Meditations to Develop Renunciation

Join us for a day of meditation. This is the first in a series of one-day retreats that will be offered this year, each focusing on a particular aspect of the lam rim.

About lam rim: The presentation of Buddha’s 84,000 teachings into a step-by-step method is known as “lam-rim” in Tibetan and can be translated as “graduated path.” Indian and Tibetan masters have offered short texts, prayers, commentaries and extensive texts with instruction, all based on this approach.

About this day: We will focus on meditations to develop renunciation, the aspiration wishing to attain freedom from the bonds of karma and affliction. Specific meditations will be on a review of the lam rim, types of suffering, and mental afflictions. Meditations on the types of suffering help us recognize the nature of our current samsaric existence and thereby help us develop the wish to be free of suffering and its causes. Meditations on our afflictions/delusions help us to recognize our own delusions and to develop the ability to overcome them.

To enable participants to keep focus and concentration, the retreat will be silent other than guided meditations and essential communication. To maintain a stable and peaceful retreat environment, participants should commit to attending the entire day.

All students at any level are welcome. Some will be doing this practice in the context of Discovering Buddhism (DB).

Note about DB: If you are working on the requirements for completing the DB Practice Retreats, the Renunciation meditations are required for Day 1 of the Presenting the Path module and Days 1 and 2 of the Samsara and Nirvana module. Please be aware that these mediations will be guided by a fellow student and not an FPMT teacher, so for DB purposes, your approach is similar to if you were preparing for and practicing independently. However, we offer this opportunity in the center’s spiritual setting with other students with the hope that you find the environment beneficial and to cultivate a supportive environment in which we all practice.

Schedule

Please bring food for your day such as snacks and lunch.

8:30 - Center open, check in, make offerings (bookstore open)

9:00 - 9:15 - General information

9:15 - 10:15 - Session 1

10:15 - 10:35 - Break (Silent)

10:35 - 11:35 - Session 2

11:35 - 12:15 - Lunch Break (Silent)

12:15 - 1:15 - Session 3

1:15 - 1:35 - Break (Silent)

1:35 - 2:35 - Session 4

2:35 - 3:00 - Discussion

Clean up, take down offerings (bookstore open)

To REGISTER, enter or select your name and click the blue Next button. Then, answer a few questions and click the blue Next button. Finally, click the Register button. 

We offer this opportunity on a donation basis so that money is never an obstacle to practicing the Dharma. If you are able, please indicate your donation by clicking on one of the following buttons where you will be led to our secure online system. Thank you!!

Set my own amount

$50 - With Love

$75 - With Compassion

$108 - With Joy