Chulen
Chulen is a hidden treasure of Guru Rinpoche, which was revealed by Tertön Choying Lingpa as a space terma just around 100 years ago: A certain Medicine Chulen practice. Chogyal Rinpoche’s teacher Repa Tsultrim Tharchin received the transmission of this practice from Tertön Choying Lingpa directly and passed it on to Chogyal Rinpoche in 2013.
Chulen is a yogic practice of extracting essences. The practice of Chulen is famous throughout the Tibetan history and you can find stories of famous masters like Guru Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal, Mandarava, Saraha, Milarepa or Tangtong Gyalpo, who were living for many years just on the essence of elements.
Repa Tsultrim Tharchin himself was living for six years an solitary life applying this yogic method of extracting essences from elements. Apart from this he nourished himself all these years by nothing else than a few nettles and mineral water.
In spring 2017 the Repa asked Chogyal Rinpoche to spread the Chulen practice outside of Tibet to interested long-time practitioners. This particular Chulen is originally practiced as düntsam only - a seven days fasting retreat, which guides to great spiritual development as well as immens health benefits. Repa Tsultrim Tharchin is convinced that the 3 major humors - lung, tripa and beken - can be harmonised and all diseases can be completely healed by this powerful method. The spiritual viewpoint emphasis on improving concentration, increasing wisdom, sharpening mental faculties and purifying the energy flow in the subtle body.
Chulen is a yogic practice of extracting essences. The practice of Chulen is famous throughout the Tibetan history and you can find stories of famous masters like Guru Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal, Mandarava, Saraha, Milarepa or Tangtong Gyalpo, who were living for many years just on the essence of elements.
Repa Tsultrim Tharchin himself was living for six years an solitary life applying this yogic method of extracting essences from elements. Apart from this he nourished himself all these years by nothing else than a few nettles and mineral water.
In spring 2017 the Repa asked Chogyal Rinpoche to spread the Chulen practice outside of Tibet to interested long-time practitioners. This particular Chulen is originally practiced as düntsam only - a seven days fasting retreat, which guides to great spiritual development as well as immens health benefits. Repa Tsultrim Tharchin is convinced that the 3 major humors - lung, tripa and beken - can be harmonised and all diseases can be completely healed by this powerful method. The spiritual viewpoint emphasis on improving concentration, increasing wisdom, sharpening mental faculties and purifying the energy flow in the subtle body.
This comprehensive Chulen practice, which bases on Tsa Lung Thrul Khor, contains different parts like a Mantra phase, Chulen-Ngondro, Chulen-Guru Yoga and a main part. During the main Chulen one purifies the channels and extracts the energy out of the elements. The concluding part works particularly with Water- and Fire-Chulen, the latter bases on both: tummo and illusory body.
Another central feature is a special technique of holding the breath, the so-called “vase breathing” (tib. lung bum pa can), which is supported by muscular contraction, mental concentration and certain visualizations, in particular Vajrayogini and Amithayus. With this method the meditator is controlling the movement of energies and lung in his subtle body with the aim to master his mind.
Following his teacher's wish to introduce students to the Chulen practice, Rinpoche gave during some courses in his presence the exceptional possibility of practicing the Preliminaries of this Chulen only during a one day fasting.
In 2018 Chogyal Rinpoche gave the complete Chulen for the first time during a 9 days Retreat in Germany to long-time practitioners in the West.
In 2019 another Chulen Retreat in the West shall take place, exact information on this will be published here on the website as soon as it has been planned and scheduled.
Rinpoche likes to welcome practitioners of all schools (Kagyu, Bon, Nyingma, Sakya, Gelug etc), who have finished the Ngondro (or similar preliminaries) to this Retreats.
Another central feature is a special technique of holding the breath, the so-called “vase breathing” (tib. lung bum pa can), which is supported by muscular contraction, mental concentration and certain visualizations, in particular Vajrayogini and Amithayus. With this method the meditator is controlling the movement of energies and lung in his subtle body with the aim to master his mind.
Following his teacher's wish to introduce students to the Chulen practice, Rinpoche gave during some courses in his presence the exceptional possibility of practicing the Preliminaries of this Chulen only during a one day fasting.
In 2018 Chogyal Rinpoche gave the complete Chulen for the first time during a 9 days Retreat in Germany to long-time practitioners in the West.
In 2019 another Chulen Retreat in the West shall take place, exact information on this will be published here on the website as soon as it has been planned and scheduled.
Rinpoche likes to welcome practitioners of all schools (Kagyu, Bon, Nyingma, Sakya, Gelug etc), who have finished the Ngondro (or similar preliminaries) to this Retreats.
For the first time, this particular Chulen practice, which is a hidden treasure of Guru Rinpoche and was revealed by Tertön Choying Lingpa in 1971, got transmitted to advanced practitioners in the West. Surrounded by most beautiful nature in the Vulkan Eifel, a low mountain range in Western Germany, we practiced together from the 30th of June until 8th of July 2018.
This Chulen is practiced as düntsam - a seven days retreat, which guides to great spiritual development as well as immens health benefits. Following the instructions of Guru Rinpoche, which Yeshe Tsogyal was writing down, we received wang (empowerment), lung (oral transmission) and tri (secret instruction) from Chogyal Rinpoche.
One can talk about a very direct transmission lineage as the Barom Kagyu Master Saljey Rinpoche and Repa Tsultrim Tharchin met Tertön Choying Lingpa in person. They received the transmissions during the one week they spend together. In 2013 Repa Tsultrim Tharchin passed the Chulen transmission on to Chogyal Rinpoche and requested him 4 years later to to spread it outside of Tibet to interested long-time practitioners.
