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Sixteen Buddha Body Practice (Meditation Retreat)

December 16, 2022 - December 31, 2022

Sixteen Buddha Body Practice

Meditation Retreat| December 16 - 31, 2022

This retreat is for people who are tired of functioning in the world and want to experience something else.

Using self arising symbology as deepening layers of penetration to open greater and greater mind space doors to journey the far reaches of inner space. This practice is a door to past and future lifetimes.  Registration for this retreat closes December 1st 2022.

Nine Vajrayana Empowerments will also be given during this retreat – see below for details.
OverviewDetails

Sixteen Buddha Body Practice

Are you tired of the routine of daily life? Journey to new lands of the mind. Using self arising symbology as deepening layers of penetration to open greater and greater mind space doors to journey the far reaches of ‘inner space’. This practice is a door to past and future lifetimes.

Prerequisites/Preparation: Completion of one million Chenrezi mantras is required preparation. For those who have completed that previously, please also complete 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras.

The Sixteen Buddha Body Practice

Meditation Retreat plus Nine Empowerments

December 16 – 31, 2022

Heritage of the Sixteen Buddha Body Practice

This meditation practice is originally from Tibet, though it was taught to our Teacher, Namgyal Rinpoche, in Thailand, by a Theravadin monk. The northern schools of Thai Buddhism share much with the Tibetan tradition, being linked through students of Milarepa.

As far as information is available, there is only one temple – Wat Pak Nam- in Thailand that taught this system, and that was some years ago.

Why Undertake the Sixteen Buddha Body Practice?

This retreat is for people who are tired of functioning in the world and want to experience something else.

Using self arising symbology as deepening layers of penetration to open greater and greater mind space doors to journey the far reaches of inner space. This practice is a door to past and future lifetimes.

What’s Expected of Me if I Come to This Retreat?

  • Pre-requisites/Preparation: Completion of one million Chenrezi mantras. For those who have completed that previously, please complete 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras.
  • A strong foundation of parami and a willingness to see other dimensions, drug free.
  • Due to the intensive nature of this practice, we require participants to not currently be taking prescription medication or recreational drugs.
  • The more extensive meditation experience you’ve had the better. This is not a beginner’s practice (we suggest the Breathing Retreat for newer practitioners).
  • You are responsible for your own wellbeing.
  • To maximize your depth of practice, we ask that you refrain from reading, using the internet, phone or listening to music during the course.

The Location – Clear Sky Center

  • Located in the BC rocky mountains, Clear Sky offers over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature. Founded by Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat, the centre is home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world.
  • Sample Daily Schedule
  • How to get there, what to bring and other FAQ about Clear Sky
  • Our teachings and Clear Sky operate based on the ancient tradition of dāna or generosity. As generosity is the basis upon which all spiritual practice flourishes, we recommend that you learn more about this profound practice before you register.

Plus Nine Vajrayana Empowerments (Wongkurs)

On the morning of December 25th we will finish the 16 Buddha Body practice. After this, until the end of the retreat there will be nine vajrayana empowerments given by Qapel and Sensei.

  • December 25th, pm: Kalachakra
  • December 26th, am: Hevajra, 16-armed
  • December 26th, pm: Mahamaya
  • December 27th, am: Vajrakilaya
  • December 27th, pm: Mahakala, 4-armed
  • December 29th, am: White Manjushri
  • December 29th, pm: White Mahakala
  • December 30th, am: Great White Umbrella Mother
  • December 30th, pm: Namgyalma

Full Details: Nine Vajrayana Empowerments

What is Wongkur? (Vajrayana Empowerments)

Initiations, empowerments, or wongkur (Tib. དབང་, wang) are considered the spring from which all blessings flow. More literally, these are ritual celebrations in which a specific teaching is transmitted from Teacher to student that enables the student to practice a new form of “Arising Yoga” or “Deity Practice”.

For more information about wongkur, we recommend reading ‘What is Wongkur’, which includes ‘A Western Psychological Orientation to Deity Yoga’ by the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche and ‘A Traditional Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist View’ by His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin. It is extensive article, published by Wesley Knapp. Visit and support his archival work at the Sakya Namgyal Archive

Planet Dharma- Tantric Deep Dive
Milarepa

Meet the Teachers

Catherine Pawasarat
Catherine Pawasarat
Doug Duncan
Doug Duncan
Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Centre, BC, Canada. Achariya Doug Duncan received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 1978, and is a lineage holder in that teaching. Known for his direct, humourous and compassionate engagement with students, Doug embraces various traditions, contemporary psychology, and science, to mentor all beings to a more awakened state. Catherine Pawasarat has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies.

What Do Previous Retreatants Say?

Cheryl Bate

The anapanasati sutta created a deep, deep experience for me. I was finally able to understand the 16 steps and the 4 tetrads much much better. It’s a whole new world.

Cheryl Bate
Clinical Counsellor, Private Practise, Whistler, BC
Zoe Moores

I enjoyed reconnecting with my body, with nature and with joyful memories during the retreat. Some of this was inspired through the breathing practice, and some through searching for moments of piti which we could easily connect to. There was an easing during the retreat, as well as some moments of deep connection and understanding. This time, it was hearing spaciousness explained in a different way.

Zoe Moores
Translator, trainer, researcher
James Stewart

The breathing retreat was fantastic for me on so many levels! As my first retreat, it really taught how me to deepen my budding meditation practice. Catherine Sensei is warm, knowledgeable and led a wonderful course.

James Stewart
Dr. Duncan Cryle

Sensei, fresh from a 3 month retreat, gave beautiful, grounded and profound teachings on breathing practice. The retreat worked seamlessly between those of us with the fortune to be in person, and those joining online. Felt I could go very deep over the ten days with a transformative combination of a great teacher, a deep practice, a sincere group of co-retreatants, and 310 acres in the mountains!

Dr. Duncan Cryle
Ph.D IBM executive

Course Details

Fees and Dāna

This course is run based on the ancient principle of generosity, or Dāna.  There are also fees for meals and accommodation at Clear Sky Retreat Center, where the retreat is held.  Please see registration page via button below for details.

Arrival / departure: Arrival time is December 15th if coming internationally / long-haul flight, or December 16 by 4pm if traveling regionally. Check out is possible from Sunday Dec 31 at the earliest, however you are invited to stay for new year’s day celebrations at the center.

In order to give enough time to rest from travel before the retreat starts, we recommend that domestic travellers arrive one day early, and long distance international travellers arrive two days early.

After the retreat we also suggest staying for at least another day for integration, or joining us for a few days to celebrate the New Year.

Booking a flight? Airport pickups can be booked when you register for the retreat. On the rare chance that this retreat is cancelled, we highly recommend purchasing travel insurance. 

Registration for this retreat closes December 1st 2022.

Milarepa

Registration for the Empowerments Only

It will be possible for students to attend only the empowerments. 

Full Details & Registration here: Nine Vajrayana Empowerments

Details

Start:
December 16, 2022
End:
December 31, 2022
Event Category:
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Venue

Clear Sky Meditation & Study Centre
3567 Cockell Rd
Bull River, British Columbia V0B1N0 Canada
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