The Interdependence Project (New York City), weekly
April 17, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Located in New York City’s East Village, The Interdependence Project is a grassroots project for folks interested in working with their minds on the meditation cushion, and stepping out into the local community. The ID Project offers weekly meditation and Buddhism gatherings (Mon/Wed/Sat/Sun), as well as day-long retreats. But it doesn’t stop there: come on by for an art show, join our Integral Activism program or learn what it means to be a “responsible consumer.” We also have monthly Writing, Theater, Visual Arts ,and Needlecrafts/Knitting Groups on Sundays to explore those creative pursuits as artists also interested in meditation. Also check out the great articles on the One City Daily Blog.
Open Class & Meditation Gathering
Mondays @ Lila Dharma & Yoga Center
7 – 9 pm
302 Bowery @ Houston, Buzzer #2
6 train to Bleecker, F/V, B/D to Broadway/Lafayette. R/W to Prince
$10/ students & unemployed pay what you can
http://www.theIDproject.com for much more info, including more classes in NYC, art and activism events, downloadable podcasts, ONLINE MAGAZINE, and discussion board
Visit ITunes to subscribe to free podcast: “INTERDEPENDENCE PROJECT”
Email: info@theidproject.com with any questions about classes, gatherings, or other events.
Hay House – Spiritual Retreats & Events 2009
March 29, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Louise Hay formed Hay House in 1987, fully 22 years ago now. Beginning as an independent publishing company it has grown and evolved over the years. Activities now include HayHouse radio network launched in 2005 and an ever increasing number of annual events and author tours.
Louise Hay formed Hay House in 1987, fully 22 years ago now. Beginning as an independent publishing company it has grown and evolved over the years. Activities now include HayHouse radio network launched in 2005 and an ever increasing number of annual events and author tours.
2009 is no exception and in these challenging times of change and uncertainty more are more will be looking for information and guidance to navigate their life choices. Let’s take a look then at some of the wonderful opportunities on offer over the coming months.
With Barack Obama coming into office tomorrow there could be no better time to attend “I Can Do It!” This year in Toronto April 2-5, it will feature Colette Baron-Reid, Gregg Braden, Sylvia Browne, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, John Holland, Caroline Myss, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Marcelle Pick, Cheryl Richardson, Brian L. Weiss, M.D. You can join your favorite authors for the whole retreat or go for a specific day.
Or April 30 – May 3 join a massive line up of – Colette Baron-Reid, Joan Z. Borysenko, Ph.D., Gregg Braden, Sonia Choquette, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Jonathan Ellerby, Ph.D., Steven D. Farmer, Jonathan Goldman, Jean Haner, Louise L. Hay, Robert Holden, Ph.D., John Holland, Mark Husson, Deborah King , Loretta LaRoche, Robert L. Leahy, Denise Linn, Frank Lipman, Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D., Lauren Mackler, Denise Marek, Thomas Moore, Caroline Myss, Dr. Christiane Northrup, Robert Ohotto, Marcelle Pick, Chris Prelitz, Gary R. Renard, Cheryl Richardson, Mona Lisa Schulz, M.D., Ph.D., Caroline Sutherland, Eldon Taylor, Sandra Anne Taylor, Doreen Virtue, Brian L. Weiss, M.D., Lisa Williams, Marianne Williamson For I CAn Do It! in San Diego
And if you are into cruises and fancy seeing Alaska in the summer there is I Can Do It! 2009 At Sea July 11-18, 2009 Featuring Gregg Braden, Sonia Choquette, Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Louise L. Hay, John Holland, Caroline Myss, Cheryl Richardson, Iyanla Vanzant, Brian L. Weiss, M.D.
Other highlights to look out for are Wayne Dyer’s 2009 Live Tour
Excuses Begone! How to Change Lifelong Self-Defeating Thinking Habits
4/3/09 Toronto Canada
5/1/09 San Diego
7/11/09 Alaska
10/23/09 right here on Maui, Hawaii
An Intensive with Colette Baron-Reid
Your Partnership With Spirit …. Discovering the Truth of Having It ALL
Date: February 18, 2009 – February 22, 2009, Scottsdale Arizona
Your Partnership With Spirit …. Discovering the Truth of Having It ALL is a 5-day intensive about a Quantum Shift in perception. It’s about releasing false assumptions and beliefs that you’ve learned about yourself, and your relationship to the world around you. It’s about remembering, experiencing and reclaiming the powerful Truth about who you really are—Spirit first, human second.
