Spring 2026 Retreat programs & Text downloads

We we pleased to announce the Khenchen Rangdol Rinpoche will be joining us for our Spring 2026 3-Day MANI retreat and 3-Day Grand Achi puja. During this time, Rinpoche will bestow the Chenrezig empowerment, give blessings and precious Dharma teachings. Rinpoche will also join us for the our Sacred Tantric Mask (Lama) Dances. This will be an incredible opportunity. Please see the registration pages for which events are In-Person ONLY or are also being offered ONLINE. Please register early to reserve you spot and also to help us for planning purposed. We will also be joined by Khenpo Choswang, Khenpo Tenzin, Lama Padma Rigzin and Ani Chodron.

Please scroll down to find more details for all the special events happening in March and April at DKC in Escondido CA.

Suggested retreat fees:

Chenrezig Empowerment March27 (In-Person $30)

Chenrezig Empowerment March 27 (ONLINE $15)

MANI retreat March 27,28,29 (In-Person $60 all or $20 per day

MANI retreat March 27,28,29 (ONLINE $30 for all or $15 per day)

Grand Achi Puja April 1,2,3 (In-Person $40 or $15 per day)

Grand Achi Puja April 1,2,3 (ONLINE $30 for all or $15 per day

Sacred tantric (Lama) Mask Dances April 5th — Open donation.

Thank you.

Chenrezig Empowerment March 27th 9am (If you would like to keep the MANI retreat text, you can make a donation on our donation web page. Thank you.)

Khenchen Rangdol Rinpoche will bestow Chenrezig Empowerment. Chenrezig is an enlightened manifestation of the Buddha of Loving Kindness & compassion,

This Ritual ceremony will be held on the first day of the MANI Drupchen retreat, March 27th starting at 9am. You may join In-Person or Online. The MANI Drupchen will continue in the afternoon. If you can only join for the Empowerment, it will be okay.

Please do register for our planning purposes. Thank you.

3-Day MANI Drupchen Retreat led by Khenchen Rangdol Rinpoche along with Khenpo Choswang and Khenpo Tenzin.

Mani Drupchen Retreat summary goes here. March 27th begins in the afternoon, after the morning Chenrezig empowerment. Then on March 28th & 29th 9am to 5pm Saturday & Sunday with tea and lunch breaks.

Please bring something to share for the potluck lunch or if you are on a special diet, please bring your lunch or you can go out to eat nearby.

Grand Achi Puja April 1st, 2nd and 3rd 2026

We will have a 3 day (April 1st - 3rd) Grand Achi Puja, which invokes all the blessings of Achi Chokyi Dolma, one of the great Dharma Protectors, led by Khenchen Rangdol Rinpoche along with other Drikung monastics and sangha members. The long Dharma text will be chanted in Tibetan by the monastics and the short Achi text and mantra accumulations will be recited by all other participants. The short Achi text will be available in different languages and can be downloaded for those attending online.

Mother Achi is great grandmother to Lord Jigten Sumgon Ratna Shri, the founder of the Drikung Kagyu lineage. She promised Lord Jigten Sumgon that she would protect the teachings which he brought to light and transmitted. Thus Mother Achi is the  special enlightened guardian of the Drikung Kagyu lineage and its practitioners. Whoever practices and appeals to Achi Chökyi Drolma will be freed from unfavorable circumstances and obstacles in this life, as well as obstacles connected with Dharma practice.

Achi rides a blue wisdom horse to symbolize the swiftness of her enlightened activities, and holds a wish-fulfilling jewel to symbolize her ability to bestow everything needed and desired when asked.

Her practice removes inner and outer obstacles, creating positive, supportive conditions (worldly and otherwise) for successful spiritual practice.

On these days, please plan to bring your lunch or go out to eat nearby. On Sunday, we will have a potluck lunch.

Sacred tantric Mask (Lama) Dances April 5th, starting at 10am, followed by a potluck lunch and afternoon gathering

There is also a very early morning ceremony where the monastics invoke the blessings for all the masks to empower them with the deities themselves.

The sacred dances will begin at 10am and will include 6 traditional dances. In between the dances, as the lamas prepare for the next dance, there will be some Dharma songs, chanting sacred mantras and sharing about the history of the dances.

This year, due to the turmoil around the world, we will not have cultural songs and dance. At the conclusion of the program, we will ALL offer butter lamp prayer while holding butter lamps, offered for World Peace.

At the conclusion, a potluck lunch will be held. We have a sponsor offering food for this program. You are also welcome to bring something to share for the potluck lunch if you would like.