The Sakya Tharpa Ling Centre conducts an extensive range of major Tibetan Buddhist practices on a regular basis. These include practices at both Sakya Tharpa Ling and Drogmi Retreat Centre:
Sakya Tharpa Ling
Daily:
- 7.00am weekdays, 8.30am on weekends and Public Holidays: Green Tara
Tara represents active compassion and this practice swiftly eliminates obstacles in your life.
Sundays:
- 8:30am: Green Tara
- 9:30am (1st and 5th Sundays): Vajrapani Practice (for initiates only)
9:30am (2nd and 4th Sundays): Vajrayogini Practice (for initiates only)
9:30am (3rd Sundays): White Tara Practice (for initiates only) - 11.00am: Shamatha meditation
This practice combines slow chanting and breath meditation to calm the mind. - 12:30pm (2nd Sunday of the month): Community lunch
Tuesdays:
- 6.00pm: Drop-in meditation [More...]
Wednesdays:
- 7.30pm: Chenrezig
Meditating on this aspect of the enlightened mind develops inner strength to cope with the stresses of modern life and enhances one's practice of loving-kindness. - 8.30pm: Refuge; Vajrasattva; Mandala Offering; Guru Yoga (Guru Yoga practice is for initiates only)
These four practices take place on alternate weeks.
Monthly:
- Vajrayogini Tsog (for Sakya initiates only) – day and time will vary - please check the Calendar for this month’s details.
- Mahakala Puja will be performed four times each month at Sakya Tharpa Ling. The dates will vary, according to the Tibetan calendar, and will be shown in our Calendar. Mahakala is a Dharma protector. Doing or offering this practice purifies obstacles affecting our jobs, families, relationships in general, and in particular removes obstacles for dharma practice. Traditionally people request the puja for those they want to help and traditionally an offering is made when one requests it to be dedicated for a special purpose. Lama Ngawang Tenzin will be performing the Puja and anyone is welcome to sit in while he does it. At Bir monastery, Lama Ngawang was the Mahakala puja monk, who performed it every day on behalf of the monastery. We are very fortunate at Sakya Tharpa Ling to be able to offer the puja on the four specific Mahakala days of the month. It is very rare in a western centre to be able to offer it so often – it is a special opportunity that we can all avail ourselves of, to help many sentient beings.
Drogmi Retreat Centre
Sundays
- 8:30am: Green Tara
- 9:30am: Shamatha meditation
- 11.00am: When Khenpo Ngawang Dhamchoe is in attendance, Shamatha practice will be followed by a short teaching and discussion