BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Planet Dharma - ECPv6.18.0//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Planet Dharma 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:20230312T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20231105T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20240310T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20241103T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20250309T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20251102T080000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:UTC BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+0000 TZOFFSETTO:+0000 TZNAME:UTC DTSTART:20140101T000000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240114 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240205 DTSTAMP:20260604T111223Z CREATED:20230924T170432Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260604T111223Z UID:10000651-1705190400-1707091199@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:Multiple Realities: Bardos & Beyond (4 Week Online Course) DESCRIPTION:Multiple Realities: The Bardos & Beyond\n Online Course | Four Weeks\n January 14 – February 4\, 2024 \nWe struggle because we are habitually locked in fixed views of self\, other and the world. Studying the various ‘bardos’ or multiple realities of experience helps loosen the limiting blinders of our ego’s perceptions. By expanding our conceptions and perceptions\, we can get unstuck from fixed views\, rigidity and conventionality. Greater joy\, freedom and awe ensues! Join us for this first online course of 2024. \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 Studying Bardos:\nPerhaps you are interested in altered states. Or you have heard about the bardos of death and dying described in Tibetan buddhism. In this course\, we will explore the six traditional bardos and also go to the core of that teaching – something less talked about – how every moment is a bardo or transition. \nThe six traditional bardos described in Vajrayana teachings are: \n\nWaking consciousness\nDream\nMeditation\nDeath\nDharmata \nRebirth\n\nThese six bardos are also a window into seeing the nature of bardos within all moments\, transitions and iterruptions of life – drastically altering our limited ego perceptions and concepts. We will also study language – particularly how we map our realities of self through language and how we get locked into predictable patterns. \nThrough this study and practice\, by seeing the stuckness of our thinking and perceptions\, we begin to loosen our tight sense of who we are. Greater freedom\, compassion and clarity results. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bardos is about realms.Altered state realms.“In between.” \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Bardos: Getting Clearer on Self and Non-Self\nThe human ego says “I am me” and thinks of itself as living in a continuum of this ‘me-ness’. But if we look closer\, we will discover that this perception is not accurate. Instead\, we will see there is actually a continuum of experience and altered states\, one that the ego habitually and mistakenly claims as its own. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n  Course Learning Goals\n \n\nTo investigate the bardos and what they can teach us about ordinary life\, death and impermanence. \nTo expand our perception of the many bardos of life\, and how to live more fully in the present moment. \nTraining to leave behind fixed partial views and develop a more complete “viewing” of what actually is. \nTo dismantle\, question and analyze the sense of ‘self’ and how it is created through language. \nTo develop a deeper understanding of the many realms and so-called ‘altered states’ accessible to our human consciousness.\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Recommended Bardos Learning:\n  \n \n \n \n \n \n PODCAST: Consciousness Continues: Navigating Death\, Rebirth and the Bardos\nThe following recording is a talk that Doug ‘Qapel’ Duncan gave on the topic of death\, dying and the bardos. In the talk\, he explores how we really experience a death in every moment\, and describes in detail the steps in the death process and how consciousness finds its way to its next rebirth. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n  \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n VIDEO: Vajrayana Buddhism and the Life\, Death and Rebirth Bardos\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Listen to Doug Qapel Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei speak on Vajrayana Buddhism and the bardos of life\, death and rebirth. This talk was hosted by Emmanuel College of Victoria University at the University of Toronto\, on February 6th 2021. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \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\nJanuary 14  – February 4\, 2024\n\n\nClass Times (Mountain Time)\n\nSunday January 14 – 9:30-11am\nSunday January 21 – 9:30-11am\nSunday January 28 – 9:30-11am\nSaturday & Sunday February 3-4th – 9:30 and 2:30pm (approx 60-90 mins length)\n\nThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays with a 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. \n      Flash Retreat Weekend: February 3-4\nTo deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (Feb 3-4). This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, in Eastern British Columbia. We highly recommend clearing your schedule over the weekend to focus on the retreat. Formal group sessions will be held at these times (durations are approximate): \n\nFlash Retreat morning group classes: 9:30am\nFlash Retreat afternoon group workshop: 2:30pm\nsessions duration approx 60-90 mins  \n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \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\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Duncan\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, BC\, Canada. \nAchariya Doug Duncan received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 1978\, and is a lineage holder in that teaching. Known for his direct\, humourous and compassionate engagement with students\, Doug embraces various traditions\, contemporary psychology\, and science\, to mentor all beings to a more awakened state. \nCatherine Pawasarat has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n \n \n \n \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 four 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 February 3-4\, 2024\, with formal workshop times held at 9:30am and 2:30pm Mountain Time on Saturday and Sunday. \nWhat Does the Course Cost?\nThis course is offered based on the unique combination of: \n1) dāna\, and2) a $80-120 USD administrative fee: \n\nRegister by December 17 2023: $80\nRegister by December 31 2023: $100\nRegister less than two weeks prior: $120\n\nClick on the tabs below to learn more: \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 \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 This kind of Dharma is much needed\, practical and insightful. It is something we need in our modern society where everyone is trying to get ahead of others. Learning with Qapel and Sensei helps me see clearly\, lead genuinely and be more willing to step into the unknown\, to serve others and to learn. \nBat FungSoftware Engineer. Toronto\, CanadaQapel and Sensei teach in a light but profound way – taking us on a brilliant journey of understanding with guile and humour.\nMale and female perspectives help balance with differing approaches. Explaining a complex but genius system that holds all life understanding from religion\, science\, psychotherapy and wisdom traditions is not easy. I think Ken Wilber would have enjoyed it.  \nJonathan Clifford Shiatsu\, Qigong & Meditation Teacher URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/multiple-realities-bardos-course-2024/ CATEGORIES:Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.planetdharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/7.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20151218 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20160117 DTSTAMP:20260606T055137Z CREATED:20150702T030702Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260606T055137Z UID:10000333-1450396800-1452988799@www.planetdharma.com SUMMARY:One Month Residential Retreat: Mahamudra and Visuddhimagga DESCRIPTION:Photo © Greg Molkentein \nJoin Dharma Teachers Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat for their popular winter retreat at Clear Sky Centre in Eastern BC. This year’s retreat will be four weeks in duration\, and will cover Mahamudra and the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification). \nWe highly recommend you attend the entire one month retreat. There will also be the option to attend 2 weeks if one month is not possible. This retreat fills up fast\, in which case preference will be given to those retreatants attending for the full month. \nRetreat Details\n-Mahamudra: Dec 19 – Jan 1\, 2015\n-The Path of Purification: Jan 2 – Jan 16\, 2016\n-Mahakala Wongkur: Jan 2\, 4pm. \nMahamudra\n(Fri.\, Dec. 18\, 2015 – Fri.\, Jan. 1\, 2016) \nHave you noticed that life is in constant motion? In fact\, the whole universe is one continuous movement of everlasting change. \n“Maha” means “great\,” while “mudra” means “seal” or “mark\,” as well as “movement.” Mahamudra practice is watching the moving mind or consciousness in all its aspects – including sensation\, feeling and thoughts – going through its changes. \nAnd it’s important to note that the still mind also exists\, as the consciousness that watches these changes; Mahamudra practice observes that as well. \nWhat are the difference and similarities between the moving and still mind? How do they relate? How can the mind said to be moving and still at the same time? \nCome join us for our Mahamudra retreat to explore the mind in motion and the mind at rest. \nIs there a mind that can observe both the stillness and the movement? If so\, what is it like in all its manifestations? How and why does it change? Stay at rest? \nWe may feel that we have good days and bad days\, “up” moods when we’re happy and dark moods when the world or other people aren’t doing what we’d like. On completing this retreat and returning to our daily lives\, we will be much less ruffled and disturbed and buffeted by the events of our daily life. We’ll have discovered that what we are going through are simply weather changes – the weather of the mind. \n Course Outcomes\nPhoto © C. Conroy-Low \n• Learn how to develop and grow our understanding of Mahamudra.\n• Learn to contact and understand the nature of the mind that is unaffected by troubling thoughts and emotions.\n• Develop a greater sense of calm and focus.\n• Increase the amount of bliss available to us.\n• Recognize\, identify and build on the strengths and positives already in our lives.\n• Access more energy and focus to accomplish our aims and meet our aspirations.\n• Enjoy a greater sense of freedom\, spontaneous joy and clarity in our daily life. \nExpectations and Inspirations\nTo succeed with this practice\, participants will:\n•   Show up early for classes and participate in all scheduled teachings\, group meditations and other activities scheduled during the course.\n•   Foster and maintain an atmosphere of trust and acceptance in the community of practice that has gathered for this course.