About this Retreat
Andrew Holecek is an author, speaker, and humanitarian who offers seminars internationally on meditation, lucid dreaming, and the art of dying. He is the author of many books, including
The Power and the Pain: Transforming Spiritual Hardship into Joy, and
Preparing to Die: Practical Advice and Spiritual Wisdom from the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition. Dr. Holecek is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the coauthor of scientific papers on lucid dreaming. His work has appeared in Psychology Today, Parabola, Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, Utne Reader, Buddhadharma Magazine, Light of Consciousness, and many other periodicals. He also hosts the popular Edge of Mind podcast, conversations with leading-edge thinkers in the fields of science, philosophy, spirituality, psychology, integral studies, and the arts. Andrew is the founder of the international Night Club community, a support platform for the nocturnal meditations, and the co-founder of Global Dental Relief, which provides free oral health care to children in developing countries. He holds degrees in classical music, biology, and a doctorate in dental surgery. Learn more at
andrewholecek.com.
Robert Thurman is Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University as well as co-founder and President of
Tibet House US and it's
Menla Retreat & Spa. A world-wide lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism, activist for the plight of the Tibetan people, translator of Buddhist texts, and writer of popular Buddhist books. He recently has been awarded the Padma Shri Award, India’s fourth highest civilian honor for achievement in enriching Indian education and literature. His most recent book is the 300 page graphic novel,
Man of Peace: the Illustrated Life Story of the Dalai Lama of Tibet.
Suggested Books & Audio by Robert A.F. Thurman:
Man of Peace: Illustrated Life Story of Tibet’s Dalai Lama (Book),
Infinite Life: Awakening to Bliss Within (Book),
Anger: The Seven Deadly Sins (Book),
Inner Revolution (Book),
Circling the Sacred Mountain : A Spiritual Adventure Through the Himalayas (Book),
Essential Tibetan Buddhism (Book),
The Tibetan Book of the Dead: The Great Book of Natural Liberation Through Understanding in the Between (Book)
The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism (Book),
The Central Philosophy of Tibet (Book),
The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: A Mahayana Scripture (Book),
Life & Teachings of Tsong Khapa (Book),
Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet, and the World (Book) &
Liberation Upon Hearing in the Between: Living with the Tibetan Book of the Dead (Audio).
To Learn More About Robert A.F. Thurman please visit: Website |
Twitter |
Facebook |
Instagram
Anthony is a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine, adjunct professor of religious studies at the University of Ottawa, and a researcher at Lundquist Institute-Harbor-UCLA. For nearly twenty years, he has been conducting FDA-approved clinical research with the psychedelic compound psilocybin with primary objectives for the treatment of end-of-life psycho-existential distress and implications for advancing our understanding of consciousness, meaning, and spirituality. He was director of palliative care research on a trial demonstrating a significant reduction in psychological distress and an improvement in spiritual well-being from a single psilocybin session in persons with cancer. He is the study director and lead therapist on a trial investigating a psilocybin-generated mystical experience upon religious leaders from various religious traditions. He is a training supervisor of psychotherapy at NYU-Bellevue Hospital and co-founder of the Bellevue Hospital Palliative Care Service. Dr. Bossis is on the faculty of The Center for Psychedelic Therapies and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies and the Art of Dying Institute in NYC. He has authored numerous publications on psychedelics, spirituality, and end-of-life existential distress. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology and a guest editor for the journal’s Special Series on Psychedelics. He maintains a private psychotherapy and consulting practice in NYC.
Details of this retreat
Dark retreat is one of the most transformative meditations ever devised. This ancient practice is making a comeback as celebrities proclaim its benefits. Darkness can unleash the power of the luminous mind, bring light to the world, and ironically provide an antidote to this Dark Age. Psychedelics are taking the globe by storm. Entheogens can remove your fear of death, jumpstart your meditation, and change the course of your life. Virtual reality offers a revolution in pedagogy. VR can spark psycho-spiritual evolution and modernize meditations like dream yoga, deity yoga, and bardo yoga. What do these three tools have in common? What is the science that supports their outrageous claims? How can you safely and effectively use them in your life?
When used properly, dark retreat, psychedelics, and virtual reality have the potential to light you up. When used improperly, they can readily burn you up. This highly experiential retreat explores the opportunities and obstacles in these ancient and modern methods, revealing their potential to accelerate personal and societal transformation.
Topics include:
Sutra vs tantra dark retreat
Multicultural support for dark practice
Why is dark retreat so transformative?
Inner and outer light pollution as the sinister core of the Dark Age
The risks of dark retreat
How to work with fear and resistance
The place of psychedelics on the spiritual path
Which entheogens are right for you?
Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy
Can super-samsara be a good thing?
Psychedelics as modern tantra – are we kidding ourselves?
Virtual reality for increasing empathy and compassion
The issue of addiction and alternative world syndrome
Virtual reality in mental health therapy and meditation
Virtual reality, neurogenesis, and neuroplasticity
How to use dark retreat, psychedelics, and virtual reality to remove the fear of death
Indications and contraindications for dark retreat, psychedelics, and virtual reality
The importance of preparation, integration, and incorporation
The history and science behind it all
The future
Noted psychedelic researcher Dr. Anthony Bossis will join Andrew and Robert for an entire day of teaching. We're thrilled to be able to welcome him to the program. He will address the history, science, and reemergence of psychedelic research and the study of mystical experience with implications for end-of-life psychospiritual and existential distress, grief, meaning-making, and the relevance for thanatology and religious studies. The importance of safety, context of set and setting, and session preparation, psychedelic session support, and integration will be discussed.
Details: Specially prepared dark sessions will be facilitated for people to practice individually, and everybody is asked to bring a Manta Sleep Mask for group dark practice. Please bring either silicon or foam ear plugs, to facilitate complete sensory deprivation. VR supported group meditation ceremonies will be offered as an experiential add-on, for a minor fee. VR is only available for in-person attendees, with a maximum capacity limit.
This is a hybrid retreat, and this page is for registration for the in-person attendance option. To register instead for the online participation option via Teachable in our Menla Online portal, please click here.
Please note that while we will discuss psychedelics thoroughly, no psychedelic medicines will actually be used during this retreat.
"So be wise, because the world needs more wisdom, and if you cannot be wise, pretend to be someone who is wise, and then just behave like they would. And now go, and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here. Make. Good. Art."
- Neil Gaiman
Schedule
Monday, September 16
3 - 7 pm Arrival & Check-in
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Welcome and Intro Class
Tuesday, September 17 - Saturday, September 21
7 - 8 am Optional Yoga
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 am - 12:15 pm Morning Class
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 - 4 pm Free Time for Spa, Hiking, R&R
4 - 6 pm Afternoon Class
6 - 7 pm Dinner
7:30 pm Evening Class
Sunday, September 22
7 - 11 am Check-out of Rooms
7 - 8 am Optional Yoga
8 - 9 am Breakfast
9:15 am - 12:15 pm Morning Class
12:30 - 1:30 pm Lunch & Departure
*Please note that the schedule is subject to change at any time.
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