with Erik Jampa. Save the date, registration will open soon!

“A ritual is the enactment of a myth. And, by participating in the ritual, you are participating in the myth. And since myth is a projection of the depth wisdom of the psyche, by participating in a ritual, participating in the myth, you are being, as it were, put in accord with that wisdom, which is the wisdom that is inherent within you anyhow. Your consciousness is being re-minded of the wisdom of your own life.”  - Joseph Campbell

$108 suggested donation

    Tibetan Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism) is a tradition rich in ritual, myth, and tangible expressions of the awakened state. Focused on sustaining a living experience the forms, speech, and mind of the Buddhas in our waking life, the Tibetan ritual atmosphere is one of the most engaging and dynamic in the world today. Focused not on appeasement of a omnipotent deity or rote maintenance of one’s familial obligations, Vajrayana ritual works directly with the myriad manifestations of the psyche, offering sensory methods for working with our bodies and everyday lives in a way that best facilitates the expression of our inherent Buddha-nature.

    In this course, participants will learn the essentials for comfortable integration into the Tibetan ritual environment, allowing them to perform simple rituals and practices at home, as well as in a group environment. By demystifying some of the more esoteric aspects of Buddhist ritual customs, participants can move beyond the mere exoticism of ceremony and integrate into an authentic, meaningful experience of Buddhist puja. 

    As a senior ritual leader in the Tara Mandala community, Erik Jampa has received extensive training in ritual arts according to the Nyingma and Chöd traditions. He has been carefully trained as an umdze (chant leader) and chöpon (shrine activity leader) by Khenpo Urgyen Wangchuk, Drubpön Lama Karma, Khandro Tsering Drölkar, and other great ritual masters, and has over 13 years of experience working with Buddhist ritual arts. In this special daylong course, we will cover the following (and more):

• Protocol for teachings and sacred spaces.
• Set-up and maintenance of a home shrine, including tormas and other offerings.
• Introduction to the symbolism and use of ritual instruments.
• Mudras for common practices and prayers.
• Melodies for Yuthok Nyingthik practices.
• Instructions for performing a ganapuja, sang offering, and other common Vajrayana rituals.