- Home
- About Us
- Programs
- Being Here
- FAQs
- Resources
- News
- Links
- Support Us

Kalachakra Six Session Guru Yoga Approximation Retreat
August 2 – 18, 2014
A 17-day Group Retreat – Open only to those who have received the Kalachakra initiation. Led by Andy Wistreich.
About this Retreat
This retreat will include instruction in the practice of The Guru Yoga of Kalachakra in connection with the Six Sessions in completely facilitating form and recitation of 100,000 mantras of the main deity, plus 10,000 mantras of each of the ten Shaktis, plus 10,000 wisdom-showering mantras. It will be completed by a fire puja to purify all one’s practice in the retreat. This sadhana, which many practitioners recite every day, is an excellent starting point for the practice of Kalachakra. It was composed with inspiring poetry by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s senior tutor, based on specific suggestions by the Dalai Lama, and is thus a specially blessed contemporary practice for our time. The retreat will be an excellent opportunity to establish the practice in one’s mindstream, enabling one to continue to integrate it in daily life. There will not only be instruction in the practice, but also opportunities for supplementary meditations to improve one’s practice, and discussion sessions to facilitate knowledge of the whole Kalachakra system. This system is extremely powerful in effecting personal transformation at the very deepest level.
This retreat will conclude with a fire puja and a 2-day program to prepare participants for practising Kalachakra in daily life.
This Kalachakra Six Session Guru Yoga Approximation retreat follows the teachings and detailed instructions of Jhado Rinpoche, and is to fulfil the wishes of Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche that following an empowerment into Kalachakra by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the FPMT would offer an approximation retreat and fire puja. The merit from this retreat will be offered to Kyabje Zopa Rinpoche and Jhado Rinpoche.
Training for future Kalachakra leaders
On August 18 – 19 there will be a one-day training program for those who are interested to lead or co-lead a Kalachakra Retreat in the future. Pre-requisites for attending this short training program are the completion of the retreat and the acceptance by the retreat leader.
Recommended Reading
Transcending Time by Gen Lamrimpa
Guidelines for Behaviour
Since Tushita is a semi-monastic meditation centre and not a guesthouse, we ask all of our retreatants and visitors to observe the following rules of discipline in order to maintain an atmosphere conducive to inner reflection and meditation:
- Respect all life: do not intentionally kill any living being, even small insects.
- Respect others’ property: do not steal or take anything not freely given.
- Be honest and straightforward: do not lie or intentionally deceive others. This is easy when observing silence!
- Be celibate: no sexual activity. This also includes no holding hands, hugging, massages and other physical displays of affection.
- Be alert and mindful: avoid intoxicants such as alcohol, drugs and cigarettes (we encourage you to stop smoking while here, but if this is impossible, one can smoke at a designated place within the centre boundary).
- Be considerate of others’ silence: keep silence in the appropriate areas and at all times during residential courses, especially in the Gompa and the dormitories. No singing or playing music and in general, maintain a quiet demeanor while on the property.
- Be considerate of the monks and nuns: dress respectfully (please no shorts above the knee, tank-top shirts or tight and revealing clothing).
- Please settle all outside communication before the course begins. Telling friends and family that you will be out of contact for the duration of the course and sticking by that decision significantly reduces distraction from investigation into the workings of your own mind! Likewise, please settle your travel arrangements etc before you come to Tushita!
- You are expected to observe silence (no talking at all) from the evening of the first day until the end of the course.
- Do not leave Tushita property for the entire course.
- Participants must attend all sessions of the course and come to sessions on time.
- Please put all communication / entertainment devices (laptop / mobile phones /cameras / MP3/CD players) etc into our safe at check-in.
- Please be gentle in your behaviour and sensitive to fellow group members.
- Do not point your feet towards the teachers, the altar or any holy object.
- Do not put Dharma materials – prayer books, texts, Dharma books or notebooks with Dharma in them – on the floor, or sit or step over them.
- Do not lie down or do any yoga exercises in the Gompa at any time.
- No idle chit-chat in the Gompa (ie. You can ask the teacher questions during class, but do not talk with other students).
Registration
You can register by filling out our online form.
Please make sure you have read the information on this page first.
Upcoming Events
- Winter Break 2024 – 25 on December 1, 2024
- Introduction to Buddhism on February 17, 2025
- Guided Meditation on February 17, 2025 9:00 am
- Movie Day on February 17, 2025 2:00 pm
- Losar on February 28, 2025
- The Spiritual Warrior on March 1, 2025
- Introduction to Buddhism on March 6, 2025
- The Buddhist Path to Healing: The Medicine Buddha Retreat on March 7, 2025
- Chötrul Düchen on March 14, 2025
- Introduction to Buddhism on March 20, 2025
About Tushita
Tushita is a centre for the study and practice of Buddhism from the Tibetan Mahayana tradition. We're located in Northern India, in the forested hills above the town of McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala - the seat in exile of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.
Tushita aims to provide a friendly and conducive environment for people of all nationalities and backgrounds to learn about and put into practice the teachings of the Buddha. With this in mind we offer regular drop-in events and courses on introductory Buddhist philosophy and meditation, as well as intermediate level courses and group retreats for more experienced students.
Opening Hours
February to November
Monday - Saturday
9:30 - 11:30am
a break for lunch and then...
12:30 - 4:00pm
Closed Sundays