Losar Tashi Delek!
Traditionally on Losar, to practise together in Rigpa Centres sets a very positive and auspicious start to the new Tibetan year. Begin early in the morning with the Verses of the 8 Noble Auspicious Ones, Buddha prayers and Riwo Sangchö.
9:00-10:15 CET
The practices of the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones, the Buddha Sadhana and Riwo Sangchö will be streamed from Amsterdam. During the Buddha Sadhana the sangha in Amsterdam will serve tea and snacks that will be formally offered to the Buddha (see all prayers attached below).
10:15-10:45 CET break
10:45-12:30/13:00 CET Message from the Vision Board followed by ‚A new years resolution: A wake-up call from Samsara‘/breakout discussions group
We start with a brief message from Rigpa's Vision Board, followed by some sitting practice, a teaching by senior teacher Ian Ives on Samsara:
Traditionally on Losar, to practise together in Rigpa Centres sets a very positive and auspicious start to the new Tibetan year. Begin early in the morning with the Verses of the 8 Noble Auspicious Ones, Buddha prayers and Riwo Sangchö.
9:00-10:15 CET
The practices of the Eight Noble Auspicious Ones, the Buddha Sadhana and Riwo Sangchö will be streamed from Amsterdam. During the Buddha Sadhana the sangha in Amsterdam will serve tea and snacks that will be formally offered to the Buddha (see all prayers attached below).
10:15-10:45 CET break
10:45-12:30/13:00 CET Message from the Vision Board followed by ‚A new years resolution: A wake-up call from Samsara‘/breakout discussions group
We start with a brief message from Rigpa's Vision Board, followed by some sitting practice, a teaching by senior teacher Ian Ives on Samsara:
Buddha’s first teaching was about recognising the reality of suffering, not in order to make ourselves depressed or discouraged, but so that we can free ourselves and others from it. To realise our full enlightened potential, we need to recognise and wake up from habits that are holding us back, the vicious cycle of samsara, in which our deepest wishes and how we actually live work against each other. Through contemplation and reflection we can begin to recognise samsara’s futility and develop the discernment, courage and determination to walk down a different path.
This is one of the monthly LIVE sessions of The Way of the Great Perfection program, a new cycle of the All-Encompassing Path to Enlightenment. The recording of past sessions you find here.
The program will be streamed from Amsterdam and Lerab Ling and is open to everybody. Translation will be available from English into French, German, Italian and Spanish.
Auspiciously, on this Losar we are gathering donations for the Stupas, that will be erected for peace and stability in the world in Lerab Ling, Dzogchen Beara, Dharma Mati and Sukhavati to honour the life of Sogyal Rinpoche. More information you find here.
Additional information
–– Being in a centre or at home, you can prepare a nice drink and some food to celebrate. You could also make the same offering to Buddha, Dharma and Sangha on your shrine or a representation of those.
–– Those who have not received a Guru Rinpoche empowerment can simply follow by doing their own practice and/or sit in the atmosphere.
–– Those who have received a Guru Rinpoche Empowerment and are registered as Vajrayana preliminary practitioner can make themselves familiar or refresh their meaning of the practice of 'The Eight Noble Auspicious Ones' and of the practice of 'Riwo Sangchö‘ by listening to some or all of these recordings from our recent project of ‚Bringing the practice of Riwo Sangchö alive‘.
–– What else is appropriate to practice on such a special day? Later one could perform a Tendrel Nyesel tsok, followed by a joyful celebration. Long-life practices are also good on Losar. Invite the whole sangha. How elaborate you make the celebration is entirely up to you, although it is recommended to prepare plentiful offerings for the evening tsok practice, offer fresh flowers before the shrine, and wear nice new clothes.
–– Those who have not received a Guru Rinpoche empowerment can simply follow by doing their own practice and/or sit in the atmosphere.
–– Those who have received a Guru Rinpoche Empowerment and are registered as Vajrayana preliminary practitioner can make themselves familiar or refresh their meaning of the practice of 'The Eight Noble Auspicious Ones' and of the practice of 'Riwo Sangchö‘ by listening to some or all of these recordings from our recent project of ‚Bringing the practice of Riwo Sangchö alive‘.
–– What else is appropriate to practice on such a special day? Later one could perform a Tendrel Nyesel tsok, followed by a joyful celebration. Long-life practices are also good on Losar. Invite the whole sangha. How elaborate you make the celebration is entirely up to you, although it is recommended to prepare plentiful offerings for the evening tsok practice, offer fresh flowers before the shrine, and wear nice new clothes.
