A SAMATHA & VIPASSANA RETREAT ~ Mind Training
A Silent Retreat
“In order to have Vipassana you must have a malleable mind, meaning no agenda, no objective. Vipassana relies on no object. This is why you need Samatha practice. It makes the mind malleable and promotes calm abiding, but calm in itself is useless without insight. Vipassana is what opens your eyes, breaks open the box of our concepts, reveals the truth. Once you have glimpsed the truth you are not fooled anymore…..” ≥
Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche, teachings on Santideva
This course will be a practice based retreat, building confidence through the joy of meditative interest and experience, not only on the cushion, but through integrative post meditation practices. Conflicting emotions dissipate through clear seeing (vipassana) conjoined with calm abiding (Samatha) practices. The union of calm abiding and clear awareness will arise in our minds, revealing direct insight and wisdom through experience.
This course will focus on deepening the sense of calm, using gentle body work and calm abiding meditations leading to clear seeing. Longer sittings will be interspersed with resting momentarily which is integral to allow true insight to arise. Hence the Union of Samatha and Vipassana.
There will be:
• Regular group meditations
• Daily teachings and Dharma talks with time for questions
• Individual meditation guidance
• Daily gentle body work - awareness sessions
• Postural integration to enable ease in sitting and in all postures
We are very happy to host Rinpoche, this will be his third visit to the centre since January 2023, and a rare opportunity to work with him. We expect this retreat to be fully booked. Please register to reserve your spot. Priority will be given to those who book for the full retreat. All are welcome.
Limited camping option is possible.
September 2023
Drubgyud Tenzin Rinpoche
Drubgyud Tenzin Rinpoche is the abbot of Chökyi Gyatso Institute (CGI), in eastern Bhutan. Born in Nepal in 1983, he was recognized by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche as the incarnation of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s maternal grandfather, Lama Sonam Zangpo, who was a great yogi from Bhutan and the founder of CGI. Drubgyud Tenzin Rinpoche trained at DKCLI and at some of the Himalayan region’s monastic colleges institutes. He studied Sanskrit in Varanasi, India, and completed a 3-year retreat in Paro Bhutan. He is an advisor to Middle Way Education. He speaks fluent English and Hindi. He currently lives with his wife and daughter in Ontario Canada.
READ MORE about Drubygud Tenzin RInpoche’s life.
https://khyentsefoundation.org/story/the-making-of-a-buddhist-teacher/
https://khyentsefoundation.org/story/a-new-life-in-the-west/
Mala Sikka and Terry Hagan have committed most of their lives to Dharma and have been practicing meditation for over 40 years. Together they completed a three year retreat in India under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. Both Terry and Mala enjoyed their role as resident teachers of the Dharma Centre of Canada for over a decade and during this time served as spiritual advisors to the board. Terry also served a three year term as a spiritual director for the Dharma Centre. At present, they serve as the resident teachers of the Namgyal Dharma House and continue to support the Dharma Centre as Core Teachers.
Important Details
When: May 3-12, 2024. Please plan to arrive between 3-5pm on the first day. The retreat will begin with a property orientation at 5:30pm followed by a light supper and the first evening class and will finish after lunch on the last day.
Rates: non-members: $1,242 members: $1,125
(To find out how to become a member please visit our membership page)
Rates include: Single accommodation and all meals. They do not include instructor fees. Teachers at the Dharma Centre are sharing their experience within the traditional Buddhist understanding of Dana. To understand more about Dana, please read the following:
What is Dana? Teachers give the teachings of awakening (Dharma) freely so that anyone, no matter their financial means can attend classes. Each time one receives teachings, it is an opportunity to consciously practice generosity. Giving money and other means of support expresses gratitude and support to the teacher and helps to ensure that these teachings continue. Each person receiving Dharma teachings determines the kind and amount of Dāna according to one’s heart and one’s financial means. When deciding how much to offer, one should think about what these teachings mean to you and try to give accordingly. It is recommended that students make an offering of dāna at the beginning of a class or retreat to establish the intention to make the most of this opportunity for one’s own progression and for the benefit of all others.
Deposit: A 50% deposit is required to hold your space upon registration.
CANCELLATION POLICY:
All cancellation are subject to a fee of $100. These funds will support other low income practitioner (Practitioner Support Fund).
Loss of 50% of deposit if cancel within 14 days ( = 25% of the retreat cost) – Funds to go into the Renewal Project (Buildings Renewal Fund)