Mindfulness and awareness training allows one to fully receive the unpredictable, extraordinary, and sometimes heartbreaking dance of life, as it appears within our own personal experience. The inclination of our heart’s longing for contentment and freedom reflects our innate beauty and wisdom. Opening to this present moment illuminates the vividness of reality, the tenderness of the heart, and the magic of being alive, and prepares us to meet the challenges of this life with awareness and love.  It is through this path of opening and softening that we discover our own essential nature, our innate goodness, and the innate goodness of all humanity.

“Whatever exists in us is a natural situation. It is another dimension of natural beauty.  People sometimes go to great lengths to appreciate nature by climbing mountains, going on safari to see giraffes and lions in Africa, or taking a cruise to Antarctica. It is much simpler and more immediate to appreciate the natural beauty of ourselves.”      Mindfulness in Action, Chögyam Trungpa

The Sitting in Beauty retreat is an intensive 5-day silent meditation program that emphasizes the deep understanding and practice of mindfulness meditation in its most universal and secular expression. In this retreat we will explore the journey of opening and softening through periods of sitting and walking meditation practice, gentle movement exercises, and talks by senior teachers to deepen the understanding of the practice. Each afternoon there will be a period of time to rest or take a walk around the land of Drala Mountain Center.

While participants will be in silence for the majority of the retreat, there will also be an opportunity to meet with a teacher to discuss your meditation practice.

Prior experience with a personal meditation practice is recommended.