The Four Foundations of Mindfulness - VIRTUAL RETREAT

A Tara Mandala Virtual Retreat

“Mindfulness” has become a popular buzzword in the West. Many people use it without truly knowing what it means. “Be mindful,” they’ll say. But what does it mean to be mindful?

Mindfulness is one type of meditation, but it can be practiced without the traditional trappings of sitting quietly. Very simply, it means paying attention. The Buddha taught four methods to pay better attention in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. Specifically, he taught four broad categories of things we can pay attention to in order to calm our minds: the body (which includes breathing), feelings, mind, and Dhammā (the Buddha’s teachings).

Here are just a few of the benefits of Mindfulness identified by scientific research:

• Stress reduction
• Reduced rumination/daydreaming
• Decreased negative affect (e.g. depression, anxiety)
• Less emotional reactivity/more effective emotion regulation
• Increased focus
• More cognitive flexibility
• Improved working memory

Roshi Myodo Jabo, a priest with the Five Mountain Zen Order, will unpack this short yet profound teaching and guide participants in practicing the techniques found within. This retreat will include periods of meditation, as well as teachings on how to maintain greater mindfulness in everyday life. 

Who Should Attend?

• This retreat is open to everyone. It is suitable for beginning meditators and those who have been practicing for years. 

Please enjoy this video of Ven. Dr. Myodo Jabo offering an introduction of what to expect in this retreat.

What is a Virtual Retreat?

Virtual Retreats are Tara Mandala At-Home intensive retreats, teachings and in-depth workshops during which practitioners receive dharma teachings, engage in guided practice, experience hands-on learning, and connect with other participants through an easy-to-use online platform (Zoom) during consecutive days (with few exceptions) and daylong offerings. This modality of learning is appropriate for practitioners who are able to create a practice container of their own, setting aside a dedicated retreat space, removing themselves from social media, and taking care of necessities with the mind of compassion in action for the specific dates and times that the teachings occur. 

Virtual Retreats are meant to be attended live given that direct transmission (Tib. lung) may be given. However, access to recordings of the sessions are available for additional viewing for various timeframes specified by the price level selected.

Tiered-Prices

Tara Mandala offers tiered pricing for all virtual retreats to allow participants the opportunity to consider offering additional financial support for Tara Mandala while gaining greater access to the recordings of the teachings post-retreat. These are difficult times for everyone, and Tara Mandala is no exception. We encourage you to select at the highest level within your capacity to assist Tara Mandala in covering the costs to offer these wonderful teachings. We thank you in advance for your support and your practice!

$239 – Tier 1 (includes access to recordings of all sessions for up to 7 days from the end of the retreat)
Registration at this level covers the basic costs of holding this specific retreat. 

$294 – Tier 2 (includes access to recordings of all sessions for up to 30 days from the end of the retreat)
Registration at this level covers basic costs of this retreat and supports the year round staff at Tara Mandala.

$323 – Tier 3 (includes access to recordings of all sessions for up to 1 year from the end of the retreat)
Registration at this level covers basic costs for this retreat, supports year around staff as well as facilities maintenance and other critical operational needs.

Choosing Tier 2 or Tier 3 levels will allow Tara Mandala Retreat Center to continue to operate, be a repository for wisdom literature, a center for translation, a beacon for the feminine in Buddhism, and an active dharma center that provides refuge for deep practice and transformation.

There are many ways to support and engage with Tara Mandala’s activities. Click here to learn more. We appreciate your support and generosity! 

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. 

Note: Tara Mandala has two scholarship funds and offers deferred payment plans as resources for anyone with financial limitations. For more information and to apply, visit our Scholarships and Financial Assistance Page. 

VIRTUAL RETREAT SCHEDULE

Listed times are the online portions of the retreat. All times are Mountain Time. 

Please use this link to see how this daily schedule translates into your timezone.

Friday, April 9:
3:00pm – 3:45pm MT: Opening Session

Saturday, April 10:
9:00am – 9:45am MT: Practice Session
11:00am – 1:00pm MT: Teaching Session
3:00pm – 5:00pm MT: Teaching Session
7:00pm – 7:45pm MT: Practice Session

Sunday, April 11:
9:00am – 9:45am MT: Practice Session
11:00am – 1:00pm MT: Teaching Session
3:00pm – 5:00pm MT: Closing Session