Maitri Space Awareness Meditation Retreat
March 7–13, 2026
Meditation & Mindfulness, On Land Retreats
Program Start Date & Time: March 7th 5:30 pm
Program End Date & Time: March 13th 12:30pm
In 1972, Trungpa Rinpoche introduced a unique meditation practice “Maitri Space Awareness” (MSA), for accessing the wisdom of the five buddha families in everyday life. This embodied practice mirrors the various ways we perceive ourselves, including the emotional energies within us and the environment around us. In this retreat, we will look at our lived experience and discover how these emotional and perceptual energies shape our world.
The mandala of the five buddha families illustrates how the ordinary world of mind and emotions is full of wakefulness and clarity. Through MSA practice we will engage with energy patterns with curiosity, courage, and kindness, and explore how these elemental energies return us to our inherent wisdom.
MSA has been effective in various fields such as counseling, teaching, and other professions that involve working with others.
The retreat includes sitting meditation, Maitri Space Awareness practice, sensory awareness and elemental exercises, talks, and small group discussions.
No prior experience is necessary.
Tuition
There are three tuition tiers for this program. You may choose the tier that makes the most sense for you. Supporter tuition helps keep Drala Mountain Center open, while Basic tier helps keep our programming accessible.
You will choose your tuition when you choose what lodging you prefer.
Tuition Cost:
Subsidized: $400
Standard: $500
Supporter: $600
Retreat Faculty
Jane Carpenter Cohn
Jane Carpenter Cohn, MA is an Associate Professor and Director of the Naropa Center for Bhutan Partnerships at Naropa University. She teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Buddhism, Buddhist Psychology, Contemplative Education and the Arts. She has taught Maitri Space Awareness for over thirty years. Jane works collaboratively with the Royal University of Bhutan in […]
Carla Burns
Carla Burns is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Naropa University, where she leads the MA Contemplative Psychotherapy residential retreat programs. She also consults for the Center for the Advancement of Contemplative Education, designing and facilitating programs and trainings, and contributes to Naropa’s Compassion Initiative. Specializing in the integration of corporeal, elemental, and spatial knowledge, […]
