essence by Lama Alan given during the first retreat in this series, offered during April – May, 2020 via either the SBI audio-stream or the Wisdom online retreat. You must have completed this before this retreat begins. To request a scholarship please complete this scholarship application. This year we are offering multiple pricing options as you will see below when you select Choose An Option. -
A Contemplative Science of Consciousness - November 2014 - Recorded November 9-16, 2014 in Santa Barbara, CA Modern science has discovered many important facts about the mind by studying it indirectly through the examination of the neural correlates and behavioral expressions of mental processes. The retreat is available via audio recording, video recording and DVD. -
A Contemplative Science of Mental Balance Recorded February 2-9, 2014 in Santa Barbara, CA
On the basis of an ethical way of life, mental balance is the key to achieving genuine happiness and to following the path to spiritual liberation and awakening. Genuine happiness, in contrast to hedonic pleasure, is a sense of well-being that arises from within, without dependence upon pleasant stimuli. The retreat is available via audio recording, video recording and DVD. -
During this week-long retreat Lama Alan Wallace granted the oral transmission and commentary to the teachings on the root text of The Highway of the Jinas: A Root Text on the Precious Geluk-Kagyü Mahamudra Tradition and its auto-commentary by Panchen Lozang Chökyi Gyaltsen, tutor to the Fifth Dalai Lama. In addition, Lama Alan Wallace comments on excerpts from A Spacious Path to Freedom: Practical Instructions on the Union of Mahāmudrā and Atiyoga by the great 17th-century master Karma Chagmé. Recorded January 28- February 4, 2020 at Camp Ramah, Ojai, California 2020 Available via audio recording, video recording, or DVD. -
The seven-day retreat “Exploring the Depths of the Psyche: A Shamatha Retreat in the Great Perfection Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, presented on the basis of Dudjom Lingpa’s Mind Treasure, The Vajra Essence” in Santa Barbara, California from June 21 – 28, 2009, Available on DVD (9-disc set) or Audio Stream MP3 download. The Vajra Essence by Dudjom Lingpa is a classic, 19th century meditation manual in the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Covering all stages of meditative practice up to the achievement of spiritual awakening, it begins with an extraordinary presentation of the shamatha practice of "settling the mind in its natural state." In this week long retreat, B. Alan Wallace offers an oral commentary the shamatha section of The Vajra Essence, which he received from his teacher, the Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche, who authorized him to teach this portion of the text to general audiences. The retreat will also consist of meditation sessions and periods of discussion. Although this practice is presented in the context of Tibetan Buddhism, it is strongly resonant with Zen and Vipassana meditations, so it may be inviting and enriching to Buddhists of all traditions, as well anyone else who is interested to explore the depths of their own mind, and consciousness. All seven days of this retreat are reproduced here in full, conveniently divided into teachings, meditations, and discussions. PDF files are included on the first DVD disk and include explanatory notes on the audio files, retreat handouts, and other pertinent information. The audio stream download files include MP3 files and PDF notes. Please select either the 9-DVD set (sent via Priority Mail) or the digital MP3 audio download files (you will receive a download link). -
An Ornament of the Enlightened View of Samanthabhadra by Jé Tsultrim Zangpo
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A Summary of the View, Meditation, and Conduct by Domang Yangthang Rinpoche
A Dzogchen retreat recorded in Santa Barbara, January 2019
Dzogchen, or the "Great Perfection," is regarded by many as the pinnacle of Buddhist teachings, for it presents the most direct path to realizing our true nature and to unveiling the deepest dimensions of consciousness. In this stunning retreat with Lama Alan Wallace, delve into the theory and practice of Dzogchen through writings by some of the greatest Dzogchen masters of recent time. In his commentary on Jé Tsultrim Zangpo’s (1884–1957) precise essay An Ornament of the Enlightened View of Samanthabhadra from the book Open Mind, augmented with the brief, experiential text Summary of the View, Meditation, and Conduct by the twentieth-century master Domang Yangthang Rinpoche, Lama Alan Wallace presents the liberative path of Dzogchen. Together these teachings have the wondrous potential to bless and transform your daily life and your personal practice. Each morning began with guest teacher, Eva Natanya, offering the Shower of Blessings, followed by Lama Baasa Suren, an esteemed monk from Mongolia, who led chanting each morning prior to Lama Alan’s transmission and commentary. There are meditation sessions with each teaching, and there is an open discussion/question & answer with Lama Alan on three evenings. This retreat is intended for participants with a sound understanding and practice of the foundational Buddhist teachings of the Four Arya Realities, Bodhicitta, and the Six Transcendences. We are delighted to be able to share this extraordinary retreat with you. Please read below for additional information. This retreat was recorded at El Capitan in Santa Barbara, CA, January 2019. The audio only recordings are offered via streaming, podcast and download. -
