Annual Winter Meditation Intensive - January 2018

The Heart of Practice

We are delighted to announce Wonderwell’s first ever Winter Meditation Intensive (Dathun)! There is nothing quite like beginning the new year with deep meditation practice in community, encircled by the quiet beauty of snow-covered mountains. Join us this January as we explore “The Heart of Practice,” how to engage, sustain and deepen into the vibrant heart of meditation. Mixing our experience, no matter what it is, with our practice, we will discover how meditation can provide a powerfully transformative container for everything that arises.

This month-long intensive includes meditation sessions (both guided and unguided), daily yoga, a Dharma teaching per day with the teacher-in-residence, and three textual study sessions per week. The textual study sessions will focus on an in-depth study of John Makransky’s Awakening Through Love (Jan 2-7), the classic meditation manual The Ocean of Definitive Meaning by the Ninth Karmapa (Jan 8-23) and Creation and Completion by Jamgon Kongtrul (Jan 23-31). Teachings during the retreat will focus on accessing the heart of awakening through relationality and through resting in natural awareness. Teachings also will explore view, meditation, and action, with special attention on finding stability, ease, and freshness within your personal experience.

Attendees of the Jan 8-23 section of the retreat will have access to purchase the restricted translation of The Ocean of Definitive Meaning. We are especially honored to host Elizabeth Callahan, the translator of this text, from January 19-23. During her stay, she will give daily teachings from her translation.

Weekly Themes:
Week 1 – January 2-7:       Compassion
(Intro to Benefactor Practice.  Margha students encouraged to attend)
Week 2 – January 8-15:     Natural Meditation
Week 3 – January 16-23:   Open Awareness
Week 4 – January 23-31:   Awareness and the Divine
(Green Tara transmission & practice instructions Jan 26-28)

Special Events (open to the public!):  
January 2, 1-3pm     New Year’s Fire Puja (room check-in after Fire Puja at 3pm)
January 7,  5pm        Refuge Vow Ceremony
January 14, 5pm       Bodhisattva Vow Ceremony
January 21, 5pm       Buddhist Lay Precepts
January 26, 4:30pm Tara Empowerment (Jan 27-28 focuses on Green Tara)
January 31, 10am      Fire Puja (one hour ceremony of purification and merit)

Everyone is welcome to attend these special events as commuters.  Meals and other Meditation Hall events are not included however. 

Dathun Daily Practice Schedule:

6:30-7:00       Sunrise Meditation
7:00-7:30       Breakfast
8:30-10:00     Yoga or Movement Practice
10:20-11:10   Dharma Teaching
11:30-12:15   Meditation Practice (guided)
12:15-3:00     Lunch and Mid-day Break
3:00-3:45       Meditation Practice (silent)
4:00-5:30       Dharma Study Session (M,W,F: Teacher-guided, all other days: Self-guided)
5:45-6:30       Meditation Practice (guided)
6:30-8:00       Dinner and Break
8:00-8:45       Evening Meditation (silent)

For stays of 5 nights or more, a practice interview with Lama Willa or Lopen Liz is guaranteed.  Stays less than 5 nights will receive an interview if the teacher’s schedule permits.  All interviews are scheduled at time of check-in.

For Program Curriculum questions, please email Liz Monson at: elizabeth@naturaldharma.org