Resident Lama - Dr. Bob Kapitany

Bob Kapitany is a long-time Dharma practitioner, with a background of extensive training in both Vipassana and Vajrayana practices.

He has been empowered by the Very Venerable Zasep Tulku Rinpoche to teach and perform selected Vajrayana initiations, and has 20 years of teaching experience in Rinpoche's Gaden for the West Dharma centers across Canada.

Bob began his meditation studies in the 1960s. His first teachers, the Ven. Kema Anananda and the Ven. Joti Dharma, were from the Theravada tradition.

After completing practice with these teachers, he was advised to seek a teacher in the Vajrayana tradition. He subsequently received initiation from and studied meditation with Geshe Khenrhab Gajam, Kalu Rinpoche, Lati Rinpoche, Tara Rinpoche, Kyabje Yong Gyal Rinpoche, Thom Thag Rinpoche and has studied extensively with the Very Ven. Zasep Tulku Rinpoche.

Bob has completed approximately 100 retreats (total combined time probably in excess of 3 years), including Vipassana, Lam Rim and Lo Jong as well as most of the common and many of the uncommon Vajrayana practices.

He is an experienced retreat master and teacher, having led more than 30 retreats of 10 days or longer in most Vajrayana practices.

He currently provides instruction and training in both Vipassana and Vajrayana practices, and offers guidance on the integration of the retreat experience into daily Western life. He specializes in the healing practices and in training medical professionals and para-medical professionals in healing practice.

(A dedication to the root Guru)

The Heart of the Heart Sutra

When the Boddhisattva Avalokitesvara was coursing in the deep Prajnaparamita,
He saw that all the five skandhas are empty and thus He overcame all sufferings and ills.

O Sariputra! Form is not different from emptiness and emptiness is not different from form.
Form is emptiness and emptiness is form.
Likewise the feelings, conceptions, impulses and consciousnesses.

O Sariputra! The characteristics of the emptiness of all dharmas are that it is not arising, not ceasing, not defiled, not pure, not increasing, not decreasing.

Therefore in the emptiness there are no forms, no feelings, conceptions, impulses or consciousnesses; no eye, ear, nose, tongue, body or mind; no form, sound, smell, taste, touch or mind-objects; no eye-elements until we come to no elements of consciousness, no ignorance, no ending of ignorance, no old age or death, and no ending of old age and death; no truth of suffering, no truth of the causes of suffering; of the cessation of suffering or of the Path.

There is no wisdom and there is no Attainment whatsoever.

Because there is nothing to be attained, a Boddhisattva relying on Prajnaparamita has no obstructions in his mind.

Because there is no obstruction he has no fear and passes far beyond all confusions and imaginations and reaches the Ultimate Nirvana.

The Buddhas in the past, present and future also by relying on the Prajnaparamita have attained the Supreme Enlightenment.

Therefore, the Prajnaparamita is the great magic spell, is the unequalled spell which can truly protect one from all suffering without fail.

Therefore he uttered the Spell of Prajnaparamita:

TAYATA OM GATE GATE PARAGATE PARASAMGATE BODHI SOHA