Spring Dathün: choosing to Live Wholeheartedly

The mind is very wild. The human experience is full of unpredictability and parrot, joys and sorrows, successes and failures. We can’t escape any of these experiences in the vast terrain of our existence. It is part of what makes life grand – and it is also why our minds take us on such a crazy ride. If we can train ourselves through meditation to be more open and more accepting toward the wild arc of our experience, if we can lean into the difficulties of life and the ride of our minds, we can become more settled and relaxed amid whatever life brings us.
– Pema Chödrön in “How to Meditate“
Through rich and profound meditation techniques, a Dathün is an exploration of our humanness, welcoming anyone interested in making friends with who they are, at a fundamental level. Literally meaning ‘moon session’, a Dathün is a month-long program dedicated to the sitting practice of meditation. From early morning to evening we use our time to develop a friendly, genuine yet caring, relationship with our body, speech and mind.
“One does not try to be basically good, one simply recognizes that one is basically good. This is how we feel, be, and touch the primal sense of who we are.“ – Sakyong Mipham
During this program you will be introduced to Shambhala Meditation: Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s new practice of connecting directly with basic goodness as the ground for meditation practice and everyday life.
For beginning as well as advanced practitioners, this program will provide a powerful experience, regardless of age or stage in life. 
A Dathün consists of individual meditation instruction, guided meditation, contemplation, and dharma talks, which develop insight and open our hearts towards compassion. Each day follows a traditional schedule, with periods of sitting and walking meditation, exercises, chants, and a short work session. Functional silence is observed for most of the retreat, and we practice mindful eating.
Participants are encouraged to attend the entire Dathün. Those who are able to attend only two or three weeks are very welcome to do so. Please note that first-time participants must enter at the start of the retreat. Those who have attended Dathün previously may also enter at the midway point for the last two weeks.

Find registeration for first two weeks here and registeration for second two weeks here.
The Dathün fulfills group practice requirements for the Shambhala Buddhist path.

Prerequisites: this programme is open to relative newcomers as well as experienced practitioners seeking to engage in a period of intensive practice.


Practical information


Arrival day (Saturday 4 March): Intro talk at 8 pm. You’re invited to come from 5 pm in order to register and settle in your room. Dinner is served at 6.45 pm.
End of program (Saturday 1st April): Closing circle and Banquet in the evening.
Departure day (Sunday 2 April): You may leave anytime (no program). You’re welcome to stay for lunch.
Retreat taught in English. Translation available at no extra costs upon request.

Teachers

Simon La Haye has been a student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche for over 35 years, and has been teaching on the Shambhala vision during that time. He has always been involved in the administration of Shambhala, and more particularly was the director of Dechen Chöling for more than 10 years.
Since 2014 he is teaching full time. In particular he is interested on how we can bring the experience of meditation in our daily life.

Yeshe Fuchs has been a student of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche since 1976 and became a student of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche after his father’s death. She has been working in Shambhala administration, coordinating visits of Buddhist teachers for many years, and lived in Boulder/USA , France, Nova Scotia/Canada and Germany. She is teaching Shambhala Buddhism with love and passion. She is the mother of four children and lives in Hamburg. She says that her appreciation of life is growing with age, and she feels that the trust in one’s basic human goodness, life energy and a sense of humor are essential.