A Month of Meditation: Shamatha-Vipashyana Dathün

“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

Overview

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. Practising 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.

The dathün follows the basic schedule developed by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. The daily schedule begins at 7am and ends around 9pm most evenings. Sitting meditation sessions are alternated with walking meditation throughout the day. The three main meals are served and eaten in the meditation hall using the Zen contemplative eating practice of oryoki. After lunch, there is a mid-day work period, when participants have light cleaning and kitchen tasks, which are opportunities for meditation in action.

Silence or “functional talking” is practised most of the time. Silence is not regarded as cutting off or isolating ourselves, but as a profound way to open our awareness and senses to ourselves and our world.

The retreat will be led by John Rockwell (johnrockwell.ca) and Matilda Perks, 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
4. Don’t Bite the Hook: Finding Freedom from Anger, Resentment and Other Destructive Emotions, by Pema Chödrön

Who Should Attend

If you do not already have a regular meditation practice and study of dharma, this retreat is not appropriate for you. We suggest you consider attending The Shape of Awake  instead.

If you have been practising 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 question about the appropriateness of this dathün for you, or any other questions
about practice or the program content, please email the Program Manager at Programs@DorjeDenmaLing.com

If you have questions about accommodations, costs, travel, Covid-19 protocols or other logistical issues,
please email Guest Services for Dorje Denma Ling.

Costs

Tuition: CAD $1,000
Meal Service: CAD $580
Accommodations: Varies by selection. (Options available can be viewed on the Registration Page. To view pricing by lodging type, visit this page.)

Scholarships and Payment Plans

Dorje Denma Ling has two scholarship funds available to support those who require assistance to attend dathün: one fund was offered through the generosity of the Pema Chodron and one fund has been made possible through the generosity of Dorje Denma Ling supporters. The Pema Foundation fund is specifically to support relatively new practitioners, BIPOC practitioners, and those under 40.

If you need assistance, please fill out and return the Financial Aid Form or contact our Finance Manager, Suzy Ulrich. These scholarship funds are limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-serves basis, so please apply promptly if you need assistance.

If you don’t need assistance, but would prefer to spread your payments out over a number of months to ease cashflow issues, please contact Suzy Ulrich and she can set that up for you.

Covid Considerations 

Please read the full details of our Covid policy here.

Useful Links

What to Bring & Expect at DDL
How to Get Here

Interested in Staffing the Dathün?

In order to be on staff for a dathün, you must already have completed a dathün. If you qualify, you can find the application for staffing the dathün here.