Buddhahood Without Meditation is the most renowned of the five principal Dzogchen texts revealed by the 19th century Mahasiddha Düdjom Lingpa, and it is unique in that it consists of an anthology of teachings he received by way of pure visions of many of the greatest Indian and Tibetan Buddhist adepts and other enlightened beings.This retreat consists of lectures, guided meditations, and question-and-answer sessions, and is intended for participants with a sound understanding and practice of the foundational Buddhist teachings of the Four Noble Truths, Bodhicitta, and the Six Perfections.See below for additional information. This is offered via audio stream/download, video stream or DVD.This 6 day meditation retreat was recorded in Santa Barbara, CA January 8-13, 2017 -
Buddhahood Without Meditation is the most renowned of the five principal Dzogchen texts revealed by the 19th century Mahasiddha Düdjom Lingpa, and it is unique in that it consists of an anthology of teachings he received by way of pure visions of many of the greatest India and Tibetan Buddhist adepts and other enlightened beingsBuddhahood Without Meditation Part 1, held in Jan. 2017 is a prerequisite to this retreat.This retreat consists of lectures, guided meditations, and question-and-answer sessions, and is intended for participants with a sound understanding and practice of the foundational Buddhist teachings of the Four Noble Truths, Bodhicitta, and the Six Perfections.See below for additional information.This is offered via audio stream/download, video stream or DVD. A 6 day meditation retreat recorded in Santa Barbara, CA from Jan 7-12, 2018. -
On November 18th, 2020 Lama Alan offered five hours of oral commentary to Drubpön Lama Karma’s experiential account of his own practice of shamatha and subsequent contemplative training. This is Lama Alan’s first teaching at The Center for Contemplative Research at Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, CO. We are delighted to share with you these inspired teachings, in both audio and video form, and with a Spanish translation also available. Traducción al español disponible. The transcript that Lama Alan was reading from for this commentary has now been revised and is available in the book, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions. The content of the teaching is not impacted with the revised translations. Please see below for additional information. -
This retreat provides an overview of the central themes of the 42-hour training program called "Cultivating Emotional Balance" devised by the eminent psychologist Paul Ekman, Ph.D. and B. Alan Wallace, Ph.D. at the request of HH the Dalai Lama. Focusing on both theory and practice, Alan Wallace explains four aspects of mental balance: conative, attentional, cognitive, and emotional. Conative balance has to do with cultivating meaningful desires and aspirations that truly contribute to one's own and others' wellbeing. Attentional balance focuses on overcoming attention deficit and hyperactivity, replacing these imbalances with a sense of inner calm, centeredness, and clarity. Cognitive balance is achieved through the cultivation of mindfulness so that we can experience the world without cognitive distortions. Finally, emotional balance maybe achieved through enhancing the positive emotions of loving kindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity while bringing afflictive emotional states under control through understanding and meditation. The weekend included guided meditations, lectures and open discussion. This audio stream/download via Dropbox (no account is needed), chronicles the weekend retreat held in Santa Barba's historical Old Mission from Feb 3rd-5th, 2012. Available on DVD, or Audio Stream/download. Select the type of media that you want. The DVD will be shipped via the US Postal Service. The audio files will be downloadable - you will receive an email with details. -
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Join Drupön Lama Karma for a three-month series of teachings on Extracting the Vital Essence of Accomplishment: Concise and Clear Advice for Practice in a Mountain Retreat by Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdrel Yeshe Dorji
This retreat with Drupön Lama Karma is no longer available. In the future, registration for retreats with Drupön Lama Karma will only be available for a few months after the retreat is concluded.
Mountain Dharma is a presentation of the personal and intimate advice from the great Dzogchen Master Dudjom Rinpoche to a group of students in preparation for meditation retreat. Ever masterful, Dudjom Rinpoche, whose life and work provided a brilliant example of a Tibetan rigzin’s full awareness, tells a group of yogis how to use an extended period of seclusion in a mountain hermitage to recognize the nature of mind in his tradition. In this instruction, he is down to earth and eminently practical. The text is short but a seminal exposition of the view. Drupön Lama Karma received this instructions from his root guru Lama Naljorpa Rinpoche. The teachings will be held every Friday beginning June 28h, 2025, until Friday, Sept 26th, 2025. Sessions will be from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. PST. You can check your timezone here. The sessions will be recorded so if you cannot attend the live session you will have access to both video and audio recordings. These teachings will be conducted online in Tibetan, with English translation, as well as Spanish and Russian translation. You can read more about Drupön Lama Karma here. There is a sliding scale to attend these teachings. Please see the options below. Should you need a scholarship please email: karmajnana108@gmail.com Please read below for additional information. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to receive these teachings from Drupön Lama Karma. -
Extracting the Vital Essence of Accomplishment: Concise and Clear Advice for Practice in a Mountain Retreat by twentieth-century Nyingma master, Düdjom Rinpoché, Jigdral Yeshé Dorjé. Lama Alan Wallace presents and comments on pith instructions of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. Providing guidance on retreat, this course is based on the text Extracting the Vital Essence of Accomplishment: Concise and Clear Advice for Practice in a Mountain Retreat by twentieth-century Nyingma master, Düdjom Rinpoché, Jigdral Yeshé Dorjé. Lama Alan translates and explores the short, powerful text on retreat in terms of the preliminaries, main practices, and post-meditative practices of the Great Perfection path. This retreat consists of 10 one-hour lectures, each with a 30-minute guided meditation. This will be a Virtual Retreat with Audio stream/download. We are offering multiple pricing options as you will see below when you select Choose An Option. If needed you are welcome to submit a scholarship application. Please see the description below for additional information. Si prega di vedere sotto per informazioni in italiano. -
His Holiness the Dalai Lama has often commented that the essence of spiritual practice is cultivating a good heart. As important as meditative quiescence and insight meditation are within the Buddhist tradition, it is crucial to balance such practices with the cultivation of altruism. In this meditation seminar, Alan Wallace teaches a sequence of meditations for the cultivation of the “Four Immeasurables,” namely loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and impartiality. These are followed by teachings and practice of Buddhist Mind-Training, or “Lojong.” While many teachings on Buddhist meditation fill us with a longing to spend more time in quiet, solitary meditation, the practices presented here brings us back to life, to the active world of living with others. This seminar consists of teachings, guided meditations and discussions, but the emphasis is on meditation. Regardless of whether we hold to any religious beliefs, these practices can be of benefit to everyone seeking to explore their own capacity to experience unconditional love and compassion.The retreat is available with streaming audio recordings, streaming video recordings or as a DVD.
