Primordial Stroke: Opening the Heart of Ashe
with John Rockwell
Primordial Stroke: Opening the Heart of Ashe
with John Rockwell
Open to past graduates of Warrior or Kalapa Assemblies
Presented by the Sonoma Shambhala Meditation Center in collaboration with Shambhala Online
This four-month course (one session each month) led by John Rockwell will help Shambhala practitioners deepen their understanding and experience of Ashe, or “primordial confidence,” and the practice of raising windhorse. John will present his understanding of the ground, path, and fruition of Ashe and raising windhorse and why these practices are so deeply important to Shambhala and the world.
This is an excellent follow-up course of study and practice for people who have attended Warrior Assembly. We invite you to join this tender- and open-hearted exploration of Shambhala’s most profound teachings and practices.
NOTE: Because this program is being offered by Shambhala Online, you will have to register by clicking the registration link below which will take you to Shambhala Online. When you register there, please make sure to write in the name of our Center, “Sonoma Shambhala Center.” When you do that, our Center will receive 50% of the net revenue from your registration.
Registering for this class will allow you to attend all sessions from home on Zoom. Alternatively, you will be invited to come together in person at the Sonoma Shambhala Center for group participation in the live presentation of Sessions 2—4 (December 2023—February 2024). We will also gather at the Sonoma Center after the last class, on March 3, 2024, to enjoy the recording of Session 1 in community.
Schedule:
All classes will be from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. PST
Session 1:
Sunday, November 5, 2023
(Live session from home ONLY)
Sunday, March 3, 2024
(Recorded session replayed at Sonoma Center)
Sessions 2–4:
The following sessions can be attended from home or in person at the Sonoma Shambhala Center:
Sunday, December 3, 2023
Sunday, January 7, 2024
Sunday, February 4, 2024
Price per person: $279.00
Patron Price: $349.00
Discounted Price: Pay whatever you can offer by using the following instructions:
How to request a discount:
If you wish to request a discounted rate, please follow these instructions:
- Go to the Shambhala Online registration page using the link below. (NOTE: The link will open in a new tab so that you can return to this tab for the instructions).
- Click on the “Request a Discount” link found at the right of the page, directly below the REGISTER NOW button. That link will take you to the “Request a Discount” form.
- Complete and submit the form making sure to check the ”Check if Yes” box under the question “Are you registering through a Shambhala Centre or Group as part of our 2023 Revenue Share pilot?”
- Within a day or two, you will receive an email with a discount coupon code you can use to register at your requested rate.
- Return to the Shambhala Online registration page, click on the REGISTER NOW button, insert the discount coupon code and complete your registration.
- You will receive confirmation of your registration via email.
TO REGISTER, USE THIS SHAMBHALA ONLINE LINK: https://shambhala.org/event/658739-primordial-stroke-opening-the-heart-of-ashe-centre-and-group-participants/
If you need additional information, please contact us at [email protected]
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSE
During this course, John Rockwell will talk about Ashe and lungta and how they are two sides of one transmission. He will share the story of how the Ashe was received by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and why he was looking for it in the first place. The details of how the Ashe was “birthed,” received, and then first transmitted are a powerful basis for understanding these important transmissions.
This series will also explore how we practice and work with Ashe and lungta, and both the peaceful and wrathful aspects of these practices. One of Chögyam Trungpa’s first comments about Shambhala Training when the first Level 1 took place was that “it should make people cry.” The notions that Shambhala teachings touch the heart directly and “cut through” come into full blossoming with Ashe and Lungta practice. This will be explored extensively in the course.
This course will also investigate how the fruition of these practices is creativity—both individual and societal. Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche referred to “dharma art” as the union of Shambhala and Buddhadharma. In this way, the fruition of Ashe and lungta practices can be viewed as dharma art—not in the sense of a “curriculum” or “fixed path,” but in the sense of being generative practices that help us to relate to our world and others with creativity, skillful collaboration, and open hearts.
About the Teacher
John Rockwellhas been on the path of dharma for 47 years. He met Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche in 1975 and studied and practiced the Buddhist and Shambhala teachings with him for 12 years. He also worked with Rinpoche on translating Tibetan texts into English. For 10 years, he studied and taught at Naropa University in the Buddhist Studies department. For many years, he served as an acharya or senior teacher for Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, and he studied intensively with Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche. His inspiration now is to open the heart and senses on the spot.
