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Mastering the Sixteen Stages of Insight (Meditation Retreat)
August 7, 2020 - August 21, 2020
Mastering the Sixteen Stages of Insight
Meditation Retreat ONLINE or in BC, Canada| August 7-21, 2020“Within this fathom long body, I show you the arising and passing away of the universe.” -Shakyamuni Buddha
Mastering the Sixteen Stages of Insight
Through the Practice of the Foundations of Mindfulness
Life is repetitious––we do many things over and over again, often in the same habitual way. The path of insight is about vipassana, literally meaning “looking again and again.”
In insight meditation, we look again and again at the arisings within the mind in order to uncover the patterns within. Our minds and bodies are our most precise tools as well as our laboratories.
By liberating unconscious patterns, we liberate karma from neurotic repetition. We make way for more wholesome karma–becoming a manifestation of compassion, loving-kindness, empathetic joy and equanimity in the world.
Experience Acariya Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei’s mastery of insight in this powerful and rare two-week insight meditation retreat.
Held online, and at our home retreat centre, Clear Sky, a 21st-century model for innovative awakening, situated in the beautiful B.C. Rocky Mountains.
Online Retreat Option
Can’t fly here? Do the retreat where you are.
It might not be possible to get to Clear Sky to do this retreat. Join us from wherever you are in the world instead.
Basic requirements to do the retreat online:
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- Block out the two weeks and be focused on the retreat for this entire period, using this time and participating in the retreat as if you were at Clear Sky in person. This includes a rigorous, full, daily meditation schedule.
- Participate in all of the daily classes and group practices via online streaming.
- Set up a quiet space or location where you can focus on the Meditation Retreat, and not need to engage in conversation or work with others.
- Put away your phone, digital devices and other distractions.
- If there are enough people in the same time zone as you, you could also make a cohort to meet to do a group practice throughout the retreat.
Retreat schedule:
(Time Zone: MST, subject to change)
- [Personal Meditation / Breakfast]
- 9am – 10am: Class with Teachers
- 10:30am – 11:30am: Group Practice lead by Sangha
- [Personal Meditation / Lunch]
- 3pm – 4 pm: Group Practice lead by Sangha
- [Personal Meditation / Dinner]
- 7:30pm – 8:30pm: Group Practice and Q & A with Teachers
- [Personal Meditation / Sleep]
Mastering the Sixteen Stages of Insight
Through the Practice of the Foundations of Mindfulness
August 7-21, 2020
Why this Retreat?
This classic meditation retreat supports mastery of the sixteen stages of insight through the practice of the seven paths of purification.
Through vipassana or insight practice we cultivate mindfulness and awareness, with the ultimate aim of final liberation of the mind from greed, hatred and delusion. When we purify our minds and bodies of these defilements, our original pure nature––awakening itself––is what remains.
The framework we’ll use is the classical seven stages of purification from Buddhaghosa’s 5th-century text Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification). Through these seven highly embodied, experiential stages, we develop various phases of insight knowledge, leading up to ultimate liberation.
Through bare insight or direct observation, we perceive our own physical and mental processes as impermanent, subject to suffering, and without an inherent independent self.
This retreat’s daily intensive meditation practice is essential to support the intellectual learning in classes. Body contemplation will be central to this practice. As our practice deepens, insight knowledges unfold in order as a natural outcome.
What Can I expect with this Retreat?
The Course
- This meditation retreat consists of many hours of consecutive practice each day. Therefore some experience, especially with insight meditation, is highly recommended.
- NOTE: If this is your first two-week retreat, advance permission from the teachers is required.
- An open mind and heart, and a spirit of adventure are excellent things to bring!
- It’s human to have some apprehensions about doing something new, meeting new people, or going to a new place. Particularly when all three happen together. We try to make this as supportive as possible.
- This is a silent retreat. To deepen your meditation, we ask that participants refrain from reading, using the internet, phone or listening to music during the course.
- Exceptions are recommended texts we’ll be using during this course.
The Location – Clear Sky Center
- Located in the BC rocky mountains, Clear Sky offers over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature. Founded by Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat, the centre is home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world.
- How to get there, what to bring and other FAQ about Clear Sky
- Our teachings and Clear Sky operate based on the ancient tradition of dāna or generosity. As generosity is the basis upon which all spiritual practice flourishes, we recommend that you learn more about this profound practice before you register.
Required Reading
- Seven Stages of Purification and the Insight Knowledges by Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera (1998-07-28): PDF / Amazon
Recommended reading:
- Namgyal Rinpoche’s Breath of Awakening, a commentary on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
- The Progress of Insight by Mahasi Sayadaw, and
- Manual for Checking Your Vipassana-Kammathana Progress, by Udom Vijjanana Thera.
This is a silent retreat, with the exception that you may read and use any and all of these precious texts. They’re available in the Clear Sky shop or by clicking on the hyperlinks above. If ordering on your own, we recommend you do so well in advance, as delivery times vary.
Meet the Teachers
Catherine Pawasarat
Doug Duncan
What Do Previous Retreatants Say?
Through the power of long dedication, deep meditation, and wise guidance, life can definitely be transformed. If you get a chance to study with Doug-sensei and Catherine, don’t miss it. This kind of spiritual guidance and down to earth work have deeply shifted many people’s lives and led to deep awakenings.
