Challenge Yourself

to breakthrough, on the hero’s journey.

Community

is fundamental to spiritual growth.

Spiritual Training

with experienced guides.

Active Practice

is as important as sitting meditation.

Countdown to Launch

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New Book

Wasteland to Pureland: Reflections on the Path to Awakening

by Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat

Wasteland to Pureland is a contemporary guide to integrating spiritual practice with everyday life. Learn how the daily grist of work, relationships, and challenges can become our richest resources. Honest, edgy, and accessible, this book is for anyone ready to shed limiting beliefs, and wake up to the vibrant, creative nature of reality.

These teachings emerge out of decades of practice and study by master teachers Acariya Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat. Grounded in the belief that awakening is available to everyone, they teach us how to reunite with our gifts, and become agents of compassion and transformation, personally, interpersonally and globally.

About the Book

Doug & Catherine's teachings are a rallying cry for all those who want no-holds-barred, honest guidance on the path of awakening.  I'm thoroughly inspired by the spiritual potential we all have, and sobered by the challenges we face as a species and global consciousness.  The path they lay out makes it clear that the journey is worth taking.

Cara Conroy-Low

Acupuncturist, Canada

Doug and Catherine are always burning calories to get you back on a path that can lead toward greater self-awareness. When I am with these two very clear individuals, I am humbled by their dedication to others, and understand the every-waking-moment responsibility that comes with their calling.

Peter Ujlaki

Fine Art Dealer, Japan

If you get a chance to study with Doug and Catherine, don't miss it. Through the power of long dedication, deep meditation, and wise guidance, life can definitely be transformed.

Paul Jaffe

Retired Professor & Meditation Teacher, New York

What is the Purpose of Spiritual Practice?

Life is a fascinating journey, filled with discovery, exploration and awesome experiences. It can also be fraught with suffering and sorrow, often unnecessarily. Happiness is the original state that shines through after unnecessary suffering has been eliminated. We’re dedicated to sharing this path.

 

A Modern Spiritual Path

Our mandate is to support as many beings as possible to experience spiritual awakening. Our overall approach to the the spiritual path, includes four important aspects

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Four Aspects for a Modern Spiritual Path

Click each tab below to read about the four important aspects of a modern spiritual path:
The universe is an amazing, interactive campus, and there is so much to learn and discover. In addition to philosophy, we use science, the arts, kinesthetics and other kinds of direct experience to develop and integrate our various interests.

A truly inspiring spiritual path includes discovery, exploration and study. It incorporates both formal study and apprenticeship-style modalities.

Formal study opportunities with Planet Dharma include online or in-person courses, meditation retreats and public classes.

Meditation is indispensable to spiritual awakening. In its various forms –such as sitting practice, prayer and contemplation – it speeds up an individual’s spiritual and personal unfoldment. It helps us integrate the various parts of the psyche. It develops great calm and concentration that lead to greater states of bliss.

Meditation also brings us vast insight and understanding, the building blocks of wisdom. We use both Eastern and Western methodologies to achieve these aims.

Our modern lives call for a spiritual practice that goes beyond the meditation cushion – to bring awareness and meditation to every action and interaction we have, 24/7, 365.  Awakening in Action, or “Karma Yoga” is a spiritual path for the 21st century and beyond.

In Karma Yoga, we watch the patterns that arise as we interact with others. We use the same principles that we’ve learned in meditation and apply it to our work, our relationships and our communities.

We all have buried aspects of our psyches that became suppressed due to our family and societal conditioning. These are what Freud called the subconscious and Jung called the shadow.  Spiritual awakening is also about making this unconscious aspect conscious.

It’s important that we are clear and honest: by its very nature, shadow work is not fun or pretty. It takes courage and fortitude to see parts of our being that are not like we wish them to be, and to dedicate one’s energy to transforming that.

We believe that integrating our shadow is fundamental and one of the fastest ways to unfold spiritually, and reduce our suffering.

Awakening is your birthright.

