Dharma Hub Calgary

Every path to awakening involves a clearing and a letting go, a purification of our mind and body that reveals our true essence, which is fundamentally pure.

In Vajrayana Buddhism, the Ngöndro (“Preliminary” or “Foundation”) Practices are designed to first remove the veils of our unwholesome conditioning and negative karma, and then to strengthen our positive mind states and capacities. The practice of Vajrasattva is often the place practitioners are encouraged to start, because it helps loosen and remove emotional blocks in the being.

Our goal for this series is to get you on solid footing with this practice. By the end of the series, you’ll be comfortable enough with the material to be able to incorporate this into your daily practice.

Whether you are brand new to the practice or are familiar with it but want to deepen your contact, we are going to have you empowered by the end of this process.

We are also very excited to share that in July our root teachers will be in Calgary to give a formal Vajrasattva empowerment. (Known as a ‘Wong Kur’ in Tibetan.) Having a foundational understanding of the practice will make the empowerment even more powerful. Participants in this course will be invited to join us for this invitation-only event.

Format

The series will take place over 3 Thursdays, plus participants will have the option to join a half-day urban retreat here in Calgary.

The administrative fee for the 3 classes is $50. There will be a dana bowl at the event for offerings to the instructor. (Learn more about dana here)

If you are interested in joining us, please register here:

What We’ll Cover

• A thorough exploration of the Vajrasattva practice (a copy of the sadhana will be given to each participant)
• An overview of the Foundation Practices
• How to set up an altar or shrine for those who wish to have one at home
• Memorizing the 100-syllable mantra
• Tips on working with deity (‘arising yoga’) visualizations

You can see a short video by the instructor here with a brief introduction to the practice and about what to expect from this series.

About the Instructor

Christopher Lawley has completed this component of his Foundation Practices – 100,000 repetitions of the long form of the mantra. He credits this practice with helping him let go of limited self-views and other negative patterns that were causing him suffering.

Christopher has been studying with his root teachers, Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat, for over 12 years, the last 6 of which have involved direct training as a member of the Planet Dharma administrative team. He has also trained in coaching and creative facilitation, focusing on helping individuals connect with their highest purpose and working with groups to engage in authentic communication.