This audio stream/video/DVD chronicles the seven-day retreat recorded July 19-26, 2008 at the Old Mission in Santa Barbara, CA and includes teachings, guided meditations, and discussions. Please select your preferred media type, audio stream, or DVD disks. -
The Four Noble Truths from the Perspective of Shravakayana, Mahayana and Dzogchen Nov 10-17, 2013 The Four Noble Truths comprise the basis and fundamental structure of all the Buddha’s teachings. More accurately translated as the “four realities for aryas” (those who have gained direct realization of nirvana), these are the four topics the Buddha taught when he first turned the Wheel of Dharma to his five close disciples in Sarnath, shortly after his enlightenment. During this week-long retreat, Lama Alan Wallace explains how these four realities are understood from the perspective of the Shravakayana, the Mahayana and the Vajrayana, or Buddhist tantra, culminating in the Great Perfection, or Dzogchen. Please read below for additional information and for the scholarship application. The retreat is available with streaming audio recordings, streaming video recordings or as a DVD. -
Gyatrul Rinpoche’s talk on “Karma Chakmé and Mingyur Dorjé,” recorded in 1989
Gyatrul Rinpoche’s talk on “Karma Chakmé and Mingyur Dorjé,” translated by Sangye Khandro, given at the Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles, January 6, 1989. Courtesy of Shambhala Meditation Center of Los Angeles. Please do NOT share this recording publicly in any way, on the internet, on any other platform, or any other means of distribution. This is being offered in conjunction with the release of, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions, composed and translated by B. Alan Wallace and Eva Natanya. We highly recommend this book for a deeper understanding of this text. Теперь доступны на русском языке четыре учения, вышедшие в рамках публикации сборника «Шаматха и Випашьяна: Антология сущностных наставлений». Учения Гьятрула Ринпоче на тему «Карма Чакме и Мингюр Дордже», перевод с английского Сангье Кхандро, дарованные в Медитационном центре Шамбалы, Лос-Анджелес, 6 января 1989 года
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We are delighted to be able to share H.E. Jamyang Dagmo Sakya Dagmola’s teaching on Drakpa Gyaltsen’s commentary on Parting from the Four Types of Clinging, given in Santa Barbara, California, January 2012 Courtesy of Tara Ling Santa Barbara Please do NOT share this recording publicly in any way, on the internet, on any other platform, or any other means of distribution. This is being offered in conjunction with the release of, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions, composed and translated by B. Alan Wallace and Eva Natanya. We highly recommend this book for a deeper understanding of this text. Теперь доступны на русском языке четыре учения, вышедшие в рамках публикации сборника «Шаматха и Випашьяна: Антология сущностных наставлений». Учение Досточтимой Джамьянг Дагмо Сакья Дагмолы по комментарию Дракпы Гьялцена к тексту «Отречение от четырёх видов привязанности», дарованное в Санта-Барбаре, Калифорния, январь 2012 года -
H.H. the Dalai Lama’s commentary to A Shower of Siddhis: A Song of the Four Recollections, Guidance in the View of the Middle Way
We are delighted to share with you H.H. the Dalai Lama’s commentary to A Shower of Siddhis: A Song of the Four Recollections, Guidance in the View of the Middle Way in Zollikon, Switzerland, 1979 Courtesy of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamsala, India Please do NOT share this recording publicly in any way, on the internet, on any other platform, or any other means of distribution. This is being offered in conjunction with the release of, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions, composed and translated by B. Alan Wallace and Eva Natanya. We highly recommend this book for a deeper understanding of this text. Теперь доступны на русском языке четыре учения, вышедшие в рамках публикации сборника «Шаматха и Випашьяна: Антология сущностных наставлений». Комментарий Его Святейшества Далай-Ламы к тексту «Дождь реализаций: Песнь четырёх памятований», наставление о взгляде срединного пути, данное в Цолликоне, Швейцария, 1979 год -
H.H. the Dalai Lama’s commentary to The Eight-Verse Mind Training
We are delighted to be able to share H.H. the Dalai Lama’s commentary to The Eight-Verse Mind Training, given at the Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies, Mt. Pèlerin, Switzerland, July 1979 Courtesy of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, Dharamsala, India Please do NOT share this recording publicly in any way, on the internet, on any other platform, or any other means of distribution. This is being offered in conjunction with the release of, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions, composed and translated by B. Alan Wallace and Eva Natanya. We highly recommend this book for a deeper understanding of this text. Теперь доступны на русском языке четыре учения, вышедшие в рамках публикации сборника «Шаматха и Випашьяна: Антология сущностных наставлений». Комментарий Его Святейшества Далай-Ламы к «Восьми строфам тренировки ума», дарованный в Институте высших тибетских исследований, Монт-Пелерин, Швейцария, июль 1979 года -
