Weekend Retreat
Tantra for Today:
The Cittamani Tara Practice as a Path Towards Enlightenment
with Geshe Tenzin Zopa

Tara is the female personification of enlightened activity, who appears in several different forms. Cittamani Tara is the highest yoga tantra practice of Tara, which can offer powerful support to Dharma practice and assist in clearing away obstacles, while accumulating energy on the path to enlightenment. 

For those who have yet to be introduced to the popular Cittamani Tara practice and for those looking to better understand some of its ritual aspects, Geshe Tenzin Zopa has kindly offered to lead a weekend retreat for Shantideva students.

Cittamani Tara

In 2024, Geshe Zopa led Shantideva Center in a Cittamani Tara Puja, among other teachings. He returns for this opportunity to help us deepen our understanding of this profound and energetic practice. Geshe Zopa has the perfect background and perspective to discuss how to approach common features of advanced practice, like offerings, purification, and visualizations. He will offer advice on some of the most common impediments practitioners encounter and strategies to overcome them. This is an ideal opportunity to directly ask Geshe-la all your questions. 

All are welcome. No empowerment is needed to participate in these teachings or the practice. 

Recordings

Recordings will be posted here, Archive page and on our YouTube channel afterwards.

About the Teacher

Geshe Tenzin Zopa holds the honoured Geshe (Doctorate) degree from Sera Jey Monastic University, South India. He was born in the remote Himalayan region of Tsum valley in Nepal and was ordained at the age of 9 in Kopan Monastery by the late Great Mahasiddha Geshe Lama Konchog. He received novice ordination from H.E. Geshe Lundrup Sopa Rinpoche and full ordination from H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama. Geshela was under the direct tutelage of H.E. Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, H.E. Khensur Rinpoche Lama Lhundrup Rigsel, The Great Mahasiddha Geshe Lama Konchog and Eminent Gurus including those from the Sera Jey Monastic University H.E. 104th Ganden Tri Rinpoche Losang Tenzin, 70th Abbot of Sera Jey Monastic University H.E. Khensur Losang Tsering Rinpoche and the 76th Abbot of Sera Jey Monastic University H.E. Logoan Tulku Tenzin Jampa Choesang Rinpoche.

Geshela possesses vast scriptural knowledge, holds many rare transmissions and initiations lineages, has completed many retreats, extensive teaching experience and is skilled in rituals and astrology. Geshela has also undertaken many meaningful projects for many years.

He is the principal and focal point of the award winning documentary film titled ”Unmistaken Child” which chronicles the search for the reincarnation of his master Geshe Lama Konchog. Now he is taking responsibility of overseeing the overall wellbeing of H.E Tulku Tenzin Phuntsok Rinpoche, the reincarnation of late Great Mahasiddha Geshe Lama Konchog. He has frequently taken part as a speaker at many Buddhist, interfaith and peace dialogue conferences for many years. He has taught at Oxford University (UK) under “Visitorship for Traditional Scholars” in the Tibetan and Himalayan Studies program. Since 2000 he has been actively teaching in FPMT centers as a visiting and resident teacher. Currently, he is serving as a touring teacher for the FPMT centers.

Additional Information About Geshe Tenzin Zopa​

Unmistaken Child is a documentary film, which follows a Tibetan Buddhist monk’s search for the reincarnation of his beloved teacher, the renowned master Geshe Lama Konchog.

This film follows the 4-year-journey of the deceased lama’s closest disciple – a young monk named Geshe Tenzin Zopa – as he travels far and wide to identify the child who is his master’s reincarnation.

This is a playlist from Geshe Zopa’s teachings at Shantideva Center in 2024: Attachment and Enjoyment – Licking Honey from a Razor’s Blade; Breaking Free from the Endless Prison of Samsara; The Heart of the Path – Guru Devotion

Looking for a quick pick-me-up of Dharma teachings? Geshe Zopa has created Dharma on the Go. A collection of short video clips filled with concise teaching gems including Awakening Within Your Pre-Existing Buddha Nature, How to benefit others with prayers /dedications, Dharma for Pets, and many more.