All entries filed under this archive
Running with the Mind of Meditation on Solitary Retreat – HIGHLIGHT
miksangby Fay Octavia Elliott All joy in this world comes from wanting others to be happy, and all suffering in this world comes from wanting only oneself to be happy. ~ Shantideva The companion book I brought along on my first ever solitary retreat was Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s new book Running with ... continuePosted July 15, 2012 by
Making the Most of Retreat… – HIGHLIGHT
…and Bringing It to Life by Irini Rockwell Director & Principal Coach/Trainer at Five Wisdoms Institute Taking a retreat, however long, is a precious opportunity to look deeper within ourselves by connecting with life transformative practices. So how do we bring the awareness and intelligence of the retreat back into ... continuePosted May 23, 2012 by
A Mahamudra Weekend of Joy – HIGHLIGHT
Recently, in Santa Rosa, California, a group of practitioners gathered to go deeper into the profound teachings and practice of mahamudra. This article by Peter Dobbin of the San Francisco Shambhala Center sheds a little light for us on what that experience was like. #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 ... continuePosted January 25, 2012 by
Staying Healthy on Retreat – HIGHLIGHT
A natural approach to wellness while on retreat by Silas Rosenblatt, R Ac Anyone who has spent any time at a group retreat or meditation program is likely to be familiar with one of the many obstacles that arise in practice – getting sick. Back pain, boredom and ... continuePosted January 18, 2012 by
Being alone being together – HIGHLIGHT
by Joan Whitaker Sitting alone under a tree Wandering off Re-collecting Coming back to Sitting alone under a tree in the mountain Breathing with the brilliant sun warming and the wind blowing and beating and the vast blue sky inspiring and uplifting. Sitting alone Under a tree Wandering off Re-collecting Coming back to Sitting alone Under the trees In the mountains Breathing With you With each of you Thinking Feeling Seeing Hearing Touching Moving Sighing Laughing Crying Clearing Being ... continuePosted October 22, 2011 by
Runaway Meditation Retreat – HIGHLIGHT
by Taz Tagore This year, the New York City-based Reciprocity Foundation pioneered a Buddhist retreat program for homeless, foster care and runaway youth. Over 20 youth attended 3-day retreats (at Dharma Drum retreat center) in upstate New York. The youth reveled in the beauty of the pristine ... continuePosted October 14, 2011 by
Refuge Vows – HIGHLIGHT
by Heather Grimes I recently discovered an essay from my Refuge Vow Ceremony while looking through some old writings; the following is an excerpt. This particular vow occurred at the end of a dathun at Shambhala Mountain Center, of which I attended one week, in January 2006. The American ... continuePosted October 2, 2011 by heather_campbell_grimes
Demystifying the Experience of Retreat – HIGHLIGHT
by Matthew Bryan of Seattle Greetings fellow warriors, I write to you having completed a week of dathun. The retreat took place in December at a secluded camp north of Victoria, BC. The camp is seated on the shores of beautiful Lake Shawnigan and our practice consisted ... continuePosted September 12, 2011 by matthew_bryan
Tribute to Connie Clause and MilkLake Retreat – HIGHLIGHT
By David Whitehorn On October 21, 2010, Connie Clause passed away after living gracefully with cancer for four years. She died in her own bed, in her own home, on the land that she and her husband Gregg had nutured for over ten years, the MilkLake Shambhala ... continuePosted May 13, 2011 by David Whitehorn
A Pinch of Rice – HIGHLIGHT
By S. Marie Vernon The lodge is cozy and comfortable with a huge fireplace that constantly invites us to “come sit by the fire.” It’s our Winter 2010-2011, Weekthun and Oryoki Retreat in North Alabama. Twenty three of us are here for the event with our teachers, Shastri ... continuePosted March 23, 2011 by SMarieVernon
Visualizing Sopa Choling – HIGHLIGHT
This is the fifth and final article in a series on Sopa Choling and the three-year retreat experience. In this photographic essay, Laura Kaufman has selected images that celebrate Sopa Choling and highlight the place, with its changing moods throughout the seasons, and some of the ... continuePosted February 1, 2011 by
Life, Death & Three-year Retreat – HIGHLIGHT
This is the fourth article in a series on Sopa Choling and the three-year retreat experience. Sharon Keegan shares how personal experiences of impermanence led her into a three-year retreat, and guided her activity in the world when she emerged. Be sure to read the ... continuePosted January 30, 2011 by
Following a Path of Practice – HIGHLIGHT
This is the second article in a series on Sopa Choling and the three-year retreat experience. As Lelia Calder discovered, on the path of practice a three-year retreat may be the next step, however surprising or daunting it may seem. She shares how she arrived at the ... continuePosted January 26, 2011 by
Diving Deep – HIGHLIGHT
From the column Dharma Snacks by Cynthia Kneen I grew up in the Midwestern United States, from sturdy Canadian stock. Somehow my parents thought that Californians were a little silly, and to me that meant that an activity like whale watching was probably silly, too. Then I ... continuePosted January 21, 2010 by
Sopa Choling Retreat Center at Gampo Abbey
Sopa Choling offers the Seventh Three-year Retreat Cycle in the Wisdom Tradition of the Karma Kagyu Lineage “…vajrayana practice is about recognizing, understanding, and having confidence in wisdom. We are cultivating confidence that wisdom already exists in our mind and body.” The Sakyong, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche, “Adhishthana” [caption ... continuePosted March 5, 2009 by