Embodying the mandala of the five wisdom dakinis
with Susan Lorraine and the Dakini Circle
April 30 - May 6, 2027
The mandala is a symbol, an archetype, inviting us to return to the wholeness within separation, and the wisdom within confusion. The mandala invites us into healing, playfulness, and joy.
In this retreat we will explore 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 discover how each of the elemental wisdoms becomes confused, and we’ll practice transforming these confused energies and difficult emotions back into their true expression.
We will also embody the dakinis—the dynamic, free, wise, compassionate, and sometimes fierce energies that dance within open awareness. Dakini literally means “sky dancer.”
Our main practice will be based on the Mandala of the Five Wisdom Dakinis text developed by Lama Tsultrim Allione as an entranceway into the transformative world of Vajrayana Buddhism.
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, Chögé Susan Lorraine invites you to join the wisdom flame community and subscribe to its calendar of activities.
Who May Attend
This retreat is open to all. There are no prerequisites.
While the five dakinis are traditionally understood as expressions of feminine energy, they are not gender-bound. All genders are welcome.
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.
Cost
$750 – $1,530 depending on your lodging choice.
Pay in full or place a 30% deposit.
30 and under discount and Monastic discount are available during registration.
Generosity Policity
Don’t let financial concerns prevent you from attending this retreat. Learn more about our Generosity Policy, financial aid and scholarship options.
Plan your visit
About the Leaders
Susan Lorraine
Susan Lorraine 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. She was introduced to the five wisdoms at Naropa Institute (now University) in the late 1970s and in a three-month residential retreat in 1985. She has also […]
Learn more about Susan Lorraine
the Dakini Circle
The Dakini Circle is a group of mandala practitioners who will enhance our retreat through music, movement, story and art.
Learn more about the Dakini CircleCategories : Buddhism, Featured Events, Meditation, On Land