Dathün – A Month of Meditation

In the practice of meditation, you step beyond your hope and fear. You develop trust in the strength of your being and in your ability to extend yourself to others, and you find you have tremendous willingness to do so.

                                                Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Dathün is a month-long, group meditation retreat of shamatha-vipashyana, or mindfulness-awareness practice. This is the basic sitting meditation that goes back to the Buddha, which also includes contemplative practices for cultivating insight and compassion. Practicing together as a group creates an atmosphere of courage and wakefulness. This mutual support and inspiration is at the heart of this month-long journey. 

This dathün will present the view and practices taught by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche:

• the sitting meditation of shamatha-vipashyana as the most basic and profound practice there is
• the inseparability of mahamudra and the great perfection (maha ati)
• the inseparability of the Buddhist and Shambhala paths
• the inseparability of three yanas of hinayana, mahayana, and vajrayana
• the central role mahayana plays in holding hinayana and vajrayana together
• the importance of compassionate contemplation and on the spot abrupt awareness
• the joy of opening our heart through singing together and through days of silence
• the delight of opening our senses through walking and sitting outside

Whether you are new to meditation or have practiced for many years, we invite you to join us for at least a week, and at most a month! This time of chaos in the world calls us all to realize our heart of awareness and to create an awake community by practicing together.

On August, 18 a Refuge Vow Ceremony and on September 1st a Bodhisattva Vow Ceremony will be offered. The vows are open to non-dathun participants, but we highly recommend you join us for a week of sitting meditation before taking a vow.

The retreat will be led by John Rockwell and Barbara Märtens, who have a long and strong heart connection to this path of practice. They will be supported by a staff of experienced meditation instructors. There will be regular dharma talks and individual meetings with a meditation instructor to talk with about your practice throughout the retreat.

Recommended Reading

1.     The Heart of the Buddha: Entering the Tibetan Buddhist Path, by Chögyam Trungpa
2.     The Path Is the Goal: A Basic Handbook of Buddhist Meditation by Chögyam Trungpa
3.     The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving Kindness, by Pema Chödrön

Who Should Attend

If you do not already have a regular meditation practice and study of dharma, it is probably best to come for the first two weeks. If you have been practicing regularly for some time, and have read books and/or attended classes related to the Buddhist path, this retreat could be very beneficial for you. 

Since dathün is an intensive retreat, we require applicants to supply a history of their dharma practice and study, as well as the name and contact information for an experienced meditator or teacher who knows you and your path of practice.

For More Information 

If you have any questions about whether this dathün would be appropriate for you, or any other questions about the program, please email the Program Manager at [email protected]

Participants are encouraged to attend the entire dathün. As we know that this is not possible for all interested persons, it is also perfectly fine to attend the first two or the last two weeks (for repeaters) of the dathün separately.

Practical information

Arrival day: Wednesday, August 5. You’re invited to come from 4 pm in order to register and settle in your room. Dinner is served at 6:30 pm, followed by an introductory talk at 8 pm.

End of programme: Tuesday, September 1. Closing circle and banquet in the evening.

Departure day: Wednesday, September 2. You may leave anytime (no programme). You’re welcome to stay for lunch.

Price: in order to make this as accessible as possible, we are only charging food and accommodation for participants who wish to do the entire retreat.

This programme is taught in English and will be translated into French. Please indicate your request for translation on the registration page. 

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