After the three traditional refuges, sometimes I use a fourth refuge: taking refuge in the great mother. I take refuge in the supreme mother, the perfection of sublime knowing, that straddles both the understanding of the empty nature of things, and the relative way in which we work. It is a bridge between the relative and the absolute, and is called “the mother of all Buddhas,” because it is through this depth of understanding that Buddhas become Buddhas—understanding saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, the absolute and the relative, and how they are inseparable.
Margarita Loinaz
Guest Teacher
Margarita Loinaz began buddhist practice in 1977 with Kalu Rimpoche and trained in the Theravada and Tibetan traditions. Her Dzogchen teacher is Lama Drimed Norbu. She began teaching in 1997 leading the Women of Color Sitting group with Marlene Jones and co organizing the first People of Color Retreat at SRMC in 1999. She worked as a public health physician in San Francisco serving the homeless and Latinx communities. Her current teaching blends Dzogchen practice with social justice and environmental awareness. She was born in the Dominican Republic and is a grandmother.
Margarita Loinaz's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | Online
Sunday, February 9 | 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
The Ultimate Refuge
Beyond all effort and achievement, the pathless path opens into our deepest refuge—the recognition of our essential nature. Beyond the limitations of the intellect, this way to freedom unfolds through the very landscape of our unique and precious lives. Without needing to reject or adopt anything, a profound openness integrates the boundless with the particulars of our experience and opens the door of non-duality, freeing our hearts and minds. This daylong will include meditation, Dharma reflections, movement, and Q&A.
Margarita Loinaz
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Margarita Loinaz through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.