New Year Retreat 2026: Teachings on the Heart Sutra and Chenrezig Empowerment
with Venerable Khenpo Karten Rinpoche
Saturday through Monday, February 14-16, 2026
Wave Street Studios
774 Wave Street, Monterey, CA 93940
In-Person event
Registration required, donations requested, but no one turned away for lack of funds
Suggested donation: $180.00 for all three days, sliding scale

Register via EventBrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-year-retreat-2026-the-heart-sutra-chenrezig-empowerment-registration-1980408413877?aff=oddtdtcreator

Can't register online?  No problem!  Contact Rachel at rachelmdc2016@gmail.com or come on the first day.

Retreat Schedule
10:00am to 6:00pm Saturday
9:00am to 5:00pm Sunday
9:00am to 3:30pm Monday

About the Heart Sutra

The Heart Sutra is one of the most precious texts in all of Buddhism.   In the space of a single page, in words ascribed to the bodhisattva (“buddha-to-be”) of compassion, Avalokiteshvara (aka Chenrezig), the Heart Sutra discusses the doctrine of “emptiness” (shunyata), a profound Buddhist concept referring to the lack of inherent, independent existence in all phenomena. It signifies that things are "empty" of a permanent self or essence, existing instead in a state of interconnectedness and potential.

Realizing the true nature of reality and the true nature of one's own mind is the ultimate goal of all Buddhist practice. This realization frees one from all fear, all harmful inner states, and allows the flow of infinite love and compassion, innate within all of us, to emerge and shine.

About Chenrezig

Avalokiteshvara, or Chenrezig in Tibetan, is the Bodhisattva who embodies the love and compassion of all Buddhas. Chenrezig is considered the patron Bodhisattva of the Tibetan people. Chenrezig is also believed by Tibetans to be the actual progenitor of the Tibetan people.His Holiness the Dalai Lama is considered a living Buddhas, emanation of Chenrezig.

About Empowerment

An empowerment is a ceremony to formally introduce the transformative energy represented by the Buddha or Boddhisattva (in this case Chenrezig, Buddha of Compassion) to the student's mind, and can only be transmitted by a qualified lineage holder.  We are very fortunate that Khenpo Karten Rinpoche is a highly qualified and realized teacher, and is willing to impart this empowerment to us.  This is only the second empowerment he has offered to his western students.   Empowerment is an energy and oral tradition transfer which depends on the intentions of the teacher and students to awaken the qualities of the Buddha within us.   All the Buddhas represent energies that are innate to us, but that may be clouded by the delusions of anger, attachment, and ignorance.

About Khenpo Karten Rinpoche

Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist monk and accomplished teacher and practitioner of the Karma Kagyu Lineage and Nyingma Lineage of Buddhism, arrived in the United States in 2008, and taught in the Monterey Bay area for the first time in September of that year. After meeting a group of prospective students and seeing the hills of Big Sur which remind him of Tibet, he returned in 2009 to make the Monterey Bay his home. Since then, Rinpoche has established the Manjushri Dharma Center (MDC) in Pacific Grove, California, which has become his main teaching location and his home residence.  With unflinching faith in the precious Buddha Dharma, Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, now a U.S. citizen, bestows sacred teachings to thousands of people all over the world, with weekly teachings and events.

Detailed Retreat Schedule

Saturday (Empowerment will take place on Saturday)
Venue opens at 9:30am
10:00am to 11:30am
11:40am to 1:00pm
3:00pm to 4:30pm
4:40pm to 6:00pm

Sunday
Venue opens at 8:30 am
9:00am to 10:30am
10:40am to 12:00pm
2:00pm to 3:30pm
3:40pm to 5:00pm

Monday
Venue opens at 8:30 am
9:00am to 10:30am
10:40am to 12:00pm
2:00pm to 3:30pm

More information (About Khenpo Karten Rinpoche, Retreat Considerations, Venue and parking information) is available on our website: https://manjushridharmacenter.org/event/heart-sutra-retreat-2/

Questions? Contact Rachel C. at rachelmdc2016@gmail.com