Tantric Deep Dive: A Week of Empowerments
In Vajrayana Buddhism, initiations, empowerments or wongkur (Tib. དབང་, wang) are considered the spring from which all blessings flow. Join us for a tantric deep dive into nine precious and rare vajrayana empowerments. These wongkur are scheduled at the end of the Sixteen Buddha Body Practice retreat at Clear Sky Centre, and can be attended separately from the retreat.
Space is limited and will be first come first serve. If you have questions, please contact: bookings@clearskycenter.org or (250) 429-3929.
NOTE: Registration Closes December 15th
Nine precious vajrayana empowerments will be bestowed by Qapel and Sensei at the end of the 16 Buddha Body Retreat. Qapel anticipates that this will be the last time he gives initiation into many of these deities, this lifetime.
These empowerments give you an energetic blessing, and access to practice mantra and visualisation of different transcendental archetypes from the Himalayan schools of Buddhism.
Following the empowerments, we invite you to stay three additional nights longer to spend time in awakening community, usher in the New Year and celebrate Catherine Sensei’s birthday.
Namgyal Rinpoche, our lineage root guru, put it best:
“In the depth of the psyche lie all possibilities in a state of unrealized potential. In every being there exists the possibility of experiencing transcendental consciousness, which when the student is ready, the Teacher(s) can make accessible to him or her via empowerment, initiation, or wongkur.
“One should regard Wongkur as an event in which the Lama sows the seed of transcendental consciousness in the depth of the student. The seed will lie in the unconscious until the student brings it to realization in the practice of meditation.”
Three Package Options
Overnight Package
Arrive December 25th in the morning. The first empowerment is in the afternoon.
Departure on December 30th.
Bonus: Take the opportunity to deepen your practice with the Teachers and community by adding three nights (December 30th-Jan 1st) and celebrating New Years Eve and our dear Sensei’s birthday!
Day Package
Includes both the morning and afternoon Wongkur and lunch and dinner.
This package does not include accommodation.
To register: Register for the Empowerments you would like to attend and then register for your meals using the link below.
NOTE: Registration Closes December 15th
Individual Wongkur Package
Register for an individual Empowerment.
This package does not include meals or accommodation.
NOTE: Registration Closes December 15th
Sunday, December 25th
Kalachakra PM (blue)
Monday, December 26th
Hevajra 16-armed AM (blue)
Mahamaya PM (blue)
Tuesday, December 27th
*Vajrakilaya AM (black)
*4 armed Mahakala PM (black)
Thursday, December 29th
White Manjushri AM (white)
*White Mahakala PM (white)
Friday, December 30th
Great White Umbrella Mother AM (white)
Namgyalma PM (white)
*Permission needed to attend.
Register for Individual Empowerments
- Kalachakra
- Mahamaya
- Namgyalma
- White Manjushri
- Four Armed Mahakala*
- Sixteen Armed Hevajra
- White Mahakala*
- Vajrakilaya*
- Great White Umbrella Mother
- *Permission needed to Attend
Meet the Teachers
Achariya Doug Duncan Sensei & Catherine Pawasarat Sensei are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Centre, BC, Canada. Achariya Doug Duncan received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 1978, and is a lineage holder in that teaching. Known for his direct, humourous and compassionate engagement with students, Doug embraces various traditions, contemporary psychology, and science, to mentor all beings to a more awakened state. Catherine Pawasarat has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies.
What’s Expected of Me?
Initiations, empowerments, or wongkur (Tib. དབང་, wang) are considered the spring from which all blessings flow. More literally, these are ritual celebrations in which a specific teaching is transmitted from Teacher to student that enables the student to practice a new form of “Arising Yoga” or “Deity Practice”.
For more information about wongkur, we recommend reading ‘What is Wongkur’, which includes ‘A Western Psychological Orientation to Deity Yoga’ by the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche and ‘A Traditional Tibetan Vajrayana Buddhist View’ by His Holiness the 41st Sakya Trizin. It is extensive article, published by Wesley Knapp. Visit and support his archival work at the Sakya Namgyal Archive.
What can I expect?
Our teachings and Clear Sky operate based on the ancient tradition of Dāna or generosity. As generosity is the basis upon which all spiritual practice flourishes, we recommend that you learn more about this profound practice before you register.
Daily Schedule: Here is a sample schedule of what you can expect at this retreat. Note: details are subject to change.
- December 25th, pm: Kalachakra
- December 26th, am: Hevajra, 16-armed
- December 26th, pm: Mahamaya
- December 27th, am: Vajrakilaya
- December 27th, pm: Mahakala, 4-armed
- December 29th, am: White Manjushri
- December 29th, pm: White Mahakala
- December 30th, am: Great White Umbrella Mother
- December 30th, pm: Namgyalma
FAQs
Dana: This course is offered by Doug and Catherine Sensei through the ancient principle of generosity, or Dāna. The retreat fee covers the cost of food and accommodation, whereas the Teachings are offered by generosity. Learn more about Dāna here.
Pricing: As a charitable organization, we strive to provide locally sourced organic meals and comfortable accommodations at an affordable price. Fees vary depending on your accommodation choice and early bird pricing.
If you are registered in the full package:
December 25th: arrive in the morning.
December 30th: depart in the evening.
Bonus: Take the opportunity to deepen your practice with the Teachers and community by adding three nights (December 30th-Jan 1st) and celebrating New Years Eve and our dear Sensei’s birthday!
Airport pickups can be booked when you register for the retreat. On the rare chance that this retreat is cancelled, we highly recommend purchasing travel insurance.
In order to give enough time to rest from travel before the retreat starts, we recommend that domestic travellers arrive one day early, and long distance international travellers arrive two days early.
After the retreat we also suggest staying for at least another day for integration.
For questions, please contact: bookings@clearskycenter.org or (250) 429-3929.
About Clear Sky
Located in the BC rocky mountains, we offer over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature. Founded by Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat, we are home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world.
Here are some FAQs on how to get here, what to bring and what to expect.
To help you get acquainted with us, some community members made this short video during our 2019 Buddhas in Action retreat. To learn more about us and our incredible community, click here!
