January 7 - February 18
Heruka Close Retreat
January is a very special month for practitioners of Highest Yoga Tantra as it is considered the month of the deities Heruka and Vajrayogini. During this month we receive special blessings from these enlightened deities. For this reason January is the best time to do a close retreat of Heruka, in which we engage in the practice of counting 100,000 mantras of both Heruka and Vajrayogini, and 10,000 of the Sixty-Two Deities.
Followed by Heruka Fire Puja March 27
January 7 - February 18
The Actual Close Retreat
and guidance by Gen Samten Kelsang
“The Sanskrit term `Heruka’ is composed of the three syllables, `He’, `ru’, and `ka’. `He’ teaches the emptiness of phenomena in general, and `ru’ the emptiness of persons in particular; together they reveal the emptiness of all phenomena. `Ka’ refers to the union of Heruka’s mind of great bliss and the emptiness of all phenomena. This union is Heruka’s Truth Body. An I, or self, imputed on this Truth Body is definitive Heruka, the real nature of Buddha Heruka. This can only be seen by Buddhas.
Another term for Heruka is `Chakrasambara’. `Chakra’ means `wheel’, and in this context refers to the `wheel’ of all phenomena. `Sambara’ means the supreme bliss, which is called `spontaneous great bliss’. Together `Chakra’ and `sambara’ reveal that by practising Heruka Tantra we gain a profound realization that experiences all phenomena as one nature with our mind of great bliss. This realization directly removes subtle dualistic appearances from our mind, and due to this we quickly become definitive Heruka.
Gen Samten Kelsang
One of Venerable Geshe‑la’s senior disciples with decades of meditative and teaching experience, Gen Samten Kelsang oversees the spiritual program at KMC New York, and teaches throughout the US and around the world. For this close retreat, Gen Samten will give an introduction to the retreat as well as regular guidance to help participants be successful in their retreat.
March 27
Heruka Fire Puja
In order to complete the Heruka Counting Retreat commitments, it is necessary to engage in the Heruka Fire Puja.
To help prepare for the Fire Puja, we ask that you arrive by Thursday, March 25, and no later than Friday, March 26. Due to the possibility of inclement weather, please plan to stay through Sunday, March 28. The Fire Puja may need to be delayed because of weather conditions, and your assistance with cleanup afterward is greatly appreciated.
For further information about the event and to register, please email Christian at education@kadampanewyork.org
Close Retreat Fees & Important Registration Information
To register please fill out a Close Retreat Application.
Close Retreat Cost: $250
Please note this cost covers use of the facility, shrine offerings and tormas. Additionally, each week, participants will need to contribute $5-$10 for the weekly tsog puja.
Accommodations
To register for accommodations, please select your first and second choice of accommodation using the Close Retreat Application. We will follow up with availability. Use the chart below to see accommodation options/prices. The close retreat is approximately 6 weeks.
Please use the chart below to see accommodation options and prices. Please note for accommodations (not including meals) booked for 2 consecutive weeks, a 20% discount is applied; for 3 to 6 consecutive weeks, a 30% discount is applied.
Onsite Meals
Vegetarian, vegan and/or wheat-free lunches and dinners are available each day for $8 each. Breakfast is available for $5 each for those staying offsite but must be pre-booked. It is included in the onsite accommodation fees. All of our meals are home-cooked. We use fresh and local produce where possible.
Registration Notes:
To register, you must fill out this Close Retreat Application. Due to the nature of this retreat, you must be pre-approved to attend.
The close retreat fee is a set price of $250 regardless of the number of weeks/days you stay.
To register for accommodations, please select your first and second choice of accommodation using the Close Retreat Application. We will follow up with availability.
The Heruka Close Retreat runs from January 7th-February 18th, 2027. If you do not finish your retreat, there will not be an option to extend it.
To complete your close retreat, you must complete a Fire Puja. KMC New York will be offering a Heruka Fire Puja on Saturday, March 27.