Winter Seminar with Phakchok Rinpoche: The Essence of Mahayana

Gomde California is honored to welcome our esteemed lineage master and teacher, Phakchok Rinpoche, who will teach on the “Essence of the Mahayana” from Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation. Through Rinpoche’s teachings, we will examine the origin of samsara and how confusion arises out of emptiness and operates like a dream.

The Mahayana path, predicated on buddha-nature and traversable via our precious human life, when guided by a qualified spiritual teacher’s instructions, leads us to perfect buddhahood—from which radiates spontaneous, compassionate activity.

Rinpoche will address the key qualities needed on the path along with the four profound obstacles we face and their antidotes. Rinpoche will highlight the Four Immeasurables and the Four Foundations of Mindfulness as well as additional key points for deepening one’s practice of the bodhisattva path.

This will be a very special program at Gomde California, our first winter seminar with one of our primary and esteemed lineage teachers.

Check-in

Check-in will begin on January 3rd at 3:00 pm, followed by dinner and an orientation meeting. Rinpoche will enter the Buddha Hall the morning of January 4th and the program will conclude the afternoon of January 6th. 

Accommodation

A limited number of single-person tiny home retreat cabins are available for rental. Due to limited winter housing, most of the other facilities will be organized as multi-person lodging spaces. If you prefer a single-person space and are unable to secure a tiny-home, we encourage you to look at off-site lodging options.

Please note that Gomde California in the winter is essentially a rainforest. For that reason, we cannot offer the usual Tent Cabin accommodations that are available during the summer months. If you opt to bring your own camping gear, please be fully prepared for a winter camping experience—we will not be able to accommodate you last minute in indoor facilities.

To learn more about each lodging option for the Program, click “Register Now.”

If you wish to stay off-site, we encourage you to check with local AirBnB’s and hotels around Gomde California as soon as possible. Here are links to several hotel options:

• Big Bend Lodge
• Redwood River Resort
• Benbow Historic Inn (about 25 minutes from Gomde)
• Local AirBnB’s:
  • Redwood Castle Single Room
  • Redwood Castle Master Bedroom
  • Redwood Castle’s Dorgi’s Suite
  • Redwood Castle’s Tiny House in Leggett
  • Redwood Castle Luxury 2 Bed Vacation Home

Additional off-site options are available in the bottom half of the accommodations page on our site.

Work-Exchange and Scholarships

A lot of work and generous financial support go into running and developing a retreat center of Gomde California’s size (around 250 acres). Despite Gomde California’s significant operating costs, the administration continuously strives to create conditions for everyone to be able to connect with and study the authentic Dharma. We have Work-Exchange and Scholarship opportunities for sangha members who wish to attend the teachings, but who can only do so with a discounted rate. If you are interested in a work-exchange please fill out this form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Q-lMbVnZaPv7fDINOMyr0lAdLN3cgWBPvfwlahvycRo/edit

If you are in need of a scholarship for these teachings, please write to coordinator@gomdeca.org.

We look forward to warmly welcoming our sangha members, and new folks from all backgrounds, to the retreat land of Gomde California.