Retreat is valued as a time to step away from our daily life of distractions and obstacles, to be in a supportive and focused environment for an extended period. Since the time of the Buddha, there has been a strong tradition among Buddhists of taking time for periods of retreat for practice, study, and reflection.

Upholding the retreat format provided by Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX, the 2023 October Retreat includes structured time for walking and sitting meditation, Green Tara and Chenrezig pujas, recorded teachings by Traleg Rinpoche (read on for details), and yoga.

Whether new to Buddhism or an experienced practitioner, the retreat environment is an essential support on the Path.

The 2023 October Retreat will be a hybrid event, which means you can attend the retreat either in-person at Maitripa Centre or online.

Pointing-Out Instructions Regarding the Four Yogas of Mahamudra.

In Tibetan Buddhism, the teachings and practices of Mahamudra are a means to learn to relate to experiences from the perspective of ultimate reality. The term itself translates to “Great Seal” or “Great Symbol,” signifying the ultimate nature of reality.

During this retreat we will have the opportunity to listen to teachings drawn from Kuynkhyen Pema Karpo’s key text, ‘Pointing-Out Instructions Regarding the Four Yogas of Mahamudra’. In this translation and commentary, Traleg Rinpoche guides us through the each of these yogas and helps us appreciate that we practice to “become what we are”, rather than grasping at enlightenment as something to be acquired.

Rinpoche demonstrates how this profound 16th-century text, written for meditators, remains as relevant and instructive today as it was then.

Traleg Rinpoche on Mahamudra…

“I believe that Mahamudra meditation is a most congenial match for the contemporary world. This type of meditation is not founded on the moralistic, judgmental, punitive approaches modern people often associate with religion, nor does it emphasise a spiritual path involving extensive periods of discipline, self-denial, and self-abnegation…

The notions of detachment and renunciation are all too often the things that most religions emphasise, sometimes to an extreme. This has been at the expense of cultivating our potential for psychological and physical well-being, of learning to be at ease with ourselves, our environment, and our fellow creatures….Instead of highlighting the negatives in our lives and seeing evil lurking in every corner, the Mahamudra approach to spirituality allows us to see things in a positive and open light. Even things that we might normally regard as bad and undesirable can be interpreted in a more uplifting way due to the expansiveness of the Mahamudra vision, allowing us to benefit from them spiritually.”

– Traleg Rinpoche, Luminous Bliss: Self-realisation through Meditation. Shogam Publications Pty Ltd.

Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche IX (1955 – 2012)

The retreat is also accessible online and online participants enjoy lots of support. You will receive a welcome pack that includes all the information you need to make your home a comfortable environment for a retreat. You will have the same access to the pujas, yoga and meditation, and teachings just like being in-person, except from the comfort of your own home! Online retreat tickets below…