- Dates:
- July 13th, 20th, & 27th, 9:00am to 4:30pm MT
- July 16th, 6:00-8:30pm MT
- Online and In-Person
- Visiting Teacher: Lhoppön Thupten Tsultrim
About this upcoming retreat, Rinpoche says:
“Why is Torma Fest so important and rare? Usually, a ritual ceremony such as a puja is quite similar to a band performing on stage. No one person is an expert in every instrument. Each band member has a specialty in a particular area. There’s a drummer, a guitarist, a bass guitarist, a singer, and so forth. All together, they create a complete performance.
Up until this point at Mipham Shedra, I’ve been performing many different roles. I know a little bit of everything, but I’m not a specialist in each aspect of the puja. My specialty is that I’m a guru. I’m a teacher. There are others who make a good umzi (chant master), or japa (flute player), and some people make a good dungchen (trumpet player). In the future, I will invite a specialist in each of these areas to teach my Sangha.
Today, I have invited a choppön, a specialist in shrine care, who knows all about torma, and shrines. It is very unusual for us to receive a visit from such an accomplished specialist like Lhoppön Thupten Tsultrim. But because he is the brother of Khandro La, and is visiting his sister and family, we are extremely fortunate that it has simply happened this way.
I would like my Sangha to take advantage of this opportunity to learn about torma, the shrine, and how to be choppön. It is my hope that in the future, some of you will become specialists as well. We need all sorts of specialists so we can make a perfect Sangha in the future. Lhoppön Tsultrim is not only visiting for Torma Fest to train choppöns and teach you how to make torma. He is not just a visiting teacher. He is one of us. It is my hope that he will assume more responsibility in Mipham Shedra in the future. So regardless of whether you wish to learn to be a choppön or not, I would like all of my Sangha to meet Lhoppön Tsultrim and get to know him.”
– Rechunpa Rinpoche –
About Lhoppön Thupten Tsultrim
Lhoppön Thupten Tsultrim was born in India in 1975. He entered Pangang Monastery at the age of fourteen, where he studied and practiced under Dzogchen Khenchen Thupten Ozer. At the age of eighteen, he entered the Nyingma College of Mindrolling Monastery. There, he completed nine years
of training, studying all of the sutras and tantras. After finishing his education, he moved to Taiwan, where he has acted as shrine master to many Nyingma Dharma centers. Making tormas, offering prayers and
maintaining the shrine are his specialties. He continues to reside in Taiwan. Lhoppön Tsultrim is also the brother-in-law of our own beloved teacher, Lhoppön Rechungpa Rinpoche.
Program Details
Immerse yourself in the amazing world of Tibetan Buddhist ritual ceremony!
In this introductory class, torma expert Lhoppön Thupten Tsultrim gives us a foundational education in torma making: How to create this ritual cake central to all Buddhist pujas, or offering ceremonies.
You’ll discover how to:
- Create a basic flour-based torma
- Embellish your torma with beautiful paper ornaments
- Understand the deeper meaning of torma, and its use in Buddhist ritual
Plus, you’ll get expert tips on how to set up your shrine—for every day and special days.
Each day of Torma Fest will focus on a different puja. In the morning, Lhoppön Tsultrim will lead us in a class that focuses on how to make a torma that is specific to that particular puja. From Guru Rinpoche Day to Yumka Dechen Gyalmo, you’ll get the basics of how torma expresses the inner teachings of these ceremonies.
After a short lunch break, we’ll perform the puja of the day, using the torma you made to bring you deeper into the ritual itself.
Torma Fest ’24 is ideal for Buddhist practitioners, as well as artists, crafters, bakers, cooks and lovers of ethnic art forms of all kinds! Open to everyone, whether in-person at our temple in Westminster, CO, or online via Zoom.
Torma Fest ’24 is the first in a series of classes at Mipham Shedra to immerse our Sangha in this venerable art form. Lhoppön Tsultrim intends to return to Mipham Shedra in the future to continue our torma-making education, and bring the entire Tibetan Buddhist tradition alive.
This is a rare opportunity to go deeper with Tibetan Buddhist ritual under the traditional guidance of a highly experienced and skilled teacher. Don’t miss out!
All classes and pujas will be live-streamed on Zoom, through the Member’s Portal. You are also invited to attend in-person at:
Mipham Shedra Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center
8200 W 106th Ave
Westminster, CO
USA, 80021
Lunch: To kick off Torma Fest ’24, please join us for a special lunch in honor of Lhoppön Thupten Tsultrim on Saturday July 13th from noon to 1:30pm on our beautiful deck at the temple. Lunch is on your own for Saturday July 20th and 27th. You are welcome to bring a brown bag lunch and sit outside, or enjoy one of the many restaurants in the surrounding area.
Registration Window
Sunday May 26th: Registration Opens
Saturday July 6th: Registration Closes
Course Materials:
Please bring to all morning torma classes:
- Large cutting board
- Smooth blade (non-serrated) medium-size knife
- Dinner plate
- Apron (optional)
Note: Mipham Shedra is covering the materials cost for this festival.
Suggested Donations
Day Passes:
Unable to attend the whole torma festival? Register for a day pass for any of the Torma Fest dates!
Here’s how suggested donations work for day passes:
- For members who have not already registered for a One-Year or One Month Puja Pass that includes pujas in July: $35.00 suggested donation
- For non-members who have not already registered for a One-Year or One-Month Puja Pass that includes pujas in July: $45.00 suggested donation
**Attention Puja Pass Holders:
If you’re a member or non-member, and you’re already registered for a One-Year Puja Pass, or a One-Month Puja Pass that includes at least some pujas in the month of July, you will not be expected to make an additional donation if you are only planning to attend the pujas included in your pass.
If you are a Puja Pass holder, and you’d like to attend one of the morning torma classes, please feel free to make a donation to Mipham Shedra for the amount of your choice here: https://miphamshedra.org/donate/
Financial Support
The donations to this program support Mipham Shedra Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Center, and the teachings of Lhoppön Rechunpa Rinpoche. For those with limited funds, we have work exchange and financial aid options available. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds.
If you would like to apply for work exchange or financial aid, please see these links:
Program Schedule
Times are in Mountain Time (MT)
Saturday July 13th: Dugngal Rangdrol
- 9:00am to noon: Dugngal Rangdrol Torma Class
- Noon to 1:30pm: Lunch Honoring Lhoppön Thupten Tsultrim
- 1:30pm to 4:30pm: Dugngal Rangdrol Puja
July 16th: Guru Rinpoche
- 6:00-8:30pm: Guru Rinpoche Day Puja (no torma class)
July 20th: Yumka Dechen Gyalmo
- 9:00am to noon: Yumka Dechen Gyalmo Torma Class
- 1:30pm to 4:30pm: Dakini Day Puja
July 27th: Vajrakilaya
- 9:00am to noon: Vajrakilaya Torma Class
- 1:30pm to 4:30pm: Vajrakilaya Puja
For questions, please contact: [email protected]
To learn about Lhoppön Rechungpa Rinpoche, please see this page.
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