During a Mahayoga Retreat at Samye Hermitage New York, many students asked Phakchok Rinpoche how they should integrate the various practices into their daily sessions. Rinpoche responded by suggesting that students do two sessions per day, one in the morning and another at night. These are the oral instructions he gave during the final
teaching.
For those students who are not currently doing Ngöndro, simply omit that section.
Session One
- Lineage Supplications
- Ngöndro (if applicable)
- Concise Daily Practice (suggested with 10 rounds of mantra) and Sang Practice
Rinpoche requested that each student complete 400,000 mantras as preparation for the retreat, with each Mahayoga student working towards their own accumulation of 400,000. Rinpoche described during the retreat how students can recite 10 malas per session, divided into five sections. Continuing to recite 10 malas a day will ensure that students complete 400,000 recitations in a year.
- Resting in meditation as you were instructed during Rinpoche’s teaching of either Mahayoga or in Mahamudra Level Two
- Aspirations and Dedications
Evening Session
- Lineage Supplications
- Concise Daily Practice or other Mahayoga practice
- Mahakala protector offering
Rinpoche encourages us to perform the protector offering frequently, but at minimum, it should be performed weekly.
- Resting in meditation as you were instructed during Rinpoche’s teaching of either Mahayoga or in Mahamudra Level Two
- Aspirations and Dedications
Rinpoche has also requested that the Global Sangha accumulate the Dusum Sangye Supplication. You can find accumulation counters for these practices here.
Other Tips
When facing obstacles or problems it is good to chant the Mahākāla offering multiple times in the evening session.
If your plans or projects succeed then be sure to do a sang offering as a thanksgiving. Normally, sang is performed before noon, but it can be performed as late as 3 PM, but never in the evening.
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