“We will become our opposite if we do not learn to accommodate the opposite within us.”  –  Carl Jung

 At the heart of contemplative life is the archetypal journey back home to the ground of our essential being, our true nature that is love. Buddhism teaches that when we split from the  “ground of being,” we can either take the path of remembrance or forgetting. The path of remembrance is when we remember who we truly are, we know that we are the ground, and we feel whole. This path of remembrance returns us home to the source, which is love. On the other hand, if we take the path of forgetting (which is what most of us have taken), we forget that we are the ground, which leads us to feel lost, empty, anxious, alone, and disconnected from love. 

The path of remembrance leads to the result of nirvana, the experience of wholeness that is liberation and freedom. The path of forgetting leads to the result of samsara, the experience of dissatisfaction and suffering. Whether we experience nirvana or samsara depends on our own minds, they are not two different places, but rather they are states of mind. Meditation is the tool for cultivating positive mental states that enable us to experience our true ground and to gain confidence and maturity in it. This is the teaching on “one ground, two paths, two results” that we will explore in this retreat.

“Our fears are like dragons guarding our deepest treasures.” – Rainer Maria Rilke

We will complement our meditation practice with shadow work called Feeding Your Demons® (FYD), an exquisite five-step process whereby we offer attention and compassion to our inner obstacles, our “demons,” rather than struggle with them. In this context, demons are those thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that block our experience of freedom. The FYD process is of great benefit when working with a wide variety of personal demons and other dilemmas of modern life. A 2018 FYD pilot study found that FYD was associated with increased self-compassion, emotion awareness and self-regulation, satisfaction with life, and decreased stress, craving, depression, and intolerance for uncertainty. FYD transcends spiritual constructs, serving as a meaningful tool for anybody, regardless of religious affiliation or personal philosophy. 

 In this weekend retreat, you will experience:

• Guided Meditation practice
• Teachings and discussions on the seminal Buddhist teaching of “one ground, two paths, two results.”
• Feeding Your Demons® guided process 
• Gentle and accessible therapeutic yoga to bring more comfort and ease to your meditation and your life.

What to Bring: 
Please bring loose, comfortable clothing, a journal, & writing implements.

Suggested reading: Feeding Your Demons: Ancient Wisdom for Resolving Inner Conflict by Lama Tsultrim Allione.

Who Should Attend? 
This program is open to everyone.

Recording Access: 
All participants will have a 1-year access period to the recordings.

What is a Tara Mandala Online Program?

Tara Mandala offers online programming via live and pre-recorded curriculum that give you the opportunity to access dharma teachings, engage in guided practice, experience personal retreat and hands-on learning, while connecting with other participants through easy-to-use online platforms and an engaged community network. When needed, the program description and schedule will inform you in advance if and when a specific online session must be attended live if a direct transmission (Tib. lung) may be given. Access to recordings of all sessions will be available for additional viewing for one year. 

Tara Mandala Program Pricing

GENEROSITY RANGE 

Choose an amount within this range if you have the financial security and capacity to support Tara Mandala at a higher level. The contributions we receive within this range make it possible for us to offer a below-cost Access Range to those practitioners with a limited income.

 This range is for you if you:

• Own your own home and live comfortably without financial worry
• Have investments and savings 
• Easily have access to money in times of need or emergencies
• Have the desire to help make the Dharma more accessible to others

SUSTAINABILITY RANGE  

Choose an amount within this range if you have the financial capacity to sustain Tara Mandala’s ability to offer high-quality programs. The contributions we gratefully receive within this range enable us to keep our prices low while covering the basic program costs. 

 This range is for you if you:

• Have the capacity to meet your basic financial needs
• Make your rent or mortgage and other monthly payments 
• Are generally able to purchase new items and experiences for yourself
• Can afford to take trips and go on retreats

ACCESS RANGE  

Choose an amount within this range if you have limited financial capacity or are currently experiencing financial hardship. The contributions we gratefully receive within this range go toward covering costs and are supported by contributions of those who choose the Generosity Range.

 This range is for you if you:

• Have difficulty meeting your basic financial needs 
• Are experiencing housing, employment, or income instability
• Live paycheck-to-paycheck and and lack money in times of need
• Face challenges due to devaluation of your currency against the US dollar. 

Offering dana to the teacher: The practice of offering dana, which means “generosity,” is the traditional offering the student makes to the teacher as a symbol of appreciation, gratitude, and reciprocity for receiving the precious teachings. Information on offering dana to the teacher will be provided during the virtual retreat. To learn more about dana and suggested dana ranges, please click here. 

Payment Plans and Financial Assistance
Tara Mandala offers two types of financial assistance: Deferred Payment Plans and Scholarships. You may apply for one or both of these types of assistance. Read the terms carefully as outlined on the financial aid application. Please see this page for further information.

Sustaining Sangha:
If you are currently a member of our Sustaining Sangha, you may apply your Online Program discount to this course.

Click Here for Our Online Programs Cancellation and Refund Policy

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

The live sessions of the program are listed below. All times are Mountain Daylight Time.
Please use this link to see how this daily schedule translates into your timezone.

Saturday, September 23, 2023
9:00am-11:00am (MDT)
12:00pm-2:00pm (MDT)

Sunday, September 24, 2023
9:00am-11:00am (MDT)
12:00pm-2:00pm (MDT)