Caroline Myss Tour -2009. This will be a day long workshop with Caroline Myss- Beyond Reason: Healing though Mystical Wisdom and Common Sense.
The day explores the mystical qualities involved in the experience of healing, instructing readers to move beyond the dilemma of needing to find logical reasons for why an illness has developed and instead get on with the task of personal transformation.
3/7/09 Boston MA
3/29/09 Mesa AZ
4/2/09 Toronto Canada
5/1/09 San Diego CA
7/11/09 Alaska cruise
Brian L. Weiss, M.D. 2008-2009 Tour
Many Lives, Many Masters: Experiencing Your Past Lives will be an all day workshop with one of the best know past life regressionists.
Do you want to know what happens before we are born and after we die and also our possible future lives. In such knowledge we awaken from the constrictions of our past conditioning to release anxieties and fears.
3/8/09 New York City
3/29/09 Seattle WA
4/2/09 Toronto Canada
5/1/09 San Diego CA
7/11/09 Alaska cruise
There are many other events with different authors and teacher full details can be found at Hay House Events 2009 Including Eckhart Tolle’s tour of Australia & New Zealand!
Meditation and Yoga Events and Information
March 23, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
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Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health - http://www.kripalu.org Information about residential workshops, professional trainings, and retreats in yoga, holistic health, and self-discovery. |
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Satchidananda Ashram – Yogaville - http://yogaville.org/ Buckingham, Virginia. Spiritual community offers workshops and retreats in Integral Yoga, meditation, teacher training, stress reduction, healing. Tours and treks to Nepal. |
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Pura Vida Retreat: Costa Rica - http://www.puravidaspa.com/ Vacations include Yoga and Meditation programs. |
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Purple Valley Yoga Centre: Goa, India - http://www.yogagoa.com/ Conduct Ashtanga Yoga courses. Details of location, courses, and tariff. |
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The Expanding Light Retreat - http://www.expandinglight.org/ Yoga and meditation retreat center in California’s Sierra Nevada foothills. Organized programs, flexible private retreats. |
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Feathered Pipe Foundation - http://www.featheredpipe.com/ Workshops in Montana and the Caribbean. Yoga-oriented adventure travel in Peru and India. |
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Present Moment Conscious Living Retreat - http://www.presentmomentretreat.com/ Offer Yoga and Meditation classes and workshops in Mexico. Details of facilities, course content, and schedule. |
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Yoga Thailand - http://www.yoga-thailand.com/ Offer Yoga classes and retreats on Ashtanga yoga, pranayama and meditation. Includes information on schedule, accommodation, travel information, and fees. |
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Yoga Holidays - http://www.yogaholidays.net/ A listing of yoga courses, meditation retreats and ayurveda vacations in locations around the world. Mostly Ashtanga and Iyengar yoga. |
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Shoshoni Yoga Retreat: Boulder, Colorado - http://www.shoshoni.org/ Offering Yoga and Meditation programs for all levels. |
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American Meditation Institute, Averill Park, NY - http://www.americanmeditation.org/ Wellness, meditation, and yoga institute. Online newsletter, schedule, products. |
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Hatha Yoga: Greece - http://www.yoga-paros.com/ Content, location, and price of the Yoga courses conducted in Aliki on Paros islands. |
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The Midnight Sun Ashtanga Yoga Retreat - http://www.yogaartsmagic.net/ Private retreat on a Finnish island offers weekend workshops in Ashtanga vinyasa yoga. |
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Yasodhara Ashram: Kootenay Bay, British Columbia, Canada - http://www.yasodhara.org/ The ashram founded by Swami Sivananda Radha offers year-round workshops, yoga courses and classes, retreats and residency programs. |
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Where is Ramanand? - http://www.yogirama.com/ Worldwide workshop schedules for Iyengar Yoga instructor Ramanand Patel and classical Indian musician Pandit Mukesh Desai. Site also includes Ramanand’s Bay Area class schedules. |
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Yoga Plus Centre: Crete - http://www.yogaplus.co.uk/ A vacation centre in Crete offering Astanga Yoga and other mind/body orientated courses, with accommodation and vegetarian diet, in a remote and beautiful environment. |
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Yoga Oasis - http://www.yogaoasis.org A retreat center in the Hawaiian rainforest featuring daily yoga classes and vegetarian meals. |
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La Buissiere - http://www.yogafrance.com Yoga and walking holidays and retreats in South West France. Small friendly groups. Accommodations with large pool in private wooded park. Guided walks and optional cultural tours. |
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Milagro Retreats - http://www.milagroretreats.com/ Offer Yoga retreats in Canada, Mexico, and Costa Rica. |
