2010 Course / Retreat / Events Calendar

 

April 2010
Courses:
5 - 14 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential led with Glen Svensson
April 27 - May 6 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential
April 29 - May 6 The Gelug Tradition of Mahamudra - Intermediate Level course with Glen Svensson
Pujas:
(changes can occur at short notice in our puja schedule, we recommend that you contact us beforehand if you plan to attend)
8 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
14 New Moon 
22 Medicine Buddha Puja (in English) @ 4 pm
23 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
28 Full Moon 

 

May 2010
Courses:
April 27 - May 6 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential
April 29 - May 6 The Gelug Tradition of Mahamudra - Intermediate Level course with Glen Svensson 
May 15 - 24 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential with Glen Svensson

Events:
8 & 9  Chenrezig Initiation with Dagri Rinpoche. For those registered to do one or more Nyung Nay
27 Saka Dawa - Anniversary of Buddha's Birth, Enlightenment and Parinirvana*
Special program & times to be announced
* On wheel turning days karmic results are multiplied one hundred million times, as cited by Lama

Zopa Rinpoche in the Vinaya text Treasure of Quotations and Logic.
Retreats:
12  - 28 8 Nyung Nays - led by Ven. Robina Courtin
Pujas:
(changes can occur at short notice in our puja schedule, we recommend that you contact us beforehand if you plan to attend.)
8 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
13 New Moon 
21 Medicine Buddha Puja (in English) @ 4 pm
23 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
27 Full Moon

 

June 2010
Courses:
1 - 10  Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential 
2 - 10 Karma and Emptiness - Residential Intermediate Level course with Ven Robina Courtin
15 - 24 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential
19 - 24 The Heart Sutra - Residential Intermediate Level Course with Glen Svensson
Retreats:
June 29 - July 5
July 6 - Oct 3 Preparation week for the Vajrasattva Retreat
Vajrasattva Retreat - Led by Ven. Robina Courtin & Jimi Neal
Pujas:
(changes can occur at short notice in our puja schedule, we recommend that you contact us beforehand if you plan to attend.)
7 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm
12 New Moon 
19 Medicine Buddha Puja (in English) @ 4 pm 
21 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
26 Full Moon 

 

July 2010
Courses:
8 - 17 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential
21 - 30 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential
Retreats:
July 6 - Oct 3 Vajrasattva Retreat - Led by Ven. Robina Courtin & Jimi Neal 
Pujas:
(changes can occur at short notice in our puja schedule, we recommend that you contact us beforehand if you plan to attend.)
6 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm

His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 75th Birthday!!!
11 New Moon 
19 Medicine Buddha Puja (in English) @ 4 pm 
20 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
25 Full Moon 

 

August 2010
Courses:
3 - 7 Introduction to Buddhism course - 5-day residential 
12 - 21 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential
Events:
28 - 30
His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL) will give three-day teachings on The Diamond Sutra (dorjee chotpa) at the request of a group of Koreans at the main temple in McLeod Ganj. These events are NOT organised by Tushita, (please see His Holiness' own website for more information.)
Retreats:
July 6 - Oct 3 Vajrasattva Retreat - Led by Ven. Robina Courtin & Jimi Neal
Pujas:
(changes can occur at short notice in our puja schedule, we recommend that you contact us beforehand if you plan to attend.)
5 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
10 New Moon 
17 Medicine Buddha Puja (in English) @ 4 pm
19 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
24 Full Moon

 

September 2010
Courses:
2 - 6 Introduction to Buddhism course - 5-day residential
14 - 24 To Go Beyond - Intermediate level Course with Andy Wistreich
15 - 24 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential 
Sept 28 - Oct 2 Introduction to Buddhism course - 5-day residential (special course to prepare for HHDL teachings in McLeod Ganj) with Andy Wistreich 
Events:
8 - 10
His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL) will give three-day teachings (topic yet to be decided) at the request of a group of Southeast Asians at the main temple in McLeod Ganj. These events are NOT organised by Tushita, (please see His Holiness' own website for more information.)
Retreats:
July 6 - Oct 3 Vajrasattva Retreat - Led by Ven. Robina Courtin & Jimi Neal
Pujas:
(changes can occur at short notice in our puja schedule, we recommend that you contact us beforehand if you plan to attend.)
3 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
8 New Moon 
15 Medicine Buddha Puja (in English) @ 4 pm
17 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
23 Full Moon

 

