13/05/2026
Chod Workshop and Empowerment
June 13 - 14th
https://rimebuddhism.com/events/chod-empowerment-and-weekend-workshop-a-sacred-gathering-of-liberation-through-severance/
The ancient practice of Chöd is one of the most extraordinary and rarely encountered paths in the entire Vajrayana tradition. Born from the fearless realisation of the 11th-century yogini Machig Labdrön, Chöd strikes at the very root of what binds us, the deeply held clinging to self that generates all suffering, fear, and confusion across our lives and countless lifetimes. We live in an age of extraordinary distraction, yet beneath the noise, the fundamental questions remain: What is the self we protect so fiercely? What would it mean to truly let go? Chöd does not offer a comfortable answer — it offers a direct and embodied encounter with these questions, through sound, movement, ritual, and the living transmission of an unbroken lineage. This weekend retreat is a rare opportunity to step fully into that tradition. Over four immersive sessions across Saturday and Sunday, you will receive the Chöd lineage empowerment from Shar Khentrul Rinpoche, before moving progressively through instrument instruction, sadhana transmission, and culminating in a complete group Chöd practice, Q&A, and dedication of merit. Whether you come as a complete beginner or a seasoned practitioner, this weekend has the power to open something real.
What is Chöd?
Chöd (གཅོད་, pronounced ‘Chö’) means ‘to sever’ or ‘to cut’ and that single word points directly to its purpose: the complete severing of ego clinging and conceptual grasping at the very root of suffering. It is a practice unlike any other in the Vajrayana, originating with the great 11th-century Tibetan yogini Machig Labdrön, whose realisation was so radical, so complete, that she founded an entirely new lineage. Where most Dharma practices invite stillness, Chöd moves. The practitioner chants, drums, and wanders traditionally to wild and fearsome places, charnel grounds, mountain passes, cemeteries and there performs the ritual of offering the body itself to all sentient beings. It is an act of ultimate generosity and fearlessness, dissolving the illusion of a self. At the heart of this practice are the sacred instruments, the Chöd drum (damaru) and bell (drilbu). These are not accompaniments — they are the voice and the heartbeat of Chöd itself, inseparable from the practice. To learn to play them is to begin to enter the transmission from the inside.
Program Highlights
-Chöd Empowerment bestowed by Shar Khentrul Rinpoche — opening the door to the full transmission
-Introduction to Chöd — history, lineage, and the living transmission from Machig Labdrön
-Learn the Chöd Drum (damaru) — proper technique, rhythms, and the inner meaning of the beat
-Learn the Bell (drilbu) & Kangling — how to hold, strike, and coordinate with drum and voice
-Sadhana transmission, guided practice, and teaching commentary
-Full Chöd practice session with Q&A and dedication of merit
-Opportunity to purchase authentic Chöd drums, bells, and kangling
Event Schedule – Melbourne, Australia
SATURDAY June 13, 2026
Time Session
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM SESSION 1: Empowerment & IntroductionChöd lineage empowerment bestowed by Shar Khentrul Rinpoche, followed by introduction to Chöd history, lineage, and the living transmission from Machig Labdrön.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch BreakInstrument browsing / purchase window
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM SESSION 2: Drum & Bell TechniqueHands-on instruction in Chöd damaru, drilbu, and kangling with Drungngur Tenzin Lamsang.
SUNDAY June 14, 2026
Time Session
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM SESSION 3: Sadhana Transmission, Practice & TeachingTransmission of the Chöd Sadhana with guided practice and teaching commentary by Shar Khentrul Rinpoche and Drungngur Tenzin Lamsang.
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Lunch BreakInstrument browsing / purchase window
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM SESSION 4: Full Chöd Practice Session, Q&A & DedicationComplete group Chöd practice with all instruments, open Q&A and dedication of merit.
Our Teachers
Shar Khentrul Rinpoche
Shar Khentrul Rinpoche has received the Chöd transmission across multiple great traditions Nyingma, Kagyu, Jonang, and Gelug and has himself completed Chöd retreat. He received the transmission of Taranatha’s Opening the Gates to the Sky empowerment from Kalka Jetsun Dhampa, considered a reincarnation of Taranatha himself and the spiritual head of Mongolia. This depth of lineage and cross-tradition mastery is rare in the modern world, and it flows directly into this weekend. Rinpoche carries the living flame of authentic Vajrayana transmission and is deeply committed to offering the full breadth of Tibetan Buddhist practice including the rarely taught Chöd to students in the modern world. His teaching is characterised by warmth, precision, and the fearless confidence of one who has walked the path himself.
Drungngur Tenzin Lamsang
Drungngur Tenzin Lamsang is a highly trained ritual master and holder of the authentic Chöd lineage transmission. With years of dedicated practice in the traditional Tibetan manner, Tenzin Lamsang brings rare expertise in the precise technique of Chöd drumming, bell work, and the melodic chant unique to this practice. Under his guidance, students will receive direct, hands-on instruction in the sacred instruments across both days of the weekend.
