Chod Retreat

A weekend retreat with Lama Tsultrim Gyaltsen, retreat master at Karme Ling Retreat Center in Delhi, NY.  Lama Tsultrim completed four three-year, three-month retreats at Karme Ling between 1996 and 2012.  Lama Tsultrim will teach the  practice of Chod, beginning  Fri. July 29 through Sun. July 31.  Friday night’s session will begin at 7:30 pm. Anyone doing the retreat needs to be present for that session.  One must have also taken refuge before the retreat.  Suggested donation is $40 for the weekend. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Chod (severance) is a practice that involves visualization of the offering of one’s own body, and its purpose is to cut through ego and engender a sense of fearlessness.  It is based on the Milam Lungten text by Karme Chagme, and on the outline of the Chod retreat given by His Holiness the 17th Karmapa.

Chod practice uses musical instruments: the chod drum, a thigh bone trumpet, and bell and dorje.  Lama Tsultrim will bring instruments for us to use, and if anyone is considering buying any of these things, he will try to borrow them from the KTD bookstore for possible sale.  (Check out Namse Bangzo Bookstore at www.kagyu.org).  If you want to borrow or buy any, please let us know ahead of time when you sign up.  Texts will be provided and will be yours to keep.

There will be no formal practice commitment given with this teaching, although we plan to do Chod as a group in the future.

Space is limited, and pre-registration is required by July 20 so we can advise Lama Tsultrim of how many instruments and texts to bring.  Admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis.  To register, please email Lama Nancy (nburks.61053@yahoo.com) and indicate if you will be bringing any of your own instruments to the retreat.   If you have any questions, please call Pat Forsberg-Smith at 734-678-7549 or email Lama Nancy.

Schedule:
Friday, July 29:  7:30–Teaching and reading transmission
(Note: You must attend the Friday session to come on Saturday and Sunday)
Saturday, July 30 and Sunday, July 31:  9:30-12:00 and 2:00-4:30–
Learn the practice, Q & A, and do the ritual