The aim of retreat centers is to offer facilities and conditions so that aspirants can engage one-pointedly in mediation practice. For as much as sixteen hours per day retreatants apply themselves to the practices in order to purify their minds streams of superficial obscurations and to discover and enrich the experience of the mind’s inherent positive qualities. In an effort to minimize distractions, only the retreat attendants and teachers are permitted to enter the center, and the participants do not leave for the duration of the three and one half years. Through such meditation practice, the lineage of realization is sustained.
At Bokar Ngedon Chokhor Ling there are two three-year retreat centers. One is dedicated to the lineage of the Karma Kagyu, and the other to the Shangpa Kagyu. Each facility accommodates about twenty participants and one cook.
3am - 5am | Waking yoga and first individual session |
5am - 6am | Water torma, personal practice time, and breakfast |
6am - 7:30am | Group practice of Tara or purification of the three vows |
8am - 11am | Second individual session |
11am - 1pm | Lunch and personal practice time |
1pm - 3pm | Third individual session |
3pm - 5pm | Tea and group practice of the protectors and various prayers |
5pm - 6pm | Dinner and personal practice time |
6pm - 8pm | Fourth individual session |
8pm - 9pm | Vajrakilaya and Chod |