SOFIA—Geshe Khorden Lhundup Gyaltsen, a Tibetan teacher from the Bon tradition, visited Bulgaria from 25–27 January to give teachings and lead a Dzogchen retreat. France-based Geshe Lhundup was invited to the Bulgarian capital Sofia for his fourth visit by the Bon-Dzogchen Sangha Bulgaria. During his previous visits to Sofia in 2015, 2016, and 2017, Geshe Lhundup gave teachings on Tibetan yoga, Dzogchen, and phowa (related to the transfer of consciousness during death). 

On 25 January, Geshe Lhundup gave teachings on Red Garuda (Tib: Khyung Mar), one of the most important Bon deities. Red Garuda is a wisdom protector, considered a manifestation of pure awareness. As a wrathful aspect of enlightened nature, the deity aims to elevate the ordinary karmic body, speech, mind, and energy to a purer, higher level, transforming negativity and ignorance into wisdom.

The ancient teaching of Red Garuda belongs to the tantric category of practice, known in Tibet as secret Mantrayana (Tib: Sang Ngag). Tantric practice is the path of transforming negativity into wisdom. The healing practice of Red Garuda is highly effective physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

From 26–27 January, Geshe Lhundup led a retreat with instructions on how to transfer consciousness with the practice of phowa according to the A Tri (Tib: A Khrid) Dzogchen Cycle.

The Bon Dzogchen teachings are the highest teachings of Bon tradition as they offer a means to directly recognize the true nature of the mind and further attain stabilization of this recognition. Bon has three distinct Dzogchen lineages: A Tri, Zhang Zhung Nyen Gyud, and Dzogchen. The A Tri lineage is also known as the experiential Dzogchen transmission and its aim is to guide one (Tri) to the primordial state (A). It has been transmitted without interruption from master to student over many centuries, dating back from His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche to the Great Master Meu Gongdzod, and before him to Tonpa Shenrab, the founder of Bon.

Geshe Lhundup was born in 1976 in the Kham region of eastern Tibet. He became a monk at Patsang Monastery of the Yungdrung Bon tradition* and received Dzogchen teachings from the great masters Togden Sherab Phuntsog, Togden Tsultrim Gaba, and Pala Daba Gyaltsen. Geshe Lhundup studied at Menri Monastery in India from 1993–2009, completing courses on sutra, tantra, and Dzogchen, as well as Tibetan grammar, poetry, astrology, medicine, mandala painting, yoga, and meditation. He also received teachings from the great Bon teachers His Holiness Menri Trizin Rinpoche, His Eminence Yongdzin Tendzin Namdak Rinpoche, and His Eminence Ponlob Thinley Nyima Rinpoche. 

In 2010, Geshe Lhundup moved to France at the request of Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche to support his students there. Geshe Lhundup shares his experience and helps the students at The 3 Doors, an international organization founded by Tenzin Wangyal Ripoche that offers meditation programs with practical applications for everyday life, and also at Shenten Dargye Ling, established by His Eminence Yongdzin Tendzin Namdak Rinpoche with the aim of preserving this ancient tradition and to transmit it to Western students.

In July 2019, the Bon-Dzogchen Sangha Bulgaria will organize a Dzogchen Togyal Retreat with Geshe Khorden Lhundup Gyaltsen in the beautiful Pirin Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria.

* There are three strands of the Bon tradition: old Bon (closely related to shamanism), Yungdrung (eternal Bon), and New Bon (reformed Bon).

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Shenten Dargye Ling
The 3 Doors

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