Month-Long Meditation Retreat

Deepening Your Mindfulness/Awareness Practice We invite you to dathun – a month of meditation practice at Karme Choling in upstate Vermont. Meditation retreats are profound and transformative experiences – allowing one to discover the basic sanity of oneself and one’s world.  During this program, the practice of mindfulness will include activities in daily life, as well as practice on the meditation cushion. Every aspect of the day becomes part of a mindful discipline of rediscovering now and opening your heart and mind to the moment. The dathun will be led by Elaine Yuen, a senior teacher in the Shambhala tradition and an Upadhyaya (name for a Buddhist minister literally meaning "holder of skillful means".) She will be supported by a team of experienced meditation instructors. Regular dharma talks, individual meetings, and experiential exercises will be included in the retreat. Three Retreat Lengths Available 7 - day Retreat: Dec. 28 - Jan. 4 2 - week Retreat: Dec. 28 - Jan. 11 1 - Month Retreat: Dec. 28 - Jan. 25 Four Voices [Image: re-link pending] [Image: re-link pending] [Image: re-link pending] [Image: re-link pending] [Image: re-link pending] Making Friends with Yourself At Karme Choling, we emphasize the importance of cultivating self-compassion and profound acceptance. Participants often find themselves experiencing a newfound sense of spaciousness and self-love, as echoed by one of our past attendees: Read Making Friends With Myself at the Winter Dathün Mindfulness & Contemplative Practices Sitting Meditation: We will work with basic sitting meditation or shamatha practice. Shamatha ("peaceful abiding") allows us to experience the present moment with a light and intimate touch. Walking Meditation: Mindful walking practices are incorporated into the daily schedule, cultivating a sense of presence while in motion. Individual Meditation Instruction: Each person receives guidance and support from an experienced Meditation Instructor. Your individual questions about your own practice can be answered during these meetings. Silence and functional speech is generally observed during certain days or parts of the day Contemplative oryoki meals: Meals are taken while maintaining silence and mindfulness. Talks given by Senior Teachers: The senior teachers will share their understanding and insight of the view and path of meditation. Study Periods and Group Discussions: Time is set aside for study and contemplation, allowing participants to explore the concepts behind mindfulness-awareness meditation. We will also engage in group discussion in order to share experience and learn from one another. Nature: Karmê Chöling is beautiful in the winter. Winter is an opportunity to experience and appreciate the natural world during this quiet season. Open time: Time to rest and relax, get to know each other and share in your meditation experience. Sample Meditation Schedule Dathüns generally follow this form. Details may change as we get closer to the date. 6:30am Wake up 7:00am Early Morning Practice 8:00am Breakfast 9:00am Mid-Morning Practice 12:30pm Lunch (Contemplative) 1:30pm Work Period 3:00pm Afternoon Practice 4:00pm Tea Break 4:30pm Late Afternoon Practice 6:30pm Dinner 7:30pm Evening Practice 9:00pm End of Day A Journey of Discovery Join us at our Buddhist meditation retreat center in the Green Mountains of Vermont. During this beautiful time of the year our community of meditators will encourage and support you in your journey of profound personal growth. Getting Here Visit our Directions and Transportation page to see different options for traveling to Karmê Chöling including our Rideshare board. Note: There is an Early Bird Special of $1580 on this program. Good until October 15th when it returns to the regular price of $1895.