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Holistic Holidays - http://www.hoho.co.uk Holidays to help you relax and feel well. Yoga based, with leading therapists, in luxury villas, time to yourself; fresh air and clean water in the sunny Biosphere of Lanzarote, in the Canary Islands. |
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Midwest Yoga and Wellness Conference - http://www.midwestyoga.com/ Based at Indian Lakes Resort near Chicago features Yoga teacher training and intensives. |
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Villas Shanti - http://www.villasshanti.com/ Retreat center in Cancun, Mexico, provides schedule of yoga workshops, plus information about accommodations and the local area. |
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Hamsa Yoga Sangh - http://www.hamsa-yoga.org/ Courses and workshops taught by Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath at centers in the U.S., India, and in other locations. Teachings are based on Babaji’s Kriya Yoga. |
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Radiance Retreats - http://www.radianceretreats.com/ Conducts Yoga retreats in various parts of the world with Judy and Jessie Chapman. Company based in New South Wales, Australia. |
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Via Yoga: Sayulita, Mexico - http://www.viayoga.com/ Offer a range of 7-day yoga vacations for all experience levels. Details of accommodation, schedule, and rates. |
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Durga Sadhini Centre - http://www.nawajyoti.com/ Schedule, content, and price of the retreats in the Lot Valley, south of France. |
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Prajnana Mission - http://www.prajnanamission.org/ Kriya Yoga retreats and seminars at ashrams in 3 locations in India. Founded by Paramahamsa Prajnananandaji. |
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Yoga Retreats in Ireland - http://www.yogaholidays.net/clare/index.htm Information about yoga retreats held on Clare Island, an island off the West coast of Ireland. |
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Global Yoga Journeys - http://www.globalyogajourneys.com/ Offer yoga vacations, retreats, and teacher training in Costa Rica, Swiss Alps, Tuscany, and New England. |
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Centered Yoga - http://www.centeredyoga.com/ Describes yoga retreats and teacher training in Thailand, Ireland, and Costa Rica. |
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San Blas Yoga Retreats - http://www.sanblasyogaretreats.com/ Accommodation, facilities, and price of the Yoga retreat on the Pacific coast of Mexico. |
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Keythorpe Yoga Retreats: Leicestershire, U.K - http://www.keythorpeyoga.co.uk/ Information on the itenary, upcoming retreats, location, and teachers. |
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Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga - http://www.sonyaluz.com/ Small family owned and operated centers in Costa Rica and Peru. Retreats are designed and led by Sonya Luz Hinton. |
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Inward Bound - http://www.inwardboundadventures.com Holistic fitness retreats worldwide combine yoga, meditation, NIA, Pilates. |
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Montezuma Yoga: Costa Rica - http://www.montezumayoga.com/ Schedule and prices of the Yoga classes and retreats in Montezuma. |
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Ibiza Yoga, Spain - http://www.ibizayoga.com/ Retreat near Benirras Beach describes teachers, accommodations and dynamic ashtanga yoga courses starting in May 2002. |
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Yoga On a Shoestring - http://www.yogaonashoestring.com/ Schedule and location of the Yoga holidays/retreats offered. |
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Solstice Yoga and Vacations in Mexico - http://www.solstice-mexico.com/ Oceanfront Yoga resort. Details of Hatha yoga classes, workshop schedule, and accommodation. |
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World Conscious Yoga Family - http://www.geocities.com/worldyogafamily/ 21-day intensive retreats in the Himalayan foothills, offering spiritual philosophy, morning meditation, daily yoga classes,l ectures, discussions, and workshops on Yoga. |
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Yoga Retreat - http://www.sahayoga.com/ A weekend yoga retreat on Big Island, opening November 2003, including yoga, meals and accommodation. |
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Inner Harmony Yoga Retreat Center - http://innerharmonyyoga.com/ Located in forested southern Utah. Offer Yoga workshops and retreats. |
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Ashtanga Yoga Retreats - http://www.ashtangaom.com/ Offer retreats in Southern Spain. Details of location, facilities, and teachers. |
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Health Habitravels - http://www.healthabitravels.com/ Offer Yoga retreats, workshops, and vacations with Tannis Kobrinsky. |
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Sunflower Retreats - http://www.sunflowerretreats.com/ Offers Yoga vacations in Casperia medieval village in Sabina (1 hr from Rome). |
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Barbara Luboff - http://www.yogainmexico.com/ Offers Yoga retreats, workshops, and vacations in Mexico. |
