Two Weeks of Meditation: Shamatha-Vipashyana Half-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 (and likewise, the half-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. Meals will be taken in silence, with lunch served 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 Valerie Lorig, who has a long and strong heart connection to this path of practice. Valerie 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

This two-week retreat is well-suited for those who have practiced meditation in the past or have some knowledge of Buddhism. For those who are new to Buddhist practice, this rigorous and structured retreat provides on-going meditation instruction in both sitting and walking meditation. Talks and video teachings along with a short period of daily movement will support the practice of sitting meditation. Meditation sessions are divided into four different sittings, with a total of 8.5 hours of practice a day.

The half-dathün is an intensive retreat. In order to serve you, we ask that applicants supply a history of their dharma practice and study, along with the name and contact information of a teacher, mentor, or meditator that you have worked with. An alternative retreat called The Shape of Awake is a beginning meditation program. This retreat provides meditation instruction as well as extensive assistance with posture adjustment and alignment which can be helpful when attending a deep meditation retreat for the first time.

For More Information 

If you have any question about the appropriateness of this retreat 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

All prices are in $CAD. Please consider paying by e-transfer, cheque, or cash. Saving transaction fees helps us keep the Centre going.
Tuition & Meals: $1,250
Lodging: Extra: varies by type. Visit the Registration Form or this page for a list of options and pricing.

Scholarships and Payment Plans

We have a donor-supported pay what you can policy and scholarships available.

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.

Registration and Cancellation Policies

Please take note that our registration and cancellation policies have been updated. You can read our registration and cancellation policies here.

Useful Links

What to Bring & Expect at DDL
How to Get Here