Doug and Catherine Sensei are living examples of the dharma teachings. In their presence, they have the ability to put me at ease and their teachings (somewhat mysteriously) become alive and intimate. I trust in their one-pointed focus on whatever it takes to speed their students unrealized potential.
Course Fees & Requirements
All Retreatants: A Dāna Based Retreat
This retreat is offered on the basis of dāna (generosity).
Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”, and is the traditional way in which Buddhist teachings are offered. With dāna, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. You may have come across this in the form of “pay from the heart”. It’s our joy to offer this course, and we trust you’ll match our time, energy, and passion by giving an amount of money that feels good and healthy to both you and us.
You will be sent a link to offer “dana” to the teachers after registration.
For more information on dāna click here.
For Online Retreatants: Admin Fees & Requirements
In order to bring you this retreat an home, there is an additional pay by the heart, sliding scale admin fee* of $200-$700. The admin fee is to cover the costs of running these online courses – for equipment and software to provide you the teachings online.
If you are taking this retreat online, we require that you devote your full attention to the retreat for the entire two weeks.
Requirements include:
- Block out the two weeks and be focused on the retreat for this entire period, using this time and participating in the retreat as if you were at Clear Sky in person. This includes a rigorous, full, daily meditation schedule.
- Participate in all of the daily classes and group practices via online streaming.
- Set up a quiet space or location where you can focus on the Meditation Retreat, and not need to engage in conversation or work with others.
- Put away your phone, digital devices and other distractions.
- If there are enough people in the same time zone as you, you could also make a cohort to meet to do a group practice throughout the retreat.
- Note: full details/ requirements will be sent to you after registering
About the administrative fee*
In a traditional model of in-person teachings, a retreat center or urban meditation center invites teachers to visit. In these cases the centers have infrastructure and organization costs to cover, which might be covered by an admin fee. For the teaching itself, dāna to the teachers is offered in a bowl. This honors both the sustainability of the teachers, and of the supporting center.
We’ve tried to recreate this approach online.
The teachers’ time and the teaching themselves are offered on the basis of dāna, separate to the admin fee. With our dāna offering we are making a direct gift of generosity to the teachers to support their teachings and livelihood. Learn more about the practice of dāna here.
The admin fee goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know, it can be surprising the costs of setting up a good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online.
Below are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting:
- high speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)
- online class systems (Zoom)
- registration / admin systems (Eventbrite, Basecamp)
- communication systems to keep everyone informed, share connection details, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)
- online storage (for example, Dropbox, to allow us to let students watch recordings, and to store and share selected teachings in other forms such as podcasts and video later, and Amazon cloud)
- quality sound, video and editing equipment (both for live teachings and to provide good enough quality for later sharing as podcasts and video). We are regularly updating our equipment to improve your user experience.
- online calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews
- website hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses, teachings, blogs and other resources.
May all our efforts be sustainable, abundant and for the benefit of all beings!
We welcome any questions. Please feel free to contact [email protected].
Retreatants at Clear Sky: Lodging Fees & Covid 19 Protocols
In addition to Dana to the teachers, Clear Sky Meditation Centre provides an incredible space for your retreat. Situated on a beautiful 310-acre property in the Rocky Mountains, the center and its karma yogis provides you nourishing daily meals and comfortable accomodation.
Please go to the retreat registration page for this retreat for details of the all inclusive fee for the two week retreat.
Covid-19 Protocols
Please note, we are taking measures to keep us all healthy during this retreat, including:
- You must have experienced no symptoms associated with covid-19 in the past 14 days.
- You have not travelled outside of Canada in the past 14 days.
- Physical distancing (2m) amongst all visiting retreatants will be observed during this retreat.
- Please bring your own face mask(s) that you will feel comfortable wearing. When physical distancing is not possible during this retreat, you will be asked to wear a mask.
- Sanitation and hand washing procedures will be explained when you come and must be followed.
Detailed Daily Schedule
Specific times may change (MST)
| RETREAT DAILY SCHEDULE | |
| 6:30 – 7:30 AM | Walk &/or Personal Practice |
| 7:30 – 8:15 AM | Breakfast: Prepare, eat, clean up |
| 8:15 – 8:45 AM | Walk &/or Personal Practice |
| 9:00 – 10:00 AM | Class with Teachers |
| 10:00 – 10:30 AM | Walk |
| 10:30 – 11:30 AM | Group Practice lead by Sangha |
| 11:30 – 12:30 PM | Personal Practice |
| 12:30 – 1:30 PM | Lunch: Prepare, eat, clean up |
| 1:30 – 3:00 PM | Personal Practice |
| 3:00 – 4:00 PM | Group Practice lead by Sangha |
| 4:00 – 5:30 PM | Personal Practice |
| 5:30 – 7:00 PM | Dinner: prepare, eat, clean up |
| 7:00 – 7:30 PM | Walk &/or Personal Practice |
| 7:30 – 8:30 PM | Group Practice and Q & A with Teachers |
| 8:30 – beyond | Personal Practice & bed |
Ready to Register?
Please click on the buttons below to register for either retreat option. If you have questions about the retreat, please phone 250-429-3929, or contact [email protected].