Core Practices

In addition to sitting meditation, under Anyen Rinpoche’s guidance, our sangha engages in various practices on a monthly basis. Our sangha meets regularly on Sunday mornings at Orgyen Khandroling Center for practice. We also have open meditation practice time or public talks with Anyen Rinpoche on the Bodhisattva Path scheduled for Thursday evenings. You can find more information about attending practices and talks on the schedule page.

Tsok - (skt. ganachakra or “accumulation”) is an offering practice that is done to accumulate merit, purify obscurations, and repair damaged samaya (tantric commitments). Because offering tsok is the best way to ensure that samaya is kept, offering tsok regularly is a necessary practice for all practitioners of the Secret Mantryana. Tsok is traditionally offered twice a month, on the tenth and twenty-fifth days of the lunar calendar, which are known as Guru Rinpoche day and Dakini day, respectively. Thus, tsok will be scheduled according to the lunar calendar and not on a regular day and time.

When we offer tsok, we gather together and arrange a large offering table before the altar, recite the tsok text, make the offerings, join in the feast, and recite concluding prayers. When you come to offer tsok, please bring offerings of food, drink and/or flowers, all of which should be fresh and beautifully arranged, with attention to detail. Anyen Rinpoche often says that we should offer at tsok that which we would most like to enjoy ourselves! Please observe Rinpoche’s dietary restrictions and mark any food that contains gluten.

Vajrasattva - Like tsok, Vajrasattva is a practice done to keep our sangha’s samaya pure and protect the health of our community, our Rinpoche, and our lineage. We meet monthly to recite the 100 syllable mantra and other prayers to this end. Anyen Rinpoche requests that each and every one of his committed students attend this monthly practice.

Phowa - Under Anyen Rinpoche’s guidance, the Phowa Foundation offers focused training as preparation for one’s own death, as well as to offer support to others based on his book, Dying with Confidence. We meet monthly at the center to practice phowa as a group, to master these teachings for our own benefit and as well as the benefit of others.

Medicine Buddha - In addition to the annual Medicine Buddha Monlam, we meet on a monthly basis to practice Medicine Buddha for the benefit of all beings.