Meditation as Antidote to Anxiety
March 17-19, 2023
Dharma Centre of Canada
Buddhism describes 'feelings' as one of the five aggregates that make up the ego. For many people these 'feelings' cause more suffering than any of the other aggregates as they bump up against the others aggregates. Simply trying to drop the attachment to 'feelings' can lead to anxiety and even more feelings.The Internal Family Systems (IFS) form of therapy combines well with Buddhist meditation practices to help individuals make friends with their feelings of anxiety and understand the protective role that anxiety plays in their life. Meditation practices that help create openness and spaciousness in the present moment make dropping unwholesome patterns possible. This weekend, we will introduce meditation students to IFS and include practice sessions of reflective imagery as well as classic meditation practices. This will be helpful for beginners to advanced practitioners open to combining Eastern meditation and West psychotherapy to reduce suffering and open up their awakening.
Class Schedule: 3-4 group classes per day.
Friday - 7:30pm
Saturday-Sunday - 7am, 10am, 4pm, 7:30pm
Leave at 2pm on final day.
Teacher: Lama Linda (Linda Hochstetler) has studied both Vajrayana Buddhism and Mindfulness Meditation for more than a quarter century. She studied Vajrayana Buddhism under Namgyal Rinpoche (the first Canadian-born Rinpoche) from 1995 until his death in 2003 and trained in mindfulness meditation with Jon Kabat-Zinn in the 90s. She has received permission to teach in the Namgyal lineage and currently studies Vajrayana Buddhism with Qapel (Doug Duncan) of Clear Sky Meditation Centre. She is a registered social worker with a specialty in illness, dying and death, and also offers Ecotherapy to individuals and groups as a way of connecting spiritually with nature. In 2021 she authored her first book - 21 Days to Die: The Canadian Guide to End of Life. www.lindahochstetler.com.
Important Details
When: 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.
Rate: $280 - non-members $250 - members (with $30 going to AIT)
(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. The teacher is sharing his/her 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: Full refund up to 7 days before the commencement of the course. For cancellations less than 7 days prior to course begin, a $100 administrative fee will be charged.