The Spiritual Path of Birth and Motherhood - VIRTUAL RETREAT

We gather as a community of mothers, mothers-to-be and grandmothers to honor and empower our sacred path of birthing and motherhood; to bring our spiritual practice to prepare and repair; and to show up for birth, motherhood and grandmotherhood embodied and open to love. Our time will include traditional dharma teachings and practices as well as age-old wisdom surrounding the nature of birth and motherhood. We learn how birth can include pleasure, wonder and glimpses of nature of mind. And when birth is difficult we learn the value of healing it. We discover birth and motherhood as a spiritual path of the awakened heart – compassionate, vulnerable and courageous.  Through teachings, meditation, and discussion we will weave together a supportive and generative community and develop tools to take back into daily life. All are welcome; no previous meditation experience is necessary.

In this daylong retreat you will have the opportunity to:

• Develop a supportive, nurturing and generative community 
• Learn meditative practices to support our experience of birth and path of motherhood
• Learn practices which repair and reconnect perinatal traumatic experiences 
• Gain insight into ourselves as individuals and as mothers
• Gain inspiration for developing motherhood and giving birth as a spiritual path

Who Should Attend? 

• This retreat is open to mothers, mothers-to-be, and to anyone who serves in the role of mother to others in this lifetime.

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.

Saturday, September 25:
10:00am – 11:30am MT: Morning Teaching and Practice Session
11:45am – 12:30pm MT: Morning Integration Session
1:30pm – 3:00pm MT: Afternoon Teaching and Practice Session
3:15pm – 4:00pm MT: Integration and Closing Session

How Do I Prepare?

There is no preparation needed for this retreat.  However you may enjoy reading from any of our recommended booklist:

• Return to The Great Mother by Isa Gucciardi Phd
• Welcoming Spirit Home: Ancient African Teachings to Celebrate Children and Community by Sobonfu Somé
• The Tibetan Art of Parenting by Anne Maiden Brown
• Mothering from the Center by Tami Kent
• Healing After Birth by Jennifer Summerfeldt MACP
• Momma Zen by Karen Miller
• Everyday Blessings: The Inner Work of Mindful Parenting by Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn
• The Mama Sutra by Anne Cushman
• The Fourth Trimester by Kimberly Ann Johnson
• Call of the Wild by Kimberly Ann Johnson

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!

$94 – 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. 

$115 – 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.

$127 – 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. 

Payment Plans and Financial Assistance
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.