HYT Practice Classes

with Resident Teacher Trina Gunther

In these classes, we are exploring and practicing the instructions presented in The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra, by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche, an extraordinary book that reveals the uncommon practice of Tantric Mahamudra of the Ganden Oral Lineage.

Starting with the practice of the preliminaries and then progressing along the actual meditation practices of Mahamudra, these classes help us to gain a clear understanding and experience of the steps we need to accomplish the profoundly blissful minds of Highest Yoga Tantra.

Each HYT practice class will engage in the prayers The Hundreds of Deities of the Joyful Land According to Highest Yoga Tantra and a guided meditation.

In conjunction with these classes, we are offering a monthly in-depth workshop to deepen our understanding and experience of Buddhist practice. These coordinated classes are designed to support the development of our HYT practice. Through these we will be guided step-by-step, gradually building up a qualified understanding of HYT practice.

Please see the general schedule of HYT classes below. For the schedule of in-depth workshops, please click on the image to the left or here.

The Actual Practice of Mahamudra

Using The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra

PLEASE NOTE:  NEW DATE!

Having Identified Our Own Mind, Training in Tranquil Abiding

This class is also the introduction to the Clarity & Concentration Day Retreat.

Using The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra

Having Realized Emptiness, Training in Superior Seeing

Using The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra

Meditating on the Central Channel, the Yoga of the Central Channel

Using The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra

PLEASE NOTE:  NEW DATE!

Meditating on the Indestructible Drop, the Yoga of the Drop

Using The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra

PLEASE NOTE:  NEW DATE!

Meditating on the Indestructible Wind, the Yoga of the Wind

Using The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra

PLEASE NOTE:  NEW DATE!

Clear Light & the Illusory Body

Using The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra

Preparing for the HYT Empowerments

In this workshop, we will explore practical matters for attending the festival as well as how to prepare our minds for a most beneficial and blessed experience of these empowerments at the 2023 Summer Festival. We will also look at the vows and commitments of Highest Yoga Tantra and how to purify these if they have degenerated for us.  

The Yoga of Sleeping

Using Modern Buddhism & The New Guide to Dakini Land

The Yoga of Rising

Using Modern Buddhism & The New Guide to Dakini Land

The Yoga of Experiencing Nectar

Using Modern Buddhism & The New Guide to Dakini Land

Our Tantric Vows & Commitments, Part 1

• Six Session Yoga
• 6 Commitments of Family of Buddha Vairochana

• 4 Commitments of Family of Buddha Akshobya

Using Tantric Vows and Paths

Our Tantric Vows & Commitments, Part 2

• 4 Commitments of Family of Buddha Ratnasambhava
• 
3 Commitments of Family of Buddha Amitabha

• 2 Commitments of Family of Buddha Amoghasiddhi

Using Tantric Vows and Paths

Our Tantric Vows & Commitments, Part 3

• The 14 Root Downfalls of the Secret Mantra Vow

Using Tantric Vows and Paths

Our Tantric Vows & Commitments, Part 4

• Three types of branch commitment (abandonment, reliance & additional)

• The Gross Downfalls of the Secret Mantra Vows, part 1

Using Tantric Vows and Paths

Our Tantric Vows & Commitments, Part 5

• The Gross Downfalls of the Secret Mantra Vows, part 2

• The Uncommon Commitments of Mother Tantra

Using Tantric Vows and Paths

With Resident Teacher Trina Gunther

Trina Gunther is a long-time practitioner of Modern Kadampa Buddhism. She has studied and practiced in Dharma centers under Gen-la Dekyong and Gen Rigpa, and she has worked as Education Program Coordinator at centers in Los Angeles and the UK. She is an inspiring example of a lay practitioner of Kadampa Buddhism, and brings with her a wealth of practical experience of putting Buddha's teachings into practice amidst a busy daily life.