The Radical Dzogchen of Khenpo Gangshar
with Richard John
a Hybrid program — in-person with our teacher at the Berkeley Shambhala center • online via zoom • In-Person at the Sonoma Center
Presented by northern california shambhala
“Khenpo Gangshar was a mahasidda who appeared in Tibet at a time of great upheaval. Many of his students developed realization... even in prison.”
— Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche
A Veteran’s Day Vajrayana Retreat
Khenpo Gangshar was a principal teacher of Chögyam Trungpa, and many of the teachings and practices we have received in Shambhala reflect this bond. The horrors that befell Tibet and its monasteries during the invasions of the late 1950's are beyond comprehension, but the dharma as taught by Khenpo Gangshar, a profoundly simple form of dzogchen, penetrated in spite of external chaos.
In this brief retreat we will practice Khenpo Gangshar’s guru yoga and pointing out instructions, with commentary and instruction by Chögyam Trungpa and other masters.
Tantrikas attending this Veteran’s Day Vajrayana Retreat are encouraged to attend the weekend program, Meditation in Chaotic Times.
This retreat is for vajrayana practitioners — those who have received transmission from a Kagyu or Nyingma lineage holder. Students who recently received transmission or abhisheka are especially invited, and all tantrikas are strongly encouraged to attend the previous weekend of meditation.
Attendance options
Richard John will teach at Sonoma Shambhala. The program will be recorded and a link sent out to registrants post-program.
- Attend in-person at Berkeley Shambhala.
- Attend in-person with a group at Sonoma Shambhala, where a viewing screen will be set up.
- Attend live via Zoom from anywhere.
Richard John
Richard John has been a student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche since 1975. He served as acharya to Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche for 20 years, and completed the first three-year group retreat at Gampo Abbey. Richard has led Buddhist and Shambhala retreats in North America, Chile and New Zealand for 40 years. Richard and his wife Liz reside in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Heart Gifts
It is customary to offer a monetary Heart Gift to the teacher, whose livelihood is entirely from teaching programs. The gift is completely voluntary according to your inspiration, and there is no suggested amount — any amount is appreciated! We will let you know how you can do that during the program.
The Radical Dzogchen of Khenpo Gangshar
A Veteran’s Day Vajrayana Retreat
Monday, November 11 • 9:00 am to 5:30 pm (Pacific Time)
Please register early — space is limited
Prerequisites This retreat is for vajrayana practitioners — those who have received transmission from a Kagyu or Nyingma lineage holder. Students who recently received transmission or abhisheka are especially invited, and all tantrikas are strongly encouraged to attend the previous weekend’s program, Meditation in Chaotic Times.
- $75 Program Price
- $95 Patron Price — this amount allows us to offer a ‘Limited Income’ option for those who are not in a position to pay the full program price at this time
- $50 Limited Income
- Generosity policy (type-in an amount)
When you register, you will indicate your attendance option: attending in-person at the Berkeley Center, attending in-person at Sonoma Shambhala where a viewing screen will be set-up, or online via Zoom from anywhere. If you feel unwell the day of the program, for the sake of others please attend from home.
If you have questions, please contact coordinator Jesse Miller at shambhalaberkeley [at] gmail [dot] com
After completing your registration, you will receive an email acknowledgement. Closer to the program date, we will send out the ‘welcome’ email containing all pertinent information, including the Zoom link, to the email you provide.
For online programs Shambhala uses Zoom for online programs which is available for computers, smart phones, and tablets. You need to download the free app on your device before joining the session. Once it’s loaded, click the link and follow the prompts to join the session. Please join at least 5-10 minutes in advance so that you’re ready when the program begins, and make certain that your mic is muted when you join to avoid background noises which are multiplied with many participants. Note that the Zoom experience seems to be most predictable when you are signed into your Zoom account and have the most current version installed on your computer. Learn more about Zoom • read Zoom FAQs.
