Explore the power of creativity. Learn to enhance your creative process through meditation. This engaging residential retreat presents wisdom and practices from Tibetan Bön Buddhist master Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, with a syllabus designed with his blessing and support. We will engage mind, body, heart and spirit through meditation sessions, philosophical discussions, and hands-on creative activities.
Overview
NOTE: THIS PROGRAMME IS FULL AND REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
Program type: Residential retreat
Topic: Meditation and the creative process
Dates: 20-25 November 2023
Language: English
Facilitators: Mai-Linh and Mark (see below)
Key features of the course:
Meditation programme integrating the creative process with healing and personal growth
Wisdom and practices from Tibetan Bön Buddhist master Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
The text for this course is Rinpoche’s book, Spontaneous Creativity: Meditations for Manifesting your Positive Qualities (which we are using as the basis for this course with Rinpoche’s blessing and support).
In this retreat, we will explore practices that support us to connect to the source of creativity within us, and we will work with ourselves in order to activate our creative potential. Through meditation practice, reflection, and group discussions, this course will lead us on a journey from the source of creativity to full expression of our potential in our lives.
This retreat is for you if:
You wish to connect more deeply with yourself and tap into your creative potential.
You want to work with your blockages and heal your pain so you can manifest more of your full potential.
You want to channel your creativity fruitfully and manifest your positive potential in your relationships and in your work.
You aspire to create, live, and serve in a sustainable, balanced way.
‘The purpose of meditation is to connect us with the sacred ground of being, and there are many ways to make that connection. For a musician, playing an instrument can be a meditation. For someone who loves to cook, preparing a meal can be a sacred practice. Any activity can be a meditation if you are connected to the spaciousness of being — the source — when you give it a voice or form.’ — From Rinpoche’s book, Spontaneous Creativity (p. 12)
Overview of the main themes and activities we’ll explore:
The essence of creativity
How to connect with the source of creativity, activate your creative potential and express it in ways that benefit both yourself and others
Recognizing and working with blockages, transforming obstacles
The power of openness: connecting with the unbounded space of our natural state of being, discovering the power of spaciousness
The power of awareness: mindfulness for healing
The power of inspiration: connecting with your positive qualities, healing our pain
Working with emotional energy and undigested experiences
Nourishing the spark of creativity
The power of manifestation: awakening the power of taking action and expression
Some of the practices can be supported by chanting, for those who wish to practice in that way.
Opening to hidden emotions and expressing them clearly and skilfully through any form that attracts you
‘There is an internal map or guidance system to help us move from pain to freedom, from feeling blocked to feeling open and expressive—a map that helps us discover the hidden treasure of our aspirations and visions, and bring forth our gifts in this lifetime.’ — From Rinpoche’s book, Spontaneous Creativity (p. 31)
Conditions of participation
All participants will need to buy the book Spontaneous Creativity by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (available both in print and digitally for Kindle, as well as an Audible audiobook).
All participants are encouraged to read the first two chapters of the book before the beginning of the retreat.
The programme is cumulative (each session will build upon the previous session), so attendance at all sessions is required (it isn’t possible to skip sessions) and full participation in all the activities is necessary to keep up.
What kind of experience to expect
Balanced programme: A combination of practice, instruction, group discussions, and quiet time for reflection.
Natural simplicity: Rustic accommodations in natural earthen buildings in a beautiful forest setting.
Mind and body awareness: To support the body during the retreat, there will be times for mindful movement such as stretching and simple yoga sequences as well as walking meditation in the beautiful Dharmalaya campus.
Healthy food: Natural and mostly organic, purely vegetarian meals (100% plant-based, vegan).
Digital detox: There will be no use of mobile phones or internet during the retreat.
Yogic lifestyle: Clean and simple ashram-style lifestyle in which everyone contributes to the group experience by helping with washing dishes, etc.
Dates & times
Start and end dates and times
The retreat will begin at 10:00am on the first day. All participants should plan to arrive between 9:00 and 9:30am .
As this is a traditional ‘closed’ retreat, all participants will stay on the Dharmalaya campus for the entire duration of the retreat.
The retreat will conclude at 3:30pm on the last day.
Daily schedule: What will the flow of the days be like?
Although the day-to-day schedule may vary a bit, the schedule for a typical day during this program would more or less as follows:
6:30 Wake
7:00 Morning movement and practice session
8:00 BREAKFAST
9:00 Morning sessions: learning, practice, and/or creative activities
12:30 LUNCH
2:00 Afternoon sessions: learning, practice, and/or creative activities
5:00 Personal time
6:00 DINNER
7:00 Evening session: meditation and often a short talk or discussion
8:00 Quiet time for reading and meditation
10:00 Lights out
About Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche
Founder and spiritual director of Ligmincha International, Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is a respected and beloved teacher and meditation master in the Bön Buddhist tradition of Tibet. He has students in more than 25 countries, teaches around the world and reaches thousands of students through his online programmes.
Trained as a Bön Buddhist monk, Rinpoche now lives as a householder, allowing him to relate more fully to the needs and concerns of his students. Known for the depth of his wisdom and his unshakeable commitment to helping students recognize their true nature, he is the author of many books and frequently leads online courses.
About your facilitators
Cost
Recognizing that our participants come from diverse backgrounds, we are providing a sliding scale with three tiers, to make it possible for everyone to donate according to their means. Total fees for the retreat (including shared accommodation, three meals daily, and tea) are as follows:
Subsidized rate
(For low-income participants who can’t afford the standard rate)
Rs 6,000
For transparency: This subsidized rate is approximately 33% below our break-even rate, which means it is not enough to cover the Institute’s costs in providing the programme, though that shortfall might be covered by participants who choose to pay the ‘Supporter rate’ to the right.
Standard rate
(For most participants)
Rs 9,000
For transparency: This standard rate is essentially a break-even rate, just enough to cover the Institute’s total average monthly costs in providing this service-learning opportunity.
Supporter rate
(For those who can afford to help subsidize lower-income participants)
Rs 12,000
For transparency: This supporter rate is approximately 33% above the break-even rate, and 100% of that surplus will be used to support lower-income applicants to participate at the subsidized rate. We thank you sincerely for your generosity in choosing this rate if you can.
We do not want cost to be a barrier to anyone’s participation, so if you have exceptional financial hardship and cannot afford even the lowest subsidized rate, you can contact us to let us know your situation and your needs and we’ll be happy to discuss options for work-study scholarships (subject to limited availability).
A very limited number of private rooms are available at extra cost. Please contact us for details.
In addition to the base fee, there will be an opportunity to offer dana (an optional, voluntary offering of support), as per tradition, to Dharmalaya Institute.
(Please note that the cost of purchasing the text is not included in the tuition fee above; you would need to do buy the text separately in whichever format you prefer.)
Application & payment
Participation in this programme is by application and subject to acceptance.
STEP 1 — APPLY: Click the button below to complete and submit the application form here on our website and then wait for our reply. We may email you to ask follow-up questions if necessary.
STEP 2 — ACCEPTANCE: If you are accepted for the retreat, then at that time we will send you an acceptance letter by email, which will include more detailed information about the programme and how to prepare.
STEP 3 — DEPOSIT: You will then have one week from the date of acceptance to make your nonrefundable payment to hold your place in the programme. Once we have received your payment, your registration for the programme will be complete.
We look forward to connecting with you!