NDF Schedule of Events
LEGEND
NDF Event
Margha Event
Vajrayana
Other Event
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Registration for the Bhutan trip is now open! Click here for brochure.
In the Eye of the Storm: Buddhist Practices for Taking Adversity as a Path
A One-Day Retreat with Lama Willa Miller
Saturday, January 28th, 2012 (10:00 AM - 4:30 PM)
Old Center Hall, 3 Great Pond Road, North Andover, MA 01845
Map/Directions
When we encounter difficult outer circumstances, our tendency is to want to avoid or fix them. When we encounter difficult inner emotions, our tendency is to want to escape or supress them. But these very strategies, in the end, often compound our suffering. What can we do about adversity? The timeless wisdom tradition of lojong, coming out of Tibet, shows us that we have another option. We have the option to "lean in" to what is difficult. The profound practice of leaning in helps us discover that the very states we long to avoid—fear, suffering, loss, anger, and grief—are actually key to developing deeper empathy, wisdom, and joy. We learn to find refuge right in the eye of the storm, to find stillness within our most difficult mind-states. On this one-day retreat, we will learn the meditation of 'tong-len' from the lojong tradition, as well as explore how to apply this practice to everyday life.
Contact: Laura Howell: chinacat108@gmail.com
First Dharma Sunday of 2012 at Wonderwell
with Lama Willa and NDF mediation teachers
Sunday, January 29th (10:00 AM - 12:00 PM)
Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, 253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, NH 03748
Map/Directions
Join us for our first Dharma Sunday of 2012, a one-day retreat, with meditation and dharma instruction at Wonderwell Mountain Refuge. A one-day retreat is a great way to renew your connection to practice, and deepen in our practices of natural meditation and compassion. Silence is kept 10:00 AM to noon. A one-day retreat is suitable for all levels of practice. Please bring a dish for the afternoon sangha potluck!
10:00 | - | 10:45 AM | Natural Meditation sitting practice, alternated with stretching and yoga |
10:45 | - | 11:00 AM | Break |
11:00 | - | 11:45 AM | Tara Practice |
11:45 | - | 12:00 PM | Break and Snack |
12:00 | - | 2:00 PM | Dharma Teaching |
2:00 | - | 3:00 PM | Sangha Lunch |
Please do not bring your dog to Dharma Sunday [we've tried!].
Free, donations also accepted
Contact: info@naturaldharma.org
Natural Meditation
with Lama Willa Miller
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 (6:30 PM)
Cambridge Friends Meeting House, Longfellow Park, Cambridge, MA 02138
Map/Directions
Join Lama Willa for a Tuesday night Dharma teaching at 6:30 pm.
The Tibetan wisdom traditions of Mahamudra and Dzogchen take the perspective that a meaningful life is defined not by what we do but rather by how we are. Just as we learn to do, to accomplish and to achieve, we can learn to value and cultivate ways of being as a path to greater freedom, joy and spontaneity. We can develop skills such as undoing, letting go and non-striving. We can discover that it is possible to simply be, to willingly release ourselves from the 'doing' mind. As we discover this, we begin to cultivate the art of being, a way of life that gradually mines the awareness of this present moment for the treasures of spaciousness, luminosity and joy that dwell within it. The ability to relax into a state of pure being leads not only to inner peace, but—when mastered—to the all-encompassing wisdom of enlightenment itself.
Contact: info@naturaldharma.org
A One-Day Meditation Retreat with L. Willa Miller
Saturday, February 4th, 2012 (10:00 AM - 4:30 PM)
Moved to Saturday, July 21st, 2012
The Five Basic Precepts in Everyday Life
with Lama Rod Owens
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 (6:30 PM)
Cambridge Friends Meeting House, Longfellow Park, Cambridge, MA 02138
Map/Directions
Often it is very challenging for lay people to observe the five basic precepts of not killing, not stealing, no sexual misconduct, no lying, and no intoxicants. It can be a challenging task to translate these precepts into a language applicable and appropriate for our lives as we live it. In this talk, we will discuss the origin of the vows, their purpose in our practice, and contemplate a new model that can help us integrate their meaning and practice into all parts of our lives.
Contact: info@naturaldharma.org
In the Eye of the Storm: Buddhist Practices for Taking Adversity as a Path
with Lama Willa Miller
Friday, February 24th - Sunday, February 26th, 2012
Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, 149 Lockwood Rd., Barre, MA 01005
Map/Directions
When we encounter difficult outer circumstances, our tendency is to want to avoid or fix them. When we encounter difficult inner emotions, our tendency is to want to escape or suppress them. But these very strategies, in the end, often compound our suffering. What can we do about adversity? The Tibetan practices of lojong ("Heart Cultivation") show us that we have another option. We have the option to "lean in" to what is difficult. The profound practice of leaning in helps us discover that the very states we long to avoid—fear, suffering, loss, anger, and grief—are actually key to developing deeper empathy, wisdom, and joy. We learn to find refuge right in the eye of the storm, to find stillness within our most difficult mind-states. The practices of Heart Cultivation are useful for anyone interested in taking adversity as a path, but have been found especially useful for people working in psychotherapy and caregiving contexts.
