Awakening Breath by Breath
with Mala Sikka and Terry Hagan
August 30th - September 8th
“ ’Meditation’ - this term has been abused. We should change this term to ‘Alive’. Because no matter if it is three minutes or five minutes, during the time of meditation, you're alive, you are consciously alive!
At present, basically we are just like walking corpses. When we drink tea, we are thinking of other things; when we looking at the beautiful trees, we cannot be aware of that green beauty. ‘Alive’ is very important….!”
-Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche
Mindfulness of breathing directly connects us with the immediacy and vitality of life. Breath is not just in our lungs it is intimately connected to our entire psychomotor system. It is our constant companion, our continual teacher, revealing and clarifying thoughts, feelings, and emotions as they come and go. Known as Anapansati, this was the practice of the Buddha as he attained enlightenment under the Bodhi tree.
Breath is not just limited to our body it is intimately connected to all things from the smallest cells in our bodies to the largest galaxies in space.
During this retreat we will study interdependent origination conjoined with breath meditation, revealing how we are always intimately connected even though we sometimes feel alone and disconnected.
The skill and means of this mindfulness training is rooted in over 2,500 years of tried and tested ancient wisdom.
This Silent retreat will include:
daily sitting and walking meditations
dharma classes,
meditation interviews
key body work to open and enliven our experience
merging awareness practice with post meditation
learning how to structure and conduct your own retreat and apply the benefits in our life.
Mala and Terry were both resident Teachers of the Dharma Centre for over 5 years and left the centre in 2011 to undertake a 3 year retreat in India under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. They completed their retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas in November 2015. They have been back with the Dharma Centre as resident teachers since Nov 2017.
Terry Hagan met his teacher the late Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche at the age of 22 and became his personal assistant for the next 27 years. During this time Terry was constantly with Rinpoche as he gave teachings and empowerments in many countries, circling the globe at least once each year. In his travels Terry also received teachings and transmissions from many great masters such as HH 16th Karmapa, HH Sakya Trizen, HH Dalai Lama, HE Choegye Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche. Since 2008 Terry has been a student of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche. Having almost 40 years of experience in the Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana approaches to Buddha Dharma, Terry still considers himself a beginner in this vast study of the mind. His love of the the natural world inspires his teachings and combined with his sense of humour and story telling ability provide a fresh and accessible approach to Dharma.
Mala Sikka was born in Uk of Indian descent. More than thirty years ago Mala was a young adult in need of a sanctuary in the midst of the chaos of London UK, having just graduated in her B.A in Theatre Design. Her search for refuge led her to meet her first Zen meditation teacher, - Roshi John Garrie, who taught her the nature of suffering and its cessation through the art of Mindfulness and body awareness. Roshi later gave her his blessings to teach. Since then Mala has been teaching meditation always with a basis of movement awareness, offering courses and retreats to all age groups. She has also received teachings and transmissions from HH.Dalai Lama, HH. Sakya Trizen, Myingyur Rinpoche and Tsoknyi RInpoche amongst others. She is a qualified Shiatsu/Seiki - Soho Practitioner and Amerta movement teacher, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amerta_Movement, and has led meditation retreats in Europe and Canada since 1988. She was a long term student of the late Namgyal Rinpoche and since 2008 her main mentor is Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.
Important Details
Rates: Non-members: $930, Members: $830. For a weekend option please consult our Rates&Fees page.
Rates include: Single accommodation and all meals. They do not include instructor fees. Mala and Terry are sharing their experience within the traditional Buddhist understanding of Dana.
What is Dana?: Teachers give the 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.
Payment: Payment can be made to the Dharma Centre of Canada by credit card, cheque or e-transfer. Please call us, toll free, if you need information on making a payment at 1 866 266 0966 or email: info@dharmacentre.com. Full payment is due 10 days prior to the start of a retreat or course. A 50% deposit is required to hold your space for an upcoming retreat.