300 Hour Vajra Yoga School

Name: 300 Hour Vajra Yoga School
Start: 2024-11-11
End: 2024-11-17
Location: Menla
Rating: 4.5

4.502 reviews

November 11 - 17, 2024

About this Retreat

Your Guides

Robert

Michele

Robert A.F. Thurman

Robert Thurman is Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University as well as co-founder and President of Tibet House US and it's Menla Retreat & Spa. A world-wide lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism, activist for the plight of the Tibetan people, translator of Buddhist texts, and writer of popular Buddhist books. He recently has been awarded the Padma Shri Award, India’s fourth highest civilian honor for achievement in enriching Indian education and literature. His most recent book is the 300 page graphic novel, Man of Peace: the Illustrated Life Story of the Dalai Lama of Tibet. Suggested Books & Audio by Robert A.F. Thurman: Man of Peace: Illustrated Life Story of Tibet’s Dalai Lama (Book), Infinite Life: Awakening to Bliss Within (Book), Anger: The Seven Deadly Sins (Book), Inner Revolution (Book), Circling the Sacred Mountain : A Spiritual Adventure Through the Himalayas (Book), Essential Tibetan Buddhism (Book), The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between (Book) The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism (Book), The Central Philosophy of Tibet (Book), The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: A Mahayana Scripture (Book), Life & Teachings of Tsong Khapa (Book), Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet, and the World (Book) & Liberation Upon Hearing in the Between: Living with the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Audio). To Learn More About Robert A.F. Thurman please visit: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Michele Loew is an international yoga teacher & practitioner of Hatha & Tibetan Yogas & the founding director of the Vajra Yoga School of Comparative Buddhist & Indic Yogic Studies where sheco-teaches with Professor Robert A.F. Thurman at Menla & abroad. She has taught, practiced, & studied avidly since 1998, and continues to run her longtime yoga school and beloved studio, The Yoga Space in Portland, Oregon. She is also on the Board of Tibet House US and is devoted to supporting His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s mission, as well as preserving Tibetan Culture and Dharma. You can find her often in New York sharing yoga at Tibet House or upstate at Menla Mountain Retreat. Her love and commitment to the unexcelled yoga tantras of Vajrayana as a path we can take towards perfect enlightenment and the integration of those teachings with the Hatha yogas more broadly practiced today, seeing both as powerful and not separate extensions of one another, infuses her work with great joy & commitment to a more compassionate and awakened world. She honors the lineage of teachers she comes from and bows to her longtime Hatha & Classical Yoga teacher, Richard Freeman for elucidating the middle path of love with the utmost clarity and kindness. To Robert Thurman, her beloved principle teacher in Buddhist science and her root guru His Holiness the Dalai Lama, the deepest bow for empowering her in the anuttara yogas. Michele teaches regular classes and 200 & 500 YA trainings in Yoga & Yoga Nidra in Portland &; New York, as well as retreats and workshops internationally. Follow her on instagram @micheleloew

Details of this retreat

Our 300 Hour Vajra Yoga School course will be held November 11th, 2024 to April 6, 2025.

This is a unique Yoga Alliance Certification program sponsored by Menla and Tibet House US that incorporates the classical yogic inner sciences from India and Tibet to give people the tools to have a better life and share them with others.

This is a unique yoga teacher training that focuses on the intersection between Hatha Yoga & Vajrayana Buddhism. We explore the philosophical and experiential interface between both traditions.

If you are looking for a Yoga Teacher Training course that is non-sectarian and brings in yoga and the meditative sciences from both traditions, this is the course.

Our program is designed to support self-discovery and growth, lasting joy and physical health and happiness. We focus on alignment-based Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Tibetan Healing Yoga, breathing practices, meditation and philosophy from the Buddha and the Yogis & great Mahasiddhas from India and Tibet.

The journey is deeply educational and spiritually transformational, while giving you the practical skills to support other students on their path.

Whether your goal is to teach yoga or deepen your practice, you will find the tools that light your journey.

We recommend students take this course that have already taken our 200 hour school, another 200 hour program, or have been studying yoga and or Buddhism for a few years with a committed practice.

This program is 300 hours of teachings divided into 2 terms. We begin our course November 11th, 2024 with an in-person immersion at Menla Retreat in New York, which can also be live-streamed for those that can’t make it to Menla.

However, we strongly recommend you attend in person.

We will continue meeting weekly to study together over zoom with live-stream asana practices, Q&A & philosophy sessions with the teachers. And we will close our school year with a final in-person retreat at Menla.