Suggested reading: The Path of Great Awakening, by Jamgon Kongtrul, translated by Ken McLeod.
Cost: $198
Contact: bcbs.dharma.org
Unplanned Grace: A Meditation Retreat to Discover the Blessings of Devastating Change
with Lama Willa Miller
Friday, March 2nd - Monday, March 5th, 2012
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Stockbridge, MA
Map/Directions
If there is one thing that unites us as human beings, it is the absolute certainty that things change. When we look back on our life, it is often the experiences of transition and loss, especially devastating ones, that we remember the most. Transitions shape our lives and become the milestones by which we mark our identity.
Buddhist teachings tell us that these experiences of devastating change, particularly loss, are the keys to spiritual growth. The experiences that leave us the most afraid and vulnerable become, with training, the very ones that have the potential to open us to greater oneness, compassion, and wisdom.
In this workshop with Lama Willa Miller, learn to
- Lean into and process transition
- Use practical meditations to envision feelings of loss as doorways to deeper compassion
- Harvest experiences of change for their life lessons
- Let go and move on
- Create a "gratitude diary" that supports transition.
Lama Willa draws from the Heart Cultivation (Lojong) teachings of Tibetan Buddhism to show us how to move from brokenhearted to a heart broken open.
Tuition: $265
Register: Call 1-866-200-5203 or www.kripalu.org
Natural Meditation
with Lama Willa Miller
Tuesday, March 6th, 2012 (6:30 PM)
Cambridge Friends Meeting House, Longfellow Park, Cambridge, MA 02138
Map/Directions
Join Lama Willa for a Tuesday night Dharma teaching at 6:30 pm.
The Tibetan wisdom traditions of Mahamudra and Dzogchen take the perspective that a meaningful life is defined not by what we do but rather by how we are. Just as we learn to do, to accomplish and to achieve, we can learn to value and cultivate ways of being as a path to greater freedom, joy and spontaneity. We can develop skills such as undoing, letting go and non-striving. We can discover that it is possible to simply be, to willingly release ourselves from the 'doing' mind. As we discover this, we begin to cultivate the art of being, a way of life that gradually mines the awareness of this present moment for the treasures of spaciousness, luminosity and joy that dwell within it. The ability to relax into a state of pure being leads not only to inner peace, but—when mastered—to the all-encompassing wisdom of enlightenment itself.
Contact: info@naturaldharma.org
Vajrayana Retreat: Guru Yoga
with Lama Willa Miller
Thursday, March 8th - Monday, March 12th, 2012
Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, 253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, NH 03748
Map/Directions
A five day retreat focusing on the transmission of the Guru Yoga Pracitce, the fourth 'uncommon' foundation of the Vajrayana path. In this retreat, we explore the meaning of connecting to a lineage of transmission, the practice of pure perception, and other aspects of the profound path of guru yoga.
Vajrayana retreats are dog friendly.
Attendance of this retreat is restricted to students who are doing or have done the Foundational Practices, Ngondro.
Contact: David Picariello: vajrayana@naturaldharma.org
Green Tara Retreat
with Lama Willa and Lama John Makransky
Friday, April 6th - Sunday, April 8th
Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, 253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, NH 03748
Map/Directions
Join NDF Sangha for a weekend celebrating the female embodiment of wisdom and compassion, Green Tara. In this weekend retreat, we will explore the profound Tibetan practice of deity yoga, in which we work with visualization of powerful archetypes in order to connect to our innate capacity for wisdom, compassion and skillful means. This weekend retreat will include a full transmission of Tara's practice, teaching on the principals of Vajaryana and Tara practice, and periods of meditation and chanting.
Contact: info@naturaldharma.org
The Divine Feminine: A Pilgrimage to Bhutan, Land of the Thunder Dragon
with Lama Willa Miller and Elizabeth Monson [spiritual guides] and Jetsun Deleplanque [pilgrimage guide]
Wednesday, April 25th - Thursday, May 10th, 2012
Join us for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to discover the hidden Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, the land of the dragon. We will journey to incomparably beautiful temples and sites, focusing on the theme of the sacred feminine. Guided by three practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism whose backgrounds include depth of scholarship, this unique pilgrimage will provide a means to connect deeply to the sacred feminine, supplemented by an exploration of the intricacies of Tibetan Buddhist history and philosophy, as well as the non-verbal magic and awe that the sanctity of the sacred sites visited will inspire. Our days will include morning and evenings of discussion and reflection as well as meditation practice at the sacred sites. Because the key to a land often lies in the hands of its people, our journey will be blessed by privileged encounters with various representatives of the living Buddhist traditions of Bhutan. From revered Rinpoches to young practitioners, our meetings and discussions, where emphasis will be made on the female presence in Bhutanese Buddhist circles, will serve to guide us in the unraveling of the place and significance of the Divine Feminine in Buddhism.
