Half-Dathun: Illuminating Basic Goodness
con Holly Gayley and Rick Merrill
December 15 - 30, 2017
In these challenging times, the flame of basic goodness has nearly been extinguished by the storm of concepts, and the spirit of humanity has been so dampened that we experience our goodness as a faint echo. As brave people, we must find the courage to gently blow on this ember of goodness. – Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche
Dathun, Tibetan for “moon session,” is an intensive group meditation retreat for new and experienced meditators interested in deepening their mindfulness-awareness. Composed of two weekly segments called “weekthuns,” this 14-day retreat allows participants to attend either one or two weeks. Through this immersive program, the practice of meditation goes beyond the cushion, with every aspect of daily life becoming a practice of wakefulness and an opportunity to make better friends with ourselves and our world. Daily dharma talks, guided sessions of Shambhala Meditation, and contemplative movement will allow us to connect with our bodies, sense perceptions, and the world around us–allowing a deep sense of connection, healing, and joy to emerge.
These three modules fulfill the Basic Goodness Series requirement. Full participation in this program also completes the Half-Dathun requirement for Sacred World Assembly.
- Opportunities to practice the Shambhala Sadhana will be available.
- This program will be taught in English with full Spanish interpretation only for the first week.
Pay-It-Forward program tuition not including accommodations: $933 usd We invite all who are able to do so to consider paying the Pay-It-Forward tuition rate. By doing so, you make it possible for us to offer scholarships to others, particularly our Mexico sangha, while also covering the direct cost of your stay here and contributing to our year-round operations.
Please select “Pay-It-Forward Tuition Add-On” in Registration.
Full program tuition not including accommodations: $825 usd We invite all who are able to do so to pay the full tuition rate. By doing so, you cover the direct cost of your stay here and contribute to our year-round operating expenses.
Please email [email protected] with any further questions.
Travel Arrangements:
We recommend flights into Morelia airport (90 minutes away by car). We can help with travel arrangements, please inquire about options. Visit our How to Get Here page for more info.
Teachers / Maestr@s
Acharya Holly Gayley is an Assistant Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder, having completed a Masters at Naropa University in 2000 and Ph.D. at Harvard University in 2009. She has been practicing meditation in the Shambhala tradition for more than twenty years and regularly leads meditation retreats and workshops as a senior teacher or shastri. Holly has frequently traveled to eastern Tibet for her research on contemporary Buddhist movements and enjoys trekking in the Himalayas and Rocky Mountains. Her first book, Love Letters from Golok: A Tantric Couple in Modern Tibet, came out in November 2016. For more information, visit…
Learn more about Holly Gayley
RICK MERRILL is professional dancer and choreographer. He performed and taught for many years in New York City and Europe and most recently served as faculty in the Theatre and Dance Department of Western Washington University. A member of the Shambhala Buddhist community since 1974, Rick teaches meditation and embodied contemplative movement.
Learn more about Rick Merrill