October 2010
Courses:
9 - 18 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential
10 - 18 Real Altruism - Intermediate level Course with Andy Wistreich 
Oct 23 - Nov 2 Enlightened Nature - Intermediate level Course with Andy Wistreich
Oct 26 - Nov 2 Introduction to Buddhism course - 8-day residential
Events:
4 - 7
His Holiness the Dalai Lama (HHDL) will give four-day teachings (topic yet to be decided) at the request of a group of Taiwanese at the main temple in McLeod Ganj. These events are NOT organised by Tushita, (please see His Holiness' own website for more information.)
Retreats
July 6 - Oct 3 Vajrasattva Retreat - Led by Ven. Robina Courtin & Jimi Neal
Oct 21 - Nov 2 Medicine Buddha Retreat - Led by Ven. Robina Courtin
Pujas:
(changes can occur at short notice in our puja schedule, we recommend that you contact us beforehand if you plan to attend.)
3 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
7 New Moon 
15 Medicine Buddha Puja (in English) @ 4 pm
17 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
22 Full Moon - Lord Buddha's acceptance to descend from God-realm of the 33
29 Lord Buddha's actual descent from God-realm of the 33

 

November 2010 
Courses:
Oct 23 - Nov 2  Enlightened Nature - Intermediate level Course with Andy Wistreich 
Oct 26 - Nov 2 Introduction to Buddhism course - 8-day residential
Nov 13 - 22 Introduction to Buddhism course - 10-day residential
Nov 25 - 29 Introduction to Buddhism course - 5-day residential
Events:
 
Retreats:
Oct 21 - Nov 2 Medicine Buddha Retreat - Led by Ven. Robina Courtin
13 - 22 Green Tara Retreat - Led by Jimi Neal
Pujas:
(changes can occur at short notice in our puja schedule, we recommend that you contact us beforehand if you plan to attend.)
1 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
6 New Moon 
14 Medicine Buddha Puja (in English) @ 4 pm
16 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm 
21 Full Moon
30 Guru Puja (in Tibetan) @ 6:30 pm - Lama Tsong Khapa Day

 

COURSE DISCIPLINE -  

 

To create an atmosphere conducive for reflection and meditation, participants are required to keep silence (no talking at all!) for the duration of the course (from the evening of the first day until the morning of the last course day), except during discussion groups or question and answer periods. Most likely there will be an Introduction to Buddhism course running parallel to your course. It is especially difficult for beginners to keep the silence, so please be aware of your special responsibility as a role model as a more advanced practitioner.

 

- Do not leave Tushita property for the entire course. Please settle all travel arrangements, calls, etc. before you come to Tushita!
- Participants must attend all sessions of the course and come to sessions on time.
- You are expected to observe silence (no talking at all) from the evening of the first day until the end of the course.
- Please be gentle in your behaviour and sensitive to fellow group members.

 

FAQ's on ACCOMMODATION - 

 

Can I stay at Tushita if I am not attending a course or retreat?

 

Sorry, no. Tushita is a very busy centre and due to limited accommodation space, our rooms are available only for:

- Participants of our scheduled residential courses or group retreats.
- Experienced mediators doing their own individual STRICT Buddhist retreats (of a MINIMUM 10 days duration).

 

What is the accommodation like?

 

Tushita’s accommodation is basic, but clean and comfortable. If this is your first stop in India, you may have expectations based on Western hotel standards and be disappointed by the lack of amenities in our rooms (this is a Dharma centre, so forget about the mini-bar!). However, most of the people who come to study at Tushita are backpackers or long-term travelers on a budget and if like them you have a little more experience of average accommodation standards in India, we are confident that you will be satisfied.

 

We offer the following accommodation options for students attending our courses and group retreats (individuals planning to do their own strict retreat, please read info. on personal retreat):

 

- single rooms with private (Indian squat-style) toilet, shared showers (very limited number)
- single rooms with shared toilet/showers (very limited number)
- small dormitories (3 - 4 beds) with attached toilet or shared toilet/showers
- large dormitories (7 - 14 beds) with shared toilet/showers

 

Do you provide bedding?

 

Our rooms are very simply furnished, with a bed and mattress. Sheets and pillows are provided, but we request that you bring your own sleeping bag. It is usually quite cold here in the mountains at night, even if it's very hot in the plains of India. We can only provide you with ONE blanket each, which won’t keep you warm enough at night. Unfortunately Tushita cannot provide you with more blankets, since we have a very heavy monsoon season (with 3 months of almost constant rain) and no way to keep all the bedding safely protected from the monsoon mould. We are currently experimenting with a system of having a few duvets available for rental (contact us to check if this is possible for your course), but if you plan to travel in this part of the country, a sleeping bag is advisable anyway. 

 

I am joining an introductory course. Can I request a particular type of room?

 

No, we have a tried and tested system and this is how it works: when you register for a course, your name is added to a list. We use the numerical order of this list to allocate rooms at 1 pm on the first day of the course, so please come on time! This system means that early registration gives you a greater chance of getting a single room. After many years of running these courses, we have found this system to be the fairest and most efficient; please do not put us in the position of having to say no by asking for special accommodation! If you are of a mature age, physically challenged or have medical problems please let us know, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

 

Can I share a room with my friends and family?

 

We are a meditation centre with nuns and monks staying here, so couples and men/women must have separate accommodation.  Friends and family of the same gender are strongly encouraged to stay in separate rooms to help support silence and focus on the course/retreat.

 
INFO. ON PERSONAL RETREATS -

 

Tushita was founded in 1972 by Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche as a retreat centre in response to the ever-growing demand from their Western students. The Lamas decided on this location, since McLeod Ganj was home to many of their beloved teachers, especially His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Ling Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche and Geshe Rabten.  Although Tushita’s main function has shifted during the last three decades from offering retreat facilities to introducing the Buddha’s teachings to many people from around the world, Tushita still provides a very blessed and inspiring environment for those experienced meditators looking for a peaceful retreat place.

 

Tushita’s personal retreat facilities include:

 

- Peaceful retreat rooms & retreat huts in beautiful forest setting
- Three vegetarian meals per day, safe drinking water & milk/chai
- Fire puja house
- Excellent library of books and videos
- Laundry service
- Meditation cushions/boxes, water bowls, prostration boards and other retreat supplies available
- Shop for your daily needs (toiletries, stationery, candles, incense, snacks, etc.)
- Friendly staff who will respect your retreat silence and be available to provide logistical and emotional support to retreaters if needed

 

Please note: Tushita does NOT offer any self-catering facilities! Usually retreatants come to the dining hall for meals, but in case of strict retreat it is possible to have meals delivered to your room.

 

Tushita's personal retreat facilities are available for experienced retreatants only:

 

- doing a strict individual retreat with a set schedule of three/four sessions of Buddhist practices per day, e.g. ngondro, deity practice, Lam Rim, etc.
- not leaving Tushita property, except occasionally to buy supplies.
- remaining in silence most of the day. This does not mean you must be in complete silence, but you should not be hanging out talking with others very often.
- doing a individual retreat with a minimum of 10 days in duration.
- having a teacher who gave advise for the appropriate time to do the retreat and detailed retreat instructions. Your main teacher or a other qualified teacher should be available to you when difficulties in your practice arise.

 

Please note that we do not have a teacher at Tushita, who can give you guidance with your practice or help you when difficulties arise!

 

WHAT TO BRING  -

 

Tushita is located on a forested mountain slope at an altitude of 2100 mts. (7000 ft.) in the foot-hills of the Himalayas.
 

Here is a check-list for things that you will need, or may find useful, while staying at Tushita:

 

- You will need to bring 2 PHOTOCOPIES OF YOUR PASSPORT AND INDIAN VISA when you check-in. Regulations changed recently and local authorities have become VERY strict about registration information. We do not have a photocopier at Tushita, so you must bring these with you.
- A good sleeping bag is absolutely necessary since it is quite cold here in the mountains (especially at night), even if it's very hot in the plains of India. We can only provide you with ONE blanket each, which won’t keep you warm enough at night. Unfortunately Tushita cannot provide you with more blankets, since we have a very heavy monsoon season (with 3 months of almost constant rain) and no space to store all the bedding safely.
- Warm clothing which can be worn in layers and a shawl/blanket for using in the meditation hall are advisable throughout the year.
- Because we have monks and nuns living at Tushita, please dress respectfully in loose comfortable clothing (no shorts above the knee, sleeveless shirts or tight and revealing clothes). There are no guidelines as to the colour of clothing, it's as you like!
- An umbrella or rainwear is advisable all year and absolutely necessary during the monsoon months (June to September). As well as plastic bags to protect clothes and belongings from mould which is common during this time of year.
- A torch (flashlight) and batteries are useful during power cuts.
- If you feel the need for a watch/clock, it's helpful to bring one which is digital, i.e. one which does not tick! (please refrain from using your mobile phone as an alarm clock, but rather put it in our safe so you won’t be tempted to use it). There will be gongs rung before sessions, so a clock isn't vital.
- We do encourage course participants to take notes during the course, so please bring a notebook, pen etc.
- It is handy to have your own water bottle. Filtered water is available in our dining hall and out of concern for the environment, we strongly discourage students from buying water in plastic bottles.
- A small face/wash-cloth is useful for freshening up with, given our frequent water shortages.
- Please bring your own bath towel, toiletries (we do NOT provide toilet paper!) and any medicines you need.