2018 Training Schedule

Retreats

Dec 07

Retreat: Six Yogas of Naropa – Dream Yoga & Light Yoga

December 7 - December 22
Jan 01

Year of Pureland Program for Spiritual Awakening

January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019
Feb 22

Mexico Dharma Trip 2019

February 22, 2019 - March 4, 2019

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Public Classes

Oct 20

Public Classes in Calgary

October 20 - October 21
Nov 24

Public Classes in Calgary

November 24 - November 25
Jan 01

Year of Pureland Program for Spiritual Awakening

January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2019

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Online Courses

Sat 22

Intro to AstroDharma (Ongoing Enrollment)

March 21, 2018 - March 20, 2019
Sat 22

Ignite Your Spiritual Life: Online course

September 15 - October 20
Oct 01

The Joy of Sex and Relationship: Online Course

October 1 - October 22

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Office Hours

Sun 30

Office Hours: Online Q&A with the Teachers

September 30 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm MDT
Oct 01

The Joy of Sex and Relationship: Online Course

October 1 - October 22
Oct 14

Office Hours: Online Q&A with the Teachers

October 14 @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm MDT

View More…

Awakening Resources: Read, Watch, Listen

See all: Planet Dharma content. Like this content? Get it delivered to your inbox: Subscribe Now.

Read: Articles

Book Launch: Wasteland to Pureland – Teachings of Dharma

Teachings on Society’s Struggles and What We Can Do   The book  launch for Wasteland to Pureland, a collection of teachings and reflections from Dharma Teachers Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat, is fast approaching on September 21, 2018. Here is what they had to...
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Overcoming Hurt

We all have experienced hurt from life experiences: rejection, failure, shame. This may cause us to hide and protect ourselves, but this prevents us from truly showing up in the world. How do we overcome hurt? Dharma teachers Doug and Catherine Sensei share some of...
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How to Awaken Faster in One Easy Step: Moving From Self to Service

When we aren’t meditating or working, what are we doing? Too often we are focused on ego preferences – the food we like, the people we like, the movies we like or dislike. But moving one’s focus from ‘self’, to ‘service’ is fundamental to the deepening of enlightenment.

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Video: The Three Most Important Parts of Your Astrology Chart

Are you new to astrology? Astrology is a great awareness tool for greater freedom from habitual patterning. This video explains the three (or four) most important parts of your astrology chart. Learn how to get started, and what these important basics mean for you.

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Studying the Western Mysteries: To Will, Know, Dare and be Silent

Embarking on the Hero's Journey Entering into the journey of self-exploration calls for a hero. In studying the Western Mysteries, this journey is called the hero’s journey. “To will, to know, to dare and to be silent”, therein lie the instructions for this particular...
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Opening to Generosity, Again

One of the things that drew me to Buddhism is also one of its most frustrating aspects.  We are asked to look into each experience itself and see what it has to teach us. We aren't supposed to just blindly follow the Buddha or living spiritual teachers.  We are meant...
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Embracing Community for Spiritual Growth – Why It’s Important

If you want to really live well, and grow spiritually, embracing community is key. Find out why its so important in this blog post, based on an excerpt from Dharma If You Dare.

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The Desire for Awakening: Why am I here on this Planet, in this Body?

Why are you here on planet Earth, here in this body? Is there a desire for awakening? Are you seeking a place where the consciousness is clear, radiant and quiet? Are you desiring a mind that is blissful and spacious at all times? We call that the desire to awaken,...
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Diving into the Spaciousness of Phenomena (aka Meditation)

The Mind is Empty Yet Manifests Phenomena The mind in essence is empty. But that doesn’t stop phenomena from happening. The mind is going to manifest phenomena. Surely. Without ceasing. Always. By learning to dive beneath the waves of the phenomena we can find the...
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Are You Listening to Your Inner Demon or Daemon?

Your “calling” or your “daemon” is the part of your being that you cannot deny – it is a guiding light that demands to be followed. It is your bodhicitta, the awakening mind. The question is, how does one find one’s daemon?

