Opening the Path of Wisdom and Compassion: Guru Yoga and Bodhicitta Retreat

Available online and on- site, all levels welcome

Dewachen is deeply honored to welcome His Eminence Kenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche for the first time to Costa Rica in a precious gathering devoted to the very heart of the Mahayana path: cultivating the precious mind of awakening for the benefit of all beings.  

Welcoming Khenchen Rinpoche to Dewachen is a profound honor and blessing. At 81 years of age, this highly realized teacher and living Bodhisattva continues to dedicate his life to preserving and transmitting the Dharma to benefit countless beings. As one of the great masters of the Drikung Kagyu lineage, his visit offers a rare and precious opportunity to receive teachings directly from an experienced lineage master, deepen our connection with Guru and lineage, and spend time in his presence.

Across the eight profound days of practice and teachings, we will explore the meaning and practice of Guru Yoga, cultivation of Bodhicitta, culminating in the opportunity to receive the Upasika and Bodhisattva Vows from Khenchen Rinpoche.

This special gathering will begin with two days dedicated to Guru Yoga from the Five-Fold Mahamudra tradition, including the precious oral transmission (lung) of the practice. Through Guru Yoga, we establish a connection with the lineage and open ourselves to the blessings and wisdom transmitted from teacher to student. Within the Vajrayana tradition, Guru Yoga invites us to recognize the Guru as inseparable from our own awakened nature. Through devotion, trust, and practice, we cultivate the profound connection of our mind with the mind of the Guru.

From this foundation, the gathering will turn toward Bodhicitta—the aspiration to awaken not merely for our own liberation, but for the benefit of all sentient beings. Throughout the week the teachings will focus on what it means to cultivate this aspiration sincerely, how to bring compassion into our practice and daily lives, and how Bodhicitta transforms our relationship with ourselves and others.

The journey will culminate in the bestowal of  Upasika and Bodhisattva vows by Khenchen Rinpoche—a precious opportunity to consciously affirm our aspiration to follow the Bodhisattva path and dedicate our life and practice to the benefit of others. It is optional to take the vows. The Bodhisattva vow is not merely a promise to avoid harm; it is a commitment to protect and cultivate compassion, gather virtue, and benefit beings through one’s thoughts, words, and actions… for this and all future lives.


Teachings & Practices

• Teachings on Guru Yoga and Bodhicitta with His Eminence Khenchen Rinpoche and Drupon Lama Dorje
• Guru Yoga and Bodhicitta transmission with His Eminence Khenchen Konchog Gyaltsen Rinpoche
• Teachings on the Two Bodhicittas—Relative and Ultimate—and their application in daily life
• Upasika and Bodhisattva Vow Ceremony (optional) with His Eminence Khenchen Rinpoche
• Daily Tsa-lung practice, guided by Carolina Yeshi Nyima
• Questions & Answers with Khenchen Rinpoche and Drupon Lama Dorje
• Individual walks in the nature of Dewachen
• Mantra circle around the sacred fire for purification and connection
• Practices to take home and continue in daily life
• Ganachakra Ceremony as a practice of accumulation, purification and gratitude
• Closing offering and gratitude ceremony

Program dates

• 12 Feb – arrival / welcoming circle
• 13–20 Feb – full retreat program
• 21 Feb – departure day

We are especially grateful to receive these teachings directly from Khenchen Rinpoche, whose life and work are deeply connected with the preservation and transmission of the Drikung Kagyu teachings. He has played an important role in the study and translation of Jigten Sumgön’s Gongchig, one of the central philosophical works of the lineage, as well as the translation of Gampopa’s Jewel Ornament of Liberation.

Our own teacher, Drupon Lama Dorje, will also offer supportive teachings during the gathering, accompanying and guiding us throughout this precious time together.

Dewachen is Costa Rica’s first Vajrayana Drikung Buddhist center, a rare sanctuary where authentic Dharma practice meets the extraordinary beauty of the natural world. Surrounded by spectacular landscapes, it offers a powerful space for meditation, transformation, and reconnecting with the awakened nature of mind. 

We warmly invite you to join us for this rare opportunity to receive teachings, practice together, and enter more deeply into the path of compassion and awakening.

The price includes:

• Organic vegetarian meals 3x day
• Fresh spring water to drink
• Accommodation of your choice
• All teachings and translation (English and Spanish)

Does not include:

• International flights
• Transportation to and from Dewachen

CLICK HERE to view our detailed document of how to arrive, what to pack, and what to expect in our rural cloud forest environment: 

General Instructions about Dewachen – Google Docs

Your contribution

By signing up for this event, you are supporting the organization of the gathering and helping us welcome His Emimence Khenchen Rinpoche to our sanctuary in Dewachen.
The Dharma and the teachings are priceless and are always offered freely. At the same time, bringing everyone together requires practical organizational support. Many of our facilities still need to be rented from private owners, and we are committed to serving wholesome, exclusively organic food throughout the event. We are committed to be approachable to all. If you are truly in a place of need, you can apply here. We have limited scholarship availability: https://forms.gle/HEfQxqjafC5f6n7j6

Your contribution helps cover these practical costs and supports the conditions that allow us to come together, receive the teachings, and sustain Dewachen as a place for Dharma practice and community.
Thank you for your generosity and for helping make this gathering possible, so that these preciousteachings can remain accessible to all.

“A guide for all who journey on the road, may I become a boat, a raft or bridge, for all who wish to cross the water.”
— Śāntideva, Bodhicaryāvatāra