 

Note on availability: toiletries such as shampoo (with and without conditioner), soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, razors and laundry detergent are inexpensive and readily available throughout India.  Deodorants without a strong scent are harder to find. Sanitary pads and tampons are available in India, but they are usually of inferior quality to Western versions, so you may want to bring supplies of these items with you to India.

 

Please DO NOT bring: any musical instruments, camera, radios/tape/CD/MP3 players or mobile phones as you will be asked not to use them while you are here. If you do bring them, you will be requested to deposit them in our safe along with any valuables you would like us to keep secure for the duration of your stay. Please do not use your mobile phone as an alarm clock, there will always be a temptation to use it (even if you promise to remove the SIM card) and it can be distracting to other students. Please do not put staff in an uncomfortable position by asking to retain your phone or audio/visual equipment.

 

If you have a camera, please use it only on the last day of the course. We also ask that you only read books about Buddhism while you are here to help you stay focused on the ideas presented in the course, so you won't need any extra non-Dharma books.

 

LOCATION and DIRECTIONS:

 

Tushita is located on a forested mountain slope at an altitude of 2100m (7000ft) in the beautiful foothills of the Himalayas. To get to Tushita you first need to go to Dharamsala (elevation 1219m), roughly 12 hours drive north from Delhi. From there it is a 20min bus ride up the hill to McLeod

Ganj (elevation 1770m) and a further 10min taxi or rickshaw ride up to Tushita (near the village of Dharamkot).

 

Please note: Even though Dharamsala is often taken to be synonymous with the home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government in exile, the actual Tibetan settlement is up the hill, in McLeod Ganj.

 

The two nearest stations to Dharamsala are Pathankot (PTK) and Chakki Bank (CHKB). These stations are on the main line to Jammu Tawi. There are a number of trains from Delhi, the most popular are: 

 

#4033 - Jammu Mail. An overnight train which leaves OLD DELHI Railway station (NOT New Delhi Station) at 9:25pm each night and stops at Pathankot Station around 7:20am (before continuing on to Jammu Tawi). 

 

#2919 - Malwa Express. A day train which leaves NEW DELHI at 5am and stops at Chakki Bank Station around 1:45pm (before continuing on to Jammu Tawi).

 

We suggest to select the month and date of course and advise us for registration for which certain details from you are required.

We can help in logistics such as New Delhi Airport transfers + budget value for money to Sheraton kind of hotel accommodation booking for Delhi + train station in Delhi transfers and or if opting for car travel to the Centre (12 hours) then it can also be arranged. We can arrange for transfers from Pathankot / Chakki Bank train stations to the Centre and any other travel requirement pre or post Course you may have.

We hope above information are helpful and we look forward to be of further help at the earliest (remember the course are booked on first cum first booked basis)

Donation for the Course:

Tushita Meditation Centre operates entirely on the basis of donations, most of which come from people attending our courses and retreats. At the time of check-in we will ask you to please give your full donation for the course, payable in Indian Rupees only (unfortunately we cannot accept Foreign Currency, Travelers Cheques or Credit Cards).

The minimum amount that Tushita needs to cover our costs to keep the centre operating on this 10-day residential course is:

- Rs. 4,950/-  in large dormitory (7 - 12 beds)

- Rs. 5,400/-  in small dormitory (3 - 4 beds)

- Rs. 6,300/-  in single room without toilet (very limited number)

- Rs. 6,480/- in single room with toilet (very limited number)

This includes all meals, accommodation and administrative expenses for the full duration of the course. Of course, extra donations to help Tushita are always welcome!

Please note:

- Rooms will be allocated on the arrival day (on the basis of your
  registration number), and can NOT be booked in advance, unless you
  have a physical condition.

- During the course we ask students to observe silence and a basic code
  of respectful behaviour in order to keep the atmosphere conducive to
  inner reflection and spiritual pursuit.

We also want to let you know about a change to information we'll need from you at check-in. In the last few weeks the local authorities have tightened up on documentation required from foreigners when registering at hotels/guest houses etc. This also includes Tushita. They now require a photocopy of your Passport AND Indian Visa. Unfortunately, we do not have a photocopier here and ask that you have these copies ready when you arrive. 

We strongly recommend that you bring a good sleeping bag and some warm clothes, since it is quite cold here in the mountains, especially at night (even if it's very hot in the plains of India). If you plan to travel anywhere else in this region it is advisable to have one anyway. We currently have some duvets available for rental at 200 rupees per course as an alternative. 

Kindly note above briefs are given only for info. purposes and we donot book any course program and for the same one needs to contact Tushita Meditation Centre, Mcleodganj, Dharamshala directly.