Spring Meditation Retreat with Acharya Arawana Hayashi

Shake off winter, renew your practice, and open the heart of compassion in this two-week spring retreat.

A spring meditation retreat is the perfect way to celebrate winter's end and experience renewal and refreshment. This two-week group retreat is one half of a dathün (literally "moon session"). Here, both new and experienced meditators have a powerful opportunity to let the dust of thoughts and emotions settle and to rest in our naturally clear, basic goodness mind. This mind is the key to a meaningful life and to creating loving homes, harmonious work situations, and a compassionate society.

The retreat includes meditation instruction and guided sessions of shamatha ("peaceful abiding") and shamatha-vipashyana ("mindfulness-awareness") meditation, as well as sessions of contemplation to deepen our understanding and to open the heart of compassion. It also includes individual interviews with qualified meditation instructors. Participants will practice silence and mindful speech; movement exercises; periods of meditation-in-action including walks in nature, cleaning, kitchen work and community tasks; and oryoki (traditional Japanese temple meal practice).

While participants are encouraged to attend for the full two weeks, you may also attend for just one of the weeks. Each week counts as a week of dathün.

Arawana Hayashi is an Acharya, or senior teacher, in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. She began teaching Shambhala Training in 1982, was teacher-in-residence at Karmê Chöling from 2000-2003, and teaches in the Shambhala Art program. For over twenty years, she directed a dance company in Cambridge, Massachusetts that offered programs in contemporary dance and bugaku, or Japanese Court dance. She currently works with ALIA Institute in Halifax, Naropa University’s Authentic Leadership program, and the Presencing Institute, which brings meditation and embodiment practice into the context of organizational and social change. She is also creating Social Presencing Theater which uses principles and practices from Shambhala Art to create community events that spark conversations and commitments to social action.

Extend Your Stay. We are offering a 50% housing discount for additional nights. Come early and relax before your program starts or stay an extra day or more after this program to savor your retreat experience.

Please arrive between 2 and 5pm. No activities are scheduled for the departure day. View Detailed Program Information.