Green Tara and White Tara Initiation Weekend

December 12-14, 2025

In person only

Join us for a rare and precious Tara Weekend Retreat with Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Jampa, one of the last great Tibetan Buddhist scholars educated in Tibet before the Chinese invasion. Revered for his vast knowledge, humility, and boundless compassion, Rinpoche has devoted his life to preserving the authentic teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and sharing them with the modern world.

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During this extraordinary weekend, Rinpoche will bestow the Green Tara and White Tara initiations—sacred transmissions rarely offered in the West. To receive these blessings from such a realized lineage master is an immensely auspicious opportunity. Green Tara, the swift and compassionate mother of all the Buddhas, swiftly removes obstacles and grants protection, while White Tara bestows long life, healing, and radiant peace. Attending with pure intention opens the heart to their enlightened qualities of wisdom, courage, and compassion.

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In celebration of Lama Tsongkhapa Day on December 14th, the retreat will conclude with a Lama Chöpa Tsog offering. Whether you are new to Tara practice or wish to deepen your connection, this retreat offers the rare joy of receiving direct blessings and guidance from a truly authentic master.

Commitments

Daily Green Tara mantra recitation – any amount

Engaging Bodhisattva vows

Tentative Weekend Schedule:

• Friday, Dec 12 (Evening): Public talk by Rinpoche on Tara practice
• Saturday, Dec 13: Green Tara Initiation + commentary
• Sunday, Dec 14: White Tara Initiation + Lama Chopa Tsog offering

Registration Closes

December 5th, 2025

Additional Information

• Please plan on arriving between 3:00 and 5:00 PM on the first day of the retreat

• Please plan on departing at approximately 2:00 PM on the last day of the retreat

• Accommodation information is visible during the registration process

• For more detailed information, please see our FAQ

About Vajrapani Institute

Vajrapani Institute for Wisdom Culture was one of the first Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Centers in America.  Vajrapani aims to provide a friendly and conducive environment for people of all nationalities to learn and put into practice the teachings of the Buddha and connect with other Dharma practitioners.  Located on 70 acres of secluded land within the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz mountains, Vajrapani Institute has been an immersive space for people of all backgrounds to find and deepen their spiritual practices, with the main goal of bridging the gap between the head and heart of practice.

Teacher’s Offerings

Traditionally, spiritual teachings are considered priceless; offerings to our teachers are not included in the fee information detailed on this page. Instead, we invite you to consider bringing a cash donation with you to express your gratitude for the teachings.

The Buddha encouraged the practice of generosity as it develops non-attachment, loving-kindness, and compassion and deepens the awareness of our interconnectedness. Offering Dana to our teachers, a Pali word for “generosity,” is said to benefit both the giver and the receiver, helping the giver to practice generosity and the receiver to practice acceptance. Your offering of Dana can be whatever feels generous to you in your heart and your particular financial situation. If you can’t afford to give a cash offering as Dana, a thank you note is perfectly generous.

Participants will get a chance to present a cash offering to the teachers on the last day of the retreat and this is supplemented by a donation from Vajrapani Institute. Please note that we don’t offer a credit card option for Dana.

Financial Aid/ Scholarships

We want to make retreats available to everyone. With this in mind, we will gladly work out a payment plan with you if needed. If more assistance is necessary, we offer several scholarships. Please note that the scholarship deadline is one month before the retreat begins.

• For detailed information on setting up a payment plan, please see Financial Aid: Payment Plans
• To see if you’re eligible for a scholarship, and how to apply for scholarships, please see Financial Aid: Scholarships

Our utmost goal is to help as many beings as possible to have the gift of retreat. If you have additional questions after reviewing the guidelines for payment plans and/or scholarships, please email the Office at office@vajrapani.org.