In person Retreats at Menla:

November 11-17, 2024 & March 31-April 6th, 2025

Ongoing weekly livestream zoom classes held: Fridays 11-1pm Eastern with Robert Thurman & Saturdays 11-1pm Eastern w/Michele Loew. Classes will be recorded and translated into any
language for your viewing if you miss class live.

*Course materials available for 1 year after course finishes on our teachable learning platform.

*Tuition monthly payment plans available.

Register here for tuition and payment plans: clear-light-at-the-yoga-space.teachable.com/p/vajra-yoga-300-hr-full-course-11-9-2024-4-6-2025

Sample Retreat schedule

7 - 8 am Vajra Yoga w/ Michele
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:30 am - 12 pm Yoga techniques for teachers w/ Michele
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 4 pm Free time
4 - 6 pm Philosophy w/ Bob
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 - 9 pm Restorative Yoga practices w/ Michele

Getting Here

Menla

Accommodation

Deluxe King

Deluxe King Room with King Bed and Private Bathroom Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available Air Conditioning This Space is not ADA compliant. Deluxe King Rooms are Available only in Kathmandu House * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations

Deluxe Queen

Deluxe Queen Room with Queen Bed and Private Bathroom Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available Air Conditioning All Rooms in Lhasa are Handicap-Accessible, Including Four Rooms with Wheelchair Accessible Showers. Deluxe Queen Rooms are Available in Lhasa Inn and Kathmandu House * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations

Standard Single - Shared Bath

Menla Private Queen Room with Queen Bed and Shared Bathroom Public Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available This lodging type is not ADA Compliant Private Queen Rooms with Shared Bathroom are Available in Thimpu House, Panther Cottage and Potala House * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations

Standard Double Full - Shared bath (Shared Room)

Deluxe Double Room with Two Full Beds and Shared Bathroom Free Phone and Hi-Speed Wifi Internet Access Available Air Conditioning This lodging type is not ADA Compliant. Please note that due to the stairs we recommend that guests with mobility issues book other accommodations. Deluxe Double Rooms with Shared Bathrooms are Located in Thimphu * Please note rates include meals and accommodations. This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You a Roommate if You Do Not Register with One.

Standard Double Twin - Shared bath (Shared Room)

Economy Premium Single - Shared Bath

Standard Premium Single Room with a Queen or Full Bed and Shared Bathroom Bathrooms are Shared With up to Ten Other Guests A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room Phone Access Available in Upper Level Of Conference Center. All calls are free of charge This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant. * Please note rates include meals and accommodations.

Economy Single - Shared Bath

Standard Single Room with a Twin Bed and Shared Bathroom Bathroom is Shared with One to Six Other Guests on Your Floor. A phone is not available but high-speed WiFi is available in the room Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge. This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant. * Please note rates include meals and accommodations.

Economy Double - Shared Bath (Shared Room)

Standard Double with Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom The bathroom is Shared with other rooms on the same floor. High-speed Wi-Fi is available in the room. Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge. This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant. * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations * Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed) * This booking is for one bed in a double shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others

Economy Quad - Shared Bath (Shared Room)

Standard Quad Room with Quad Twin Beds and Shared Bathroom Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals. High speed Wi-Fi is available in the room. Phone Access Available in Nearby Conference Center and also Lhasa in Business Center. All calls are free of charge. This Lodging Type is not ADA Compliant. * Please note that rates include meals and accommodations * Please note: this is an open door policy room, meaning there are no keys to lock the door (we have lockers you can use at Lhasa if needed) * This booking is for one bed in a quad shared room: We May Assign You Roommates if You Do Not Register with others.

Commuter

Commuters Menla Encourages Members of the Community to Participate in Our Wonderful Programs! Includes Meals, Public Phone, Public Computer, and Wi-Fi Internet Available in Lhasa Inn. Accommodations Fee Includes All Meals.

Customer Reviews

4.50 out of 5.0 average rating

Anonymous • Oct 03, 2023

4.0

Verified

Weekend retreat stay

The property is on a beautiful, peaceful location.
Nature is all around and sometimes a little too close but you are literally surrounded by woods.

The food was really good and I liked the buffet style and fruit basket.

The gift shop although small had a nice selection of items and I purchased a few fun items.

Since the dining area was on the opposite side of the site from the convention center, a lot of students drove back and forth on the property. I chose the walking paths to get around.

Marie • Apr 18, 2022

5.0

Verified

Lovely

I had a fascinating and enlightening experience during an “Energy squared Reiki,” class at Menlo this past week. The grounds, rooms, facilities amenities and spa at Menla were all beautiful, clean, and peaceful. The food was delicious and nourishing. I can say only good things about both Menla and the program I attended, and would wholeheartedly recommend both.