Practitioners of mindfulness are often thought of in their idealized form as
being kind, compassionate, non-reactive, and non-attached. What should we then
make of all the conflicting emotions that are experienced, how should we respond
to the cascading arisings and passings of dozens of completely opposing feelings
in any given day?

Mindfulness practitioners' emotions often go underground, or become a shadow of
their existence in light of the ideal they are trying to create and express. The
aim of this series is to practically focus on the intention and attention needed
to shatter the, "ideal practitioner image," and to show that it is the very
function of mindfulness practice to bring what is in the shadow out into the
light...one by one different emotions will be explored to allow us to discern
what is healthy and nourishing in our responses before destructive emotions get
the upper hand, to discover unresolved issues, lay to them rest, and to relax,
and release without obstruction - to hold all emotional arisings, despite their
often vise-like grip, in the mental atmosphere of spaciousness and joyful
tranquility.

September 10th-12th, 2010
Location: Frisco, CO
Start time: Friday, 3:30pm
End time: Sunday, approx 1pm

This weekend retreat will focus on the methods and vivid meditations to discover
and awaken to the elegant presentation of the Buddhist Path known as the Lam Rim
Chenmo, or Great Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. Unrivaled in its
comprehensiveness, these graduated series of teachings are meant to be studied,
contemplated upon, and finally absorbed within meditation until the heart and
mind are cleared of their obscurations and the practitioner perfects wisdom and
compassion in the state of full enlightenment.

The meditation sessions will review these steps of the path, and their proper
order. We will visualize the Mandala of the Lam Rim, contemplating each and
every step of the path, in guided meditations, as we experience through the
mandala in the same order that one should progress through their spiritual
journey. By visualizing the path as a mandala, and seeing ourselves journeying
through the outer and inner mandala, we will deeply internalize the stages of
the path over the course of the weekend.

Text: AtishaÂ’s Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment, (Bodhipathapradipa, Byang
chub lam gyi sgron ma) The great Indian master Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana
arrived in Tibet in 1042 and remained there until his death in 1054. His most
celebrated text The Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment was written for the
Tibetan people at the request of one of the kings of western Tibet. It sets
forth the entire Buddhist path within the framework of the three levels of
motivation and, in doing so, answers most of the important questions asked by
practitioners at all levels. It became the prototype for the genre of sacred
literature known as lamrim, which describes the stages of the path.

All are welcome. May All be well, happy, safe, peaceful, and at ease. 

For more information:
http://summitdharmacenter.org/retreats/09102010.html

Live links: