Five-Year-Yidam-Retreat-Program for Vajrayogini or Hevajra/Nairatmya

led by Drubpon Rachel and Giorgio Savigliano

This program was developed due to the wish of students who wish to deepen their practice from the basic up to the full yidam retreat and completion stage practices in a comprehensive, systematic way.
It is designed for people who are ready to make a commitment to daily practice and yearly solitary retreat, but still need to manage their daily lives.

Drubpon Rachel Dodds will give teachings and transmissions necessary for all the levels of practice through the Prelimaries, yidam deity, Shamata, Vipassana, Mahamudra, and Tummo. Students will be able to choose the yidam they wish to practice between Vajrayogini, Hevajra or Nairatmya. Nairatmya or Hevajra students will need to have already received the empowerment from His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgon Thinley Lhundup.

Giorgio Savigliano will guide you over the course of 5 years through theoretical and practical components of breathing and body awareness. Starting from proper breathing for health, breathing for meditation up to advanced vase breathing, tsalung exercises and tummo. Anatomical aspects merged with subtle aspects of prana will be taught in detail so that students grasp the full understanding of vase breathing from a practical point of view which will help avoid obstacles often faced in the six yogas.

Together Drubpon Rachel and Giorgio will guide students in solitary retreat and in their daily practice with weekly online classes and monthly discussion groups and interviews as needed for support. The course will include a holistic approach of emotional, physical and energetic techniques that Drubpon Rachel and Giorgio have been applying with success in Three Year Retreat Programs and long term retreats in the Milarepa Retreat Center since 2016.

Each year there will be a one week intensive course for teachings in person. The first 2 years will be open to anyone without obligation. From the third year one needs to make a commitment for the 5 years and to complete the required solitary retreat (between 2 -6 weeks a year) and daily practice commitments (1-2 hours per day).

Please click on the respective PDF’s to get detailed information about the five-year-retreat program. The Questions & Answers PDF will also help you to get further answers to any questions you may have.

⇒ Five Year Yidam Retreat Program
⇒ FAQ Detailed information on the Five Year Yidam Retreat Program

Obligatory requirements for the Five Year Yidam Program:

1. Participation in ⇒ 6 Days New Year's Retreat / Preparatory teachings from 1 to 6 January 2025 (arrival on 31 December (2024).
2. Completion of a private retreat of at least 2 weeks at the Milarepa Retreat Center (MRZ) with guidance (recommended 6 weeks).
   PLEASE NOTE: Please decide as early as possible, at the latest by the beginning of January 2025, when you would like to do your private retreat at the MRZ. The MRZ office will be happy to take your accommodation booking - in the private retreat you cook for yourself and only pay for your accommodation.
3. At least 1-hour daily practice commitment. (recommended 2- hours).

The Teaching and Practice package for the first year of the five-year retreat (without the private retreat) program includes the following:

• Fee for the 6 Days New Year's Retreat 2025
• Manual for retreat and for practice and preparation
• Recordings of teachings from the weekly practice group
• Recordings of breath and subtle body yoga that you will practice at home
• Two private 30-minute interviews with Drubpon Rachel and Giorgio
• Translation into German for all in-person teachings and online classes and private interviews if needed.
• Participation in the weekly online practice group with Drubpon Rachel including teachings (Tuesday 19:00)
  Dates for the online-course with Drubpon Rachel: Teaching and practice with mit Drubpon Rachel: Tuesday: 19:00 - 21:00
  The Four Thoughts: 14./21./28. January / 04. February 2025
  Refuge: 11./18./25. February / 04./11./18./25. March / 01./08./15./22./29. April / 06./13./20./27. May 2025
  Vajrasattva: 03.10./17./24. June / August break / 23./30. September / 07./14./21./28. October / 05./12./19./26. November / 02./09./16. December 2025
• Monthly online group with Giorgio, including questions and answer
  Monthly Zoom with Giorgio: Friday 19:00-21:00
  31. January, 28. February, 28. March, 25. April, 30. May, 27. June, break, 26. September, 31. October, 28. November, 19. December 2025

Fee for the teaching and practice package in the 1st year of the five-year retreat: 750€