BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Planet Dharma - ECPv6.18.0//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.planetdharma.com X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Planet Dharma REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Edmonton BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20250309T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20251102T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20260308T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20261101T080000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260710T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260712T163000 DTSTAMP:20260630T021901Z CREATED:20251229T062422Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260630T021901Z UID:10000684-1783702800-1783873800@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:As the Spirit Moves 2026 DESCRIPTION:As the Spirit Moves\n Online or In-Person | July 10-12\, 2026\n Expect the unexpected! How will the Spirit move? This weekend is an offering of raw Dharma from the Teacher. You get to show up and experience epic Dharmic teachings\, without a particular predetermined subject. Be ready for anything and everything Dharma. Unforeseen\, undetermined\, unregulated. No seatbelts allowed. \n OverviewRegistration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As the Spirit Moves\nA Tradition Born from Spontaneous Teaching\nThis retreat honors a tradition started by Qapel (Acariya Doug Duncan)\, one of Planet Dharma’s founding teachers. Qapel created this offering as a space for spontaneous teachings—whatever the teacher feels is most important to share at this particular time\, in this particular place\, with these particular beings. \nIn the past\, people “showed up” for Dharma teachings\, regardless of topic. The teachings given were inspired by the energy of the people there. Qapel used to say that he would go to a class of his Teacher\, Namgyal Rinpoche\, even if he were just reading a phone book! The Spirit of Dharma… it moves! \nSo\, are you ready to join Catherine Pawasarat Sensei for an eclectic weekend of “old school” style Dharma teachings? Wisdom invites you to learn on the path of riding the dragon\, come what may. \nAs you are well aware\, life is a great big journey into the unknown\, a Dharmic odyssey. This weekend is the same! Come to soak in Dharmic teachings from Catherine Sensei\, have fun\, and learn more about how to be the kind of being you want to be. As Bodhisattvas\, we keep on diving into learning how to be of service and help alleviate the suffering of beings. It’s an amazing ride\, and every opportunity to dive into the depth of Dharma is a precious one. How do we know what we need to hear—and when we hear it\, will we listen? There’s only one way to find out. \nTake a leap of faith. Join the Teacher. Join the spirit of integral evolution. We dare you! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teacher\n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher\, attendant\, consort\, co-teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan from 1998 until his passing in 2024\, in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course Details\n \nTime and Location\nAs the Spirit Moves will be led by Catherine Pawasarat Sensei at Clear Sky Meditation Center in Eastern BC. This course is offered in-person with an online option for those not in Western Canada. \nSchedule / Class Times \nClasses will be 60-90 mins in duration\, with classes in the morning and evening and possibly the afternoon each day (Mountain Time) – the exact schedule to be confirmed. Please ensure you are available for the whole weekend to focus on the course material and attend classes live. \nOnline participants\nare expected to attend classes live. We will arrange class times to be comfortable for most time zones. However we understand that some class times might occur after midnight in some regions\, if this is the case for you\, please let us know when you register. Then we can provide a recording so you can catch up on that particular class. \nWhat Does the Course Cost?\nIn-Person Participants: 1) dāna to the Teacher plus 2) accommodation and meal costs for your stay Clear Sky Meditation Centre. \nOnline Participants: 1) dāna to the Teacher 2) online administration fee of $150 CAD. \nKeen Practitioner Pricing: Book now and get 10% off listed prices. Offer valid until June 6\, 2026. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About DānaAbout the Online Admin Fee\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. 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. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us. \nConversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here.\n \n \n \n \n \n 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. \nWe’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. \nThe 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. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. \n— \nBelow are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: \n\nhigh speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)\nonline class systems (Zoom)\nregistration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)\ncommunication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)\nonline 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)\nquality 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.\nonline calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews\nwebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.\n\nWe welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Registration\nImportant: Please register early. The Registration deadline is July 4th\, 2026. \n \n In Person Registration \n \n Online Registration \n \n \n \n \n \n Questions?\nIf you have questions about the retreat\, please contact the Clear Sky Retreat Manager at 250-429-3929  (phone) or at www.clearskycenter.org (contact form).\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Why Retreat In-Person?\n Retreating in person at a retreat center is the best way to retreat – why? \n\nYou can’t beat live interaction with the course Teachers. Being in the same space with clear beings ‘tunes’ you to more wholesome states.\nWe create a welcoming environment and follow a supportive retreat schedule\, based on decades of hosting successful retreats worldwide.\nWholesome and delicious food is provided so you don’t have to spend time cooking for yourself.\nBreath-taking and restful\, natural environment puts your body and mind at ease and resets your nervous system.\nRetreating at our center gets you out of your usual home environment and routines – they can be distracting.\nRetreating with others (your co-retreatants) is incredibly supportive and energy building.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n We work hard to support the online learning experience.\n \nWe have been delivering online offerings since 2012 and are always looking for new ways to optimize your experience.\nClasses are live-streamed and some recordings are available for a certain time.\nHD cameras and professional audio equipment provide high quality video streaming.\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What Do Previous Retreatants Say?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n These are ancient teachings that I feel are important to understand if someone is serious about meditation. I appreciate Qapel and Sensei’s unrelenting perseverance to teach about the roots and traditions of these life changing practices. They explore the rich history with us and also deliver the material in a very understandable and relevant way. \nJenai LieuPsychology student\, CanadaWorking with Qapel and Sensei at the five day hero’s journey workshop was deeply impactful and has clarified not only my deepest heart’s desire\, but what I need to overcome to manifest it. They are extraordinary facilitators with a great depth of knowledge\, wisdom and presence to share. \nKira MacDuffeeM.Ed / RCCDoing karma yoga\, I watch how everyone gains new insights.  These many “a-ha moments” makes it clear to me that this type of active dharma training is a path that brings the modern spiritual explorer alive and moves them forward. \nDr. Duncan CrylePh.D IBM executive\, Clear Sky Accountability OfficerQapel and Sensei have consistently been honest\, accurate and candid with me. It has sometimes taken me years to admit my self-sabotaging blind spots. Clear and radical self-honesty liberates my sticky parts. Thank you to my master teachers for helping me free up all the energy knots – especially the ones created from unconscious patterning around money\, sex and power. \nEvangelos DiavolitsisMeditation Teacher and Coach\, Four Ways to Freedom. Italy\, Canada.Qapel and Sensei 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. \nPeter UjlakiFine Art Dealer\, Japan URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/as-the-spirit-moves-2026/ CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Retreats ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.planetdharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/GuruRimpoche.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260726 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260817 DTSTAMP:20260709T210138Z CREATED:20251222T063247Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260709T210138Z UID:10000681-1785024000-1786924799@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:Emotional Intelligence DESCRIPTION:Emotional Intelligence\n Online Course \n July 26 – August 16\, 2026 \nHave you ever said something and watched the other person’s face change—realizing they heard something completely different from what you meant? Or felt a wave of conflicting emotions arise\, not knowing whether to suppress them\, express them\, or somehow transform them? \nFrom one perspective\, we could say that conflicting emotions are the source of all of our suffering. Difficult situations can arise\, but if we don’t have conflicting emotions about them\, we don’t suffer so much—or at all. \nThis course offers something rare: the chance to learn how – from the meditator and Dharma practitioner perspective – to work skillfully with emotional arisings. It aims to help you show up in kinder\, more compassionate\, and wiser ways in the world. And one of the side benefits? You’re generally a happier person. \n Registration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Beyond Spiritual Bypassing\n\nIf you want to live a life of joy\, live as if you are on a roller coaster. Ride the dragon of sheer awe and ongoing question\, rather than the merry-go-round of safety and fixed answers. \n—Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Sensei Pawasarat (“The Mystical Life: Right View” webinars) \n\n  \n \n \n \n \n \n Here’s the truth many of us meditators need to hear: a lot of us use our meditation practices to bypass conflicting emotions\, which is different than transcending them. \nIn this course\, we’ll look at the difference between bypassing and transcending these emotions\, and discover how to use conflicting emotions skillfully to propel us further on the path. What if those difficult emotions weren’t obstacles\, but fuel?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Year of Transformation\n  \n2026 is the year of transformation here at Planet Dharma. That means growth\, skill development\, transcendence. \nThink about it: how many of your challenges right now trace back to a miscommunication? A text message that landed wrong? A conversation where you felt completely misunderstood? \nWe could likely say that 90% of our problems are related to misunderstandings in communication. Does that resonate? \nCommunication isn’t just a valuable skill—it’s vital. To be able to communicate something in a way where the other person hears what you mean\, in a wholesome way\, that’s a real\, very high skill. Because they can hear something completely different. \nWhen more of us are able to communicate that way\, it will undoubtedly improve the quality of life for all beings on the planet. The more effectively and wholesomely we learn to communicate\, the better off the Earth is. \nSo when we talk about emotional intelligence\, we’re talking about the Bodhisattva vow—and an important aspect of ecological restoration for all. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What is Emotional Intelligence\, Really?\nEmotional intelligence has a lot to do with being true to ourselves\, having integrity\, and being able to communicate in that integrity with others in skillful ways—and the ability to receive the same. \nWith the development of emotional intelligence of this kind\, if someone behaves or speaks in a way that’s not so skillful\, we’re able to receive it in a way that’s skillful. That is a form of wholesome transformation. \nThink of it as sending skillfully and receiving skillfully\, regardless of what the other person is doing. And of course\, in our own development\, we endeavor to support others to be or become skillful too. \nBody\, Speech\, and Mind\nIn this course\, we’ll look at working with emotions to help us with the Speech aspect of Body\, Speech\, and Mind. Using the Himalayan Buddhist perspective\, the Body is located in the forehead\, Speech in the throat\, and Mind in the heart. \nEmotions are located in the throat too\, so they relate to wholesome speech and self-expression—which relates to creativity! \nWhen we talk about the Body\, Speech and Mind of the Buddha\, the deity Vajrapani represents the Body\, Chenrezi—the realm of compassion—represents Speech\, and Manjushri represents Mind. Thus\, the skillfulness of our compassion pertains very closely to our Speech. \nYour Unique Line of Development\nHere’s something liberating to consider: we can think of Emotional Intelligence as its own Line of Development in the Integral model. \nYou might be brilliant cognitively\, advanced spiritually\, or gifted artistically or somatically—but not so high in the Emotional Intelligence line. This course is meant to offer us all resources to grow in the Emotional Line of Development. \nConversely\, someone might be high in the Emotional Line but not so high in the others. This course might give them a chance to shine and become more aware of growth edges! \n​ \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teacher\n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher\, attendant\, consort\, co-teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan from 1998 until his passing in 2024\, in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\nCourse Schedule\nJuly 26 – August 16\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Class Times (Mountain Time)\n\nSunday July 26 – 9:30am – 11am\nSunday Aug 2  – 9:30am – 11am\n Sunday Aug 9  – 9:30am – 11am\n\nThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays\, with a separate registration for the Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. \nWe encourage you to connect with Sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. \nFlash Retreat Weekend: Aug 15 – 16\nTo deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (Aug 15 – 16)\, offered by a separate registration\, which will include exercises to engage in. This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre in Eastern British Columbia. \nFormal group sessions will be held at these approximate times: \n\nFlash Retreat morning session: 9:30am MT\nFlash Retreat afternoon session: 2:30pm MT\nSessions will be 60-90 mins in length.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Save the Dates in your Digital Calendar Now\nDownload the course schedules (.ics) to your iCal or Google calendars.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Classes (.ics)\n \n Flash Retreat (.ics)\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course Details\n \nTime and Location\nEach of the weekly classes in this online course will be streamed live at 9:30-11am MST. We ask participants to attend live whenever possible. The recording of each class will be available for one week after each class. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. \nThe course culminates with a Flash Retreat on August 15-16\, 2026\, with formal group session times held at approx 9:30am and 2:30pm Mountain Time on Saturday and Sunday\, with a 60-90 minute duration. \nWhat Does the Course Cost?\nThis course is offered based on the unique combination of: \n\ndāna\, and\na $80-120 USD administrative fee:\n\nRegister by June 28 $80 USD\nRegister by July 12 $100 USD\nRegister by July 26 $120 USD\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n About DānaAbout the Online Admin Fee\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart.” Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity.” With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. 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. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No one is excluded for lack of funds. However\, it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able. \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure. Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us. \nIf you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. \nWe're delighted to share that we created a short online course so that you can learn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n 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. \nWe’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. \nThe admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, the costs of setting up good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online can be surprising. \nOur admin fee changes based on the date of registration. \nRegister four + weeks prior: $80 Register two to four weeks prior: $100Register less than two weeks prior: $120 \n*We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. \n--- \nBelow are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: \n\nHigh speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)\nOnline class systems (Zoom)\nRegistration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)\nCommunication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)\nOnline 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)\nQuality 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.\nOnline calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews\nWebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.\n\nWe welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Flash Retreat in community: students at Clear Sky Centre and online\, learning together. \n \n Registration \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dearest Cata Sensei\,\nTHANK YOU – for holding and shining the outstanding love\, care\, compassion and wisdom that you do. We are so grateful to have you in our lives and for your presence in this world of ours.\nMuch love\, gratitude and appreciation to you for the incredible woman\, teacher and human being your are. Thank you for being a true light and inspiration in this world. \nRuth LevinMFA\, Small Business Owner\, Movement Teacher & Performing ArtistCatherine Sensei is an excellent teacher with a gentle manner and a keen intellect and breadth of knowledge. \nDean Nicholson Executive DirectorIt is simply hard to put the ineffable to words. I don’t find meditation easy\, but I do find it worth it. I would not have dreamed that a 3 day online retreat could resolve complicated matters that I have wrestled with for years. Yet it did. Thank you\, Sensei. Thank you each one of you at Clear Sky. \nCheryl Bate Clinical Counsellor\, Private Practise\, Whistler\, BCCatherine Sensei is an inspiring model and teacher of Women in Buddhism. She deftly weaves context\, questions and her own experiences with wisdom\, curiosity and a stunning clarity. \nMichelle Heinz Integral CoachDear Catherine Sensei\, we are so blessed to have you as one of the dedicated teachers at Clear Sky. I admire your continued commitment to helping us and others on the planet and I am awed by your abilities.  \nDan O'BrianAuthor\, Japan SeriesDear Catherine Sensei\,\nThank you for your unwavering compassion and commitment to support and accelerate The unfoldment of all beings around you.\nIt is a blessing and a privilege to be one of the lucky few who can bask in the glow of this radiance. \nDave Basu RoyChef\, food business strategist and socialpreneur URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/emotional-intelligence/ CATEGORIES:Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.planetdharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/8.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260918 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260921 DTSTAMP:20260915T221110Z CREATED:20251222T083211Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260915T221110Z UID:10000682-1789689600-1789948799@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:AstroDharma 2026: The Nodes & Your Planetary Purpose DESCRIPTION:AstroDharma: The Nodes & Your Planetary Purpose\n Online or In-Person | September 18-20\, 2026\n What does the planet need from you? Who are you here to be? And how do you get there from here? These aren’t small questions. You sense there’s a unique contribution only you can make. A purpose that’s yours alone. But how do you find it? More importantly—how do you live it? \nThe nodes in your astrological chart hold the map. They show your path of spiritual progress in this lifetime. Your South Node reveals your karma—the familiar patterns you default to\, the conditioning that keeps you stuck. Your North Node points to your Dharma—the direction your soul is being called to grow\, the gifts you’re here to share with the world. \nJoin Catherine Sensei for a transformative weekend that helps you discover how to use your natural resources—your talents\, your experiences\, your unique energy—to be more generous in the world. This isn’t abstract spiritual philosophy. This is about finding your planetary purpose and learning how to actually embody it. \n OverviewRegistration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This course is for you if:\n\nYou want to study an astrological Dharmic framework with a wisdom teacher in the Namgyal lineage.\nYou’re ready to learn how to get unstuck from your conditioning and discover where you want to acquire experience\, knowledge\, and skills to develop your unique Dharmic path\nYou’re seeking greater clues into finding your planetary purpose—who you’re here to be in this lifetime\nYou’re part of a Sangha and want to better understand one another’s patterns so you can transform interpersonal conflict into mutual support (this course is really good for Sanghas).\nYou want practical tools for recognizing energy dynamics in your relationships and shifting them in more wholesome way\nYou’re ready to discover how to share your gifts with the world in a way that actually serves\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n You Know That Feeling When…\n  \n\nYou keep hitting the same walls\, running the same patterns\, and you know there’s a way through but you can’t quite see it\nYou sense you have gifts to offer the world\, but you’re not sure what they are or how to share them\nYour relationships keep triggering the same dynamics\, and you wonder if there’s a deeper pattern at play\nYou’re ready to get unstuck from old conditioning and step into who you’re truly meant to be\nYou’re part of a spiritual community and you want to understand the energy dynamics that create harmony (or friction) between people\nYou feel called to something bigger but you’re not sure how to bridge the gap between where you are and where you need to be. \nIf any of these resonate\, this course is for you.