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Heart and Mind Programme - http://www.heartandmind.org/ Events and retreats in England and Ireland. Led by experienced yoga and meditation teacher. |
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Balance Arts - http://balancearts.com/ Partner Yoga retreats in Hawaii, Mexico and other locations. |
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Sivanayoga - http://www.sivanayoga.com/ Offers Yoga retreats in Costa Rica. Location, facilities, description, and fees. |
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Ram Sangha Retreats - http://www.ramsangha.com/ Offer Yoga retreats in New york and Costa Rica. |
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Tanglefoot Lodge - http://www.tanglefootlodge.com/ Location, facilities, and cost of the Yoga retreat in Ontario. |
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Pleasant Valley Sanctuary - http://www.pleasantvalleysanctuary.com/ Location, directions, schedule, and rates of the Yoga retreat in the foothills of Sierra Nevada in Northern California. |
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The Healing Source: Phoenix, Arizona - http://healingsource.com/ Offer Yoga and Meditation retreats for women. Also conduct Kundalini yoga classes. |
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Yoga Holidays in Spain - http://www.spainyoga.com/ Offer Yoga holidays at Cortijo de Santa Cruz above the town of Orgiva in the Alpujarras, Andalucia. Information on location, schedule, facilities, and fees. |
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Swara Inspiritations - http://www.swarainspiritations.ca/ Schedule, description, and cost of the Yoga classes and retreats offered. |
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Billy Doyle Yoga Retreats - http://home.clara.net/b.doyle/1_retreats.htm Describes yoga retreats in the Kashmir tradition, in England, Greece, and other locations. |
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Sadh Desha - http://www.sadhdesha.com/ Yoga and meditation retreat in the San Juan Islands, north western Washington. |
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Yoga-Journeys - http://www.yoga-journeys.com/ Workshops, classes and retreats in the San Francisco Bay area (California), as well as journeys to sacred spots around the world. |
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Healing Heart Yoga Center - http://www.healingheartyoga.com/ Schedule of Yoga retreats and workshops in U.S. |
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Gray Bear - http://www.graybear.org/ Hohenwald, Tennessee based lodge offers weekend or week long yoga retreats at their facility. |
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Yoga Weekends Away - http://www.yogaweekends.co.uk/ Schedule and details of the Yoga week ends and retreats In Somerset, United Kingdom. |
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Hridaya Hermitage - http://www.hridayahermitage.com/ Offer retreats in Hatha Yoga, Meditation, and healing. Located in Industry, Maine, United States. |
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Swami Bhaktipoornananda - http://www.yogaworkshops.8m.net/ Offers Yoga workshops. |
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Himalayan Yoga Meditation Center - http://yogaunity.com/ Yoga and meditation retreat in Hunterdon county, New Jersey. |
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The Sun Centre - http://www.thesuncentre.net/ Offer Yoga vacations and retreats in the south of France. |
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Byron Bay Yoga - http://www.byronbayyoga.com/ Describes Hatha Yoga getaways and retreats in New South Wales, Australia. |
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Aphrodite Trails - http://homepage.eircom.net/~aphroditetrails/ Yoga and meditation holidays in the Akamas peninsula in Cyprus. |
Pisces Radiant Life Meditation
February 28, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Full Moon Global Meditation Tuesday, March 10, 2009 7:38 pm PDT / 02:38 UT on March 11
Alignment Continues Through Thursday, March 26, 2009
In preparation for this global meditation SouledOut.org invites you to consider and contemplate a Divine Truth of Deity: the Fact of Immortality and Eternal Persistence. This alignment and meditation are an opportunity to become aware of the cosmic energies that are influencing us now and of the possibilities they offer humanity for spiritual evolution. If you are unable to meditate at the exact time of the full moon, choose a time within 12 hours before or after the full moon to be part of this global meditation. We encourage alignment with these evolutionary energies from new moon to new moon, February 25 through March 26, 2009.
Master Sha Events 2009
February 28, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
As an unconditional universal servant, Master Sha cherishes every opportunity to serve people. There are many opportunities to connect with his divine teachings and experience healing and life transformation with him in person.
*events that Master Sha welcomes every person to attend as an honored guest (usually free and held on weekends or in the evening)
*one- and two-day workshops for those who wish to learn more about his powerful healing modalities and teachings
*six-day Soul Healing and Enlightenment Retreats
Every encounter with Master Sha gives you a taste of his commitment, compassion, humor and complete dedication to the Divine. It is well worth your effort to travel to an event to experience him in person. We cordially invite you to do so. The benefits you will receive are life-changing.