Registration is now open.
To register, contact Jetsun Deleplanque at jetsun@namkhajourneys.com. Registration deadline is extended to Feb. 20th, 2012.
Learn more about Bhutan here.
Details for the Bhutan trip can be found 
here [downloadable PDF file].
Meditation and Practice Retreat with Brendan Kennedy
Saturday, May 12th - Saturday, May 19th, 2012
Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, 253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, NH 03748
Map/Directions
In this retreat we will explore different ways of being which will help us to undisguise and undress impure conceptual thinking mind. And we're going to experientially investigate the two questions: what is being and what is being.
Brendan Kennedy is a longstanding and deep practitioner of the Dharma who has trained and practiced with many of the great masters of the Dzogchen tradition and is a personal student of H.H. the Dalai Lama. He uses language that is fresh, clear and coming directly from his own experience to communicate the essence of the Dzogchen tradition.
Contact: Becky Darley rebeccadarley@gmail.com
In the Eye of the Storm: Buddhist Practices for Taking Emotions as a Path
with Lama Willa Miller
Sunday, June 3rd - Thursday, June 7th, 2012
Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, Stockbridge, MA
Map/Directions
While we often find strong emotions challenging, emotions are by nature powerful, energetic and potentially purificatory. In some Buddhist meditation practices, emotions are not to be avoided, supressed or relinquished, but rather are potentially fuel for our journey to enlightenment. In this week-long retreat, we will explore the five elemental emotional states of desire, anger, egotism, pride and jealousy to discover their transformative potential. Over the course of the week, we will
- explore the internal cognitive stories that give rise to strong emotions
- learn the art of "leaning in" to emotional states that are difficult
- learn to reframe emotional states as transformative
- discuss how physical practices, such as yoga, can be taken as a path to diffuse the energy of strong emotions
Blending the Tibetan Buddhist teachings of lojong [heart-cultivation], with the tantric meditations and exercises, Lama Willa will guide participants through a four day journey to lay the groundwork to transform our relationship to emotion and suffering, and discover these states to be the key to developing deeper empathy, wisdom, and joy.
Tuition: $315
Register: Call 1-866-200-5203 or www.kripalu.org
Margha Program Mid-Year Retreat: Bodhicitta, the Power of Original Goodness
with Lama Willa Miller and mitras of the Margha Program
Friday, June 8th - Monday, June 11th, 2012
Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, 253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, NH 03748
Map/Directions
Join us as we continue to explore the profound practices of compassion and loving kindness from the Tibetan tradition. In this four-day retreat, we will deepen in meditation practices of compassion and wisdom, and explore the potential for taking daily moments as a path. Time will be set aside for interviews with Lama Willa and NDF's Mentors, and for discussion. This retreat is required for participants enrolled in the 2012 margha program, and for all mitras.
Check back for registration information.
The Art of Being: A Natural Meditation Retreat
with Lama Willa and Brendan Kennedy
Friday, June 22nd - Friday, June 29th
Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, 253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, NH 03748
Map/Directions
A meaningful life is defined not by what we do but rather by how we are. Just as we learn to do, to accomplish and to achieve, the profound practice of Dzogchen teaches us to undo, let go and desist from striving. We discover that it is possible to willingly release ourselves from the 'doing' mind, and simply be. As we discover this, we begin to cultivate the art of being, a way of life that gradually mines the awareness of this present moment for the treasures of spaciousness, luminosity and joy that dwell within it.
In this meditation retreat, participants will
- Learn the practice of Natural Meditation, a core practice of the Dzogchen and Mahamudra traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. As a powerful yin to our society's yang, the practice of natural meditation opens the door to the art of being.
- Meditate Outdoors: The features of the natural world have a way of organically teaching us how to let go, to undo and to release patterns of striving. Every afternoon [weather permitting], we will deepen into the practice of natural meditation outdoors.
- Engage in discussion and processing work in groups and pairs.
- Explore the mind's 'deviations' from the practice as they arise.
- Keep a 'natural meditation journal' over the course of the week, in which we record insights that arise during the day.
- Explore the relationship between the art of being and the pro-social emotions such as compassion and love.
