About this Course

The view of this course is to understand how all three yanas of the Buddhist journey can join together on the spot. As Shambhala and/or Buddhist practitioners, we very often view our path as progress “forward and upward” through the stages of Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana paths – and that Vajrayana is the most important stage. 

Yet the three yanas of the Buddhist path are like a tree. Hinayana simplicity and directness are the roots, Mahayana compassion and emptiness are the trunk, and Vajrayana space awareness and sacred perception are the crown of branches that bear the fruit of wisdom and skillful means. They exist simultaneously, inseparably on the spot. They are not a straight line with a beginning and an end, but a full circle that never leaves the present moment. This is the vision of the Great Eastern Sun that is so often talked about in the Shambhala teachings – which is based on appreciating ourselves and our world.  

What’s Included in the Recordings

• Guided meditation instruction
• Periods of sitting meditation
• Contemplations and other guided exercises
• Talks and discussions
• Exploring a full range of practices that are related to all three yanas:
  • sitting meditation
  • compassion practice
  • windhorse confidence practice
• Explorations of the senses

Who the course is for

This course is open to all.  

About the Teacher

John Rockwell has been on the path of dharma for 47 years. He met Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1975 and studied and practiced the Buddhist and Shambhala teachings for 12 years with him, and in particular worked with him on translating Tibetan texts into English. For ten years, he studied and taught at Naropa University in the Buddhist Studies department. For many years, he served as an acharya or senior teacher for Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and also studied intensively with Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche. His inspiration now is to open the heart and senses on the spot.