Living Mandala, Living Bardo: A Vajrayana Retreat of the Five Buddha Families

Living Mandala, Living Bardo: A Vajrayana Retreat of the Five Buddha Families, with White Tara Empowerment November 6- 12 (6 Day Retreat) Join us for a transformative weeklong Vajrayana Buddhist meditation retreat exploring the dynamic energies of the Five Buddha Families as a profound map of the living bardos—those in-between moments of life, change, and insight. Drawing from teachings in the Namgyal Rinpoche lineage, this retreat blends archetypal psychology, tantric ritual, and meditative stillness to awaken the sacred mandala within and around us. Each day we will focus on one of the Buddha Families—Vairochana (space), Akshobhya (mirror-like wisdom), Ratnasambhava (equanimity), Amitabha (discriminating awareness), and Amoghasiddhi (all-accomplishing action)—and explore how these energies manifest in our own lives. These archetypes help us meet emotional challenges, personal transitions, and karmic patterns with greater clarity, compassion, and courage. This a silent retreat with opportunity to ask questions in class sessions. PAID REGISTRATION WILL BE REQUIRED. See the link to the Dharma Centre of Canada below for registration details. Teacher Bio: Lama Linda (Linda Hochstetler) has explored consciousness and awakening for more than 30 years. She trained with Namgyal Rinpoche—the first Canadian-born Rinpoche—from 1995 until his passing in 2003, grounding herself in Theravada and Vajrayana Buddhist practices. She later continued her studies with Qapel (Doug Duncan), a successor in the Namgyal lineage, and received permission to teach under his guidance. She is the co-founder and leader of the Awaken in Toronto Sangha, where she teaches weekly online classes on consciousness and awakening principles, and leads retreats 4 times a year. A registered social worker specializing in illness, dying, and death, Lama Linda also maintains a thriving private psychotherapy practice, has presented widely at conferences, and has been interviewed extensively on end-of-life topics. In 2021 she published her first book, 21 Days to Die: The Canadian Guide to End of Life. A mother, wife, and friend to many, she encourages her students to use their relationships as gateways to love more deeply and explore dharma more fully. She is devoted to weaving Buddhist teachings with Western psychotherapeutic approaches to support transformative change. www.lindahochstetler.com An administration fee will be set to cover the entire weekend of classes and accommodation as well as delicious food. Participants are encouraged to offer Dana to the teacher who offers these teachings without any other payment. Dana is usually offered in cash at the beginning of the retreat. This will be a silent retreat and so you may want to bring a journal to write in. Registration: Dharma Centre of Canada