When we step into the Vajrayana, we step into the brilliance of our lives. Moving beyond the confines of habitual thought, we touch the fire of reality, burn away the unnecessary, and recover the wholeness that is our birthright.
Within an intimate and supportive environment, both first-time and returning participants will be introduced to the view, practice, and result of the vajrayana according to the teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Dr. Reginald Ray. In this two-week immersion retreat, participants are guided through the vajrayana teachings and the preliminary practices (ngöndro) by Dharma Ocean Senior Teacher David Iozzi. Participants will be offered the opportunity to request transmission into the Dharmasagara lineage from Reggie Ray, and if their request is accepted, participants will receive transmission from him at Vajra Assembly and be fully qualified for Vajrayana Training Intensive in 2017.
Location
Blazing Mountain Retreat Center
Crestone, CO
Coordinator
info@dharmaocean.org
David Iozzi
Practicing for over 15-years and training with Reggie since 2004, David holds the study and practice of meditation as his primary life commitment. In 2006 he developed a meditation program based on "Meditating with the Body" at a large, non-profit research institute where he worked as a research scientist and engineer. David’s teaching draws on his love of science and a background in Japanese martial arts and explores how the depth of being uncovered in practice manifests in everyday experience. In 2013 David moved to Boulder to serve as Dharma Ocean’s Executive Director.
Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Ray
Dr. Reginald “Reggie” Ray draws on four decades of study and intensive meditation practice within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition to address the unique problems, inspirations, and spiritual imperatives of modern people. He is the founder and Spiritual Director of the Dharma Ocean Foundation, a non-profit educational organization dedicated to the practice, study, and preservation of the teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and the practice lineage he embodied.
Registration
If you have not previously completed Vajra Assembly you must apply for the program. To apply click the “Apply Now” link at the top of the page. Applications are due April 29. For more information about this summer’s Vajrayana programs, click here.
Requirements for attendance include:
- Experience with the Meditating with the Body practices
- Completion of four weeks of a Dharma Ocean Winter Meditation Intensive (Dathün)
- Successful completion of both the Hinayana and Mahayana sections* of the Sutrayana Study and Practice Intensive
- Completion of the Mahayana practice requirements, including the Seven-Limbed Bodhicitta training (300 hours)
- Having taken the Bodhisattva Vow
- An established ongoing relationship with a Dharma Ocean Meditation Instructor and a letter of recommendation from them
- Demonstrated readiness to enter the Vajrayana
For questions about these requirements and your readiness to attend this program, please speak with your Meditation Instructor.
The total price of the retreat ranges from $1,068 and $2,903, depending on your choice of housing and if you have previously attended the program. This includes food, tuition, lodging, and tax.
Scholarship and Work-Study
There will be scholarship and work-study available for this program. If you are interested in this option please register for the program and fill out an application by May 29th, 2016. Click here for more information, and to find the online financial aid application. Applications will be reviewed shortly after the scholarship deadline. Priority will be given to those who apply before the deadline, but you may apply at any time.
Transportation
For general information about traveling to our retreat center, please see the Getting Here page on the Blazing Mountain website.
Dharma Ocean offers a shuttle service from Moffat to the retreat center for those riding the Black Hills Stage Line from Denver. There are limited seats available, therefore we suggest that you choose this option at registration if you need this service and would like to guarantee a seat. The cost of the shuttle is $30 round-trip.
Retreat Details
Please plan to arrive between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. on Sunday July 10th. Departure will be after breakfast on Saturday July 23rd.
*If you are staff or work-study for this program, please plan on arriving a day early. Take down work-study will need to stay through 5:00pm on departure day. Please contact Katherine Walker (registrar@dharmaocean.org) if you have questions.
Check out our Program FAQ page for other important information about being on retreat at Blazing Mountain. For any further questions please email us at info@dharmaocean.org.
Program Staffing Opportunities
If you feel inspired and called to deepen your training by serving in a staff role, please visit Service and Volunteering Opportunities and fill out the staff request form.