Friday, January 16, 2015

Vajra Dance Course in Todos Santos BCS

Please join us for two great weekends learning Vajra Dance
with Anya Neyman and let people know who may be interested...
If you would like to see a demonstration dance come Fridays
to CUATRO VIENTOS at 10:30am by La Esquina, Todos Santos.
 All welcome!  (Download info en Español bajo esta)
(download flyer to share)
Weekend Workshops Schedule:
Friday 6pm-9pm, Saturday and Sunday 12pm - 7pm 
with a break for lunch and shorter breaks in the afternoon.
Suggested donation is 1,000 pesos for the five sessions,
with arrangements available for those with financial limitations.


THE DANCE OF THE VAJRA THAT BENEFITS BEINGS

In the Dzogchen teaching, Vajra means our real nature, the true condition of all phenomena. The Dance of the Vajra is an important method that uses sound and movement as a means to integrate the three aspects of our existence – body, speech and mind – in the knowledge of our real nature.
The Dance of the Vajra is a cycle of dances forming a special and effective practice for restoring and purifying the natural state of our whole being, allowing us to evolve to our real potential and naturally develop clarity and compassion toward ourselves and others. It benefits and rejuvenates us by harmonizing our physical, mental, and emotional condition.

Twelve practitioners, six females and six males, dance together on a large Mandala of five colors, representing the correspondence between the internal dimension of the individual and the outer dimension of the world. The slow, coordinated movements as we softly sing and practice awareness together produce an experience of deep relaxation and a calm state of mind and help us integrate with the circumstances of the outer environment.

In the Dance of the Vajra That Benefits Beings, the dancers are accompanied by the music and chanted syllables of the Mantra of the Six Spaces of Samantabhadra, the primordial Buddha, symbolizing our real nature.
The Dance of the Vajra That Benefits Beings can be practiced by anyone who wishes, and as long as its origin and integrity are always acknowledged and respected it can be used as a method to enrich any spiritual path.

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu is a renowned scholar and is widely acknowledged to be a great living master of Dzogchen, the essence of Tibetan Buddhism. He first introduced the Dance of the Vajra to his students in 1990. It is now practiced in various places and centers of the Dzogchen Community all around the world.

“The Dzogchen Teaching is not a philosophy,
or a religious doctrine, or a cultural tradition. 

Understanding the message of the 
Teachings means discovering one’s own true condition, 
stripped of all the self-deceptions and falsifications that the mind creates.”
~ Chögyal Namkhai Norbu

The Dance of the Vajra is associated with the
 International Dance Council,
CID UNESCO.


Sunday, January 11, 2015

Todos Santos - 2015 Local Practices

Weekly Practice of 
Vajra Dance
FRIDAYS 10:30am
'Cuarto Vientos' Yoga Studio in Todos Santos
Possible gatherings and weekend practices at the GAR also.


Season schedule for new Vajra Dance courses
Jan/Feb/March 2015

Beginning Workshop: Six Spaces - February 20/21/22 Weekend

Beginning Workshop: Three Vajras (OM AH HUNG) Jan 30/31 & Feb 1st

Retreat for: Advanced 'Song of the Vajra Dance' course
Mondays in Todos Santos Part 1
(Part II at Tsegyalgar West, SJD in early March TBA)

~

CHOD GROUP - Study and Practice
Weds 12:30 pm at Casa Verde (Laurie’s house)


For those with sincere interest and chod transmission
(or those who wish healing part only - come at 1pm)
Bring snacks to share after (optional!) lauriecpb @ gmail.com
Possible gatherings and weekend practices at the GAR

~

GANA PUJA 
Dates and times to be confirmed each month.
New and full moon.



Thursday, January 8, 2015

Tsegyalgar West Update and Happy Retreats!

Feliz Año Nuevo from Tsegyalgar West!

Much Gratitude to Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and all the volunteers who made the recent December 2014 Tsegyalgar West Retreat such a success in Baja Ca Sur, Mexico.  
Rinpoche seemed quite happy to visit again, and to see the progress in Community Development and in the care of the land. 

