The Practices of Mandarava
Explanations of the Crucial Points
by Nina Robinson
Requirement: Transmission of Lung from Chögyal Namkhai Norbu's teaching is needed.
Location: Tsegyalgar East, Schoolhouse Gonpa, Conway, MA
9th —15th November 2015
To reach total realization, we must of course work with present circumstances. Perhaps foremost among our given circumstances is our actual material body and its energies. The special practices of Jnanadakini Mandarava afford us the precious and extraordinary opportunity to work with and purify the subtle energies of our bodies by means of specific methods involving breathings and visualizations.
These special practices for strengthening our life force and enriching our circumstances as we work toward achieving realization were first revealed to Chögyal Namkhai Norbu while staying at the cave of Marathika in Nepal in 1984; many clarifications of these practices were revealed to him in later dreams.
Nina Robinson is a senior student of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche who is expert in all aspects of these Mandarava practices; she has been authorized by him to demonstrate and explicate the crucial points of practice so that we may learn details of visualizations and breathings, how to coordinate visualizations and breathings as we practice, use of mudras, use of instruments, construction and use of the dadar, and so on, in order that our meditation practice of these teachings be correct and complete and, thus, effective.
SCHEDULEMonday, November 9
28th day of 9th Tibetan month
10 AM-12PM: introduction; explanation of Mandarava practices received in dreams by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu with later clarifications;
3:30PM-5:30PM: explanation and practice including mantra recitation to empower chülen pills.
Tuesday, November 10
29th day of 9th Tibetan month
10 AM-12PM: explanation of chülen and sogtig breathings with practice;
3:30PM-5:30PM: explanation of mudras followed by practice including sogtig pranayama.
Wednesday, November 11
30th day of 9th Tibetan month
10 AM-12PM: explanation of 1st part of the Thigle Khajor tsalung, with practice;
3:15PM-5:30PM: explanation of the 2nd and 3rd parts of the Thigle Khajor tsalung, with practice; Ganapuja 7pm arrival to prepare for 7:30pm puja (collective practice for special day: new moon).
Thursday, November 12
1st day of 10th Tibetan month
10 AM-12PM: explanation of purification method of the 1st part of Wisdom Fire (4 RAMs) tsalung, with practice;
3:30PM-5:30PM: explanation of purification method of the 2nd part of Wisdom Fire tsalung, with practice.
Friday, November 13
2nd day of 10th Tibetan month
10 AM-12PM: explanation of the ‘turning the Ku’ method of developing inner heat; long practice;
3:30PM-5:30PM: explanation of a method (red Hum) for developing inner heat mainly related to the channels; long practice.
Saturday, November 14
3rd day of 10th Tibetan month
10 AM-12PM: explanation and long practice with sogtig pranayama;
3:30PM-5:30PM: explanation and practices of tsalung via methods (green; red) that mainly use the channels to develop inner heat.
Sunday, November 15
4th day of 10th Tibetan month
10 AM-12PM: explanation and practice of tsalung through methods (yellow; white) that mainly use the channels to develop inner heat;
Everyone is welcome to the afternoon Session/Ganapuja
3:00PM: Explanation of Mandarava Ganapuja section of practice.
3:30PM: Prepare for Ganapuja
4:00PM: Mandarava Ganapuja - we will Dance the Song of Vajra and potentiate Namkha.
Suggested Donation:
The suggested donation for Nina’s retreat is $330. This is 28 hours of teaching time over a 7-day retreat period. This amount is in line with the other weekend courses we usually offer, if broken down. Any donation can be partitioned over a period of time, rather than one lump sum. For example, a donation of $330 can be arranged through a donation of $27.50 monthly over 12 months.
This is the suggested donation; you will not be turned away if you choose to offer less than the suggested donation.
Members: $330 for 7 days of teachings (two 2-hour sessions per day);
Payment plan available— 3 payments of $110 (contact: secretary@tsegyalgar.org);
$35 per 2-hour session; $60 per day (two sessions on one day).
Members Register & Pay Online
Non-Members: $400 for 7-days of teachings (two 2-hour sessions per day);
$45 per 2-hour session; $80 per day (two sessions on one day).
Non-Members Register & Pay Online
This and other courses will not be webcasted. We do encourage members at a distance to attend courses in person when possible and join us for specially webcasted group practices. Click here for weekly practice calendar listings.