\n\n \nWhy the Nodes Matter\n  \nThe nodes describe how we can use our natural resources\, our talents\, to be more generous in the world. They show us where we get stuck and how to get unstuck. They reveal where we have gifts and where there’s potential for further growth. \nThe nodes were one of the parts of AstroDharma that our late teacher Qapel had the most interest in\, and a key area Catherine Sensei focuses on in her AstroDharma teachings. \nThis course is especially powerful for developing community. Understanding one another’s AstroDharmic patterns—your natal horoscopes—can really help us take interpersonal conflict and look at the energy dynamics that are involved. Instead of the usual patterns of either engaging in interpersonal conflict or avoiding it altogether\, you’ll learn how to understand these dynamics and shift them in more wholesome ways so you can really support one another. \nThe course links beautifully to the Emotional Intelligence course—the nodes work reveals the deeper patterns at play\, while emotional intelligence gives you the skills to navigate them skillfully. We strongly recommend taking them together for a complete approach to working with yourself and others. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What You’ll Discover:\nIn this course\, we’ll explore the nodes from multiple angles—what they portray astronomically and astrologically\, how they show up in our lives\, and specifically how they show up for you. \nYou’ll learn:\n\nHow the nodes reveal your path of spiritual progress in this lifetime\nWhere your conditioning keeps you stuck—and how to get unstuck\nWhere you want to acquire experience\, knowledge\, and skills to develop your unique Dharmic path\nHow to use your natural resources (talents) to be more generous in the world\nTools for understanding interpersonal dynamics and energy patterns within communities\nHow to bridge the gap from where you are to who you’re meant to be\n\nFor in-person participants: You’ll experience somatic AstroDharma mandalas (somatic constellations) to explore the nodes through your body. These are visceral\, compelling experiences that bring the teachings alive in a whole new way. Lucky us! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Why AstroDharma Works\nFor spiritual seekers looking to grow\, this unique combination of Buddhism and Transpersonal Astrology speeds us up on our spiritual path. \nMany of us in the West are raised to celebrate the individual self—to find our unique path and explore why we’re here on this planet. Yet Buddhist Dharma leaps over personalization by teaching that there is no inherent self\, and that we must realize this to find spiritual awakening. \nFor many of us\, that’s a big leap. \nOn the way\, we may miss valuable lessons about how to compassionately show up in the world as unique individuals. AstroDharma bridges these two systems. Transpersonal Western astrology reveals individual patterns and influences—we get a window into the energies\, the pushes and pulls of the psyche. Dharma expands the view beyond self\, into a path of service to community\, for the benefit of all beings. \nOver time\, with growing confidence and awareness\, we can transcend our natal charts and awaken. But first\, we work with what we’ve got. \nWe initially pursued AstroDharma because Namgyal Rinpoche also taught astrology. We’ve found it to be an effective tool for helping us explore our patterns. It’s unique for each person\, and AstroDharma helps us unpack that uniqueness so you can use it better for yourself and for others. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What to Bring\nWe really encourage you to be here in person if possible—you’ll get the most out of the somatic constellation work and the energy of practicing in community. But we also support online participants with high-quality streaming and interactive classes. \nCome prepared with: \n\nYour astrological chart (instructions provided upon registration).\nAn open mind and questions that matter to you\n\nThis is a weekend to clear your schedule and focus. Bring your curiosity. Bring your stuck places. Bring your willingness to discover who you’re really here to be. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teacher\n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. She has developed AstroDharma as a tool for transformation\, synthesizing Buddhist teachings on spiritual awakening with transpersonal Western astrology based on the teachings of Carl Jung. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan from 1998 until his passing in 2024 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West\, and received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nSince the early 2000s\, Catherine has provided dharma training and taught the  path of awakening to hundreds of students. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, she draws on generative living\, transpersonal astrology\, and Japanese arts. Catherine comes from a lineage of spiritual awakening that values the best of Eastern and Western philosophy—an ideal training for Westerners and an evolution of traditional teachings for the modern seeker. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n An Episode from our Podcast: On the North and South Nodes\, Chiron and Saturn\nIn this AstroDharma podcast episode\, Catherine Pawasarat Sensei and Doug ‘Qapel’ Duncan explore parts of our natal charts that are particularly connected to spiritual and personal transformation\, including Chiron\, Saturn\, and North and South Nodes. They explain how these lenses can help us get unstuck\, transform challenges into tools\, and take things in our lives less personally. This includes how to use astrology to integrate our shadow and realize our fullest potential. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bonus Gift for Course Participants\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Online AstroDharma Course INCLUDED\nCatherine Sensei also offers an online Intro to AstroDharma course which you will be able to access at the end of this course. This will help you continue your studies. The course will be available upon request to participants who complete the retreat. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course Details\nTime and Location\nLed by Catherine Pawasarat Sensei at Clear Sky Meditation Center in Eastern BC. Available in-person or online. \nRetreating at Clear Sky means you can participate in the in-person somatic AstroDharma constellation work—always a more grounded\, supportive\, communal experience. \nSchedule / Class Times\nAll listed in Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)\, and will be 60-90 minutes in duration.  Please clear your schedule for the entire weekend to focus on this work. The following class times are approximate: \n\nFriday\, September 18 — 7pm (arrive on-site at 3pm)\nSaturday\, September 19 — 9am\, 2pm\, plus in-person somatic work at 7pm\nSunday\, September 20 — 9am\, 2pm\, plus in-person somatic work at 4pm\n\nOnline participants are expected to attend classes live.  We have arranged class times to be comfortable for most time zones. However we understand that some class times might occur after midnight in some regions; if this is the case for you\, please let us know when you register. We can provide a recording so you can catch up on that particular class if it occurs in the middle of the night for you. \nWhat you’ll need: Your astrology chart with the Nodes\, Chiron\, and Eris\, using Placidus house system. Detailed instructions provided upon registration. \nNote: this course links well to the Emotional Intelligence course offered in July\, 2026—we recommend considering them together. \nWhat Does the Course Cost?\nIn-Person Participants: \n1) dāna to the Teacher plus \n2) accomodation and meal costs for your stay Clear Sky Meditation Centre. \nOnline Participants: \n1) dāna to the Teacher \n2) online administration fee of $170 CAD. \nKeen practitioner pricing: 5% savings on program fees available until July 19\, 2026. \nImportant: The last day to register is one week prior to the retreat start date. Please register early. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About DānaAbout the Online Admin Fee\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart.” Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity.” With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. 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. \nThe Dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able. \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us. \nConversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here.\n \n \n \n \n \n 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. \nWe’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. \nThe 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. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. \n*We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. \n— \nBelow are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: \n\nhigh speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)\nonline class systems (Zoom)\nregistration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)\ncommunication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)\nonline 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)\nquality 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.\nonline calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews\nwebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.\n\nWe welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings!\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Registration\nIMPORTANT: In Person –  Keen Practitioner Pricing: Book now and get 10% off listed prices. Offer valid until July 19\, 2026.    \n Online retreatants\, please register as early as possible so there is time to prepare your charts. (Register for online by Sep\, 11 2026.) \n \n Register for in-person retreat \n \n Register for Online \n \n \n \n \n \n Questions?\nIf you have questions about the retreat\, please contact the Clear Sky Retreat Manager at 250-429-3929  (phone) or at www.clearskycenter.org (contact form).\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Why Retreat In-Person?\n Retreating in person at a retreat center is the best way to retreat – why? \n\nYou can’t beat live interaction with the course Teachers. Being in the same space with clear beings ‘tunes’ you to more wholesome states.\nWe create a welcoming environment and follow a supportive retreat schedule\, based on decades of hosting successful retreats worldwide.\nWholesome and delicious food is provided so you don’t have to spend time cooking for yourself.\nBreath-taking and restful\, natural environment puts your body and mind at ease and resets your nervous system.\nRetreating at our center gets you out of your usual home environment and routines – they can be distracting.\nRetreating with others (your co-retreatants) is incredibly supportive and energy building.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n We work hard to support the online learning experience.\n \nWe have been delivering online offerings since 2012 and are always looking for new ways to optimize your experience.\nClasses are live-streamed and some recordings are available for a certain time.\nHD cameras and professional audio equipment provide high quality video streaming.\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What Do Previous Retreatants Say?