About this Jonang Kalachakra Ngondro Program

This program is designed for those who want structure and support to complete the Ngondro.

The program is open to all. There are no formal prerequisites for Modules 1-7. Although we encourage step-by-step participation, you are allowed to directly register for any module (except modules 8 and 9). Generally speaking, the Kalachakra Ngondro Program is for you if you wish for long-term and regular support in your dharma practice, regardless if you are starting now or if you have been practicing previously. More specifically, modules 1-7 are shaped to help you prepare for receiving the 1st set of Kalachakra Empowerments (“Seven Empowerments of a Growing Child”), also known as the Kalachakra Initiation, and for receiving in the future the “Kalachakra Four Higher Empowerments” if you so aspire. That being said, you are more than welcome to just drop in to make a first connection and see how the practice reverberates with you—in this case, the modules 1-4 may be more suitable.

Benefits of this 2 Year Program

The Kalachakra Ngondro Program is a 2-year long program created for students who want to deepen themselves in the Kalachakra Path in a structured, step-by-step guided process. The Ngondro — also called the “Preliminary Practices” — prepares you to uncover your own Buddha nature. If you want to completely unveil this perfect nature, the Kalachakra Ngondro prepares you for the very subtle and profound yogic practices of the Completion Stage called the ‘Six Vajra Yogas’ of the Kalachakra Tantra. You can benefit by doing the Kalachakra Ngondro even if you do not aspire to engage in serious meditation practices of the Kalachakra Completion Stage in this lifetime. Shar Khentrul Rinpoché offers a flexible approach in order to embrace a variety of practitioners because being fixed on only one traditional way may not be a match for everyone. Developing familiarization with the Kalachakra Ngondro practices can be adjusted individually according to your own personal inclination.

About this Module (3)

Taking Refuge

The first obstacle to practicing a path is the belief that we can do it on our own. To overcome this pride, we engage in the practice of taking refuge in the Three Jewels while making physical prostrations. This ensures we have the necessary supports for practice, while the prostrations purify the subtle channel system, allowing the winds to flow more effectively. When the winds are free from obstruction, it is considerably easier to meditate and achieve states of meditative concentration. On the provisional level, we make prayers and prostrations to the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha with strong confidence and with the motivation to ultimately liberate all beings. On the ultimate level, we are taking refuge in our own Buddha-nature, our innate potential to manifest full enlightenment. In this way, we work with the provisional refuge as a mirror to reflect the definitive refuge. We will learn in detail the visualizations of the Jonang lineage and their meanings while accumulating merit and purifying negativity by prostrating ourselves to the Jonang-Kalachakra Refuge Field. In this Module, we will also be introduced to a second Kalachakra Sadhana, “Enlightening the Heart”, composed by Rinpoché for the benefit of his Western students.

Course curriculum

    1. Kalachakra Ngondro Module 3 | Program OVERVIEW

    2. Schedule and LINKS

    3. DIVINE LADDER (excerpt) in various languages and additional MATERIALS

    4. ENLIGHTENING THE HEART Sadhana (excerpt) in various languages

    5. PICTURES for Visualization

    6. Divine Ladder CHANTING in Tibetan (slower version)

    7. Gratitude & GENEROSITY

    8. PROSTRATION Video

    9. Links to Further Modules

    1. Session 1: Intro and Presentation, Review 4 Convictions of Renunciation & Lineage Masters

    2. Session 2: The Outer Refuge & Refuge Precepts

    3. Session 3: 5 Lay Vows, Inner 3 Jewels + Review of Outer 3 Jewels & Refuge Precepts

    4. Session 4: Divine Ladder Practice & Explanation Refuge Visualization, Prayers, Dissolution, and Dedication

    5. Session 5: Review Refuge Meanings & Visualisation, Questions, Short 20 min. Refuge Practice as an Example for Starting

    6. Session 6: Refuge Group Practice Session with 108 Prostrations

    7. Session 7: "Enlightening the Heart" presentation & Refuge Practice with 10 prostrations, Secret Refuge Explanation, Advice for Personal Practice, Q&A

    1. Session 1: Intro and Presentation, Review 4 Convictions of Renunciation & Lineage Masters

    2. Session 2: The Outer Refuge & Refuge Precepts

    3. Session 3: 5 Lay Vows, Inner 3 Jewels + Review of Outer 3 Jewels & Refuge Precepts

    4. Session 4: Divine Ladder Practice & Explanation Refuge Visualization, Prayers, Dissolution, and Dedication

    5. Session 5: Review Refuge Meanings & Visualisation, Questions, Short 20 min. Refuge Practice as an Example for Starting

    6. Session 6: Refuge Group Practice Session with 108 Prostrations

    7. Session 7: "Enlightening the Heart" presentation & Refuge Practice with 10 prostrations, Secret Refuge Explanation, Advice for Personal Practice, Q&A

About this course

  • 23 lessons
  • 10.5 hours of video content

Program Fees

We offer flexible offering levels to accommodate students in different countries and economic situations worldwide. If you need further financial assistance to access a class, please email [email protected] No one is turned away for lack of funds.

Meet Our Program Instructor

Dzokden Kalapa

Rafa Lobsang Dorje (Rafael Nassif)

Dzokden Kalapa Program Co-ordinator

He started his contact with Buddhism in 2008, after practicing in other systems of spiritual practice in his homeland Brazil. In Europe, India and Tibet he had precious opportunities to receive teachings, transmissions and empowerments from masters from almost all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and from the Theravada Tradition as well, and took part in different group and solitary retreats. He was fortunate to met his precious Guru Jamphel Lodrö (Khentrul Rinpoche) in She Drup Ling-Austria in 2015, from whom he has been receiving a vast and profound wealth of Dharma, since the foundational subjects until the Kalachakra Vajra Yogas. Since 2016 he has been teaching Lu Jong (Tibetan Healing Yoga). In 2018 he received authorisation from Rinpoche to teach the Kalachakra-Ngöndro. Recently he reduced his professional activities as a composer in order to serve the altruistic ideals of his Guru as a full-time volunteer at our Dzokden community. He serves the community a.o. as a translator, editor and coordinator for the translations’ groups for both German and Portuguese languages.

View Additional Modules in this Series

Work through the full 2 year Ngondro Program

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