Gaden Choling Puja Schedule
The Gaden Choling community performs several pujas (a ritual of offering) from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, some regularly and others on occasion. Most are limited to those people with the appropriate initiations, and are noted as such below. Some pujas, including the Guru Puja and the 21 Taras Puja, are open to all. If you have any questions about pujas, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Also, please be aware that sometimes the date or time of these events may change at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances. To ensure that you are notified of any changes, please use our contact page to ask to be added to our email list.
Gaden Choling also holds a long sadhana practice on one Sunday a month. The specific sadhana we use varies, and is chosen from among those initiations given in Toronto by Rinpoche and ones that our community requests. They typically require an appropriate initiation. Please ask to be subscribed to our email list to be notified about upcoming long sadhana practices.
— Chod Club, Tuesdays at 5:30
For those with Chod initiation, we will be continuing our group practice on Tuesdays at 5:30pm.
More Pujas
These pujas are scheduled according to the lunar calendar. To be notified of the schedule, we recommend that you check this page frequently or ask to be added to the Gaden Choling email mailing list. Setrapchen, Tara, and Guru pujas usually begin (unless otherwise indicated) at 7:30pm, and may include altar setup (should you wish to learn how) at 7:00pm.
— Setrapchen Puja
Devotional praises and offerings are made to Dharma Protector Setrapchen, with requests for his help to remove obstacles such as those affecting the flourishing of Dharma in the world, the long life of our Teacher and the success our dharma practise. Ganden Lhagyama and Short Yamantaka sadhanas are recited with the Setrapchen Kantso Puja. Traditional offerings of alcohol, tea, cakes, milk, and yogurt are welcome, as well customary offerings. This puja is open to those who have received Yamantaka and Setrapchen initiation.
• Next Setrapchen puja: none scheduled
— Praises and Offerings to the 21 Taras
Tara is a female embodiment of the wisdom and compassion of all of the Buddhas. The name "Tara" means "Saviouress." She is called "Saviouress" because she has the power to protect from fear and danger. Throughout history, there are many examples of Tara's swift intervention in times of crisis. There are also many people alive today who have experienced her divine help and blessing. During this puja we chant the praises to the 21 emanations of Tara and make offerings. We also make requests to receive her swift blessings to remove our obstacles and help ourselves and others progress along the spiritual path. Everyone is welcome to attend this puja — no initiations are required as a prerequisite.
• Next 21 Taras puja: none scheduled
— Solitary Hero Yamantaka Long Sadhana
This event is open to those who have received the complete initiation of Solitary Hero-Yamantaka. For those who wish to gain realizations of Wisdom Buddha Yamantaka, regular practise of the long Sadhana is essential. Gaining familiarity with the long Sadhana is also useful for those who wish to complete a close-retreat on Yamanatka in the future. For those new to Yamantaka practise, group practise provides a supportive environment to explore the Sadhana. It also provides an opportunity to learn "outer" aspects of the practise such as how to set up the altar, do offering mudras, etc.
• Next Solitary Hero Yamantaka Long Sadhana: none scheduled
— Guru Puja - Lama Chopa Tsog
Lama Chopa is a unique Guru Yoga Practise that comes directly from Buddha Manjushri . During this puja, we make devotional offerings to our teacher recalling his true nature, special qualities and unbounded kindness. We also engage practises of purification, accumulating merit and request blessings to achieve all of the essential realizations of Lamrin, Lojong and Tantra. Everyone is welcome to attend this puja — no initiations are required as a prerequisite. Please bring a food offering for the Tsog.
• Next Guru Puja: none scheduled
— Vajrayogini Chod Tsog Melody Practice
When Miya Shimada was in Toronto in August, she kindly spent four days teaching the melodies of the Vajrayogini Chod Tsog. Students who attended Miya's teachings expressed a wish to continue to practise the melodies of this beautiful puja. To support students who are trying to learn the melodies, Gaden Choling will offer practise sessions on a monthly basis. We hope to progress over time from a "practise session" format to engage in the actual puja. The format of the practise sessions will follow the same format as Miya's classes. There will be a 15-20 minute meditation at the beginning of the session to calm the mind and set motivation. Following this, we will progress gradually through the melodies using Miya's CD.
• Next Vajrayogini Chod Tsog: none scheduled