\n•   To stay focused on the retreat outcomes\, refrain from reading materials not related to this course\, while using note-taking and journal writing as a means of recording reflections.\n•   Engage mindfully in daily scheduled Karma Yoga (“Path of Service”) practices at Clear Sky\, as part of one’s spiritual practices during retreat. \nOptional reading: \nThe Mahamudra: Eliminating the Darkness of Ignorance.* \nBy the Ninth Karmapa. \nIf you’d like to read this book to support your retreat experience\, we recommend you bring it to the course and read it during the course. \n*The above book hyperlink is to an older edition of the book that Doug and Catherine Sensei are using.  Feel free to buy the newer edition\, however page references will be different. \nDāna\nThis retreat is offered by Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on the basis of dāna\, or generosity practice. Learn more about dāna. \nVissudhimagga: The Path of Purification\n(Fri.\, 1 Jan – Sun.\, 17 Jan 2016) \nBuilding on the Mahamudra retreat\, the Visuddhimagga or Path of Purification empowers us to maintain our newfound insights when the mind gets more involved with all the different moving parts – including sensations\, feelings\, states of mind and other people – that we encounter in our daily lives. We’ll begin the retreat with an energizing Mahakala wong kur and sadhana practice. \nThe fifth-century Visuddhimagga is a foundational text examining Buddhist meditation techniques and doctrine\, designed to lead to enlightenment. \nAnd in order to get there from here\, we train ourselves to secure the mind/body continuum in wholesome states while we are living and working in the world. To this end\, we first need to develop this ability in our contemplative practice. \nThis is one of the primary functions of meditation: the world and our day-to-day lives simply move too quickly to be able to establish wholesome states there initially. Meditative or contemplative training forms the basis or platform\, from which we launch our wholesome states into our daily lives. \nThe spiritual path has three phases: purification\, illumination and beatification. After the purification has been undertaken\, illumination and beatification naturally follow. In this sense\, the major work of the spiritual path is purification. The illumination of enlightenment and the supreme happiness or blessed state (called “beatification” in centuries gone by) are the inevitable harvest of the rich psychic composting and seeding undertaken with purification. \n© D. Steinbock \nThis retreat (we prefer to call it an ‘advance’) provides tools and methodology to help us maintain a clear mind and an open heart out there in the busy\, complicated and often confusing world. \nRetreatants are cordially invited to a soiree after the retreat end\, at Sensei and Cata’s on Sunday\, 17 January. We recommend it as a way for retreatants to transition back into daily life and socialization\, and as a testing ground for maintaining our wholesome retreat states in active situations. We also recommend it for having a good time. \nCourse Outcomes\n• Learn the Buddhist philosophical basis for “ethical behavior.”\n• Learn how to integrate ethics\, meditation and knowledge for improved quality of life and creative productivity.\n• Experience a range of meditation techniques to broaden our experience and understanding of the Path of Purification.\n• Discover the difference between knowledge and information\, and what transforms these into wisdom.\n• Complete a body of purification practices.\n• Personally experience the connection between purification and illumination\, which inevitably leads to a beautiful state of wellbeing. \nExpectations and Inspirations\nTo succeed with this practice\, participants will:\n•   Show up early for classes and participate in all scheduled teachings\, group meditations and other activities scheduled during the course.\n•   Foster and maintain an atmosphere of trust and acceptance in the community of practice that has gathered for this course.\n•To stay focused on the retreat outcomes\, refrain from reading materials not related to this course\, while using note-taking and journal writing as a means of recording reflections.\n• Engage mindfully in daily scheduled Karma Yoga (“Path of Service”) practices at Clear Sky\, as part of one’s spiritual practices during retreat. \nOptional reading:\nThe Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga.\nBy Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa\, translated by Bhikkhu Ñanamoli. \nIf you’d like to read this book to support your retreat experience\, we recommend you bring it to the course and read it during the course. \nHardcopy:  The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga \nFree downloads: The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga \nDāna\nThis retreat is offered by Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat on the basis of dāna\, or generosity practice. Learn more about dāna. URL:https://www.planetdharma.com/event/one-month-residential-meditation-retreat-at-clear-sky-centre/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation & Study Centre\, 3567 Cockell Rd\, Bull River\, British Columbia\, V0B1N0\, Canada CATEGORIES:Retreats ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.planetdharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/winter-2009-mahamudra-retreat380x253.jpg GEO:49.615543;-115.6300709 X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Clear Sky Meditation & Study Centre 3567 Cockell Rd Bull River British Columbia V0B1N0 Canada;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=3567 Cockell Rd:geo:-115.6300709,49.615543 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR