Sunday, December 8, 2013

Lucid Dreaming Workshop comes to Sydney

In Sydney we are getting very excited about the upcoming Dream Yoga workshop with Michael Katz in January on the 18th, 19th, from 9.30am - 5pm, at Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt St, Redfern. Bookings are open, but places are limited. BOOK NOW so you don't miss out.

Michael Katz is the editor of Dream Yoga and The Practice of Natural Light by noted Tibetan scholar and master, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, and the author of Tibetan Dream Yoga, The Royal Road to Enlightenment. 



What is Dream Yoga?
Practices and techniques for realising and utilising lucid dreaming.

What is Lucid Dreaming?

Awareness while in the dream state, that you are dreaming.

Why practice Dream Yoga?
Stephen LaBerge, PhD, author of Lucid Dreaming says:"The goal is to remain awake during deep sleep when the gross conceptual mind and the operation of the senses cease. Most Westerners do not even consider this depth of awareness a possibility, yet it is well-known in Tibetan Buddhist and Bon spiritual traditions.The result of these practices is greater happiness and freedom in both our waking and dreaming states."

What to Expect from the Dream Yoga Workshop.
Since the 1980s, psychologist Michael Katz has been conducting retreats for the purpose of introducing and training lucidity in the dream state. In particular he has been amongst the pioneers in utilizing hypnotic induction for lucidity during "guided naps" for this purpose.

Additionally his retreats and workshops are characterized by the use of lucid dream enactment called  "Lucid Dream Theater Work" for the purpose of deepening the experience of the lucid dream state.

In the workshop Michael will show you how to create stable and long-lasting lucid dreams, so that you can reap the benefits of lucid dreaming’s immense potential for personal growth, healing and wholeness (as well as deeper spiritual benefits, see below).


Want to know more? 
Read Michael's enlightening article on Dream Yoga and Lucidity here.

What to Bring
Participants should bring writing materials, sun glasses, a small hand mirror and some props for psychodrama of dreams. When we have a powerful lucid dream we may choose to dramatize the dream and act it out. In order to do this we should have props such as fabrics, masks, sacred objects etc. if people bring a few things we will have enough for any possibility. Plenty of cafes nearby or bring packed lunch. NOTE: please bring your own meditation pillow and yoga mat.

BOOK NOW!
Enquiries: glenda.morgan@optusnet.com.au


MORE ABOUT DREAM YOGA




"Buddha Shakyamuni often told his disciples to regard all phenomena as dreams. He used many examples, like an echo, a city in the clouds or a rainbow to illustrate the illusory nature of the phenomenal world. Dreams represent just one type of illusion. The whole universe arises and dissolves like a mirage. Everything about us, even the most enlightened qualities, are also dreamlike phenomena. There's nothing that is not encompassed within the dream of illusory being; so in going to sleep, you're just passing from one dream state to another." (1)






 Dream Yoga  or as it is known in Tibetan - Milam, is a series of practices and techniques used by various lineages of Tibetan Buddhism in the bardo of dream and sleep.

In the editor's notes to Dream Yoga and The Practice of the Natural Light by Tibetan Master, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu,  Michael Katz says:

"According to the masters, progress in the practices of dream yoga and the Dzogchen practice of natural light will allow us to realize a form of enlightenment as we become lucid and aware during the moments of sleep."

Dream Yoga as described by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu includes "specific methods for training, transforming, dissolving, disordering, stabilizing, essentializing, holding, and reversing dreams. In addition, he has presented practices for maintaining one’s practice throughout all moments of the day and night, as well as a practice to develop the illusory body, methods for transference of consciousness at the time of death, and profound clear light practices for developing contemplation."


"One of the important messages of Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light is the distinction between the Dzogchen awareness referred to as rigpa which arises from the practice of natural light, and the more relative but still important experience of lucidity. The lucidity experience, which may arise as a by-product of rigpa awareness or spontaneously due to karmic causes, assists in understanding the unreality of phenomena, which otherwise, during dream or the death experience, might be overwhelming. In the same way, we believe a nightmare to be real, but if we were to watch a similar scene within a movie, we would not necessarily be frightened.