In the course of this retreat, we will learn that a successful life is defined not solely by what we do but also by how we are. The ability to relax into a state of pure being leads not only to inner peace, but when mastered to the all-encompassing wisdom of enlightenment itself.
Contact: info@naturaldharma.org
A One-Day Meditation Retreat with L. Willa Miller
Saturday, July 21st, 2012 (10:00 AM - 4:30 PM)
Portland Regency Hotel, 20 Milk Street, Portland, ME 04101
Map/Directions
How can we deepen compassion, but not become so identified with the world's suffering that we lose touch with our own well-being? The Buddhist tradition of lojong [Heart Cultivation] teaches us that the ability to respond compassionately is a tendency that can be consciously cultivated in a way that is sustainable, energizing and healthy. In this one day retreat, L. Willa will introduce the Five Principals of Heart Cultivation, as well as meditations and methods that help us discover our innate capacity for unconditional love.
Contact: Jane Burdick: jburdic1@maine.rr.com
Vajrayana Retreat: Vajrayogini
with Lama Willa Miller
Wednesday, August 1st - Wednesday, August 15th, 2012
with an option to stay August 1st - 30th
Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, 253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, NH 03748
Map/Directions
Vajrayana retreats are dog friendly.
Attendance of this retreat is restricted to students who are doing or have done the Foundational Practices, Ngondro.
Contact: David Picariello: vajrayana@naturaldharma.org
Write Meditation Retreat: Exploring the writing process within the context of Buddhist practice
with Philip Osgood
Friday, September 7rd - Sunday, September 9th, 2012
Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, 253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, NH 03748
Map/Directions
Come spend a weekend delving deep into writing and contemplation within a supportive and beautiful environment.
"Writers write." Whether you are a seasoned professional or "just a beginner," the bare bones of being a writer is determined by the simple act of writing. This weekend will be a great opportunity to re-invigorate and enhance your writing process. Using the ground of mindfulness and compassion, we will tap into the creative writing process in a nonjudgmental, non-critical manner.
The retreat is structured to intersperse periods of meditation and writing practice. There will be plenty of time and space for working on individual projects and also the opportunity for group writing exercises, readings and discussions.
Facilitator: Philip Osgood is a writer, editor and Buddhist practitioner living in Brooksville, Maine. He has studied the dharma for over 30 years and has facilitated numerous writing workshops and groups.
Contact: Philip Osgood: info.philiposgood@gmail.com
Earth-Citta: A Workshop on the Dharma of Sustainable Choices
with Lama Willa and friends
Friday, September 21st - Sunday, September 23rd
Wonderwell Mountain Refuge, 253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, NH 03748
Map/Directions
In traditional Buddhist practice, the objects of our compassion are usually sentient beings. While this is an important root of the bodhisattva path, our practices of love and compassion do not have to stop there. As the progenitor and support of sentience, the natural world is worthy of our love and compassion. Join us at Wonderwell for a weekend of mutual reflection, meditations, teachings and activities, as we collectively explore how our practices of bodhicitta (love and compassion) can be deepened and widened by extending our heart to include compassion for the earth. We will also discuss how the small choices we make in favor of sustainability are not merely politically correct obligations. These small choices can be understood as profound spiritual practices, as bodhisattva acts, that help us move the tide of collective karma to sustain the delicate web of life. Sunday's program will include a half-day of hiking in the beautiful foothills of the White Mountains that surround Wonderwell.
Check back for registration information.
The Art of Being: A Natural Meditation Retreat
with Lama Willa
Sunday, October 21st - Friday, October 26th, 2012
Omega Institute for Holistic Studies
150 Lake Drive Rhinebeck, NY 12572
Map/Directions
So many of us are driven forward in life by the notion that we are defined primarily by what we do, and how much we accomplish. This may lead us to a place where we are 'successful' in a relative sense, but it just as often leaves us feeling emotionally and spiritually impoverished. Why? The Tibetan wisdom traditions of Mahamudra and Dzogchen would tell us that our society has overlooked an essential cause of human freedom and happiness. These traditions take the perspective that a meaningful life is defined not by what we do but rather by how we are. Just as we learn to do, to accomplish and to achieve, we can learn to value and cultivate ways of being as a path to greater freedom, joy and spontaneity. We can develop skills such as undoing, letting go and non-striving. We can discover that it is possible to simply be, to willingly release ourselves from the 'doing' mind. As we discover this, we begin to cultivate the art of being, a way of life that gradually mines the awareness of this present moment for the treasures of spaciousness, luminosity and joy that dwell within it. The ability to relax into a state of pure being leads not only to inner peace, but—when mastered—to the all-encompassing wisdom of enlightenment itself.
Check back for registration information.