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Watch: Videos

Watkins Bookstore

by | September 15, 2018 | Videos | 0 Comments

Interview with Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat ~ authors of “Wasteland to Pureland"   Dharma teachers Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat talk about their upcoming book Wasteland to Pureland coming out September 21. Learn about how the Dharma path can help you...
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Banyen Books and Sound Interview

by | September 15, 2018 | Videos | 0 Comments

Wasteland to Pureland: Doug Duncan Sensei & Catherine Pawasarat This is a delightful inteview about shedding limitations of the spiritual life and continuously cultivating wholesome mindstates that contribute to harmony and happiness for all beings on this planet. The...
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What is the Purpose of Spiritual Practice?

by | May 25, 2018 | Videos | 0 Comments

Why bother with spiritual practice? What is the point of it? In this video, Dharma Teachers Doug & Catherine Sensei explain why the purpose of spiritual practice is not about ‘fixing’ yourself or the world – its about asking a better question – what is human consciousness capable of?

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You Say Love, I Say Loove: Dharmic Astrology Tips for Relationships

by | May 4, 2018 | Astro-Dharma, Videos | 0 Comments

Key parts of your astrology chart for relationships In this video, Dharma Teacher Catherine Pawasarat Sensei shares some astrology tips for relationships. How can you use astrology to aid in your practice of Dharma and awakening? What are your styles of relating with...
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Video: The Power of Western Meditations & Star Group

by | April 5, 2018 | Videos | 0 Comments

Meditations from the Western spiritual traditions are creative and imaginative. In this video Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat share about the Western Mysteries and why Star Group and Western meditations are so powerful.

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Video: How to Conquer Your Money Worries…Be Generous!

by | March 24, 2018 | Videos | 0 Comments

Do you suffer from money worries? Learn how you can use basic Buddhist principles to conquer your money woes once and for all. It’s a solution you would never expect.

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Video: Feeding Positivity in a World of Negativity

by | March 10, 2018 | Videos | 0 Comments

Feeding Positivity in a World of Negativity With all the negativity in our 'crisis news network' style culture, it can be hard to stay positive. If we're eating a lot of negativity in the news, on social media, in entertainment, then that's what we become. Luckily...
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Video: How to Live Your Most Beautiful Life

by | March 3, 2018 | Videos | 0 Comments

Want to live your most beautiful life? Dharma Teachers Doug & Catherine Sensei often talk about ‘becoming a work of art’. In this video, they explain what that means and the role of the six ‘paramis’ or perfections.

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Video: Being Okay with Being Alone in Your Relationship

by | January 18, 2018 | Videos | 0 Comments

To come to terms with the relationships in our lives we need to come to terms with ‘aloneness’. How can we grow more content alone and together?

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Video: Transformative Change & Meditation

by | September 24, 2017 | Videos | 0 Comments

At some point every serious spiritual seeker asks the profound question: how does true transformative change come about? In this video, Doug Duncan Sensei shares how we need to begin with structural change at the core of our being.

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Listen: Audio

Finding your growth edge [12:52]

by | July 4, 2018 | Podcasts | 0 Comments

What`s your most challenging growth edge?  What sparks you?  This lively, informal and interactive extract is from a class in our 2017 "Buddhas in Action" retreat at Clear Sky Retreat Center in B.C., Canada, with Achariya Doug Duncan, Catherine Pawasarat Sensei & some...
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Tips on becoming a “Buddha in action” [17:31]

by | June 16, 2018 | Podcasts | 0 Comments

In this new Planet Dharma episode, Achariya Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei shine light on the principle that “buddhas in action” (spiritual explorers waking up and growing through the path of selfless service) continually explore the question “What is...
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Healing the Splits Within [4:50]

by | April 26, 2018 | Podcasts | 0 Comments

How do we heal the splits within? In this 5 minute podcast episode, Achariya Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei elaborate on this question. They share that complete or wholesome effort is when we are in the moment and not distracted by conflicting emotions or...
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A vision bigger than your lifetime [10:25]

by | April 19, 2018 | Podcasts | 0 Comments

Letting the study of nature and consciousness inform your vision and career Catherine Sensei begins this episode explaining, “The natural cycles of nature are in essence the same as the natural cycles of dharma, karma and consciousness."  There's a natural wisdom and...
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Perfect Generosity [4:02]

by | March 20, 2018 | Podcasts | 0 Comments

In this podcast Achariya Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei expand on the six perfections (Paramis) of Generosity, Discipline, Acceptance, Effort, Concentration, Insight and share “If you can perfect generosity, all the rest will follow.” When we do not apply...
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