Please view the list below and the calendar of events, which includes ongoing programs.
March 6-8, 2009, The Power of Soul Weekend, Sun Valley/ Ketchum, Idaho
We welcome you and your loved ones to join Master Sha during his first visit to Idaho, March 6-8, 2009. His visit follows the wonderful response to Soul Masters, a documentary featuring the work of Master Sha and Master Guo, shown at the 2008 Sun Valley Film Festival.
March 15, 2009: The Power of Soul Workshop with Master Sha, Toronto, Ontario
Join Master Zhi Gang Sha, inspired teacher, spiritual leader and servant of humanity and the Divine, for an exceptional workshop. Experience Master Sha’s deep love, compassion and joy as he teaches you amazingly-simple Soul Healing techniques from his new book, The Power of Soul: The Way to Heal, Rejuvenate, Transform, and Enlighten All Life.
March 20-22, 2009: Soul Wisdom and Soul Healing Workshop with Master Sha at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Heal the soul first, and transformation of every aspect of life will follow. This is the foundation of Zhi Gang Sha’s life-transforming message. In this powerful and highly interactive workshop, you will learn simple Soul Healing techniques described in his New York Times best-selling book, Soul Wisdom: Practical Soul Treasures to Transform Your Life. Join Master Sha in Stockbridge.
April 7-9, 2009: Soul Healing Teacher and Healer Retreat in Toronto, Ontario
April 10-13, 2009: Soul Healing and Enlightenment Retreat in Toronto, Ontario
April 14-16, 2009: Divine Rejuvenation and Longevity Retreat in Toronto, Ontario
April 24-26, 2009: New Living Expo in San Francisco, California
The New Living Expo remains the must-attend, integrative event for exploring possibilities and learning the latest breakthroughs in science and alternative medicine. This show offers vast networking opportunities to “meet and greet” while enjoying the new discoveries for restoring the body, heightening the mind, and awakening the spirit. Join Master Sha in San Francisco
May 20-24, 2009: Soul Healing and Enlightenment Retreat in Frankfurt, Germany
At this profound and sacred retreat, you will receive divine blessings constantly to open your spiritual channels and purify your soul, heart, mind and body. You will learn simple, joyful and powerful ways to heal, bless and transform yourself and others. You will learn soul secrets, wisdom, knowledge and practices, and experience soul healing to clear your blockages and transform every aspect of your life. Heal the soul first; then healing of the mind and body will follow. Enlighten the soul first; then enlightenment of the mind and body will follow. – Master Zhi Gang Sha Join Master Sha in Frankfurt, Germany
Vipassana Santa Cruz Events
February 24, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
The Jewel of Awakening — Annual Sangha Five-Day Retreat
Mindfulness meditation is a simple technique offered by the Buddha for awakening the mind and heart. This retreat will be a time of silence, with periods of sitting and walking practice, opportunities to talk about your own practice, and formal presentations. It will be suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators.
Please refer to the retreat brochure for information about the teachers, the costs, and other details.
When: May 20 – 25, 2009
Teachers: Mary Grace Orr, Bob Stahl, and Carla Brennan with Marcy Reynolds leading qigong.
Location: Land of Medicine Buddha, Soquel, CA.
Registration: to register, you must download and complete two forms:
Note that we are accepting registration only from those who are currently practicing with Vipassana Santa Cruz or with Bob Stahl, or those who have previously attended a VSC retreat. After March 31, we will open the registration to others who are interested.
Living examples of illness, aging and death, were 3 of the 4 “heavenly messengers” sent to the Buddha to awaken him to reality of the human condition. He saw that everyone is subject to impermanence in the form of sickness, old age and dying. The fourth messenger showed that there is a path to freedom and an end to suffering. Our culture says that you must be young and healthy to be happy; Buddhism tells us that happiness and freedom come from within, not from external circumstances.
When we are feeling fit and well we can easily forget this truth. When we experience illness or disability, then the limitations, vulnerability, and imperfection of existence and the brevity of our human life are obvious. We can take advantage of this to develop understanding and compassion and to reveal the deep teachings of the dharma.
In this monthly, ongoing, drop-in group, we look at these messengers in our own lives. You are welcomed to attend whether you have an illness, disability or chronic pain or are dealing with the usual array of physical or emotional challenges of human life.
We begin the session with a 30-minute meditation (you are welcome to lie down or move to accommodate pain). Through our mindfulness practice we learn to connect with and accept ourselves as we are, to be present with our experience without reactivity and to be able to spaciously “hold” all our joys and sorrows.