Great Yogis who have mastered Dzogchen awareness meditation are able to liberate themselves directly into the great clear light at the moment of death. Practitioners who have at least developed the capacity for occasional lucid dreaming may still recognize the apparitions that arise within the sidpai bardo as illusory. Reportedly, at the time of death when the mental body is uncoupled from the physical body, all experiences are magnified by a factor of seven. At these moments, according to our teachers, there is still a possibility of achieving a form of liberation."


Dream Yoga Workshops in Sydney (Jan 18, 19), Melbourne ( Jan 10, 11, 12) and Cairns (Jan 24, 25, 26),  are hosted by The Dzogchen Community of Namgyalgar.

See Michael's website here.

Info re The Dzogchen Community here.

(1)Shugchang, Padma (editor); Sherab, Khenchen Palden & Dongyal, Khenpo Tse Wang (2000). A Modern Commentary on Karma Lingpa's Zhi-Khro: teachings on the peaceful and wrathful deities. Padma Gochen Ling. 

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Dream Yoga with Dr Michael Katz

Dream Yoga returns to OZ in January 2014!




Open workshops for general public:
Melbourne: Jan 10 -12.
Sydney: Jan 18-19.

Melbourne:
Public talk, Friday Jan10 at 6.30pm
Weekend Workshop, Sat, Sun, Jan 11- 12, 9.30 - 5.00pm.
Venue: Augustine Centre, 2 Minona St. Hawthorne.

Sydney:
Weekend Workshop, Sat, Sun, Jan 18 - 19, 9.30 - 5.00pm.
Venue: Redfern Town Hall, 73 Pitt St, Redfern. 



Tilba Tilba, NSW: (Namgyalgar members only)
Four day retreat, Jan 21-24 
Venue: Namgyalgar South Retreat Centre

Prices: to be confirmed.

Enquiries/bookings: Lynne: lynnedene@optusnet.com.au







ABOUT MICHAEL KATZ
Michael Katz is a psychologist, former Yantra Yoga instructor, author, photographer, and long time student of contemporary masters of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon. He is best known as having authored the introduction and edited the popular book Dream yoga and the Practice of Natural Light by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu. Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light (1992). Snow Lion Publications, as well as authoring Tibetan Dream Yoga, The Royal Road To Enlightenment.

The original and second editions of Dream Yoga have been translated into more than ten languages. These include bootlegged Russian and Chinese versions circulated during the Communist era.

Katz is also the author of a book of poetry "The Crossing" (out of print), a fictional novel "The White Dolphin" and is at work on a non fiction book about lucid dream experience "Memories, Lucid Dreams, and Clarity".

Katz was featured in the Discovery channel video series "The Power of Dreams" (1994) along with other lucid dream trainers including Stephen LaBerge and Tenzin Wangyal. 







ABOUT THE WORKSHOPS
Since the 1980s Michael has been conducting retreats for the purpose of introducing and training lucidity in the dream state. In particular he has been amongst the pioneers in utilizing hypnotic induction for lucidity during "guided naps" for this purpose.

Additionally his retreats and workshops are characterized by the use of lucid dream enactment he has titled "Lucid Dream Theater Work" for the purpose of deepening the experience of the lucid dream state.

In the workshop Michael will show you how to create stable and long-lasting lucid dreams, so that you can reap the benefits of lucid dreaming’s immense potential for personal growth, healing and wholeness.

See Michaels website here.


Info re The Dzogchen Community here.






Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Northern Gar News

Namgyalgar is the regional centre for the teachings of Dzogchen master, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, serving Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. There are community groups in regional centres of Australia, NZ and New Caledonia with a ling (Tib-place), Samyasling in Melbourne two gars (Tib.gar - nomad encampment) Namgylagar South, at Tilba, Tilba, NSW and Namgyalgar North in the Glasshouse Mts in QLD. Namg South was established in 1994 while the recently purchased property below houses Namg North. Namg North held its first large retreat with Chogyal Namkhai Norbu last March.