Rinpoche gave a wonderful commentary and explanation from a rare Manjushrimita text on Dzogchen, which he has been working to translate for the west.  He told funny and interesting stories about his youth in Tibet to illustrate teachings.  

One can receive these
teachings on many levels to deepen understanding and support practice. We were certainly felt very blessed to participate in this together. 
After listening to teachings in the brand new Gompa it's not far to the Vajra Dance Mandala, where Dzogchen Community Sangha (from all around the world) create movement with mantra, all in harmony on the mandala. 

A good time to integrate the body speech and mind into the taste of Guru Yoga.  Also the beautiful expressive collective movement is great freedom from those doing long sitting practices! 


New students first learning Vajra Dance in the mornings with Anya Neyman were making impressive progress. I remember thinking how amazing but it must be complicated to learn when first I saw a full Dance Tun in 1995.  I was motivated to try however, it seemed such a beautiful and powerful 'dreamlike state of harmony' calling to me. It is amazing how natural it becomes once one is more accustomed and integrated with the dance, and how it expands one's perception, practice and knowledge as well as balancing energy.


Yantra Yoga was also offered in the mornings and afternoons by Patrizia Pearl. Helpful to help balance the body and mind, so one can have much less discomfort and allow for deeper contemplation. That’s what I love about Rinpoche’s retreats, the combination of relaxing the body while keeping one mind focused and clear is key.



The weather was fine for December, warm with a cool gentle breeze to balance the bright sun. Evenings needed a sweatshirt if you want to stargaze or sit by the fire. 

Evening soups and fresh salads with homemade bread were the perfect end of the day meal. 

The spiritual nature of the environment at Tsegyalgar West along with Rinpoche's presence attunes one to a certain frequency. Unexpectedly, a wild bird came to visit retreatant's at lunchtime, hear music offered and the well wishes on our last day of the retreat. It let Rinpoche caress its feathers even. A good sign for harmony in the New Year and within our hearts perhaps...


The Baja Ca Sur land has a unique desert tropical biosphere with both cactus and palms. There is water in the granite arroyo pools, yellow flowers on the Palo de Arco trees, and sweetness in the air. You would not know that just a few months ago there was a huge disaster here in Baja Ca Sur.

In mid September 2014 'Hurricane Odile' hit BCS destroying many buildings, palapa roofs, creating a big mess of Tsegyalgar West's mountain roads, camping trails and landscape. 
It was the biggest storm to hit the peninsula since 1969, a Category 4 Hurricane.

Sangha from Mexico and the US came together with energy and funds to rebuild the main community area with a new Gompa, renovated kitchen and Vajra Dance Mandala area. Casitas were repaired and the common areas cleaned and cleared. Now it is better than before and strong enough to last for quite a while. More importantly the spirit of the place feels renewed life. 

This 3,000 acre land in the Sierra las Laguna's of San Jose del Cabo is a jewel we want and need to preserve for the future generations of practitioners. Wild land such as this, spacious with deep quiet, rugged beauty and magic is much more limited in modern times, yet so important for deepening ones practice and wisdom. Please come visit us to have an experience of that!  

Besides workshops and retreats there are openings for volunteers to help create sustainable organic farms and orchards. We also wish to expand projects of Tibetan traditional arts, Solo Retreat Cabins, Eco-structures and eventually residential Homes for practitioners. 
 Please contact us if you would like to volunteer or help lead any of these great projects.

Financially also we still need help to improve infrastructure at TW. Such improvements such as: More hot water heaters, bathrooms and solar equipment are most needed to make the place more comfortable and rentable to groups part time. Working toward sustainability is so important to continue; to grow well in both dharma community and ecological awareness and is our vision.

Tashidelegs to all!


To see the full schedule of events on the web site visit:  www.tsegyalgarwest.org for more information. Tsegyalgarwestsecretary@gmail.com





Article and photo by laurie pearce bauer
todos santos, BCS