Money as a Spiritual Practice: Healing Scarcity as Earth Medicine
August 1–4, 2025 | Dharma Centre of Canada
With Lisa Cowen & Karen McAllister
What if your relationship with money could be a sacred path?
What if clearing fear, scarcity, and constriction around finances was not just self-care—but a form of Earth medicine?
In this powerful long weekend retreat, we invite you to step into Money as a Spiritual Practice—a compassionate journey of healing, embodiment, and creative awakening. Over four days, you’ll gently and courageously explore your money patterns, fears, and avoidances. Together, we’ll take meaningful steps toward transforming these patterns into greater clarity, confidence, and peace.
We’ll engage the money archetypes—deep patterns we inherit and inhabit—through psychodrama, mask-making, costume play, and fabric-dyeing. These creative practices will help you see yourself more clearly and unlock the unconscious narratives that drive your relationship with money.
Alongside this expressive work, you’ll be nourished by meditation, journaling, rest, and reflective sharing, all held in the sacred embrace of nature and spiritual community. This is a time to reconnect with joy, clarity, and purpose—and to discover how healing your inner economy can serve planetary transformation.
You’ll leave with renewed inspiration, a softened heart, and practical tools to live with greater financial peace and sacred stewardship.
What to Bring
Writing materials for journaling
Large drawing paper (if preferred), and coloring pencils/crayons for mandala drawing
A meaningful item for the Altar of the Elements
Your favorite yoga mat, pillow, and blanket for comfort
Comfortable clothing for movement and creative play
YOUR GUIDES
Lisa grew up studying with Namgyal Rinpoche directly as a child and young adult, and has continued on as a student of other great Dharma teachers since then. She has undertaken meditation retreats and intensive courses of study for about 25 years ranging broadly from Abhidharma to Vajrayana Yidam practices, and from Tarot to Dzogchen.
In addition to a passion for awakening, Lisa has specialized in Art and studied Psychotherapy.
She is the mother of a son who loves lego and minecraft, the custodian of an epic and rather wild vegetable garden, a working artist in the film industry, and a core founder of the Virtual Dharma Temple. She lives in Hamilton, Ontario.
Previously Lisa offered courses at the DCC such as Intro to Mindfulness, and Intro to Silent Retreat Practice, and continues a commitment to offering an accessible blend of the so-called transcendental and the so-called ordinary.
Karen McAllister, BEcon, CMC, Co-Active Coach®Karen has been certified by Deborah Price of The Money Coaching Institute as a Certified Money Coach, Couples Money Coach, and Business Archetype Coach. She has studied extensively with Lynne Twist from the Soul of Money Institute on Mastering your Money and Transforming your Life.Karen is also a founding member of the Namgyal-lineage Clear Sky Meditation Center in British Columbia, founded in 2004 and dedicated to awakening in this lifetime. She helped the center grow into a financially stable operation after a trying startup period. Her roles presently include: Dharma and meditation teacher; co-creator and teacher of the Ignite your Spiritual Life program at the center; Chair of the Board and Director of Fund Development.In money coaching, Karen has worked with over 100 spiritual explorers and spiritual centers over a period of 10 years in groups and individually in America, Canada, Europe, and South America. She brings a clear perspective to bear on financial issues and skillfully incorporates the emotional, behavioral, and practical. Karen is a warm and compassionate facilitator of the healing process when it comes to each person’s relationship with money, starting anywhere on the graph.
https://themindfulmoneycoach.com/about-me
Important Details
When: August 1-4, 2025. 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: $414 - non-members $375 - members
(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 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 & Cancellation
A 50% deposit secures your spot upon registration.
All cancellations are subject to a $100 fee, which supports the Practitioner Support Fund.
If you cancel within 14 days of the retreat, 25% of the retreat cost (50% of your deposit) will be retained and allocated to the Renewal Project (Buildings Renewal Fund).