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Explorations in Shamatha and Insight Retreat with Jack Connelly


  • Dharma Centre of Canada 1267 Galway Road Kinmount Canada (map)

Explorations in Shamatha and Insight

Retreat with Jack Connelly

"When you are meditating and your thoughts become restless, practice shamatha. In this case shamatha means to focus your mind one-pointedly on a single object. As soon as your mind is calm, release your mind from its object, and again rest your mind without focus. Resting the mind without focus is vipashyana. If while you are in the vipashyana state your thoughts once again become restless, go back to shamatha. Alternating between shamatha and vipashyana in this fashion will stabilize your meditation.”

Excerpts from: "The Nature of Mind. The Dzogchen Instructions of Aro Yeshe Jungne" By Patrul Rinpoche

This 10 day retreat will focus on the development of shamatha through working with the breath and the subtle energy body. Through the balancing and stabilization of breath and energy body we create a ground in which access to open awareness and the liberating insight that it can reveal is spontaneously present. This is the practice of purification and liberation.

Based on Jack’s study and practice from various traditions over many years he will lead this intensive practice based retreat for practitioners.



Jack Connelly: Many years ago Jack traveled to India with the purpose of exploring this wide world . One day while sitting on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi a Buddhist monk appeared and from his robe pulled out an orange which he offered to Jack. Over the next few days they met for tea and discussions and a new world of possibilities opened up.

The next 5 years were spent in Asia traveling, studying and practicing with different teachers in various retreat centers and monasteries in India, Burma, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

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Important Details

When: October 18-27, 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 final 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. Jack is sharing his 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)