RETREAT DESCRIPTION
DUE TO AN EXTREMELY LONG WAITLIST, THIS RETREAT IS NOW CLOSED FOR REGISTRATION.
In this teaching you will learn 4 meditation practices rooted in tradition and confirmed by neuroscience. The 4 practices include: Heart-based–metta/bodhicitta; Focused attention–samatha; Open monitoring–vipassana; and Self-transcending–dzogchen/rigpa.
One day is spent on each practice. This allows you to experience the meditation’s purpose, what it does to your consciousness, and how it supports awakening in unique and important ways. This helps you to make wise use of precious time spent in daily practice and retreat, and to better understand the overall trajectory of your spiritual unfoldment.
We also explore the question: “What is awakening?” Awakening is the inspiration for many on the spiritual journey, but we may be unclear about what it is, how it happens, and what we can commonly encounter. An overview of how awakening is understood across wisdom traditions is provided, misconceptions are clarified (as well as why scandals happen), and we learn more about how to integrate spiritual experience into everyday life. Participants are also guided in tuning in to their own “flame for awakening.”
For an overview of the “What is Awakening?” retreat, follow this link to watch a short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diEJXLhTLnw
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.)
2023 CURRENT COVID-19 PROTOCOLS:
A vaccination requirement is still in place for all participants on this retreat. Follow this link for more information about the vaccine requirement, including an avenue for medical exemption.
Participants will be housed in single sleeping rooms.
We require the following schedule of rapid testing with negative results: 1) on the Tuesday prior to the retreat stat; 2) on the Friday start-day of the retreat; and 3) on Monday during the retreat for any retreats longer than 3 nights.
We continue to require all retreatants, **teachers and staff to remain masked until all participants conduct the Monday testing with negative results. At that point masking becomes optional. (**With consent of the group, teachers will teach without masks starting the first night but remain masked along with the group at all other times.)
The retreat container will be constructed in accordance with the current covid-19 conditions at the time to maximize individual and group health. All participants will be required to follow all covid-19 health and safety guidelines in place at Cloud Mountain. We reserve the right to adjust expectations of acceptable behaviors within the retreat environment to respond most appropriately to covid-19 conditions. PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR UPDATED INFORMATION ABOUT OUR COVID-19 HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTOCOLS.
SCHOLARSHIP INFO
Scholarship funds are available on all retreats to assist those with financial challenges. For more information, read the Scholarship section of our overview information.
RETREAT COST
Subsidized fee : $350 plus dana offerings to teacher(s) and staff
Sustaining fee : $400 plus dana offerings to teacher(s) and staff
Supporting fee : $450 plus dana offerings to teacher(s) and staff
Following in the Buddhist tradition, none of your registration fee will go to the teacher(s). Please consider offering teacher dāna at the event to support their livelihood. (Dāna is a term for generosity, or freely offered giving. You can find more information about this way of offering the teachings and the "economy of gifts" on our Donation page.)