• 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  
     
  • According to Mahayana Buddhism, the deepest dimension of consciousness is known as Buddha-nature, or primordial consciousness. Although it transcends space and time, as well as all conceptual frameworks including that of existence and non- existence, it can, nevertheless, be known with direct, nondual awareness. The root of all suffering is twofold: (1) grasping onto that which is not "I" or "mine" as being "I" or "mine," and (2) failing to realize who we really are. The Buddha-nature is our deepest nature, primordially pure and luminous. In this meditation seminar, B. Alan Wallace places the teachings on Buddha-nature within the context of Buddhism as a whole, including the "Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma." The differences between the Buddha-nature and other meditative experiences, such as the substrate consciousness (alayavigñana), are carefully examined. The combination of meditations, teachings, and discussion sessions creates a powerful experience that will help to awaken your own Buddha-nature. Recorded in November 2008 at the Old Mission Renewal Center, Santa Barbara.
  • Atiśa’s Pith Instructions on the Middle Way and Commentary by Prajñāmoksha

    This two-day retreat includes Lama Alan Wallace’s oral commentaries and guided meditations, as well as discussion and questions and answer sessions. Please read below for more information about the retreat.

    This was recorded September 19 – 20, 2020 in Santa Barbara.

    The retreat is also available translated into Portuguese.

    Audio  Download $108

    Video Stream $148
    Both $220
  • 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).  
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • This audio stream and download contains 26 meditations from retreats with Alan Wallace in Santa Barbara, CA in 2009 . You will receive a Dropbox link to listen to these guided meditations.
  • 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 Research
    This 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. This year we are offering multiple pricing options as you will see below when you select Choose An Option.
  • A virtual retreat from Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, Colorado

    Sponsored by Santa Barbara Institute and the Center for Contemplative Research

    The Vajra Essence – Part III March 31 - May 30, 2022

    Audio Stream/Download Registration

      This online, 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. Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program By purchasing you acknowledge that you have satisfied the retreat prerequisites of listening to both the 2020 and 2021 8-week retreats on The Vajra Essence and will listen to Lama Alan’s oral commentary to The Vajra Essence in its entirety and have had an empowerment or will receive the recommended empowerment. If you have not received the Lake-Born Vajra empowerment from Lama Alan, then you should not listen to Yangchen's teachings on the sadhana (which began after the empowerment was granted during the 2022 8-week retreat on May 11, 2022). We do hope that at a future date the empowerment will be available again. This year we are offering multiple pricing options as you will see below when you select Choose An Option. If you need a scholarship, you can apply here. Please read all of the details below under description.
  • The Vajra Essence – Part 2

    Phase 3: “Revealing the Ground Dharmakāya” and Phase 4: “Determining the Characteristics and Qualities of the Ground” in The Vajra Essence: From the Matrix of Pure Appearances and Primordial Consciousness, a Tantra Self-Emergent from the Nature of Existence. April 1 – May 26, 2021

    Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program

    By purchasing you acknowledge that you have satisfied the retreat prerequisites of listening to the 2020 8-week retreat and will listen to Lama Alan’s oral commentary to the Vajra Essence in its entirety and have had an empowerment or will receive the recommended empowerment. If you need a scholarship, you can apply here.

    Please read full details below in description.

  • Phase 1: “Taking the Impure Mind as the Path” and Phase 2: “Revealing Your Own Face as the Sharp Vajra of Vipaśyanā” in The Vajra Essence: From the Matrix of Pure Appearances and Primordial Consciousness, a Tantra Self-Emergent from the Nature of Existence with B. Alan Wallace.

    Retreat Dates: April 1- May 26, 2020

    Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program

    One must have genuine interest in practicing the dharma and must have read the text, “The Fine Path to Liberation.” If you need a scholarship, you can apply here.

    Please read full details below in description.

  • The Enlightened View of Samantabhadra
    Location: Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy
    Held From: April 4th - May 30th, 2019

    During this eight-week retreat, Alan Wallace will give detailed oral commentaries on one of the five classic Dzogchen treatises by Düdjom Lingpa, The Enlightened View of Samantabhadra. This is the third in a series of 8-week retreats in which commentaries and oral transmissions will be offered for all five of these treatises: The Sharp Vajra of Conscious Awareness Tantra (2018), The Enlightened View of Samantabhadra (2019), and The Vajra Essence (2020-2023)

    Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program

    One must have genuine interest in practicing the dharma and must have read the text, “The Fine Path to Liberation.” If you need a scholarship, you can apply here.

    Please read full details below in Description.

  • B. Alan Wallace and Glen Svensson 04 Apr 2018 – 30 May 2018 Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy During this eight-week retreat, Alan Wallace will begin by commenting on Sera Khandro’s explanation of the preliminary practices for Dzogchen in The Fine Path to Liberation and by granting the empowerment of the Lake-Born Vajra manifestation of Padmasambhava. He will then give detailed oral commentaries on one of the five classic Dzogchen treatises by Düdjom Lingpa, The Sharp Vajra of Conscious Awareness, in addition to Düdjom Lingpa’s commentary (edited by Pema Tashi), entitled The Essence of Clear Meaning. Alan will comment on all aspects of these texts except the pith instructions on the direct crossing over (thögal), which is to be taught only to individuals who are able to abide continuously in pristine awareness.

    Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program

    One must have genuine interest in practicing the dharma and must have read the text, “The Fine Path to Liberation.” If you need a scholarship, you can apply here.

    Please read full details below in Description.

  • “The Foolish Dharma of an Idiot Clothed in Mud and Feathers,” “Buddhahood Without Meditation” and “The Fine Path to Liberation” with B. Alan Wallace

    03 Apr 2017 – 30 May 2017 Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Tuscany, Italy During this eight-week retreat Alan Wallace will give detailed oral commentaries on two of the five classic Dzogchen treatises by Düdjom Lingpa, The Foolish Dharma of an Idiot Clothed in Mud and Feathers and Buddhahood Without Meditation, in addition to the brief text on the preliminary practices for Dzogchen by Sera Khandro, entitled The Fine Path to Liberation. This will be the first in a series of 8-week retreats in which commentaries and oral transmissions will be offered for all five of these treatises: The Sharp Vajra of Conscious Awareness Tantra (2018), The Enlightened View of Samantabhadra (2019), and The Vajra Essence (2020-2023).

    Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program

    To register for this retreat, you should be familiar with the foundational teachings and practices of shamatha, the four applications of mindfulness, and the four immeasurables. See below for list of teachings. One must have genuine interest in practicing the dharma and must have read the text, “The Fine Path to Liberation.” If you need a scholarship, you can apply here. Please read full details below in Description.

  • A Meditation Retreat on Shamatha, Vipashyana, Mahamudra, and Dzogchen

    B. Alan Wallace 29 Mar 2016 – 24 May 2016 Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Italy Spring 8-Week retreat on Shamatha, Vipashyana, and Mahamudra, based upon two texts: Panchen Lozang Chökyi Gyaltsen’s Highway of the Jinas: A Root Text on the Precious Geluk-Kagyü Mahamudra Tradition, and Karma Chagmé’s Naked Awareness: Practical Teachings on the Union. Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program To register for this retreat you should be familiar with the foundational teachings and practices of shamatha, the four applications of mindfulness, and the four immeasurables. See below for list of teachings. Please read full details below in Description.

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