Dralas of Casa Werma Retreat
con Richard John
March 15 - 23, 2025
“The dralas are dying to meet you!” –the Dorje Dradul
The inherent magic of this adobe-walled oasis was apparent to Chögyam Trungpa when he wrote “The Roar of the Werma” here in 1980. So did Sakyong Mipham when he visited Casa Werma and wrote the poem “Kalapa Patzcuaro” in 2014.
This one-week vajrayana retreat, following the annual 10-Day Mahamudra Retreat, will be grounded in the practice and study of the Werma Sadhana. We will also explore some of the drala treasures of the Patzcuaro region, including indigenous pyramids, sacred lakes, and regional cuisine and arts. A highlight of every retreat is a silent walk through the amazing market and plazas of Patzcuaro.
Prerequisites: Participants must be vajrayana practitioners who have received the pointing out transmission from the Vidyadhara, Sakyong Mipham, or the Vajra Regent or Dorje Loppön on behalf of the Vidyadhara.
Please register early: Space is limited. This retreat may be done separately or in combination with the 10-Day Mahamudra retreat, March 1-13, 2025.
Full program tuition not including accommodations: $900.00 usd. We invite all who are able to do so to pay the full tuition rate. By doing so, you directly support Casa Werma’s operating budget, helping to sustain our dharma programs, maintain our facilities and ensure the continued care of this sacred place throughout the year.
A dual program discount of $100 USD is offered to all participants enrolled in BOTH the Dralas of Casa Werma and the 10-Day Mahamudra retreat in 2025 and will be added to your guest statement after you register for both.
Heart Gifts: It is customary to offer a monetary heart gift to a dharma teacher. This is a significant source of income for many teachers. Gifts are voluntary, and any amount will be appreciated. There will be an opportunity to do this near the end of the program.
Pay-It-Forward program tuition not including accommodations: $1008.00 usd. We invite all who are able to do so to consider paying the Pay-It-Forward tuition rate. By doing so, you make it possible for us to offer scholarships to others, particularly our Mexico sangha, while also contributing to Casa Werma’s year-round operations. Please select Pay-It-Forward Tuition Add-On in Registration.
Off Site Hotel Accommodations: For those who are interested in staying off site. We recommend the following hotels in Centro Patzcuaro:
All of them offer a discount to our participants if you mention “Casa Werma” and they are within 5-20 minutes walking distance to our meditation center.
Travel Arrangements: We recommend flights into Morelia airport (90 minutes away by car). We can help with travel arrangements, please visit our How to Get Here page for more info or send us an email at: [email protected] with any further questions. All participant air travel will be offset by The Good Traveler carbon offset program.
Please email [email protected] with any further questions.
Teacher / Maestr@
Richard John, an early student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, has served as acharya for Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche for 20 years. He completed the first three-year retreat at Gampo Abbey, and now teaches Shambhala Buddhist meditation courses full time. Richard and his wife Liz reside in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Learn more about Richard John
