Mandala of the Empowered Feminine
with Susan Lorraine and Friends
May 12 - 18, 2026
Mandala of the Empowered Feminine
Embodying the Wisdom of the Five Dakinis
In this retreat, we will meet the dakinis—the dynamic, free, wise, compassionate, and sometimes fierce energies that dance within open awareness. Dakini literally means “sky dancer.”
We will also become the dakinis, as we embody the wisdom energies of the mandala—naturally spacious like the sky, clear like water, generous like the earth, radiating warmth and compassion like fire, and responding to suffering and danger without a moment’s hesitation, like the wind. We will explore how each of the elemental wisdoms becomes obscured and confused in ourselves and our world, and practice transforming these confused energies and difficult emotions back into their true expression.
Our main practice will be the Mandala of the Five Wisdom Dakinis, which was developed by Lama Tsultrim Allione as an entranceway into the transformative world of Tantric (Tibetan, Vajrayana) Buddhism. Lama Tsultrim will join our retreat remotely, to formally introduce the practice.
You can choose to continue to engage with the mandala practice back home, as a daily meditation practice. For those wanting to deepen their relationship with the five dakinis, see also this offering at the Tara Mandala land centre in Colorado in June.
Who May Attend
This retreat is open to all; there are no prerequisites. However, if you have no previous experience with mandala practice, it will be helpful to read Wisdom Rising: Journey into the Mandala of the Empowered Feminine in advance.
While the five dakinis are traditionally understood as expressions of feminine energy, they are not gender-bound. All genders are welcome at this retreat.
Cost
$690 – $1470 depending on your lodging choice
Pay in full or 40% deposit
Click on the Information & Registration button to find the lodging that suits your needs.
Generosity Policy
We want everyone to be able to attend retreats at Dorje Denma Ling. Read about our Generosity Policy and payment options here:
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About the Leaders
Susan Lorraine
This retreat will be led by Susan Lorraine (Szpakowski), who has been studying Buddhism since 1975, first as a student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and since 2016 with Lama Tsultrim Allione and the Tara Mandala community. In 2023 Lama Tsultrim encouraged her to begin sharing some of the teachings from her lineage of Machig Labdrön, conferring the […]
Learn more about Susan Lorraine
Friends
Susan will be joined by Barbara Berry, Basia Solarz, Emily Cown, and Laura Rhodes who will contribute their own gifts to the retreat mandala we will create together.
Learn more about FriendsCategories : Featured Events, On-Land Programs & Events, Public Program