Lama Alan Wallace Public Teachings While in Retreat. On Guru Rinpoche Day, November 22, 2023, Lama Alan emerged from retreat silence for a few hours to offer a very meaningful public talk. This was held in the stillness of Manjushri Chapel at Miyo Samten Ling with the yogis in long-term retreat present. This talk was inspired by the excerpt, Value of Observing the Mind, from The Royal Seal of Mahamudra, Volume One, by The Third Khamtrul Rinpoche Ngawang Kunga Tenzin. Lama Alan continued this series of teachings on Dakini Day, January 6, 2024, and then he continued teaching on a regular basis throughout 2024. Register for this ongoing series of talks from this precious time while Lama Alan is in retreat. Each of the teachings are available with audio and video recordings and are being offered free of charge for all who are interested. Please read below for additional information. Por favor, leer la siguiente información adicional. Traducción al español disponible. -
During this week-long retreat, Alan Wallace teaches insight meditation drawn from the Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism which probes the nature of the mind. He discusses the relation between lucid dreaming and dream yoga, including areas of complementarity and divergence. In addition, throughout the week, retreatants are taught how to engage in the daytime and nighttime practices of dream yoga. Guided meditations and groups discussions are included as well as teaching by Alan Wallace. Modern scientific research into lucid dreaming draws a sharp distinction between the waking state and dreaming, and it has developed practical methods for inducing lucidity, namely, recognizing that we are dreaming while we are dreaming. The common theories and practices of lucid dreaming do not deeply challenge our conventional assumptions regarding the nature of waking reality, but rather help us to become more mindfully engaged with daytime experience, and can be remarkably effective in helping us to start having lucid dreams. These practices include keeping a dream journal, recognizing recurrent "dream signs," conducting "state checks" throughout the day to confirm whether we are awake or dreaming, and cultivating "prospective memory," that is, remembering to do things in the future. The ancient Buddhist contemplative tradition of dream yoga emphasizes the deep similarities between the waking state and dreaming, while also acknowledging significant differences. Dream yoga begins with the recognition that we are dreaming while in the dream state, which is common to the modern discipline of lucid dreaming. But after recognizing the dream for what it is, dream yoga shows how to explore the nature of dream reality by transforming the contents of the dream. Latter stages of this practice leads to a fearlessness in the dream state and the experiential exploration of the "substrate consciousness," out of which all dreams emerge. The ultimate aim of dream yoga is to fully awaken to the nature of experienced reality as a Buddha, an "Awakened One." During this retreat, Alan Wallace discusses the relation between lucid dreaming and dream yoga, their areas of complementarity and divergence, and daytime vs. nighttime practices of dream yoga. Please select the media type you would like to receive: DVD video discs, or downloadable MP3 audio files and PDFs. -
Retreat Title: Lucid Dreaming and Dream Yoga September 18-25, 2018 Sponsored by Garrison Institute, New York Audio Stream and DownloadModern scientific research into lucid dreaming draws a sharp distinction between the waking state and dreaming, and it has developed practical methods for inducing lucidity, namely, recognizing that we are dreaming while we are dreaming.The ancient Buddhist contemplative tradition of dream yoga points out deep similarities between the waking state and dreaming, encouraging us to become lucid at all times. To fully awaken to the nature of experience is to be a Buddha, an “Awakened One,” and that is the ultimate aim of dream yoga.During this retreat, Alan Wallace will discuss the relation between lucid dreaming and dream yoga, including areas of complementarity and divergence. In addition, we will engage in the daytime and nighttime practices of dream yoga, interspersed with times for discussion.You may select either the digital download files (you will receive an email with download links) or the MP3 CD discs. These will be delivered via USPS mail. -
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Mahamudra Shamatha Teachings with Drubpon Lama Karma
This retreat with Drupön Lama Karma is no longer available. In the future, registration for retreats with Drupön Lama Karma will only be available for a few months after the retreat is concluded.