Prayer flags in the tropics.

Namgyalgar North, formerly a farm, has a large house, sheds and disused hydroponic structures. At a recent retreat with Elio Guarsico, Gakyil member Maree Ploetz took retreatants on a walk around the land show where building development will take place when planning permissions have been approved.

Heading uphill for the view of the Glasshouse Mts.
Clicke here for images of surrounding panorama of the Glasshouse Mountains.

The centre of the proposed gonpa with sacred objects conscecrated by CHNN already buried.
Maree explains the size of the gonpa (one of the four visible mountains from this spot in the background).
Local guardians must be appeased
Pretty faced wallabies guard the site of the proposed cinerarium.

The old hydroponic sheds will be replaced by seven retreat cabins.

Detailed plans have been drawn up to include dorms, kitchen, common room and dance mandala area. Regional communities can fundraise to purchase a dorm bed for their members use.
New prayer flags mark the border of the carpark
Old prayer flags remind us how quickly time passes.
Tropical garden surrounds the gekod house.
Machinery shed perfectly converted to house the dance mandala.
Cool mornings, warm afternoons with Elio in the gonpa next door to the dance mandala.
Plenty of space in the gonpa for all.
Cosimo and Sam cooking Elio's lunch on the patio barbeque.
One of the sentinels, Mt Tibrogaran, watching over Namgyalgar North

Come on down (or up or sideways) to help build the new Northern Gar in the southern hemisphere!


This blog, authored by Jan Cornall, is not an official blog of the Dzogchen Community.
For info re The Dzogchen Community of Namgyalgar go here.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Southern Gar News

Translator and scholar, Elio Guarisco, is currently visiting Australia leading retreats at Namgyalgar South near Tilba Tilba in Southern NSW and Namgyalgar North in the Glasshouse Mountains on QLD's Sunshine Coast. As well he has been giving public talks in Tilba, Sydney and Brisbane. 
 Elio is a Level 2 Santi Maha Sangha instructor and senior student of the Tibetan Dzogchen Master Chogyal Namkhai Norbu.




In between his translating work for Shang Shung Institute he travels to the various gars and lings of the Dzogchen Community delivering trainings and leading retreats.

Public talk on Tibetan Book Of The Dead at Tilba Hall NSW

It has been wonderful to have a teacher with Elio's breadth of knowledge and experience visit our community. Born in Italy, Elio received a Master of Arts before traveling to India to study Buddhism. On his return from India he moved to Switzerland where for ten years he learned Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy under one of the Dalai Lama's philosophical advisers.


Invited by the late Kagyu teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, Elio spent almost twenty years in India working on the Encyclopedia on Indo Tibetan Knowledge known as Shes bya kun khyab (Myriad Worlds, Buddhist Ethics,  Systems of Buddhist Tantra,  The Elements of Tantric Practice) authored by Kongtrul the Great, which is being published in separate volumes by Snow Lion Publications. During this time Elio developed a keen interest in Tibetan medicine and its relationship with the Dzogchen teachings.



Since 2003 he has been actively engaged in the Ka-ter  project of the Shang Shung Institute of Austria. He is also the instructor of the Training for Translators from Tibetan language and also works for the Dzogchen Tantra Translation Project.

At Namgyalgar South, a Dzogchen Community retreat centre on the southern slopes of Mt Gulaga, near Tilba Tilba in NSW, Elio led a retreat on Goma Devi and a level 1 SMS training before heading to Gar North in QLD's Glasshouse Mountains. For more info re upcoming events read here.

This blog is authored by Jan Cornall and is not an official blog of the Dzogchen Community.
For info re The Dzogchen Community of Namgyalgar go here.

