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RESTORING OUR VITAL ESSENCE & RECLAIMING THE SOUL: Healing Ourselves with Body, Voice, and Mind with the Spiritual Healing Methods of Sowa Rigpa
March 27 - March 30, 2025
Lee M. Harrington
In Sowa Rigpa (Tibetan Medicine), we are taught that we can use our mind to heal the mind; mind to heal the body; body to heal the mind; and body to heal the body. In this intimate 4-day intensive, we’ll learn and practice several profound healing modalities from the energy-healing branch of Tibetan Medicine, with the aim of rejuvenating the mind and body and spirit by pacifying mental afflictions, releasing blockages in the subtle-body system of channels, and restoring proper energy flow.Using ancient yogic methods such as meditation, visualization, mantra recitation, pranayama, self-massage, and Tibetan longevity yoga, we can purify and invigorate ourselves at the level of the subtle body--also referred to as the energy body or “spirit”--thereby getting to the “root causes” of many of our current mental, physical or emotional issues. We can use these methods to help transform negative emotions (such as anxieties, depressions and traumas), to heal core wounds that may be depleting our vital essence, and to reclaim any and all soul-energy that may have been “lost” or weakened through traumas, loss, chronic illness/pain/stress, and even traumatic childbirths. These practices leave us feeling rejuvenated, restored, revitalized and balanced, so that we are better able to return to our own authentic natures and be of benefit to others in our daily lives.In general, Tibetan medicine has the fourfold aim of preventing illness, curing illness, extending life (and quality of life), and cultivating happiness. In this program, we will focus on the following practices, all of which are designed to remove subtle-body blockages, increase our life-energy, and allow health to flourish by increasing our vital energy (loong), our “soul” energy (bLa), and our “essence” (dang):NEJANG--TIBETAN SELF-HEALING YOGAAlso known as Tibetan Rejuvenation Yoga or Tibetan Longevity Yoga, Nejang (which translates as “cleaning the energy sites in the body”) is a Tibetan self-healing practice which combines pranayama, gentle movement, and self-massage. Traditional nejang--with roots in both Tibetan medicine and Kalachakra tantra--helps balance the body’s internal energies, calms the nervous system, and relaxes the mind. Nejang is a very simple accessible practice for all ages. Modifications will be offered to anyone with physical limitations or disabilities.bLA MASSAGEbLa massage is a profoundly healing method of restoring our lost protective energy--sometimes referred to as soul energy--through a combination of gentle touch, visualization and chanting of potent seed syllables. According to Tibetan Medicine, we can "lose" or weaken our bLa through shock, emotional or physical trauma, chronic disease, traumatic childbirth, accidents, and even through the long-term stresses of poverty and/or being "othered." Symptoms of lost bLa include sleeplessness, anxiety, depression, sallow skin, disordered attachment styles, dysregulation, extreme sensitivity, and postpartum imbalances (many of these symptoms mirror what we would now call PTSD). Fortunately, bLa energy can be restored through such treatments as bLa massage, leaving us feeling balanced, restored, and more joyful and whole.MANTRA CHANTING/KIRTANIn Sowa Ripga, there is a branch of healing (called mantra-healing) which uses specific Tibetan and Sanskrit mantras to initiate healing states, remove subtle-body blockages, and restore balance and energetic flow at physical, mental and subtle levels. With mantra-healing, we are using the vibrations of the mantra to affect the vibrations of our own physical, mental and subtle body systems, with the aim of restoring balance, maintaining health, cultivating states of peace, and preventing future illnesses and imbalances. During the evening program of this retreat, we will practice healing mantras together as a group (singing them in the call-and-response style of traditional kirtan) in order to further purify our channels and open up the chakras.This is a program of deep-self care, of rejuvenation, of re-learning how to gently return to our true selves, and of practicing simple methods that can activate the profound states of healing and bliss that exist within us all. This retreat is a precious opportunity to learn how to reclaim sovereignty over your own physical health and mental well-being and to understand--at a subtle level--what it means to become co-creators of our own realities. Plus, Menla is a truly magical place--the land of the Medicine Buddha--where the land, air, water, plants, stones and trees all support your well-being!Together, through these practices, we can rediscover and reclaim our vital essences and our authentic selves, for the benefit of all beings (including the ancestors). And, as the great Gabor Mate often says, authenticity is a survival need. Whether you are brand new to Tibetan healing practices or a seasoned practitioner, this program is designed to be relatable and accessible. Lee has a very warm, compassionate and penetrating teaching style with an ability to explain the teachings and practices in ways that students can grasp and understand.These practices are accessible to people of all ages and physical abilities. If you suffer from depression or anxiety or PTSD or chronic pain and/or if you are recovering from injury, this program is designed to provide steps toward relief.And if you are a lover of kirtan, this program offers a unique opportunity to learn and practice lesser-known chants from the Tibetan Buddhist and Sowa Rigpa traditions.We’ll balance our practice sessions with quiet time for journaling, integration and contemplation. You can also enjoy Menla’s many beautiful gardens, ponds and hiking trails and/or to treat yourself to a Tibetan therapy at the spa.* A limited number of need-based partial scholarships are offered for this program. If interested, please inquire at frontdesk@menla.org.Schedule
Thursday, March 27ABOUT THE TEACHERs
Lee M. Harrington
Lee M. Harrington (Sangye Rinchen Lhamo) is an ordained ngakma in the Yuthok Nyingthik - a unique spiritual tradition of Tibetan Buddhism connected with Sowa Rigpa and Medicine Buddha. She is a long-term practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism and student of Sowa Rigpa. She has served o...
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