The Course Structure

This course shares a complete set of foundational teachings from the A Krid (pronounced “Atri”) Lineage of Tibetan Bön Dzogchen; a one-thousand-year-old compendium of the middle path to liberation in Bön. This text is the gateway to a series of expanded texts that refine the skills that ultimately lead to full awareness of mind.

Chapters 1-4 are covered from the text: ‘The Pith Instructions for the Stages of the Practice Sessions of the A-Tri (A Khrid) System of Bön Dzogchen Meditation’.

This text is included in the course cost and will be available for pick up (East Melbourne, VIC) or will be shipped to you once registered.

Course Structure includes:

1. Understanding the Path & Setting Intention: Understanding the Bön meditation path, cultivating the correct attitude toward practice, the teacher-student relationship, and the role of motivation in transformation.

2. Impermanence & The Precious Opportunity: Grounding an experiential understanding in the fundamental teaching of impermanence intended to dispel attachment and steer the mind towards the importance and urgency of practice.

3. Generating the Motivation of Enlightenment (Bodhicitta): Establishing the correct attitude and motivation for practice. Nurturing the seed of universal compassion within us all and cultivating the authentic aspiration to awaken for the benefit of all sentient beings.

4. The Taking of Refuge: Establishing connection with lineage and developing the foundation of trust, admiration, and positive connection with one’s own capabilities, lineage teachers, the teachings, and the supportive community of like-minded practitioners (“Sangha”).

5. Confession* & Forgiveness: Understanding the nature of “cause and effect” (karmic imprints) and the influence negative states, actions and attitudes have on ones meditation progression. Skilfully applying methods of self-reflection, humbly taking self-responsibility for non-virtuous involvement and genuinely embodying regret as a means to forgive oneself.

   *For those struggling with unfortunate connotations associated with “confession”, in the context of Bön practice, it refers to an open acknowledgment of one's misdeeds coupled with an authentic resolve not to repeat them. A more appropriate translation in this context that may be used is the verb “shagpa” meaning "to clear," "to lay open," or "to release".

6. Mandala Offering: Engaging in a humbling and symbolic offering of gratitude to the innumerable benevolent, protective and encouraging beings guiding the path before us. Intended to liberate attachment, cultivate generosity and accumulate positive conditions for meditative practice, Mandala Offering is a profound recognition of the open and boundless generosity within us all.

7. The Gift Waves of Influence (Guru Yoga): Requesting and establishing a heartfelt connection with the lineage masters of Bön Dzogchen through visualisation and aspirational practices. These profound practices open ones mind stream to receive blessing, inspiration and direct influence of meditative experience.