Annual Kalachakra Six Session Guru Yoga Retreat for World Peace
With Venerable Steve Carlier
June 4 - 11, 2025
Online only via Zoom
June 4-June 11
About Kalachakra:
Kyabje Jhado Rinpoche explained the meaning of “Kalachakra” during a teaching at Maitripa College in Portland.
“Kala” means time. At no time does the primordial clear light mind ever change; it has always been pure, is pure, and will always be pure. What “Kala” refers to is the mind of an enlightened being.
“Chakra” means wheel. The empty form is utterly devoid of any matter, and arises only from supreme immutable great bliss. It is the natural expression of that great bliss, and refers to the whole circle of Kalachakra deities as well as their mandala residence.
In this way, the name “Kalachakra” explains the pure essence of each and every one of us, as well as the worlds we inhabit.
A few years ago, we had the amazing good fortune of sitting in retreat on the Kalachakra Six-Session Guru Yoga with Kyabje Jhado Rinpoche. This was his advice to us on our first evening together:
“We are very fortunate to have received the initiation from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Some of us have received it several times even, which never happened before. The purpose of the retreat is so we don’t just leave it at receiving initiation but instead, we practice.”
About the Retreat:
This is a mantra recitation retreat where we aim to recite 100,000 Kalachakra mantras.
Several years ago, Lama Zopa Rinpoche said that it would be good to request Jhado Rinpoche to lead a Kalachakra Mind Mandala retreat at Land of Medicine Buddha. We asked how we might best prepare for that, and Jhado RInpoche suggested we familiarize ourselves with the Kalachakra Six-Session Guru Yoga.
If you are interested in participating in the Kalachakra Mind Mandala retreat, guided by Jhado Rinpoche at LMB in the future, we strongly encourage you to take part in this Kalachakra Six Session Guru Yoga retreat.
We will also recite as many of the mantras of the ten Shaktis AS WE CAN.
Following Jhado Rinpoche’s advice, since circumstances prevent us from finishing with a fire puja as is usual for an enabling retreat (las rung), we will start and end the retreat with tsog offering, as well as observing tsog offering during the retreat as appropriate.
Retreat Requirements:
- Must have received the Kalachakra initiation (wang) or permission (jenang)
- Currently doing a daily practice of a Six-Session Guru Yoga
Due to this being a tantric retreat, all participants need to be accepted for the retreat to ensure they have the necessary empowerments. Zoom links and Retreat materials will be sent a week before the retreat for all those who are accepted
If you have registered and don’t have the necessary empowerments your registration will be cancelled and you will receive a full refund.
Once registered you will receive an email with a form to fill out to help us determine whether you can participate in this retreat or not. If you do not fill out the form, you will not be accepted into the retreat.
Retreat Schedule:
Wednesday, June 4
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Orientation and Tsog Offering
Thursday, June 5– Tuesday, June 10
6:00 am – 8:00 am – Session 1
9:30 am – 11:30 am – Session 2
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm – Session 3
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm – Session 4
Wednesday, June 11
6:00 am – 8:00 am – Final session concluding with a Tsog Offering
*We will be ending during the peak of Saga Dawa, which honors Buddha Sakyamuni. This is a merit multiplying time and an auspicious moment to be practicing together.
Leader
Ven Steve was born in the UK and has been learning about Buddhism since 1977. He first met Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1978. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk by Lama Zopa Rinpoche in 1979, and received full ordination from Serkong Tsenshab Rinpoche the following year.…
Learn more about Venerable Steve Carlier