Umdze Training

with Roland Cohen

October 7th

Date details +
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    Room: Main Shrine Room

    For the prerequite, please see below.

    This is a free offering. Please register below so that we know how many to expect.

    October 7th, 9am to 4:30pm in the Boulder Shambhala Center Main Shrine Room

    9am to 12pm: For leading current sessions at BSC. This is a good introduction or refresher for covering current morning and evening chants and leading sitting and walking meditation sessions. This will a short sit, talks and hands-on training.

    12pm to 1:30pm: Lunch break (lunch not provided)

    1:30pm to 4:30pm:  

    INCLUDES:
     
    Hands-on training for Drumming — both with the heart sutra and protectors chants; pronunciation of Sanskrit and Tibetan words in the chants;  monosyllabic chanting (as used in heart sutra, lineage supplication and protector chants);  Awareness of other practices such as Maitri Bhavana, Sukhavati, Sadhana of Mahamudra;     
     
    We’ll also cover what the next steps are to be ready to umdze.   
     
    It’s highly recommended everyone participate in the whole day to learn the whole range of Umdze skills. 
     
    However, for existing umdzes or those who only want to be able to lead current sessions at the Shambhala Center, the 9-12 part of the training would serve as a good introduction or refresher. It will also cover the current changes to the morning and evening chants (new chant books are about to be produced). 
     
    Readiness to begin umdzeing, for most people, requires some further practice after the training— the extent of which will be recommended on a one to one basis at the end.
     
    Bring pens and notebooks to take notes please. 

    MORE INFORMATION:

    The Umdze opens and closes the shrine(s) (bowing, lighting candles, offering incense) then begins and ends each sitting period with the gong; leads walking meditation practice (during extended practice periods) and strikes the Ghandi (with a clack) to end walking. The umdze also leads the chants, accompanied by the gong and sometimes drum. 

    These forms have been transmitted to us by our teachers and is a wonderful practice unto itself. In the course of the day we will have hands-on training in all the details of being an umdze. 

    The umdze is, most importantly, someone who presents an example of how to practice Shamatha/Vippasana and brings to life the forms — the container of practice which is an aspect of the compassionate activity of our lineages.  So the umdze is an “elder,” an example of a practitioner. 
     
    The prerequisites for Umdze training are having practiced regularly in group meditation settings within our community. This could be the early morning sittings, the afternoon weeknight sittings, Sunday extended sittings and/or group retreats such as week-thuns or Dathuns. You should have been involved in this for at least a year. The important thing is that you are already familiar with the forms (chanting, gonging etc) for which you will be learning the details and leading others.  
     
    It’s highly recommended everyone participate in the whole day to learn the whole range of shamatha/vippasana Umdze skills. 
     
    However, for existing umdzes or those who only want to be able to lead current sessions at the Shambhala Center, the 9-12 part of the training would serve as a good introduction or refresher.

    If you are interested in taking the Umdze Training, please come along. It is a magnificent path. If you have questions about the training or the prerequisites feel free to contact Roland Cohen at [email protected].
    Register now