Living the View

The Five Owl Precepts

Retreat with Ngak´chang Rinpoche

As Buddhist practitioners--or simply as human beings--despite our best intentions, we find it impossible to live a "pure" life, impossible not to cause harm and create confusion. In fact, meditation practice makes our awareness of this dilemma even more vivid. The Five Precepts express a commitment to join awareness with the actual situation of how we live life. They are given different dimensions of meaning by the different yanas, or vehicles, of Buddhist teachings.

The Five Owl Precepts, originating in the Owl-headed Dakini teachings of the Aro gTer, express the profound inner meaning of the Five Precepts.On Friday evening, Rinpoche will give the dBang, or Tantric empowerment, of 'ug-Dongma, the Owl-headed Dakini. The Owl-headed Dakini bewilders and frees with its spectral nocturnal presence the fixations of conceptual mind.

The Saturday and Sunday sessions will consist of talks by Rinpoche and student teachers, questions and answers, and periods of meditation practice and yogic song.

All events are open to everyone. No preregistration; pay at the door. Please arrive on time.
San Francisco Shambhala Center
1231 Stevenson Street
(NEW ADDRESS!!)
San Francisco, CA, US
dBang (Empowerment)of 'ug-Dongma, the Owl-headed Dakini: Friday, March 13, 2009, 7:30 p.m. Teachings on the Five Owl Precepts: Saturday, March 14, 2009, 10:00 a.m.- 6:00 p.m. Sunday, March 15, 2009, 1:00 p.m.- 6:00 p.m.

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Entire weekend program: $120
Empowerment only: $30
Teachings only: $100

Contact: Carl Grundberg, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , (510) 704-9267

All Aro gTer retreats are non-smoking events. Smokers are welcome to attend, but in accordance with Nyingma teaching, and Vajrayana Buddhism in general, we require participants to desist from the smoking of tobacco for the entire duration of the retreat – both on or off the premises where retreats are held. Tobacco in any form should not be brought to the retreat.