The rest of the session includes teachings, discussion and sharing. We will explore both how the teachings help us work skillfully with our difficulties and how our difficulties can teach us wisdom and compassion. Some of the topics discussed included: developing greater acceptance, kindness, compassion for oneself, facing fear, working with anger and resistance.
Often in daily life we feel we must hide our chronic challenges so that we do not burden (or bore) others. In this group, we can share the truth of our experience and find others who understand our situation.
When: First Monday of the month (noon – 1:45PM)
Teachers: Bob Stahl, Carla Brennan and others.
Registration: no registration required.
Cost: There is no charge, dana accepted.
Location: Vipassana Santa Cruz, 1010 Fair Ave, Santa Cruz, CA.
We are lucky to have many Buddhist centers and teachers in Santa Cruz in addition to our own at Vipassana Santa Cruz. We are inviting various of these teachers to come and speak at VSC during late 2008 and 2009. Each evening will be facilitated by a Vipassana Santa Cruz teacher and will feature a presentation by a guest teacher. Each guest will talk about their lineage and their own form of practice; each will lead a short period of guided meditation. This will be a wonderful opportunity to explore the many influences that are currently shaping American Buddhist practice.
Teacher Bios:
Friday, March 6: Jon Landaw. Jon has been a student of Buddhism for nearly 40 years, He has worked as a translator and editor for important Tibetan texts, as well as being an author himself. His works include “Prince Siddhartha”, a biography of Buddha for children, “Buddhism for Dummies”, and “Images of Enlightenment”. As an instructor of Buddhist meditation, he has taught in numerous Dharma centers throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere. He currently lives in Capitola, with his wife and three children, and leads the Discovering Buddhism courses at Land of Medicine Buddha.
When: Friday, March 6 (7:00 – 9:00 PM)
Teachers: Jon Landaw, facilitated by Mary Grace Orr – March 6
Registration: no registration required.
Cost: There is no charge, dana accepted.
Location: Vipassana Santa Cruz, 1010 Fair Ave, Santa Cruz, CA.
Consciousness can be described as having both feminine and masculine qualities. To be fully human and fully awake we need to have both these aspects in balance. Our culture, over the centuries, has devalued both women and the feminine archetype associated with them.
Because of this devaluing of the feminine, many women have lost touch with these parts of themselves or have felt unseen and unacknowledged for who they really are. It is important for women to reclaim the energy of the awakened feminine archetype to feel whole and empowered.
Although Buddhism often carries some of the biases of the patriarchal cultures where it is found, there is also a rich history of powerful feminine divine beings such as Prajnaparamita, Tara and Kuan Yin.
During this daylong we will go beyond the stereotypes and explore the feminine aspects of our consciousness and honor those qualities within us. There will be meditations, discussions and experiential exercises.
Wear comfortable clothing, bring a lunch and bring an image of the divine feminine to place on the altar.
When: Saturday, March 7 (10:00 am – 4:00 pm)
Teachers: Carla Brennan
Registration: no registration required.
Cost: There is no charge, dana accepted.
Location: Vipassana Santa Cruz, 1010 Fair Ave, Santa Cruz, CA.
“The hard truth is that spiritual realization is relatively easy compared with the much greater difficulty of actualizing it, integrating it fully into the fabric of one’s embodiment and one’s daily life.” – John Welwood
This group will explore the process of integrating our insights and wisdom into daily life; we will also investigate what blocks this integration. We will use a chapter with the same title from John Welwood’s book, “Toward a Psychology of Awakening”. John Welwood is psychologist, psychotherapist and longtime meditator and has been on the forefront of combining Eastern and Western psychologies. During this class, we will investigate:
The chapter is about 33 pages long; it will be made available as a downloadable PDF file or you can buy the book (it is Chapter 14).
When: Fridays 9:15 – 11:45am: February 13, 20, 27, March 6, 13, 20
Teacher: Carla Brennan
Registration: Registration required. Contact Carla at: carlabren@gmail.com. Please only register if you can make most of the classes. Carla will be in Southeast Asia until Feb. 1, so she may not return emails immediately.
Cost: There is no charge, dana accepted.
Location: Vipassana Santa Cruz, 1010 Fair Ave, Santa Cruz, CA.
This day will weave together alternating strands of silent and guided meditation, and gentle qigong movements with just enough group discussion to help ground the experiences. It will be a day of self-discovery as we deepen our practice of mindfulness of the body, opening to embracing whatever we find there. All abilities and practice levels are welcome. This may be an especially good workshop for those wanting to try day-long practice, but have concerns about not being able to sit for long periods.