The Chulen Düntsam is not to compare with any fasting retreat. It is rather the opposite: One is nourishing oneself with the purest and finest food one can imagine - The purest essences of the elements. Repa Tsultrim Tharchin stated in Tibet that if one is getting hungry during the Chulen practice it is a sign for not practicing well. Being able to examine one’s own practice and development in this simple manner, we all came to the conclusion, that it is rather the desire than hunger which one has to face during the practice. This comprehensive Chulen practice, which bases on Tsa Lung Thrul Khor, is a complete practice and contains different parts like a Mantra phase, Chulen-Ngondro, Chulen-Guru Yoga and a main part. The beauty of this practice is also to find in the development of greatest compassion and the ability to create one’s own pure land for all sentient beings of all realms.
The used “vase breathing” (tib. lung bum pa can) could be seen as an alchemistic process, during which you transform the essences of the elements into wisdom winds to feed the body with purest energy. Chogyal Rinpoche stated that this is the real alchemy. The vase breathing is supported by muscular contraction, mental concentration and certain visualisations in particular Vajrayogini and Amithayus. During these intensive days the 38 participants from all over Europe were learning to control the movement of energies and lung in their subtle bodies with the aim to master their mind.
The Chulen mandala was formed by practitioners from different schools and directions, which guided to an amazingly enriching and unique atmosphere, full of support, harmony and peace. We all enjoyed the non-sectarian coming together, with just one common aim: Practicing for spiritual growth.
All 38 Participants completed the Chulen Retreat and all of us are still working with the strong imprints in our mind, which can just be described with one word: „beyond“.
Here some quotes of the Chulen practitioners after the retreat:
„Deeply touched not only be the transmission we got, but also by the friendly, supporting, calm style of beeing together with you in this intense experience“
„During this retreat I learnt what “dharma brothers and sisters” meant to be“
"Thank you all for your wonderful presence. We are increadably fortunate“
"The feeling of being a different person..It was a beau moment with amazing people. And forever grateful to Rinpoche and the lineage of chulen“
"Thank you all for your wonderful presence. We are increadably fortunate“
„ I feel all the different people without judging anything and with a kind of beginners mind and curiosity and full of compassion. Inside happy and stable. Relaxed and peaceful“
"My heart is open and I changed. I know it...I can feel it. Like a life before Chulen and after Chulen"
This Chulen is practiced as düntsam - a seven days retreat, which guides to great spiritual development as well as immens health benefits. Following the instructions of Guru Rinpoche, which Yeshe Tsogyal was writing down, we received wang (empowerment), lung (oral transmission) and tri (secret instruction) from Chogyal Rinpoche.
One can talk about a very direct transmission lineage as the Barom Kagyu Master Saljey Rinpoche and Repa Tsultrim Tharchin met Tertön Choying Lingpa in person. They received the transmissions during the one week they spend together. In 2013 Repa Tsultrim Tharchin passed the Chulen transmission on to Chogyal Rinpoche and requested him 4 years later to to spread it outside of Tibet to interested long-time practitioners.
The Chulen Düntsam is not to compare with any fasting retreat. It is rather the opposite: One is nourishing oneself with the purest and finest food one can imagine - The purest essences of the elements. Repa Tsultrim Tharchin stated in Tibet that if one is getting hungry during the Chulen practice it is a sign for not practicing well. Being able to examine one’s own practice and development in this simple manner, we all came to the conclusion, that it is rather the desire than hunger which one has to face during the practice. This comprehensive Chulen practice, which bases on Tsa Lung Thrul Khor, is a complete practice and contains different parts like a Mantra phase, Chulen-Ngondro, Chulen-Guru Yoga and a main part. The beauty of this practice is also to find in the development of greatest compassion and the ability to create one’s own pure land for all sentient beings of all realms.
The used “vase breathing” (tib. lung bum pa can) could be seen as an alchemistic process, during which you transform the essences of the elements into wisdom winds to feed the body with purest energy. Chogyal Rinpoche stated that this is the real alchemy. The vase breathing is supported by muscular contraction, mental concentration and certain visualisations in particular Vajrayogini and Amithayus. During these intensive days the 38 participants from all over Europe were learning to control the movement of energies and lung in their subtle bodies with the aim to master their mind.
The Chulen mandala was formed by practitioners from different schools and directions, which guided to an amazingly enriching and unique atmosphere, full of support, harmony and peace. We all enjoyed the non-sectarian coming together, with just one common aim: Practicing for spiritual growth.
All 38 Participants completed the Chulen Retreat and all of us are still working with the strong imprints in our mind, which can just be described with one word: „beyond“.
Here some quotes of the Chulen practitioners after the retreat:
„Deeply touched not only be the transmission we got, but also by the friendly, supporting, calm style of beeing together with you in this intense experience“
„During this retreat I learnt what “dharma brothers and sisters” meant to be“
"Thank you all for your wonderful presence. We are increadably fortunate“
"The feeling of being a different person..It was a beau moment with amazing people. And forever grateful to Rinpoche and the lineage of chulen“
"Thank you all for your wonderful presence. We are increadably fortunate“
„ I feel all the different people without judging anything and with a kind of beginners mind and curiosity and full of compassion. Inside happy and stable. Relaxed and peaceful“
"My heart is open and I changed. I know it...I can feel it. Like a life before Chulen and after Chulen"