Deepening Awareness Practices of Bön Dzogchen (Meditation Retreat)

Overview

In this retreat, students will be presented with a series of Dzogchen instructions designed to cut through mental obscuration and set up the conditions for realising the nature of the mind as being pointed out.

It should be emphasised that this experience of mind is entirely passive. We are not looking for “any-thing”; rather, we learn the skill of setting up the mind in concentrated evenness before dismantling and “cutting-through” the ordinary consciousness and deepening awareness of the mind's primordial luminosity as phenomena arise and dissolve naturally. With practice the mind increasingly comes to see reality as it is rather than filtered through our senses, pre-conditions and learnings.

It is this very skill of “Trekchö” or thoroughly-cutting-through ordinary consciousness that establishes the path of buddhahood.

Students will receive precise instructions in these Dzogchen practices of Bön and will have ample opportunity to practice and develop a strong foundation in these precious practices and lineage teachings.

This retreat is rooted and authorised in the A Krid Dzogchen (pronounced “Atri”) Lineage of Tibetan Bön Dzogchen and is a one-thousand-year-old compendium of the middle path to liberation in Bön. This root text is the gateway to a series of expanded texts that refine the skills that ultimately lead to full awareness of mind.

Chapters 6-10 will be covered from the root text: ‘The Pith Instructions for the Stages of the Practice Sessions of the A-Tri (A Khrid) System of Bön Dzogchen Meditation’.

This text is available for purchase here and will be available for pick up at the beginning of the retreat.

As with our other offerings and in keeping with H.H 33rd Menri Trinzin’s wishes, we endeavour to convey these ancient practices & teachings in a way that honours and preserves this great essence tradition and, where appropriate, provide insight into the psychological and physiological changes - from the latest known knowledge in the West - that occur as we develop our minds through these practices. This approach is also in respect to the work of Dr. Daniel P. Brown who worked tirelessly for decades to bridge the Eastern and Western understanding of mind and make these transformative skills accessible without reducing them to anything less than the precious opportunity that they are.

Retreat Preparation

The Tibetan Bön model of Dzogchen presented in this retreat extends on the practices presented in the Online Preliminary Practices Course and the Concentration Practices of Tibetan Bön Dzogchen retreat held earlier this year. It invites students, who have cultivated both the essential aspects of turning or “ripening” the mind and one-pointedness or evenness concentration to deepen awareness beyond the ordinary mind.

In preparation, these practices require that one is relatively free from distraction whilst meditating on the cushion and has established the foundational practices such that we have a genuine connection with the three jewels of refuge and have experience with the positive qualities of safety, trust, admiration and right motivation for engaging in practice.

It is important to understand that if you have a background of trauma, unfortunately common in most human communities, you should speak with a teacher and explore what practices may be necessary to process these experiences before proceeding further down this path.

You can reach out here to discuss any concerns and questions you may have with an experienced teacher.

Retreat Structure

Facilitated by Geshe Sonam Gurung, and supported by established practitioners, the first evening and following 2 days will be a brief but detailed overview of the Bön Preliminary Practices and Concentration Practices. As a reminder, it is expected that participants have an established foundation in these essential practices of Bön along with any necessary psychotherapeutic work as these foundational practices cultivate the necessary conditions of safety, trust, genuine interest and right motivation for engaging in practice.

From Monday, students will be introduced to practices designed to clarify perception and deepen ones awareness of the nature of mind and that, when practiced correctly, ultimately lead to the fruition of buddhahood.

These teachings will convey the interplay between effort and effortlessness, balancing stability with natural awareness as one remembers how to rest in a way that is relaxed, stable, clear, and free from grasping. Those with a history of trauma or diagnosed psychiatric conditions should consult with a teacher before engaging in intensive meditation practice. Meditation can bring latent material to the surface and it is essential that practitioners have the appropriate resources and support to navigate such experiences skillfully. If you have any doubts or concerns about your suitability for this retreat, please contact us here to speak with an experienced teacher.

Throughout the retreat, the emphasis will be on experiential practice rather than pure conceptual understanding. Unlike some immersive retreats that are strictly silent, this teaching style will be interspersed with reflective feedback sessions and discussion, allowing students to ground, refine and correct their practice where required. This is a continuation and adaptation of Dan Brown’s Pointing Out instruction whereby students are given clear instructions, have ample opportunity to practise followed by the space to receive feedback and correction where required by a teacher.