When: Sunday, March 29 (9:30am – 4:30pm)
Teacher: Marcy Reynolds
Registration: No registration required
Cost: There is no charge, dana accepted.
Location: Vipassana Santa Cruz, 1010 Fair Ave, Santa Cruz, CA.
Some live by love thy neighbor as thyself, others by first do no harm or take no more than you need. What if the mightiest word is love?
Love beyond marital, filial, national, love that casts a widening pool of light love with no need to pre-empt grievance?
Elizabeth Alexander, from the inaugural poem.
We will explore the powerful practice of metta, (loving kindness,universal friendliness ) through chanting, sitting, walking, stories, and discussion.. We will rediscover our innate capacity: “abundant, exalted, immeasurable” to live with a heart free of “hatred and ill will”.
When: Saturday, April 4 (9:30am – 4:00pm)
Teacher: Jill Hyman
Registration: No registration required
Cost: There is no charge, dana accepted.
Location: Vipassana Santa Cruz, 1010 Fair Ave, Santa Cruz, CA.
The meditation on the four primary elements supports one to penetrate beyond the normal level of conceptual labels and categories. One begins to connect directly with the elements of solidity, liquidity, motion, and temperature within the body and discover their intrinsically impermanent and insubstantial natures.
When: Saturday, April 18 (9:30 – 4:30)
Teacher: Bob Stahl.
Registration: no registration required.
Cost: There is no charge, dana accepted.
Location: Vipassana Santa Cruz, 1010 Fair Ave, Santa Cruz, CA.
We are happy to announce a very special and rare opportunity to practice the Thirty-Two Parts of the Body meditation that is being offered by Vipassana Santa Cruz. In the Buddhist tradition, this mediation practice takes 33 weeks to complete.
The methodical practice of the Thirty-two Parts of the Body Meditation can help one penetrate and understand the true nature of the body. To see impermanence and comprehend that the body is made from the four primary elements of earth (solidity), air (motion), fire (temperature), and water (liquidity). This methodical practice of the Thirty-two Parts of the Body Meditation can build immense levels of concentration, potentialities for healing, and experience the taste of deep freedom and peace.
Through systematic investigation the body is deconstructed into its constituent parts. Our attachment to and identification with the body as being permanent loosens as the meditator develops deep insight into its nature and the nature of all experience.
What is said about the benefits of practicing the 32 Parts of the Body Meditation?
When: Free Intro. Class Monday Oct. 6. After that, every Monday evening, Oct. 13 – June 8, 2009 (7:00 – 8:30PM) NOTE: No class on Dec. 29
Teacher: Bob Stahl.
Prerequisites for taking this Class: This practice is for serious students of mindfulness meditation that are able to keep the multi-month commitment to practice. It is recommended to come as many of the weekly classes as possible.
Registration: no registration required.
Cost: According to the Buddhist tradition, the teachings of the Dhamma are priceless; therefore one is welcome to make an offering that is suitable for their means. No one will be turned away.
Location: Vipassana Santa Cruz, 1010 Fair Ave, Santa Cruz, CA.
The Dzogchen Master CHOGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU, a world renowned teacher and author on DZOGCHEN, is coming to New Zealand, Australia and Singapore
February 22, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
Teaching Retreats and weekend seminars from JANUARY to MAY 2009.
This is a rare opportunity to receive Dzogchen teachings and transmission from one of the great masters of our time.
• AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
Weekend Teachings ; 23-25 January 2009
• SYDNEY, NSW
Weekend Teachings : 30 January – 1 February 2009
Friday night Public Talk / Weekend Seminar
• NAMGYALGAR, Tilba Tilba, NSW
Dzogchen Retreat : 9-15 February 2009
• CALOUNDRA, Queensland
Dzogchen Retreat : 16 – 21 March 2009
• MELBOURNE, Victoria
Weekend Teachings : 3-5 April 2009
Friday night Public Talk / Weekend Seminar
• NAMGYALGAR, Tilba Tilba, NSW
Dzogchen Retreat : 10 -15 April 2009 EASTER
Dzogchen Retreat : 17 -22 April
• SINGAPORE
Weekend teachings : 2,3 May 2009
SANTI MAHA SANGHA Exams and Trainings
• at Namgyalgar, Tilba Tilba, NSW
SMS Base Level Exam : 17-19 February 2009
SMS Level 1 Training: 20-26 February
For full details, schedule of events, registration, etc. please visit http://www.dzogchen.org.au
Sangha Retreat with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche & Acharyas Pema Chödrön & Adam Lobel
February 22, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
July 17 – 24, 2009
The Sakyong, Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche is the head of the Shambhala lineage. An incarnation of Mipham the Great, he is also the dharma heir and son of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Shambhala Mountain’s founder. He is the spiritual director of Shambhala, a global network of meditation and retreat centers, and the author of the best-selling books Turning the Mind into an Ally and Ruling Your World. Rinpoche’s background embraces both Eastern and Western cultures. Born in Bodhgaya, India, the site of the Buddha’s enlightenment, he grew up in Boulder, Colorado, and received his spiritual training from his father and other distinguished lamas.
Pema Chödrön is a leading exponent of teachings on meditation and how they apply to everyday life. Widely known for her charming and down-to-earth interpretation of Tibetan Buddhism for Western audiences, Pema studied under the meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and currently studies with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. Pema is the resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery for Westerners. She is author of The Wisdom of No Escape, Start Where You Are, When Things Fall Apart, The Places that Scare You, No Time to Lose, and Practicing Peace in Times of War.
Acharya Adam Lobel leads meditation workshops, courses on Buddhist philosophy and the social vision of Shambhala. Adam is also the Acharya for the Mipham Academy, an advanced, annual intensive for Buddhist philosophical and contemplative studies at Karme Choling in Vermont. He teaches meditation to youths within the prison system and a mental health institution. Adam holds a Masters of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School, where he is helping to establish a track for Buddhist ministers and chaplains. His research focuses on philosophy, phenomenology, meditation, and the Great Perfection tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
The payment schedule for the program is as follows: 50% due upon registration with Shambhala Mountain, and 50% due on June 17, 2009.
Shambhala Mountain is committed to making this precious opportunity to hear The Sakyong and Acharyas Pema Chödrön and Adam Lobel teach at the same program available to as many members of the Shambhala community as possible. If you require financial assistance we strongly urge you to fill out and return a scholarship application.
Indoor accommodations are currently filled. If you wish to place your name on the waitlist for Lodge or Red Feather accommodations, or if you have other housing questions, please send an email to housing@shambhalamountain.org with Sangha Retreat Waitlist in the subject line and your housing preference in the body of the email. When rooms become available, they will be assigned in the order email requests are received.
This program is expected to sell out, so if a shared tent is an acceptable housing option for you please register now to assure your place in the program. You may place your name on the wait list for upgraded housing whether or not you are registered for the program.
Please arrive by 4pm. No program activities are scheduled for the departure day.
Mahamudra Teachings from the Wisdom Dakinis of the Glorious Shangpa Lineage with Lama Palden
February 21, 2009 by admin · Leave a Comment
May 15 – 17, 2009
Join us for this precious opportunity to receive Mahamudra teachings from one of the first Western women to be authorized as a lama in the Vajrayana tradition.
Niguma, sister of Naropa, and Sukhasiddhi were both wisdom dakinis and mahasiddhas of the 11th century. The primary root teachers of the Shangpa lineage, their Mahamudra teachings on realizing the true nature of mind and reality are core instructions that help us to develop the prajna necessary for understanding and abiding in non-dual radiant sunyata—the union of natural openness and compassion. During this weekend, we will meditate, chant, and learn together as Lama Palden shares Mahamudra teachings from the Shangpa lineage.
Lama Palden will also share the Tibetan Yoga practice developed by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche for daily life. This practice, called lujong which means “body training” in Tibetan, powerfully opens the subtle channels of the body and facilitates the movement of prana, or subtle energy, through the channels in a way that allows one to more easily realize the true nature of mind and reality: the non-dual radiantly present emptiness.
Authorized as a lama in 1986 by her root teacher, Khabje Kalu Rinpoche, Lama Palden has been a student and practitioner of Buddhism for over 30 years and of Comparative Mysticism for over 35 years. Her primary teachers include His Holiness the 16th Karmapa, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, Jamgon Kongtrul, Tai Situpa, Bokar Rinpoche, Dezhung Rinpoche, and Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche. She is the founding teacher of Sukhasiddhi Foundation in Marin County, California. Lama Palden has a deep interest in helping to make the teachings and practices of Tibetan Buddhism accessible and practical for Westerners, as well as in actualizing the deep feminine wisdom. Also a licensed therapist, she is engaged in facilitating psycho-spiritual integration and development through bringing together understandings and methods from Buddhism and the Diamond Heart work.
Please arrive between 2 and 5pm on Friday, May 15. Program ends with lunch at 12:30pm on Sunday, May 17.
