Gompa Rangdrol Weekend Retreat
An Online Practice Retreat led by Valerie Baker
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Dates : Friday 16 to Sunday 18 October 2026
This weekend retreat is the perfect opportunity to immerse ourselves in Patrul Rinpoche’s teaching on Dzogchen meditation, Gompa Rangdrol.
This retreat is designed particularly for students who received the teachings on Gompa Rangdrol that were shared in last year’s Dzogchen Study Programme.
During the weekend we will highlight key points of Patrul Rinpoche’s text along with the commentary we received in the Study Programme, in the context of a silent practice retreat.
Even though a weekend is a short period for retreat, people find that they can enter deeply into the practice and find new understanding and experience of the teachings that can refresh and bring inspiration to their daily practice.
Guided by Senior Teacher Valerie Baker, the retreat will focus on contemplation and meditation practice, based on the teachings on Gompa Rangdrol shared in the Dzogchen Study Programme from 2025 – 2026.
WHAT ARE THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS TO JOIN ?
The weekend retreat is open to Dzogchen Mandala students who:
- received the Gompa Rangdrol teachings in the Dzogchen Study Programme from November 2025 to June 2026.
OR
- attended the retreats with Patrick Gaffney in Dzogchen Beara 18 – 23 March 2025 or Stony Point 6 – 10 June 2025.
HOW TO FOLLOW ?
The retreat will be held live online for those in Europe
A delayed streaming may be organized for students :
- In North America (in EN only) _ To receive information and dates, kindly fill out this “Interest” Form : https://forms.gle/PWmCjVZoMSHAXFwX8
- in Australia _ Please check dates and apply with your national country team.
As a weekend is a very short time to do a retreat, we will ask everyone who participates to create the conditions so that they can enter into full silence and attend all sessions from the beginning until the end of the retreat.
APPLICATION
Please fill in the following application form :
Gompa Rangdrol weekend_Application form
Deadline for filling in the application form: 10 October.
If your application is accepted, we will then send you the link to register for the retreat.
TEACHER
Valerie Baker
Valerie Baker grew up in Ireland and first encountered the Buddhist teachings when she met Sogyal Rinpoche in Dublin in the early 1990s. Shortly afterwards, she visited Dzogchen Beara and stayed for 12 years, studying and practising, supporting the centre’s activities and accomplishing practice in retreat. While attending the Three Year Retreat in Lerab Ling, she designed the Home Retreat tran… more
PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE
Friday
18:00-19.30 Welcome and Introduction to the Retreat
Saturday
07:00 – 08:00 Session
08:00 – 09:00 Breakfastµ
09:00 – 12:00 Session with a short break
12:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Session
16:00 – 17:30 Tendrel Nyesel Tsok
17:30 – 19:00 Break
19:00 – 20:00 Session
Sunday
07:00 – 08:00 Session
08:00 – 09:00 Breakfast
09:00 – 12:00 Session with a short break
12:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 15:30 Session
15:30 – 16:00 Break
16:00 – 17:30 Tendrel Nyesel Tsok
17:30 Retreat ends
PRACTICAL DETAILS
Beginning : Friday 16 October at 18.00
End : Sunday 18 October at 17.30 CEST.
Language : English
Translation offered : French ; German ; Spanish (If enough interest) ; Italian group (check with your national team)