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n These are ancient teachings that I feel are important to understand if someone is serious about meditation. I appreciate Qapel and Sensei’s unrelenting perseverance to teach about the roots and traditions of these life changing practices. They explore the rich history with us and also deliver the material in a very understandable and relevant way. \nJenai LieuPsychology student\, CanadaWorking with Qapel and Sensei at the five day hero’s journey workshop was deeply impactful and has clarified not only my deepest heart’s desire\, but what I need to overcome to manifest it. They are extraordinary facilitators with a great depth of knowledge\, wisdom and presence to share. \nKira MacDuffeeM.Ed / RCCDoing karma yoga\, I watch how everyone gains new insights.  These many “a-ha moments” makes it clear to me that this type of active dharma training is a path that brings the modern spiritual explorer alive and moves them forward. \nDr. Duncan CrylePh.D IBM executive\, Clear Sky Accountability OfficerQapel and Sensei have consistently been honest\, accurate and candid with me. It has sometimes taken me years to admit my self-sabotaging blind spots. Clear and radical self-honesty liberates my sticky parts. Thank you to my master teachers for helping me free up all the energy knots – especially the ones created from unconscious patterning around money\, sex and power. \nEvangelos DiavolitsisMeditation Teacher and Coach\, Four Ways to Freedom. Italy\, Canada.Qapel and Sensei 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. \nPeter UjlakiFine Art Dealer\, Japan \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Free AstroDharma Resources \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Free AstroDharma Resources\n We’d like to gift you three AstroDharma resources that we’ve found very helpful. Subscribe to get the following tools\, direct to your inbox: \n\nAstroDharma Reference Chart (Handy printable guide)\nThe 3 Most Important Parts of Your Chart (Video)\nAstroDharma and Relationships (Video)\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n How We Use AstroDharma\n For spiritual seekers looking to grow\, the unique combination of Buddhism and Transpersonal Astrology speed us up on our spiritual path. \nAt our meditation centre\, we use Western astrology alongside Buddhist philosophy and meditation practice.  This helps our students transform their challenges more effectively. \nThere are five key aspects of AstroDharma study:\n1. Understand how to read your own astrological birth chart.\n2. Harness and develop its positive elements wisely.\n3. Recognize and overcome elements that may be out-of-balance.\n4. Use this knowledge to redirect your energy into more effective patterns of living.\n5. Use meditation\, and ideally work with teachers and a spiritual community\, to go deeper and fully investigate and liberate the subtle patterns and conditioning.\n \n \n \n \n \n Teacher Bio\n Catherine Pawasarat \nSince the early 2000s Catherine has provided dharma training and taught the path of awakening to hundreds of students\, together with Doug Duncan Sensei and on her own. In addition to Astrology and Buddhist philosophy and their applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living (a.k.a. sustainability) and the arts. \nCatherine is from a lineage of spiritual awakening that values the best of Eastern and Western philosophy. Her partner Doug Duncan Sensei and their teacher Namgyal Rinpoche excel in teaching both methods. This is an ideal training for Westerners\, and an evolution of traditional teachings for the modern seeker. \nIn addition to Planet Dharma and Clear Sky\, her website GionFestival.org shares her ground-breaking work on the spiritual traditions and sustainability of Kyoto’s 1100-year-old Gion Festival.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Free AstroDharma Resources – Join our Community\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n AstroDharma is a profound and vast study. Join our Planet Dharma newsletter to get a handy AstroDharma one-page reference guide and an introductory video to help you get oriented\, as well as periodic updates and teachings from Planet Dharma.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n InstagramThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.Name*\n \n \n \n First\n \n \n \n \n Email*\n \n \n Start Now \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Δ\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Once you click please wait momentarily. URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/astrodharma-2026-the-nodes-your-planetary-purpose/ CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Retreats ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.planetdharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/AstroDharma-Background-3.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261009 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261026 DTSTAMP:20260303T233415Z CREATED:20251229T083831Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260303T233415Z UID:10000685-1791504000-1792972799@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:Tantric Meditation Retreat 2026 DESCRIPTION:Tantric Meditation Retreat\n With Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\n October 9 – October 25\, 2026\nThis seventeen-day intensive practice retreat invites you into the heart of Vajrayana practice itself. We’ll journey through the complete path of Tantra—from essential foundational practices through the pinnacle of Highest Yoga Tantra and Mahamudra—moving beyond intellectual understanding into direct experience of the incredible mystery of existence. \n Registration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Perhaps it is a more difficult path since we tend to get caught up in our desires that end up in attachment that is the source of suffering. But it is also a richer and more integrated path as we can use our full human potential and capabilities to rediscover wonderment without the clinging that causes suffering. \n Qapel (Acharya Doug Duncan)\n Life as Tantra: Weaving Desire into Liberation - Blog \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Practice Transmission\nSeventeen Days of Tantric Meditation\n\nDrawing on classical texts and lineage wisdom\, you’ll journey through the four classes of Tantra\, engaging deeply with creation stage (visualization of enlightened form) and completion stage (direct realization of ultimate reality) practices. This is training in how to enter\, progress on\, and complete the Vajrayana journey through all four classes of tantra\, following the classical Kagyu and Gelug presentations. \nYou’ll establish or deepen the four preliminary practices essential to this path: contemplating impermanence and precious human birth\, understanding karma\, developing bodhicitta\, and cultivating devotion to the lineage and guru. From this stable ground\, we progress through systematic training in generation stage yoga—learning to visualize ourselves in enlightened form—and completion stage yoga\, where we realize the ultimate nature of reality directly. \nThroughout\, we return to fundamental questions: What truly brings happiness? What is our actual motivation? How much can our rational minds grasp\, and where must we surrender to direct experience? \nThis is an advanced retreat and is offered upon approved application and requires an established meditation practice and completion of a significant portion of your foundation practices. If foundational practices are not complete\, the applicant must be actively progressing in their foundation work. \nWhile we believe any undertaking can be a vehicle for awakening\, there’s no substitute for the power of profound direct experience gained through meditation. This is why meditation is one of the four foundational practices of our teaching. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teacher\n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan as his attendant and consort from 1998 until his passing in 2024\, in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What You’ll Practice\n  \nFoundation Practices for the Tantric PathWe’ll establish or deepen the four preliminary practices essential to Vajrayana: contemplating impermanence and precious human birth\, understanding karma\, developing bodhicitta\, and cultivating devotion to the lineage and guru. \nCreation Stage YogaThrough guided practice\, you’ll learn to visualize yourself in enlightened form—the generation stage practices that transform ordinary perception and establish divine pride. \nCompletion Stage YogaMoving beyond visualization\, we’ll engage practices that lead to direct realization of ultimate reality—the perfection stage that dissolves conceptual mind into direct knowing. \nThe Four Classes of TantraUnderstand how to progress through Kriya\, Charya\, Yoga\, and Highest Yoga Tantra\, with particular emphasis on the practices of Highest Yoga Tantra. \nMahamudra ViewExperience the Kagyu presentation of Mahamudra as the pinnacle practice—clarifying ground\, path\, and fruition through direct meditation experience rather than intellectual study alone. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What’s Expected of Me?\n\nThis retreat requires an established meditation practice and completion of a significant portion of your foundation practices. Applications will be reviewed for approval.\nCultivating motivation\, devotion\, and genuine inquiry into what will truly make you happy\nAn open mind and heart\, and a spirit of adventure are excellent things to bring!\nTo maximize your retreat experience\, we ask that you refrain from reading\, using the internet\, phone or listening to music during the course.\nStudents are expected to be silent during the silent parts of the retreat\, and participate in all classes\, group meditations\, activities\, and discussions.\nWe ask that you refrain from microdosing or consuming mind-altering substances during this retreat and in the days immediately following it.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n The Location – Clear Sky Center\nLocated in the BC rocky mountains\, Clear Sky offers over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature. Founded by Qapel (Achariya Doug Duncan) and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, the center 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. \nHow to get there\, what to bring and other FAQ about Clear Sky \nOur 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 apply. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Retreatants at Clear Sky\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Lodging Fees\nPlease go to the retreat application page for details of the all inclusive fee for the retreat. \n  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n APPLICATION FORM\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Application Process\nThis retreat is offered upon approved application:  \nRegistration deadlines and application details will be announced in Spring 2026. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course Fees & Requirements\n  \nArrivals and Departures\nFor those traveling short distances\, we recommend coming a day early\, but at the latest\, please arrive by 3pm on Friday. For those coming from international or longer distance travel\, please plan to arrive at least 1-2 days early to allow time to rest and acclimatize before the start of retreat. Orientation begins after dinner on October 16. The first class is held on Saturday morning\, October 17. \nThere will be a final morning class and closing circle\, as well as cleaning our rooms on the final Sunday before departing. Departures will begin after this\, approximately 11am. We also recommend adding an extra night or two to your stay for a more easeful transition from retreat to daily life. \n \n \n \n \n \n All Retreatants: A Dāna Based Retreat\nDāna 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. \nYou will be sent a link to offer “dana” to the teachers after your application is approved. \nFor more information on dāna click here. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Spacer Holder for the 1st Item\n \n \n \n \n \n \n What specific Vajrayana practices will be covered during this retreat?\n The retreat explores the four classes of Tantra\, including creation stage visualization and completion stage practices. You will also engage in Mahamudra meditation to realize ultimate reality directly.\n \n \n \n \n \n What are the prerequisites for attending this advanced meditation retreat?\n Applicants must have an established meditation practice and have completed\, or be actively progressing in\, their foundational (Ngöndro) practices. Entry is based on an approved application process.\n \n \n \n \n \n Can you explain the four preliminary practices mentioned in the course?\n The foundational practices involve contemplating impermanence\, understanding karma\, developing bodhicitta (compassionate heart)\, and cultivating devotion to the lineage and teacher. These provide the stable ground for Tantric work.\n \n \n \n \n \n What is the difference between creation stage and completion stage yoga?\n The creation stage involves visualizing oneself in enlightened forms to transform perception. Completion stage moves beyond visualization to engage practices that dissolve the conceptual mind into direct\, ultimate knowing.\n \n \n \n \n \n What are the behavioral expectations for retreatants at Clear Sky?\n Participants must observe silence during designated times\, refrain from using technology or music\, and avoid mind-altering substances. Full participation in all classes and group meditations is required.\n \n \n \n \n \n How does the Dāna (generosity) system work for this retreat?\n Teachers offer these profound teachings based on mutual generosity. You are invited to offer a financial contribution that reflects your appreciation and supports the continuation of the lineage.\n \n \n \n \n \n What should I know about the arrival and departure schedule?\n Please arrive by 3:00 pm on Friday for orientation. The retreat concludes the following Sunday morning after a final class and closing circle\, with departures beginning around 11:00 am.\n \n \n \n \n \n Why is there an application process for this specific program?\n Due to the advanced nature of Vajrayana and Tantric practices\, the application ensures participants have the necessary experience and foundational training to safely and effectively engage with these teachings.\n \n \n \n \n \n Where is the retreat located and what is the environment like?\n The retreat is held at Clear Sky Center in the BC Rocky Mountains. It offers 300 acres of natural wilderness\, providing a supportive\, quiet space for deep spiritual immersion.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What Did Last Year’s Retreatants Say?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The anapanasati sutta created a deep\, deep experience for me. I was finally able to understand the 16 steps and the 4 tetrads much much better. It’s a whole new world. \nCheryl Bate Clinical Counsellor\, Private Practise\, Whistler\, BCI enjoyed reconnecting with my body\, with nature and with joyful memories during the retreat. Some of this was inspired through the breathing practice\, and some through searching for moments of piti which we could easily connect to. There was an easing during the retreat\, as well as some moments of deep connection and understanding. This time\, it was hearing spaciousness explained in a different way. \nZoe MooresTranslator\, trainer\, researcherThe breathing retreat was fantastic for me on so many levels! As my first retreat\, it really taught how me to deepen my budding meditation practice. Catherine Sensei is warm\, knowledgeable and led a wonderful course. \nJames StewartBuilding DesignerSensei\, fresh from a 3 month retreat\, gave beautiful\, grounded and profound teachings on breathing practice. The retreat worked seamlessly between those of us with the fortune to be in person\, and those joining online. Felt I could go very deep over the ten days with a transformative combination of a great teacher\, a deep practice\, a sincere group of co-retreatants\, and 310 acres in the mountains! \nDr. Duncan CrylePh.D IBM executive URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/tantric-meditation-retreat-2026/ CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Retreats ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.planetdharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/vajralevel.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261108 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261130 DTSTAMP:20261007T005853Z CREATED:20251229T041521Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261007T005853Z UID:10000683-1794096000-1795996799@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:Power in Tantric Traditions DESCRIPTION:POWER IN TANTRIC TRADITIONS w/ Catherine Sensei & Susan Skjei\n Online Course \n November 8 – 29\, 2026 \nDo you feel empowered in your practice? Learn the different kinds of power\, how to work with them skillfully\, and how to repair when power has been misused. \n OVERVIEWRegistration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n At-a-Glance\nDates & format: Online\, live. Sundays Nov 8\, 15\, 22\, plus an optional Flash Retreat weekend Nov 28–29 (from home or at Clear Sky). \n Time: Three 90-minute classes\, 9:30–11am Mountain Time; Flash Retreat sessions of 60–90 minutes\, morning and afternoon. \nCost: Dāna (people typically give $120–500 USD) plus an admin fee of $80–120 USD. Flash Retreat registered separately. \n Who it’s for: Open to any practitioner with an open mind. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Do You Feel Empowered in These Uncertain Times?\n  \nDo you feel empowered in your practice? In your own Buddha nature? \nIn an age when it’s hard to know what to believe or whom to trust\, many of us feel disempowered at times. Uncertainty about the future of humanity and the planet can shake our confidence to its core. And when scandals surface around spiritual leaders\, so often involving money\, sex\, and power\, practitioners are left with real questions: What does authentic empowerment look like? What is my power? How do I strengthen it\, and use it ethically? \nThis course takes those questions on directly. Catherine Sensei and Susan Skjei\, a Right Use of Power and Authentic Leadership teacher\, bring together tantric teaching and those two frameworks to look at what power actually is\, and how practice makes us authentic\, and therefore trustworthy\, to ourselves and others. Catherine Sensei and her teacher Qapel taught that money and sex are often the handmaidens of power\, and that the spiritual path is a quest for the deepest-rooted empowerment there is. \nThe aim: to weave every moment with exactly the energy it needs \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What You’ll Learn\nThe nature of power in tantric practice. We start by exploring together what power means in tantric traditions\, and how that differs from how power usually gets talked about. \nSix kinds of power. Personal\, role\, status/societal\, collective\, systemic\, and universal. Knowing which kind is operating in a situation is what lets you work with it skillfully. \nTechniques for accessing your personal power. Practical methods you can use outside class. \nPractice as a source of power. How to use your spiritual practices to enhance your personal power and your connection with universal power. \nSupporting others. Skills to help other beings access their own power. \nRepair and recovery. How to repair or recover from situations where power has been misused. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What’s Expected of Me\n  \n\nAttend live when you can. Each class is recorded and available for one week.\nMeet with your regional sangha between classes if you can. The continuity helps us go deeper\, which is how you learn about intimacy.\nThe Flash Retreat (Nov 28–29) is separately registered and includes exercises. You can do it at home or at Clear Sky.\nClass times are estimates and may shift slightly.\nBring an open mind. No prior tantra experience is needed.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teachers\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan as his attendant and consort from 1998 until his passing in 2024\, in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Susan Skjei\, Ph.D\n \n Susan Skjei\, Ph.D. has been a practitioner and Senior Teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist Community for the last 30 years. She has taught many programs and led retreats in the US\, Canada and Europe. She studied with Chogyam Trungpa\, Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche as well as other Tibetan Buddhist and Zen teachers. Susan is also a leadership coach and organizational consultant. She has been a catalyst for positive change for leaders\, executive teams and boards of nonprofit organizations\, businesses\, and government agencies for over 25 years. She enjoys creating energetic and high trust learning environments that accelerate practical organizational results while building strong\, collaborative relationships. Formerly Susan was a Vice-President and Chief Learning Officer in the technology industry\, a co-founder of the ALIA Institute\, and the founding Director of the Authentic Leadership Center at Naropa University. She loves being in nature and enjoys hiking\, biking and watercolor painting. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Life as Tantra: Weaving Desire into LiberationThis article was written by Qapel in 2016\, and recently re-discovered by Catherine Sensei. We are delighted to be able to publish it here and share a previously unpublished precious gem of Qapel’s teaching.– Planet Dharma \n Read \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\nCourse Schedule\nNovember 8 – 29\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n Class Times (Mountain Time)\n\nSunday November 8 – 9:30-11am\n Sunday November 15 – 9:30-11am\n Sunday November 22 – 9:30-11am\n\nThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays\, with a separate registration for the Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. \nWe encourage you to connect with Sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. \nFlash Retreat Weekend: November 28-29\nTo deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (November 28-29)\, offered by a separate registration\, which will include exercises to engage in. This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre in Eastern British Columbia. \nFormal group sessions will be held at these approximate times: \n\nFlash Retreat morning session: 9:30am MT\nFlash Retreat afternoon session: 2:30pm MT\nSessions will be 60-90 mins in length.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Save the Dates in your Digital Calendar Now\nDownload the course schedules (.ics) to your iCal or Google calendars.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Classes (.ics)\n \n Flash Retreat (.ics)\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Cost\nThis course runs on dāna plus an admin fee. Dāna is your direct gift of generosity to the teachers. People typically give $120–500 USD\, no one is excluded for lack of funds\, and offering service counts too.                                           \n[About dāna] · [Dāna course] \nThe admin fee supports the infrastructure behind online teaching (live classes\, registration\, recordings\, website): \n$80 by Oct 11 · $100 by Oct 25 · $120 after. \nIf the fee is a barrier\, contact the Registrar and we’ll help you attend. \n  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About DānaAbout the Online Admin Fee\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart.” Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity.” With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. 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. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No one is excluded for lack of funds. However\, it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able. \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure. Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us. \nIf you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. \nWe're delighted to share that we created a short online course so that you can learn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n 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. \nWe’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. \nThe admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, the costs of setting up good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online can be surprising. \nOur admin fee changes based on the date of registration. \nRegister four + weeks prior: $80 Register two to four weeks prior: $100Register less than two weeks prior: $120 \n*We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. \n--- \nBelow are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: \n\nHigh speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)\nOnline class systems (Zoom)\nRegistration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)\nCommunication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)\nOnline 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)\nQuality 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.\nOnline calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews\nWebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.\n\nWe welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Flash Retreat in community: students at Clear Sky Centre and online\, learning together.\n \n Registration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Spacer Holder for the 1st Item\n \n \n \n \n \n \n What if I can't attend live?\n Recordings are available for one week after each class. \n \n \n \n \n \n Do I need to do the Flash Retreat?\n (answer once you confirm) \n \n \n \n \n \n What is Right Use of Power?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Is this course a place to work through a personal experience of misused power?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n We are so blessed to have Sensei as one of the dedicated teachers at Clear Sky. I admire her continued commitment to helping us and others on the planet and I am awed by her abilities. Glad you are not hiding them under a basket. Thank you so much for the time you give so generously to talk\, touch one on the shoulder\, listen and speak truth. \nDan O'BrianAuthor\, Japan SeriesMuch love\, gratitude and appreciation to Sensei for the incredible woman\, teacher and human being that she is. Thank you for being a true light and inspiration in this world. \nRuth Naomi LevinMFA\, Small Business Owner\, Movement Teacher & Performing ArtistSensei has an unwavering compassion and commitment to support and accelerate the unfoldment of all beings around her.\nIt is a blessing and a privilege to be one of the lucky few who can bask in the glow of this radiance. \nDave Basu RoyChef\, food business strategist and socialpreneur URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/power-in-tantric-traditions/ CATEGORIES:Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.planetdharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Power-in-Tantric-Traditions-just-background-2.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20261225T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20261229T170000 DTSTAMP:20261004T183710Z CREATED:20260927T200502Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261004T183710Z UID:10000689-1798218000-1798563600@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:The Kilesas: Freeing the Heart from Obscuring Emotions DESCRIPTION:The Kilesas: Freeing the Heart from Obscuring Emotions\n In-Person & Online with Catherine Pawasarat Sensei | December 25-29\, 2026\n \n\n  \n“The power of one person reducing the influence of the kilesas in their life is far greater than one in eight billion — because the effect is so pervasive.”  \n– Catherine Sensei \n\n\n Registration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n We spend a lot of energy learning to manage our emotions — naming them\, regulating them\, communicating them skilfully. That work matters. But Buddhism has always pointed to something underneath it: the kilesas\, the obscuring states of mind that colour how emotion arises in the first place. \nThis retreat continues to build on Sensei’s 2026 teachings on emotional intelligence\, bringing that work to a natural close by looking at the formal Buddhist teachings on emotion. Where this year’s work has helped us recognise and work skilfully with what we feel\, the kilesa teachings show us what’s underneath the feeling. These classic Buddhist teachings offer a direct\, practical remedy for dissolving it at the root. \nRegistration Deadline: for both in-person and online please register by December 18\, 2026 \nKeen Practitioner/Early Bird Rate: available until November 20\, 2026 \nWe recommend in-person retreats as the best way to get the most out of your experience. That said\, we recognise that travel is inhibitive for some people and are offering an online option for those outside the region unable to travel here. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What Are the Kilesas and Upakkilesas?\nKilesa (Pali; kleśa in Sanskrit) is the traditional term for what are sometimes called the afflictive or destructive emotions — the mental states that cloud the mind and drive unskilful action. Buddhism has long focused on identifying what gets in the way of our well-being\, and working to remove it. The main kilesas are greed\, hatred and delusion — also described as clinging\, aggression and confusion — along with pride and jealousy. \nAlongside these\, we’ll explore the upakkilesas: subtler\, less familiar defilements that can slip by unnoticed\, quietly disrupting our equanimity day to day. Two we’ll focus on are worry\, often mistaken for a sign of care\, and an attachment to knowledge that can stand in for genuine wisdom. \nThese aren’t personal flaws to feel bad about — they’re universal patterns every human contends with on the path. Learning to recognise them clearly\, rather than being run by them\, is central to Buddhist practice. \n  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What We’ll Explore\nOver four days of teaching\, guided meditation and group inquiry\, we’ll: \n\nLearn the main kilesas — greed\, hatred and delusion\, along with pride and jealousy — and the subtler upakkilesas or higher defilements.\nExplore how this traditional Buddhist map connects with modern emotional intelligence work\, bringing a fresh\, integrated view to classical teachings\nDraw on the book “Destructive Emotions: How Can We Overcome Them?” by Daniel Goleman and the Dalai Lama (Mind & Life Institute)\, and the Upakkilesa Sutta\nPractice recognising these patterns as they arise\, both in meditation and in daily life\nConsider how reducing these defilements in ourselves ripples outward\, offering a living example of non-duality — healing in ourselves as healing in society and on the planet\n\nNew to this year’s series? Working with the kilesas is always relevant\, so you’re welcome to join even if you haven’t taken part in the earlier emotional intelligence sessions this year. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule\nFor in-person\, please arrive December 25 no later than 5 pm. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFormal teaching runs December 26–29\, with classes at 9:30am and 2:30pm each day\, alongside group meditation\, meals and personal practice time. \nDeparture and New Year’s Celebration \nThe last formal retreat class will be 2.30-4 pm Tuesday 29th.  Departures can  begin after this.  However we warmly invite you to stay on after the retreat closes and welcome the new year with our community. We’ll gather on December 31 for a New Year’s Eve celebration. When booking\, you can select an option to remain at Clear Sky through January 1 to rest\, integrate the teachings and start the year in good company. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n Register for in-person retreat \n \n Register for Online \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teacher\n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher\, attendant\, consort\, co-teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan from 1998 until his passing in 2024\, in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Clear Sky\nLocated in the BC rocky mountains\, we offer over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature. \nFounded by Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, we are home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world. \nIn adherence with our quadruple bottom line\, we source our food as local and organic as possible. \nEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n  \nRegistration Deadline: for both in-person and online please register December 18\, 2026 \nKeen Practitioner/Early Bird Rate: available until November 20\, 2026 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register for in-person retreat \n \n Register for Online \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Spacer Holder for the 1st Item\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Costs\n The teaching itself is offered in the traditional Buddhist way on the basis of Dāna\,  Please see the section About Dāna below.\n\nThe costs below cover the accommodation\, food and program/admin fees for Clear Sky to operate the retreat. \n\nIn person cost including meals and accommodation range from CAD $384.30 to CAD $834.30 according to type of accommodation and whether you will stay on for New Year. \nOnline\n\nCAD $225.00 – Online Course Fee\n\nKeen practitioner/Early bird discount available until Novem \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n About Dāna\n Registration fees cover food\, accommodation and the technology needed to offer the retreat online. The Teachings are freely given on the basis of dāna. \nYou may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. 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. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  \nAs we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  \nConversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n Scholarship Application\n We aim to make our retreats as accessible as possible.  \nAs a centre run entirely by Karma Yoga (selfless service)\, retreat fees only cover food\, accommodation and the equipment required to offer them online. \nThe teachings themselves are offered on the basis of Dāna (pay-from-the-heart).  \nFor some\, this is still a barrier of entry. \nIf you are seeking financial assistance to attend a retreat\, please complete a Scholarship Application form. \n \n \n \n \n \n Food\, Weather\, Accommodation and How to Get Here\n Click here for details on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \nNote: In the unlikely scenario that this retreat is cancelled\, we recommend purchasing refundable travel fares.  \n \n \n \n \n \n Cannabis\, Psychedelics and Microdosing\n We recognize and respect plant medicine as an important part of some people’s spiritual paths.  \nPlease note\, the meditation practice on this retreat is very powerful. Consuming mind-altering substances will detract from your experience and could cause negative side-effects.  \nWe ask that you refrain from microdosing or consuming mind-altering substances during this retreat and in the days immediately following it.  \n \n \n \n \n \n Keen Practitioner/Early Bird & Registration Deadlines\n IN-PERSON: Please register as early as possible so we can plan for the retreat. Save 10% on fees until November 20th. Registration deadline for in-person retreatants is December 18th\, 2026. \nONLINE: We encourage early registration – keen practitioner/early bird discount available until November 20th. December 18th is the final online registration deadline. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What Do Previous Retreatants Say?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n We are so blessed to have Sensei as one of the dedicated teachers at Clear Sky. I admire her continued commitment to helping us and others on the planet and I am awed by her abilities. Glad you are not hiding them under a basket. Thank you so much for the time you give so generously to talk\, touch one on the shoulder\, listen and speak truth. \nDan O'BrianAuthor\, Japan SeriesSensei has an unwavering compassion and commitment to support and accelerate the unfoldment of all beings around her.\nIt is a blessing and a privilege to be one of the lucky few who can bask in the glow of this radiance. \nDave Basu RoyChef\, food business strategist and socialpreneurSensei is an inspirational woman and I am blessed to walk this earth beside her. \nMaya LewandowskyArtistic Director and Vocal CoachMuch love\, gratitude and appreciation to Sensei for the incredible woman\, teacher and human being that she is. Thank you for being a true light and inspiration in this world. \nRuth Naomi LevinMFA\, Small Business Owner\, Movement Teacher & Performing ArtistGratitude to Sensei for lighting up our love lives with her fire. \nEvangelos DiavolitisMeditation Teacher and Coach\, Four Ways to Freedom. Italy\, Canada. URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/the-kilesas-freeing-the-heart-from-obscuring-emotions/ CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Retreats ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.planetdharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/kilesas-retreat-banner-small.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20270319T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20270328T150000 DTSTAMP:20261005T235048Z CREATED:20261005T065300Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261005T235048Z UID:10000690-1805468400-1806246000@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:Vipassana Meditation Retreat 2027 DESCRIPTION:Vipassana Meditation Retreat\n with Catherine Pawasarat Sensei | March 19-28\, 2027\n   \nVipassanā is ideal for those new to meditation because it introduces you to the foundations needed to build a strong meditation practice and is a doorway to profound insight and realization. \nIf you have a background in Vipassanā retreats and are interested in doing something that is similar but a next step\, with a live teacher\, then this retreat may be for you. \nLed by Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, this retreat gives an opportunity for more detailed instructions based on the Buddhist suttas\, and opportunities for asking questions and receiving feedback on your practice. \nWe’ll practice a balanced meditative approach using the foundations of mindfulness from the Annapanasati Sutta. \n OverviewRegistration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Registration Deadlines: \nIn-Person Retreat registration deadline: March 12th\, 2027 \nOnline retreat registration deadline: March 12th\, 2027 \nEarly Bird Deadline: \nIn-person retreat Early Bird deadline: February 21st\, 2027 \nOnline retreat Early Bird deadline: February 28th\, 2027 \nWe recommend in-person retreats as the best way to get the most out of your experience. That said\, we recognize that travel is inhibitive for some people and are offering an online option to people living outside of Western Canada.  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n“The meditation on Mindfulness of Breathing is not only suitable for all beings\, it is also the direct way to enlightenment.” \n\n\n Namgyal Rinpoche\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n A Life Changing Experience\n \nAt this retreat\, the practice itself is awakening\, life-changing and healing. And most importantly\, you will reap great benefit from the rare in-person guidance of an accomplished meditation teacher and wisdom holder\, Catherine Pawasarat Sensei. Sensei’s teaching is radical\, down to earth\, and one-of-a-kind. \nIf you have a background in Vipassanā retreats and are interested in doing something that is similar but a next step\, with a live teacher\, then this retreat may be for you. You will receive more detailed instructions based on the Buddhist satipatthana sutta\, and opportunities for asking questions and receiving feedback on your practice. This is priceless. \nAn online option is also available for those not in Western Canada\, to make participation possible from anywhere in the world. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Ten Day Vipassanā Meditation Retreat\n\nWhile we believe any undertaking can be a vehicle for awakening\, there’s no substitute for the power of one’s own profound experience of truth\, gained through meditation. This is why meditation is one of the four foundational practices of our teaching. \nAnother of our foundation practices is learning. \nA guiding text for this retreat is the Ānāpānasati Sutta\, or Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse.  In it\, the Buddha describes 16 steps of practice divided into four areas of mindfulness. \nThis simple yet powerful framework will extend your meditation experience to everything from subatomic particles to the vastness of space\, and all that’s between. It includes practice in all four postures—sitting\, walking\, standing\, and lying down. Experience will transform. And\, finally\, we will offer support for bridging the gap between retreat and daily life when you get home. \n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nFor those traveling short distances\, please arrive by 3pm on the start day. For those coming from international or longer distance travel\, please plan to arrive 1-2 days early to allow time to rest and acclimatize before the start of retreat. \nSample brief daily schedule: \n9am Class with Teacher \n11am Group Meditation led by a Senior Student \n12:30pm Lunch \n3pm Group Meditation with Teacher \n6pm Dinner \n7:30 pm Meditation led by a Senior Student \nDeparture: \nDepartures will begin from 2pm MT\, after lunch on the final day of the retreat\, however we also recommend adding some extra nights to your stay for a more easeful transition from retreat to daily life. \n*Daily schedule is subject to minor changes closer to the course date\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Online registration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In-person registration \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teacher\n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher\, attendant\, consort\, co-teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan from 1998 until his passing in 2024\, in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\nAbout Clear Sky\nLocated in the BC rocky mountains\, we offer over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature.  \nFounded by Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, we are home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world. \nIn adherence with our quadruple bottom line\, we source our food as local and organic as possible. \nEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Spacer Holder for the 1st Item\n \n \n \n \n \n \n Costs\n \nThe teaching itself is offered in the traditional Buddhist way on the basis of Dāna\,  Please see the section About Dāna below.  \nThe costs below cover the accommodation\, food and program/admin fees for Clear Sky to operate the retreat.  \n\nIn person cost including meals and accommodation. \n\nShared Room – CAD $1\,557.00\nPrivate Cabin – CAD $2\,007.00\nOrion Private Cabin – CAD $2\,142.00\nTenting – CAD $1\,017.00\n\nOnline \n\nCAD $450.00 – Online Course Fee\n\nEarly bird discount available (see below). \n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n About Dāna\n Dana: \nRegistration fees cover food\, accommodation and the technology needed to offer the retreat online. The Teachings are freely given on the basis of dāna. \nYou may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. 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. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  \nAs we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  \nConversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n Scholarship Application\n We aim to make our retreats as accessible as possible.  \nAs a centre run entirely by Karma Yoga (selfless service)\, retreat fees only cover food\, accommodation and the equipment required to offer them online. \nThe teachings themselves are offered on the basis of Dāna (pay-from-the-heart).  \nFor some\, this is still a barrier of entry. \nIf you are seeking financial assistance to attend a retreat\, please complete a Scholarship Application form. \n \n \n \n \n \n Detailed Daily Schedule (Long retreats)\n Specific times may change – this is a rough guide (MST) \n6:30 – 7:30 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice7:30 – 8:15 AM: Breakfast: Prepare\, eat\, clean up8:15 – 8:45 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice9:00 – 10:00 AM: Class with Teachers10:00 – 10:30 AM: Walk10:30 – 11:30 AM: Group Practice led by Sangha11:30 – 12:30 PM: Personal Practice12:30 – 1:30 PM: Lunch: Prepare\, eat\, clean up1:30 – 3:00 PM: Personal Practice3:00 – 4:00 PM: Group Practice led by Sangha4:00 – 5:30 PM: Personal Practice5:30 – 7:00 PM: Dinner: prepare\, eat\, clean up7:00 – 7:30 PM: Walk &/or Personal Practice7:30 – 8:30 PM: Group Practice and Q & A with Teachers8:30 – Beyond: Personal Practice & bed \n \n \n \n \n \n Food\, Weather\, Accommodation and How to Get Here\n Click here for details on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \nNote: In the unlikely scenario that this retreat is cancelled\, we recommend purchasing refundable travel fares.  \n \n \n \n \n \n Cannabis\, Psychedelics and Microdosing\n We recognize and respect plant medicine as an important part of some people’s spiritual paths.  \nPlease note\, the meditation practice on this retreat is very powerful. Consuming mind-altering substances will detract from your experience and could cause negative side-effects.  \nWe ask that you refrain from microdosing or consuming mind-altering substances during this retreat and in the days immediately following it.  \n \n \n \n \n \n Keen Practitioner/Early Bird & Registration Deadlines\n IN-PERSON: Please register as early as possible so we can plan for the retreat. Save 10% on fees until February 21\, 2027. Registration deadline for in-person retreatants is April 9th\, 2027. \nONLINE: We encourage early registration. Save $100 on the online fees until February 28th\, 2027. April 16th is the final online registration deadline. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What Did Last Year’s Breathing Retreat Meditators Say?