In this retreat, Tina gives an overview of the “Heart Practices” category of meditation, which includes the four Bramaviharas or “divine abodes of the heart” found in both Theravadan and Tibetan Buddhism. These include: metta (loving kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (empathetic joy), and upekkha (equanimity).

Tina will teach the four Bramaviharas as a set of practices. Often they are taught individually, but when they are taught together, they are much more powerful and make more sense. Between the four of them, they provide way of orienting to the human consition, and give us a way to respond to just about any situation that arises with an open and unhindered heart. Tina will also teach the Forgiveness practice, which she considers to be the “fifth Bramavihara,” and will touch upon Divine Love–an experience of non-duality that the Bramaviharas is pointing to as an aspect of our deeper nature.

These practices are often overlooked, marginalized, or taught in a superficial way as “mantras” or as something we do for others. But they are actually crucial for our own unfoldment, and are as serious and robust of practices as the other categories of: Focused Attention (Samatha), Open Monitoring (Vipassana), and Self-Transcending (Dzogchen). These “Purification of the Heart” practices work our consciousness in a way that none of the other categories do, helping us to digest personality material that is universal, and is an obstacle to our spiritual unfoldment. They are also a balm in difficult times, like the ones we are facing these days individually and collectively.

This retreat is open to all, and is suitable for beginners as well as experienced meditators (provided you meet the attendance prerequisites below). There will be teachings, instructions, periods of sitting and walking meditation, practice dialogues with the teacher, and Q&A opportunities. The retreat is held in silence.

Experience Prerequisite:  One 3-day silent, residential, Buddhist meditation retreat

Partial attendance is not offered on this retreat. Additionally, please consider attending this retreat only if your current life circumstances allow you to engage in an important modern renunciation practice of staying offline and off phone/text during the entire course of the retreat (some exceptions related to pressing family situations may be granted.)