Friday, April 12, 2013

A Day with Green Tara


Tara is called the mother of all Buddhas. In Tibet she is known as the bodhisattva of compassion, one who will relieve us of physical, emotional and spiritual suffering.


There are 21 Taras, each with a different colour and action.



White Tara is associated with compassion and long life. It is said the eye in her hand is witness to  all suffering.



Green Tara is associated with enlightened activity and abundance. She is also able to save us from eight particular dangers including robbers, tigers, snakes and demons, which we can translate into modern dangers or human emotions.


 
Spend the day with Green Tara - a creative workshop.
- hear some of her stories and learn of their importance in Tibetan religion and culture.
- practice some simple Green Tara mantras, meditations and visualisations.
- learn how to apply Green Tara wisdom in your daily life.
- start a creative project with Green Tara as your inspiration.
- make a small Green Tara travelling shrine from paper and fabric.


At the end of the workshop you will have an idea of how to use Green Tara as an inspirational energy in your life and feel the sense of abundance and joy that comes from spending the day with her.

Venue and times for the next Green Tara workshop to be confirmed.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Elio Guarisco Talk

Awakening Upon Dying. 
a talk by Elio Guarisco
on his new translation of 
The Tibetan Book of the Dead 





‘The Tibetan Book of the Dead’ presents instructions to facilitate the inner liberation of the dying or dead person by helping him or her to recognise and make use of the experiences that occur during the various phases of death.

This famous text was composed in the 8th century by the Buddhist Master Guru Padmasambhava. Since its first English translation in 1927 it has become a spiritual classic. In 2012 a new translation by Elio Guarisco, with a commentary by Dzogchen Master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, was published into English by Shang Shung Publications.

Translator Elio Guarisco is fluent in colloquial and classical Tibetan and has studied Buddhist Philosophy since 1974. He has acted as translator for numerous eminent Tibetan Masters, including Kalu Rinpoche and HH 14th Dalai Lama. His translations include volumes in the Treasury of Knowledge by Kontrul the Great, an encyclopedia of Indo-Tibetan knowledge. Since 2003 he has been actively engaged in the Ka-Ter project of the Shang Shung Institute, translating texts of Tibetan Masters for the preservation of this precious spiritual heritage. 



For many years Elio has worked closely with renowned scholar and teacher Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, translating important works and texts for the Shang Shung Institute, set up by CNN for the preservation of Tibetan culture.

In this lecture Elio will highlight the instructions of the ‘Tibetan Book of the Dead’ according to the teachings of Dzogchen as a means to attain spiritual realization at the time of death and post-mortem stages.


Where: Buddhist Library,
90 Church St Camperdown, Sydney.
When : Saturday, April 13, 2013 6:00pm until 8:00pm 

Donation: $10

Enquiries: 0415921303 


Elio Guarisco was born in Italy in Varese on the 5th of August 1954 and grew up in Como. Elio received a Master of Arts before traveling to India to study Buddhism. On his return from India he moved to Switzerland where for ten years he learned Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy under one of the Dalai Lama's philosophical advisers.
Invited by the late Kagyu teacher, Kalu Rinpoche, Elio spent almost twenty years in India working on the Encyclopedia on Indo Tibetan Knowledge known as Shes bya kun khyab (Myriad Worlds, Buddhist Ethics,  Systems of Buddhist Tantra,  The Elements of Tantric Practice) authored by Kongtrul the Great, which is being published in separate volumes by Snow Lion Publications. During this time Elio developed a keen interest in Tibetan medicine and its relationship with the Dzogchen teachings.
Since 2003 he has been actively engaged in the Ka-ter  project of the Shang Shung Institute of Austria. He is also the instructor of the Training for Translators from Tibetan language and also works for the Dzogchen Tantra Translation Project.
Audio of a previous talk by Elio
This blog is authored by Jan Cornall and is not an official blog of the Dzogchen Community.
For info re The Dzogchen Community of Namgyalgar go here.