Prerequisite: Kapala Training Level I and the interim assignments.

This retreat is a continuation of the Kapala Training program. It consists of a deepening of the Prajña Paramita practice, an introduction to Jamgön Kongtrül’s text Transmitting the Meaning of the Mother, and Machig Labdrön’s method for cutting through discursive thoughts with sound. “Feeding Your Demons” work will continue individually and in dyads, and expand through ‘demon’ mapping of family lineage demons, physical body demons, and hydra mapping.

Completion of Level II and the accompanying 108 demon feedings allows one to apply for certification to use the five steps of “Feeding Your Demons” with a professional degree as a therapist or counselor.

This course meets the qualifications for 34 hours of CEUs. Tara Mandala is licensed by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences as a continuing education provider (#3260). CEUs are offered for marriage, family, and child counseling (MFCC) and for social work (LCSW). Please sign up for CEUs at the time of registration; a $15 fee applies.

Fees: Sliding scale fees allow participants to pay according to individual means. Your payment above the low end directly benefits our scholarship fund.
Double: $925 - $795
Queen Double: $1,095 - $795
Single: $1,195 - $900
Camping*: $650 - $505
Suggested Dana: $120 - $240

Accommodation choices include our beautiful new residence hall. More information...

*Be prepared for spring camping conditions, with potential for snow and temperatures below freezing.

Sustaining Sangha discounts range from 10%-20% based on your membership level and are calculated at registration. Become a Sustaining Sangha member today!

Detailed information about retreats at Tara Mandala
Download registration form (PDF)
Register securely online: 50% of course cost due at registration
Financial aid available

Lama Tsultrim Allione, author and international teacher, founded Tara Mandala in 1994. Inspired by the vision of a Western retreat center while living in the Himalayas in the 1970s, Lama Tsultrim founded Tara Mandala with her husband David Petit, where she is now the spiritual director and resident teacher.

Lama Tsultrim was one of the first American women to be ordained as a Tibetan nun in 1970 by the 16th Karmapa. At the age of 26, after four years as a nun, she returned her monastic vows, married, and raised a family of three. Lama Tsultrim earned a Master’s degree in Buddhist Studies and Women’s Studies from Antioch University. She is the author of Women of Wisdom, a groundbreaking book on the lives of great female Tibetan practitioners.

Lama Tsultrim also authored the recently published Feeding Your Demons: Ancient Wisdom for Resolving Inner Conflict, which connects the knowledge of Tibetan Buddhism with the modern psyche, addressing major cultural issues and the roots of our suffering. This National Bestseller is based on Lama Tsultrim’s pioneering technique using five steps to nurture the parts of ourselves we usually fight.

Lama Tsultrim has for many years focused her teachings on the lineage of Machig Labdrön, the 11th century Tibetan yogini who founded the Chöd lineage. In 2007, while leading a pilgrimage to Tibet, she was recognized as an emanation of Machig Labdrön by the resident Lama of Zangri Khangmar (Machig’s monastery in Tibet). In 2009 she was selected by an esteemed committee of scholars and practitioners to receive the international Outstanding Woman in Buddhism Award given in Bangkok, Thailand.

Lama Tsultrim’s teachings arise from the blessings of her many wonderful Tibetan Buddhist teachers, her 40-year dedication to the Buddhist teachings, and her experience as a Western woman.