Led by Viveka and Singhashri
Join us in a collective exploration of our System of Meditation, drawing inspiration from the Mahayana Trikaya Teaching pointing out who we actually are, in three simultaneous embodiments:
Nirmanakaya & coming home to presence within this body, this world
Sambhogakaya & befriending the dynamic flow of feeling and energy and the relational dimension of being
Dharmakaya & opening to the open, boundless dimension of awakened being
We will delve into poetic themes of “coming home” and “belonging” as an emotionally engaging and relational approach to insight that allows:
Respect and appreciation of core human needs – belonging, safety and dignity
Holding of the tension between our ideals and our current (often messy) experience
Healing the illusion of separation and the habits of dualism
Learning to feel sensations of belonging at the levels of self, community, place, world
and to express compassionately responsive activityDeepening of mindfulness and metta into Mahamudra samatha-vipashyana practice
This retreat will include meditation, movement (somatics), music, chanting & ritual led by teachers and retreatants, group games, exercises and discussions, teacher input, practice reviews and ample unstructured time for enjoying the beauty of the mountain.
About Silence: We will ease into a communal practice of silence to support rest and regeneration as well as a quality of presence and listening essential to spiritual insight.
Appreciating that we are gathering after many years of pandemic, those wishing for mindful conversation in sangha will have opportunities to do so during mid day break, away from central communal areas. There will also be regular structured opportunities to connect with others in relation to the practices being offered.
The Dharmakaya is… the embodiment, or the perfection of mind. Mind meaning here the deepest part of oneself, because it is with that deepest part of oneself…that one realises the ultimate. So Dharmakaya corresponds to mind, what in us is mind, in a Buddha is Dharmakaya.
In the same way Sambhogakaya corresponds to speech, what, in us is speech or communication, or communication principle, in a Buddha is Sambhogakaya. So in his Sambhogakaya form, in his ideal form, his archetypal form, he communicates with others on the same spiritual level, communicates with other Buddhas and with highly advanced Bodhisattvas.
And then Nirmanakaya corresponds with – it literally means ‘body of transformation’ – …what is Nirmanakaya in a Buddha in us is physical body. Our physical body determines where we are. The fact that we have a physical body means that we exist at a certain point in space and a certain point in time...
– Sangharakita, Seminar on the Songs of Milarepa
TEACHER BIOS
Viveka (she/they) was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in 1997 and is based at the San Francisco Buddhist Center where she was chair for 16 years. Currently Viveka is President of the New York and Mexico City Triratna Buddhist Centers. Viveka was a co-founder of Triratna’s Total Immersion longer meditation retreats. Viveka’s personal practice and teaching has depth in early Buddhist mindfulness approaches taught in the Anapanasati and Satipatthana Suttas as well as later Vajrayana non-dual nature of mind meditation and liberating energy approaches, especially the teaching lineages handed down through Milarepa (Mahamudra) and Padmasambhava. Viveka has been a leader in encouraging the development of effective, embodied, emotionally intelligent and creative meditation teaching and practice in Triratna.
A certified somatic coach, their teaching is healing and trauma informed and creates an atmosphere of welcoming that holds a diversity of peoples. A proud child of Chinese immigrants, Viveka lives with her spouse. For 30 years she has been a consultant and leadership coach for racial and social justice as an integral expression of her dharma
practice.
Singhashri (she/her or they/them) is a queer, Latinx-American dharma teacher and writer. They teach mindfulness and compassion as means to awakening to love, beauty, and truth and have committed their life to supporting collective liberation for all and the joy and freedom found there. They teach at various retreat and urban centres across the UK, Europe, and the USA, and they support a number of projects aimed at creating greater diversity and inclusion within Buddhist sanghas and the secular mindfulness field. Singhashri has taught with Viveka on past month-long Order retreats at Akashavana. They currently live in London with their partner.
(2024 rates not yet confirmed): A deposit of €100 or £100 is required to book your space on the retreat. We will confirm 2024 rates as soon as possible.
contact: community@akashavana.org for booking and information