November 2023, Part 1, Three-Month Series
Drubpon Lama Karma provides detailed instructions on the practice of Shamatha from the Mahamudra perspective, based on his own experience from years of meditation retreats. These teachings began on November 3, 2023 and continued on a weekly basis for three months. The teachings are available in both audio and video recordings. The teachings are in Tibetan language with English translation. The videos of these teachings are in the process of being updated on YouTube with Spanish and Portuguese closed captions (CC). The first few sessions are now available. You can watch the first session of this series of Shamatha teachings free on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK10qdh4j2I You can read more about Lama Karma and these teachings by clicking here. If you need a scholarship for this series, please email: karmajnana108@gmail.com -
Lama Alan offers concise, pith instructions on the four revolutions in outlook, the common, outer preliminaries that are the basis for the uncommon inner preliminaries. These teachings are from the 2020 8-week retreat, The Vajra Essence Part I. There are no prerequisites for these teachings. If you would like to register for the entire 8-week retreat you can click here -
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This MP3 Audio disc set chronicles the seven-day Meditation Seminar for Neuroscientists & Mental Healthcare Professionals recorded March 22 - 29, 2009 at the Old Mission in Santa Barbara, CA. -
"Probing the Ultimate Nature of Reality" is available as a DVD set, or digital download MP3 audio stream files. Both options include PDF files, retreat handouts, and other pertinent information. DVD SET: This nine-disc DVD set chronicles the seven-day retreat “Probing the Ultimate Nature of Reality: A Vipashyana Retreat in the Great Perfection Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, presented on the basis of Dudjom Lingpa’s Mind Treasure, The Vajra Essence” in Santa Barbara, California from September 2009. MP3 AUDIO DOWNLOAD: All seven days of this retreat are available by MP3 audio stream and conveniently divided into teachings, meditations, and discussions. PDF files include explanatory notes on the audio files, retreat handouts, and other pertinent information. Pre-requisites: Part I “Exploring the Depths of the Psyche: A Shamatha Retreat in the Great Perfection Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism", presented on the basis of Dudjom Lingpa’s Mind Treasure, The Vajra Essence” in Santa Barbara, California from June 21 – 28, 2009. Please select either the 9-DVD set (sent via Priority Mail) or the digital MP3 audio download files (you will receive a download link). -
Retreat on Atiśa’s Pith Instructions on Theory and PracticeLama Alan Wallace offers commentaries on Three Texts by Atiśa:Guide to the Two RealitiesPith Instructions on a Single MindfulnessThe Mahāmudrā Granted by the Noble Lord to GönpawaThe translations that Lama Alan was reading from for this retreat have now been revised and are available in the book, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions. The content of the teaching is not impacted with the revised translations.For additional information please read below.Translations available into Portuguese and SpanishPlease select your media option and language option.
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Shamatha Teachings with Drupla Tsampa Karma Translated by Khenpo Namchak Dorji Recorded in October 19 and 20, 2019 (one and a half day retreat) The translation for these teachings has now been revised and is available in the book, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions. The content of the teaching is not impacted with the revised translations. -
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The 19th-century classic Dzogchen treatise, The Vajra Essence, by the eminent master Dudjom Lingpa concludes with a concise lucid account of the Six Bardos, namely the Bardos of Living, Dreaming, Meditative Stabilization, Dying, Reality-itself, and Becoming. The teachings on these Bardos show how each of these trasitional phases of cyclic existence can provide a platform for achieving enlightenment, particularly by way of the practices of shamatha, Vipashyana, and Dzogchen. During this retreat, B. Alan Wallace offers an explanation of Dujom Lingpas teachings, together with guided meditations for putting them into practice. All seven days of this retreat are reproduced in full in this two CD set, conveniently divided into teachings, meditations, and discussions. PDF files on the first disk include explanatory notes on the audio files, retreat handouts, and other pertinent information. This audio MP3 CD set chronicles the seven-day retreat held at Santa Barbara's historical Old Mission. Recorded March 21-28,2010. MP3 CDs suitable for use in computers and MP3 players. -
The 19th-century classic Dzogchen treatise, The Vajra Essence, by the eminent master Düdjom Lingpa concludes with a concise lucid account of the Six Bardos, namely the Bardos of Living, Dreaming, Meditative Stabilization, Dying, Reality itself, and Becoming. The teachings on these Bardos show how each of these transitional phases of cyclic existence can provide a platform for achieving enlightenment, particularly by way of the practices of shamatha, vipashyana, and Dzogchen. Lama Alan Wallace offers an explanation of Düdjom Lingpa's teachings, with guided meditations for putting them into practice. This seven-day retreat was recorded March 2011, at the Old Mission in Santa Barbara, CA The retreat is available via streaming video, streaming or downloadable audio recordings or DVD. -
In this meditation seminar, Alan Wallace teaches a sequence of meditations for cultivation of the "Four Immeasurables," namely loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and impartiality. These are followed by the teachings and practice of Buddhist Mind-Training, or "Lojong." While many teachings on Buddhist meditation fill us with a longing to spend more time in quiet, solitary meditation, these practies bring us back to life, to the active world of living with others. The optimal situation to apply these teachings on cultivating a good heart is active life, socially engaged with other people at home and about town, moving away from habitual self-centeredness to greater empathy and loving concern for the welfare for those around us. Regardless of whether we hold to any religious beliefs, these practices can be of benefit to everyone seeking to explore their own capacity to experience unconditional love and compassion. Recorded in November 2009 at the historic Santa Barbara Mission. Please select from the DVD video, MP3 CD disc, or the download audio files -
In this weekend retreat held in Santa Barbara, California, B. Alan Wallace, Ph.D. explores methods of cultivating genuine happiness. The retreat consists of meditation, lecture, and discussion periods focusing on the themes found in Wallace's book "Genuine Happiness." These include methods for cultivating attentional stability and vividness, contemplative insight, and the Four Immeasurables of loving kindness, equanimity, compassion and sympathetic joy. The teachings are designed to help us integrate practice into our everyday life in the world through mind training. The downloadable MP3 audio files, and the four-disc DVD video set, chronicles the weekend retreat "The Cultivation of Genuine Happiness Meditation as the Path to Fulfillment" held at Santa Barbara's historical Old Mission July 24-26, 2009.Please select either the DVD video collection, or the download MP3 audio files and PDF.
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A meditation retreat on the second half of Düdjom Lingpa's, The Foolish Dharma of an Idiot Clothed in Mud and Feathers. Dzogchen, or the "Great Perfection," is regarded by many as the pinnacle of Buddhist teachings, for it presents the most direct path to realizing our true nature and to unveiling the deepest dimensions of consciousness. This retreat consists of lectures, guided meditations and discussions, and is intended for participants with a sound understanding and practice of the foundational Buddhist teachings of the Four Noble Truths, Bodhicitta, and the Six Perfections. This retreat was recorded in Santa Barbara, April 12-17, 2015. Please read more below about the retreat. This is offered via audio stream/download, video stream or DVD. -
A meditation retreat on the first half of Düdjom Lingpa's, The Foolish Dharma of an Idiot Clothed in Mud and Feathers. Dzogchen, or the "Great Perfection," is regarded by many as the pinnacle of Buddhist teachings, for it presents the most direct path to realizing our true nature and to unveiling the deepest dimensions of consciousness. This retreat consists of lectures, guided meditations and discussions, and is intended for participants with a sound understanding and practice of the foundational Buddhist teachings of the Four Noble Truths, Bodhicitta, and the Six Perfections. This retreat was recorded in Santa Barbara, May 11-18, 2014. Please read more below about the retreat. This is offered via audio stream/download, video stream or DVD. -
A central message of the Buddha’s teachings is that the mind is purified of its afflictions through the integrated cultivation of meditative quiescence (shamatha) and contemplative insight (vipashyana). The four applications of mindfulness—of the body, feelings, mental states, and mental objects—comprise the foundation of Buddhist insight practice. As we investigate the nature of these features of our existence in this seminar, we will probe the nature of human identity and the possibility of freedom from suffering and its inner causes. This audio stream and DVD chronicles the seven-day Four Applications of Mindfulness retreat held at Santa Barbara’s historic Old Mission in May 2008. -
During the 2022, The Vajra Essence - Part 3, 8-week retreat, Lama Alan offered three teachings, and meditations, on these essential, integrated shamatha meditations:
- Mindfulness of breathing,
- Taking the mind as the path and
- Shamatha without a sign.
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During this retreat, Lama Alan Wallace introduces the theory and practice of three methods of developing meditative quiescence or shamatha. He begins with the practice of mindfulness of breathing as taught in the Theravada tradition, which is especially effective for soothing the body and calming the discursive mind. He then explores an approach to shamatha that is particularly pertinent for Dzogchen practice, called "settling the mind in its natural state," as taught by the 19th century Dzogchen master Lerab Lingpa in his commentary to the "Heart Essence of Vimalamitra." Finally, he engages the practices of "shamatha without a sign" as taught by Padmasambhava in his classic treatise Natural Liberation. Although this subtle practice is taught explicitly as a means of achieving shamatha, Padmasambhava comments that it may even result in a realization of rigpa, or pristine awareness. The achievement of shamatha is widely regarded in the Buddhist tradition as an indispensable foundation for the cultivation of contemplative insight (vipashyana). The retreat consists of lectures, guided meditations and discussions. The retreat was recorded in January 2010, in Santa Barbara, CA and is available via DVD, Audio or Video Recordings. -
Out of stock
This MP3 set chronicles the seven-day The Way of Shamatha retreat held at Santa Barbara's historic Old Mission in April 2008. -
Virtual retreat from Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, CO
This retreat began with oral commentaries on Lama Alan’s two freshly translated dialogues between Atisha and his principal disciple Drom Tönpa; then we turned to a close examination of the fifty-one mental processes according to classic Indian Buddhist psychology.
The retreat will be available by both video-stream and audio-stream/download, and both are included in the price. If you need a scholarship, you can apply here. The translations that Lama Alan was reading from for this retreat have now been revised and are available in the book, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions. The content of the teaching is not impacted with the revised translations.Please see below for more information on the teachings and additional details about the retreat.
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With the many demands on our time in today’s world, it is all too easy to continue our spiritual practice to brief periods of meditation each day, supplemented by occasional teachings and retreats. But it is difficult for such intermittent dedication to Dharma, interrupted by long periods of mundane activities and concerns, to bring about deep and lasting transformation in our minds and way of life. In his classic text “Transforming Felicity and Adversity into the Spiritual Path” the 19th century Dzogchen master Dodrupchen Rinpoché Jigmé Tenpé Nyima, Düdjom Lingpa's eldest son, provides practical instruction for transmuting all of life’s ups and downs into nourishment on the path to enlightenment. During this retreat, Lama Alan Wallace offers an explanation of these teachings, together with guided meditations for putting them into practice.This online meditation retreat had simultaneous translation into Spanish and Portuguese. After you place your order you will receive an email with a link to the teachings. The audio stream was recorded on July 25-26, 2020Audio Download $108Video Stream - $148Both Audio Download and Video Stream - $220Recordings are available in three languages, English, Spanish and Portuguese, please select the language you want to download. -
With the many demands on our time in today’s world, it is all too easy to continue our spiritual practice to brief periods of meditation each day, supplemented by occasional teachings and retreats. But it is difficult for such intermittent dedication to Dharma, interrupted by long periods of mundane activities and concerns, to bring about deep and lasting transformation in our minds and way of life. In his classic text “Transforming Felicity and Adversity into the Spiritual Path” the 19th century Dzogchen master Dodrupchen Tenpey Nyima provides practical instruction for transmuting all of life’s ups and downs into nourishment on the path to enlightenment. During this retreat, Lama Alan Wallace offers an explanation of his teachings, together with guided meditations for putting them into practice. The audio recordings cover three and a half days of teaching and you will also receive the text. After you place your order you will receive an email with a link to the teachings. The audio stream was recorded in June, 2013 at Santa Barbara’s historical Old Mission. -
Drubpon Lama Karma held three online teachings on the Four Immeasurables (recorded Oct. 24 and Nov. 21), and Practical Advice from The Ocean of Enlightened Activities to Benefit Beings by Karma Chagme (recorded Nov. 21 and Dec. 19, 2020). The teachings were translated by Khenpo Sonam into English.This retreat is available for video streaming and audio download - select your option below.
