Ruling Your World: The Path of Compassion Winter Dathün Meditation Retreat with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche presiding, Richard Reoch & Acharya Judith Simmer-Brown

"Dathün is a pivotal point in one's life, where the profundity of the teachings soak into our core. It is the time and opportunity for us to change, develop and mature." Sakyong Mipham

Dathun is a pivotal point in one's life, where the profundity of the teachings soak into our core. It is the time and opportunity for us to change, develop and mature. Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

The practice of group meditation offers powerful support for each individual's path. The collective energy facilitates inner cultivation and provides a rich training ground for the creation of compassionate society. This monthlong retreat, known as a dathün, will provide an extraordinary opportunity to practice together under the overall guidance of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, the lineage holder of the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. The program will include sitting and walking meditation, private interviews with qualified meditation instructors, periods of silence, and talks. The retreat will also include Chi Kung, meditation inside The Great Stupa of Dharmakaya, Zen-style oryoki meals and work shifts--all to create an integrated meditative experience which we can then carry forward beyond dathün into our daily lives.

This dathün will be an opportunity to contemplate and put into practice key insights presented in the Sakyong's most recent book, Ruling Your World, with a particular emphasis on the practice of compassion. This begins with compassion toward ourselves: "The most loving environment we can create is on the meditation seat." From that ground, we are then able to radiate that intimate feeling of compassion out to all beings.

For a deep immersion into the path of meditation and warriorship, we invite you to attend the entire dathün. You can also participate in one of our weeklong segments, or weekthüns.

Week 1
Week 2
Weeks 1 & 2
Week 3
Week 3 & 4

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche is one of Tibet’s highest and most respected incarnate lamas. The son and dharma heir of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, founder of Shambhala Mountain, he is the head of the Shambhala Buddhist lineage and spiritual director of Shambhala, a global network of meditation and retreat centers. He is the author of the national bestsellers Turning the Mind Into an Ally and Ruling Your World.

Richard Reoch is the president of Shambhala. A lifelong Buddhist, he has devoted his working life to defending human rights, protecting the environment and promoting peace.

Acharya Judith Simmer-Brown is a professor of Buddhist studies at Naropa University and director of the Ngedon School of Higher Studies. She will be in attendance during the latter portion of the program.

Payment and Cancellation Policies: Please review the cancellation information on the registration page carefully as it differs from the general policies for most other programs.

Prices below include tuition, lodging and meals. A mandatory laundry fee ($15 if attending two weeks, $30 for three weeks, and $45 for full dathun attendees) will be added for participants registering for two or more weeks.

STUDENT DISCOUNT: A discount of 10% off the dormitory price is available for all full-time students.

Please note that if you book dormitory accommodations, you may be sleeping on a foam mattress on the shrineroom floor.

Volunteer Staff Application

Extend Your Stay. We are offering a 25% 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 on Friday, December 15. Program ends with lunch at 12:30pm on Sunday, January 14. View Detailed Program Information.