The Doors of Liberation — Meditation Intensive with Padmadharini

The Doors of Liberation — Meditation Intensive with Padmadharini
Feb 14, 6pm to Feb 17, 2:00pm 

This retreat is for experienced meditators within the Triratna tradition, or with a strong practice of samatha-type meditation (such as mindfulness of breathing and metta bhavana) for at least a year. Participants should have a regular meditation practice. This retreat will include lots of silence and sitting practice.

This three-day meditation retreat is designed for practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of insight-oriented approaches to meditation—practices that illuminate the nature of experience and reality. This retreat will be oriented to experiential learning rather than study.

Insight can often seem like a distant goal, one that takes years of dedicated practice and specialized techniques. However, insight also involves recognizing how we relate to the world and perceive ourselves within it. It is less about an abstract achievement and more about the clarity with which we engage our direct experience. 

During this retreat, we will explore direct experience using the teachings on the vimoksha mukhas, or gateways to liberation. These teachings offer three profound ways to engage with reality as it unfolds, revealing immense and transformative qualities within our ordinary experience. 

In the immediacy of direct experience, we encounter the three characteristics of conditioned existence, or lakshanas: impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and insubstantiality. Learning how to be fully present with these characteristics can open gateways to deeper qualities—the signless, the wishless, and emptiness. 

To make this transition, we cultivate specific qualities of mind both in meditation and in daily life:

• Moving from impermanence to the signless requires clarity of mind.
• Moving from unsatisfactoriness to the wishless requires sensitivity of mind.
• Moving from insubstantiality to emptiness requires openness of mind.

Throughout each day of the retreat, you’ll be guided in both seated and everyday practices that explore these three essential qualities. This will help you engage more fully with your direct experience, opening pathways to greater insight and liberation.

Padmadharini is a dedicated meditation practitioner.  She has attended around 3 years of cumulative meditation retreats during which she has tried out various meditation approaches.   She is trained and educated in modalities that support going deeper in meditation. This includes her training as a Chaplain, training as a coach, training in secular mindfulness and in focusing and somatic work. 

She will be supported by Tamojyoti who brings many years experience working with subtle energies in the body. She is also very fun.


This retreat is residential and meals/housing are included in the price. Please see the note below about donations for teachers. You can access helpful information about attending retreats at Aryaloka here.
 

A Culture of Generosity and Support
In the tradition of passing on the Dharma freely, our Dharma retreat and workshop facilitators offer their work without charge and are not paid. We recognize the value in what they do and want to thank them for their time, energy and wisdom. A financial gift can help support our facilitators to afford them the opportunity to lead. Please consider making a donation towards their support. There is often a cash collection and a thank you card that is passed on the retreat, though one can also make a donation directly to facilitators with a check, and some use money transfer services such as PayPal or Venmo. Thank you for your generosity.
 

How are we coming together safely?

• Please take a Covid-19 rapid test on the day of the event (Aryaloka does not provide this test). A negative rapid test is required for entry; please take a photo of your test results and present at the door. 
• If you know you have been exposed to Covid-19 or if you have had Covid-19 within a five day period of the event’s start-time, we ask that you not attend in-person.
• Masks are optional unless otherwise stated. Please wear a mask if you have recovered from Covid-19 and are still between days 6 and 10 from your first positive test.
• If you have cold or flu symptoms, we ask that you do not attend in-person. 
• We have installed new air purifiers with virus-destroying technology!

Transfer of fees or refunds are also available for illness or illness-preventative related absence. Please email info@aryaloka.org if you have any questions about our safety protocols.
 

At Aryaloka, we strive to make our programs available to everyone regardless of their financial circumstances. Our fee structure allows you to pay according to your means. 

The Event Rate is our actual fee for the event. It is for people paying their rent or mortgage, and who can afford occasional or regular leisure expenses such as dining out. Any payment above the advertised fee is a tax-deductible donation. 

The Mid-Level Reduced Rate is for those who are paying their mortgage or rent, though experience a consistent tightness in budget that makes extras like leisure activities or unexpected expenses difficult or impossible. 

The Base-Level Reduced Rate is for those without an income or with an income low enough that making ends meet is a challenge. 

Those whose circumstances are not included above can email the office to make other arrangements. info@aryaloka.org