Dzogchen Cycles 2020-2023

Dzogchen Cycles: Heart Essence Transmission 

The curriculum will be guided by the teachings to date and in consultation with Rinpoche.

The full Dzogchen Cycles curriculum includes one annual seven-to-ten-day teaching retreat and two weekend retreats and access to a trained mentor for the program if requested. Additionally, three interactive webinars are provided to support practice of these teachings. Some years will include a formal practice retreat and a teaching practice retreat, either independently or attached to the May retreat.

We strongly recommend that students attend at least one retreat annually in person as it strengthens both transmission and community.

The A La Carte option allows participants to take select retreats appropriate to their background. Upon application, our lamas may suggest ideal starting points for individual situations. 

No prior experience is required to join the program. Everyone is welcome to apply.  Participation in all formal practice retreats such as our Yeshe Tsogyal 2021 requires having previously received the teachings. 

The curriculum deepens practice opportunities for modern, Western Buddhist students. In particular, we offer connection with the wonders of one of Tibet’s most celebrated wisdom lineages, The Heart Essence Vast Expanse (Longchen Nyingthig) cycle of teachings, as well as related cycles. This includes the Luminous Heart Essence (Osel Nyingthig) cycles recently revealed by our teacher in Tibet. These cycles are taught by Lama Rigzin Drolma (Anne C. Klein, PhD.) and Lama Namgyal Dorje (Harvey B. Aronson, PhD.) who have for many years had the golden opportunity to receive personal instruction on these practices from the revealer, Ad.zom Paylo Rinpoche.

The program offers a complete path from the early stages of practice to an ever-deepening appreciation of the vast view of the Dzogchen teachings..

You are invited to watch a condensed version of Lama Rigzin and Lama Namgyal’s description of this program or the full two-hour presentation of the program. This extended video includes our lamas’ connection to the lineage, questions and answers regarding course content, and other topics as well.

Materials from previous cycles are available for purchase upon request and as appropriate for new participants.

Overview of Dawn Mountain’s 2020 – 2023 Dzogchen Cycles Programs

•  May 2020: Yeshe Tsogyal Dakini Foundation and Troma Severance   

Based on extensive discussion with Ad.zom Paylo Rinpoche, Cycles year 2020 began in with a formal five-day Yeshe Tsogyal Dakini Foundation practice followed by a one-week teaching and practice of Troma Severance. Both are from APR’s Luminous Heart Essence Cycle and have been archived and available for purchase by Dawn Mountain.

• Spring 2021: FREEING WISDOM: From Seeing to Being with Lady Wisdom, Prajnaparamita

An inspired sky-pearl through the blessings and brief words of the incomparable Ad.zom Paylo Rinpoche. Titled by him Sem Nyi Rang Grol (Mind Nature Freeing Itself) and Nyam Nyi Rang Grol (Self-Freeing Sameness), these teachings were bestowed on Rigzin Drolma in Tibet.

This is the closing retreat of the May 2020 – February 2021 year of Dzogchen Cycles!

• May 2021: Becoming Yeshe Tsogyal: Dakini Foundation and Accomplishment Practice from the Luminous Heart Essence (Osel Nyingthig)

The retreat centers on the Yeshe Tsogyal Dakini Foundational and Accomplishment Practices. Previous participation in the Dawn Mountain 2018 Yeshe Tsogyal Foundational Practice retreat is required and teachings are available upon request. This requirement may also be fulfilled through previous participation at any of Tara Mandala’s teachings on this same cycle.

During the retreat, we offered three days for revitalizing and enriching the teaching. Thereafter, the curriculum consists of four sessions of formal daily practice (Drub Cho). 

• Fall 2021: Embodying the Elements  –In this retreat, we learn and experientially explore the specific qualities of each of the five elements, giving special attention to addressing situations in which elements are out of balance. This repairs imbalance and ultimately yields wisdom. 

• Spring 2022: Dakini Element Practice- 

• May 2022: The Lotus Heart Essence: Avalokiteshvara’s  Dzogchen- Immerse yourself in six short Dzogchen texts from Avalokiteshvara’s complete Dzogchen teachings, revealed to Adzom Paylo Rinpoche in 2016 on Potu island. A prayer to compassion embodied; a sādhana; feast (Tshog) practice; prayer to Rahula; liberation through hearing—quintessential instructions; and activities. Joining compassion with wisdom can take a long time in most styles of practice. Find how in Dzogchen, wisdom is there from the start. Thanks to Rinpoche’s blessing, we are offering this for the very first time in the West. Come join us and refresh your heart!

• Fall 2022: Avalokiteshvara’s Dzogchen Part II

• Lotus Heart Essence: Liberation Through Hearing

• The Great Compassionate One – Formal Accomplishment Retreat (sgrub chos), practicing in depth for the first time in its entirety The Great Compassionate One, the Avalokiteshvara Dzogchen Treasure (gTer) revealed by Ad.zom Paylo Rinpoche in 2014. This retreat is open to all who’ve participated in our Cycles year 2022-2023 and for new students, who ideally will take May 2022 retreat first, there will be
  also be brief instruction to make this remarkable practice text accessible.

2023 Sunday May 7th – Saturday May 13

• Seeing to Being – Concise guidance in a practice sequence developed by Lama Rigzin Drolma based on Adzom Rinpoche’s quintessential instructions to her that he entitled Natural Liberation into Nature of Mind.  This is a user-friendly entrée to understanding our progression from ordinary seeing to our authentic being, augmented with pith practices of Jigme Lingpa. 

Fall 2023 Friday Sept 29- Sunday October 1

• Losar Retreat – Open to All, New Year’s Eve Losar Celebration and Tales of Inspiration, Jigme Lingpa’s Guru Yoga including for the first time retreat guidance and practice grounded in Adzom Drukpa’s commentary on Jigme Lingpa’s Guru Yoga. Guru Yoga is a heart Dzogchen teaching. For some teaching lineages, mind-nature teachings are traditionally given in the context of Guru Yoga practice. In style, content, and blessings, this particular practice embodies, the elements taught in our fall retreat of Seeing to Being.

Spring 2024 Friday February 9- Sunday February 11