From Transition to Transformation
with Lama Linda Hochstetler
May 29-31
*** This online retreat will be offered on Zoom video instead of in person
What would it be like to spend a weekend contemplating, reflecting, and exploring the ways you can transform yourself and open a new chapter of your life?
Life is full of transitions. Maybe you’re ending a relationship. Or a career. Or simply aging and saying goodbye to a youthful body. Or maybe you’re just ready to let go of an old fear you’ve carried with you all your life.
We often struggle with life's transitions and find them deeply disturbing. Whether planned or imposed, they can be hard to manage, and even harder to turn into an opportunity for transformation.
Vajrayana Buddhism includes many practices that help us examine the space between one ending and the next beginning. These spaces are rich opportunities for personal growth and deep transformational change.
Using both traditional meditation and modern exploration practices, we will embark on new journeys. We will move beyond powerlessness and look for the opportunities that transitions offer us. Together we will say goodbye to old, worn-out habits and limitations, and imagine new beginnings.
Note: You are encouraged to attend all of the classes, and to hold noble silence between sessions within your own space.
Lama Linda (aka Linda Hochstetler) has studied both mindfulness meditation and Vajrayana Buddhism for more than 20 years. She trained in mindfulness meditation with Jon Kabat-Zinn in the 90’s, and studied under Namgyal Rinpoche (the first Canadian-born Rinpoche) from 1995 until his death in 2003. She received permission to teach in the Namgyal lineage in 2014, and currently studies Vajrayana Buddhism with Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat. Silent meditation retreats are a central part of her study and practice, and since 1995, she has completed retreats of between 1 week and 2 months in length every year.
Important Details
Meditation Group Online Sessions:
Friday, May 29, 7:00-8:30pm - Class
Saturday, May 30, 7:00-8:00am - Optional Meditation Sit
Saturday, May 30, 10-11am - Class
Saturday, May 30, 2:00-3:00 - Discussion
Saturday, May 31, 7-:00-8:00pm - Class
Sunday, May 31, 7:00-8:00am - Optional Meditation Sit
Sunday, May 31, 10:00-11:30am - Class
Sunday, May 31, 2:00-3:00 - Discussion
Cost: $50.00 administration fee for the entire weekend of classes and paid to Awaken in Toronto. If you have lost income during COVID and would still like to attend, or have limited funds, please email info@awakenintoronto.org to discuss options for reduced payments.
Participants are also encouraged to offer Dana to the teacher, who provides teachings without any other payment. Dana can be sent by etransfer to dana@awakenintoronto.org (with response by Hon Ton Fung - AIT Treasurer) or by PayPal by following this link 'https://paypal.me/awakeningintoronto'
Registration for this retreat is handled directly by the Awaken in Toronto group that is organizing the retreat, and not the Dharma Centre of Canada. To register, please click the REGISTER button below and make the payment as detailed on the form. Registrants will be sent the Zoom link and password. Please register early to ensure you get this information.
For more information on this online retreat, please email info@awakenintoronto.org.