From the 27th to the 29th of January 2023, a “Lighthouse Dzogchen Retreat” was held in Paris with Elias Capriles, whose subject was the comparison and clearing of misunderstandings between the Direct, Non-Dual Ati Yoga Practices of Dzogchen and the Gradual, Dual, Indirect Practices of Mahayoga, or the Direct Instantaneous Transformation Practices of Anuyoga.
Like a lighthouse, Elias Capriles’ clear precisions repeatedly dispelled the darkness of confused misunderstandings engendered by the precise or varied usages of the same word by different lineages or Tibetan schools of Buddhism that had been historically intertwined.
This retreat aimed to clarify but did not have specific practice times. Still, through Elias’ answers to questions, the participants got extended glimpses into insights gleaned from his years of practice. Our gratitude extends to him for this.
The gakyil of Palriling, with its members, did an outstanding job of providing a calm, friendly, hospitable, and comfortable place for the gathering of the Sangha, offering warm drinks and snacks to greet us. People came from far and near despite significant transport strikes in France to the “Espace du Moulin” Paris 5°. Many others participated through Zoom in the comfort of their homes. This was made possible by our Vajra Team’s expertise (and calm) in the arts of computer, audio, video, and Zoom, along with the four language translations that made Elias Capriles’ teaching available via Zoom to many people of our Sangha in Russia, China, Ukraine, and the USA, as well as English and French-speaking countries, France included. This availability through cooperation speaks well of the unity beneath all the diversity of our phenomenal world that our Guru exemplified by his every example.
The encounter was closed by a speech given in three languages by Jacquie, our blue gakyil.