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The anapanasati sutta created a deep\, deep experience for me. I was finally able to understand the 16 steps and the 4 tetrads much much better. It’s a whole new world. \nCheryl Bate Clinical Counsellor\, Private Practise\, Whistler\, BCI enjoyed reconnecting with my body\, with nature and with joyful memories during the retreat. Some of this was inspired through the breathing practice\, and some through searching for moments of piti which we could easily connect to. There was an easing during the retreat\, as well as some moments of deep connection and understanding. This time\, it was hearing spaciousness explained in a different way. \nZoe MooresTranslator\, trainer\, researcherThe breathing retreat was fantastic for me on so many levels! As my first retreat\, it really taught how me to deepen my budding meditation practice. Catherine Sensei is warm\, knowledgeable and led a wonderful course. \nJames StewartBuilding DesignerSensei\, fresh from a 3 month retreat\, gave beautiful\, grounded and profound teachings on breathing practice. The retreat worked seamlessly between those of us with the fortune to be in person\, and those joining online. Felt I could go very deep over the ten days with a transformative combination of a great teacher\, a deep practice\, a sincere group of co-retreatants\, and 310 acres in the mountains! \nDr. Duncan CrylePh.D IBM executive \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meditation Groups\nThe power of continued community meditation practice:\nFollowing Catherine Sensei’s excellent Breathing retreat at Clear Sky and online in June 2022\, a group of students from Dharma Europe and Japan started a morning Zoom meeting to help continue the practice. Meeting at 8am UK time six days a week\, we take turns to lead/hold space – usually with a reading\, sometimes an exercise\, we meditate on the breath for 45 minutes and then share our experiences. The group has grown to include more European Sangha as well as Movement Shiatsu practitioners who didn’t attend the retreat but are committed to developing their practice.\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n It’s great to have the contact of the group – we learn so much from experiencing how the different parts of ourselves – individually and as a group perceive and receive the (phenomenal) world.  \n—Jonathan Clifford\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The daily contact with awakening beings uplifts and encourages me in a practice that has been very solitary for me for many years.  The daily discipline reminds me of a monastic order\, where the task of gathering at an appointed hour to sit in silence together IS a practice in itself. \n—Renata Drtina\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The morning sits and Anapanasati practice are an opportunity to explore and build sangha in a different way and for us to strengthen and deepen our practice together. \n—Zoe Moores\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Anapanasati group is an anchor – both to steady practice and being part of a group.  It helps me to be in contact when I don’t feel like it.  To practice speaking  in front of a group even when it’s not comfortable.  To practice leading a group.  And silently this group has reinforced and supported daily practice and helped me to experience contact with the experience of breathing. \n—Brigid Maclachlan\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Registration Deadlines:\nIN-PERSON:  March 12th\, 2027 \nONLINE: March 12th\, 2027  \n \nEarly Bird Deadlines:\nIN-PERSON:  February 21st\, 2027 \nONLINE: February 28th\, 2027 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n In-person registration \n \n Online registration URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/vipassana-meditation-retreat-2027/ CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Retreats END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20270710T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20270711T163000 DTSTAMP:20261006T134600Z CREATED:20261005T144616Z LAST-MODIFIED:20261006T134600Z UID:10000691-1815238800-1815323400@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:As the Spirit Moves 2027 DESCRIPTION:As the Spirit Moves\n Online or In-Person | July 10-11\, 2027\n Expect the unexpected! How will the Spirit move? This weekend is an offering of raw Dharma from the Teacher. You get to show up and experience epic Dharmic teachings\, without a particular predetermined subject. Be ready for anything and everything Dharma. Unforeseen\, undetermined\, unregulated. No seatbelts allowed. \n OverviewRegistration\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n As the Spirit Moves\nA Tradition Born from Spontaneous Teaching\nThis retreat honors a tradition started by Qapel (Acariya Doug Duncan)\, one of Planet Dharma’s founding teachers. Qapel created this offering as a space for spontaneous teachings—whatever the teacher feels is most important to share at this particular time\, in this particular place\, with these particular beings. \nIn the past\, people “showed up” for Dharma teachings\, regardless of topic. The teachings given were inspired by the energy of the people there. Qapel used to say that he would go to a class of his Teacher\, Namgyal Rinpoche\, even if he were just reading a phone book! The Spirit of Dharma… it moves! \nSo\, are you ready to join Catherine Pawasarat Sensei for an eclectic weekend of “old school” style Dharma teachings? Wisdom invites you to learn on the path of riding the dragon\, come what may. \nAs you are well aware\, life is a great big journey into the unknown\, a Dharmic odyssey. This weekend is the same! Come to soak in Dharmic teachings from Catherine Sensei\, have fun\, and learn more about how to be the kind of being you want to be. As Bodhisattvas\, we keep on diving into learning how to be of service and help alleviate the suffering of beings. It’s an amazing ride\, and every opportunity to dive into the depth of Dharma is a precious one. How do we know what we need to hear—and when we hear it\, will we listen? There’s only one way to find out. \nTake a leap of faith. Join the Teacher. Join the spirit of integral evolution. We dare you! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teacher\n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher\, attendant\, consort\, co-teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan from 1998 until his passing in 2024\, in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course Details\n \nTime and Location\nAs the Spirit Moves will be led by Catherine Pawasarat Sensei at Clear Sky Meditation Center in Eastern BC. This course is offered in-person with an online option for those not in Western Canada. \nSchedule / Class Times\nClasses will be 60-90 mins in duration\, with classes in the morning and evening and possibly the afternoon each day (Mountain Time) – the exact schedule to be confirmed. Please ensure you are available for the whole weekend to focus on the course material and attend classes live. \nOnline participants\nare expected to attend classes live. We will arrange class times to be comfortable for most time zones. However we understand that some class times might occur after midnight in some regions\, if this is the case for you\, please let us know when you register. Then we can provide a recording so you can catch up on that particular class. \nWhat Does the Course Cost?\nIn-Person Participants: 1) dāna to the Teacher plus 2) accommodation and meal costs for your stay Clear Sky Meditation Centre. \nOnline Participants: 1) dāna to the Teacher 2) online administration fee of $150 CAD. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About DānaAbout the Online Admin Fee\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. 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. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us. \nConversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here.\n \n \n \n \n \n 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. \nWe’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. \nThe 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. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. \n— \nBelow are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: \n\nhigh speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)\nonline class systems (Zoom)\nregistration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)\ncommunication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)\nonline 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)\nquality 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.\nonline calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews\nwebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.\n\nWe welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Registration\nImportant: Please register early. The Registration deadline is July 4th\, 2026. \n \n Registration Coming Soon\n \n \n \n \n \n Questions?\nIf you have questions about the retreat\, please contact the Clear Sky Retreat Manager at 250-429-3929  (phone) or at www.clearskycenter.org (contact form).\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Why Retreat In-Person?\n Retreating in person at a retreat center is the best way to retreat – why? \n\nYou can’t beat live interaction with the course Teachers. Being in the same space with clear beings ‘tunes’ you to more wholesome states.\nWe create a welcoming environment and follow a supportive retreat schedule\, based on decades of hosting successful retreats worldwide.\nWholesome and delicious food is provided so you don’t have to spend time cooking for yourself.\nBreath-taking and restful\, natural environment puts your body and mind at ease and resets your nervous system.\nRetreating at our center gets you out of your usual home environment and routines – they can be distracting.\nRetreating with others (your co-retreatants) is incredibly supportive and energy building.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n We work hard to support the online learning experience.\n \nWe have been delivering online offerings since 2012 and are always looking for new ways to optimize your experience.\nClasses are live-streamed and some recordings are available for a certain time.\nHD cameras and professional audio equipment provide high quality video streaming.\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n What Do Previous Retreatants Say?\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n These are ancient teachings that I feel are important to understand if someone is serious about meditation. I appreciate Qapel and Sensei’s unrelenting perseverance to teach about the roots and traditions of these life changing practices. They explore the rich history with us and also deliver the material in a very understandable and relevant way. \nJenai LieuPsychology student\, CanadaWorking with Qapel and Sensei at the five day hero’s journey workshop was deeply impactful and has clarified not only my deepest heart’s desire\, but what I need to overcome to manifest it. They are extraordinary facilitators with a great depth of knowledge\, wisdom and presence to share. \nKira MacDuffeeM.Ed / RCCDoing karma yoga\, I watch how everyone gains new insights.  These many “a-ha moments” makes it clear to me that this type of active dharma training is a path that brings the modern spiritual explorer alive and moves them forward. \nDr. Duncan CrylePh.D IBM executive\, Clear Sky Accountability OfficerQapel and Sensei have consistently been honest\, accurate and candid with me. It has sometimes taken me years to admit my self-sabotaging blind spots. Clear and radical self-honesty liberates my sticky parts. Thank you to my master teachers for helping me free up all the energy knots – especially the ones created from unconscious patterning around money\, sex and power. \nEvangelos DiavolitsisMeditation Teacher and Coach\, Four Ways to Freedom. Italy\, Canada.Qapel and Sensei 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. \nPeter UjlakiFine Art Dealer\, Japan URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/as-the-spirit-moves-2027/ CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Retreats END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR