253 Philbrick Hill Road, Springfield, New Hampshire, USA
March 8, 2026
About this Retreat
Lama Willa Blythe Baker, Ph.D. is the Founder of Natural Dharma Fellowship in Boston, MA and its retreat center Wonderwell Mountain Refuge in Springfield, NH. She was authorized as a dharma teacher and lineage holder in the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism after twelve years of monastic training and two consecutive three-year retreats. She also has trained in the Nyingma and Shangpa lineages. In 2013, Willa completed a doctorate at Harvard University, and was Visiting Lecturer in Buddhist Ministry from 2013 to 2017.
Willa is author of four books:
The Wakeful Body: Somatic Mindfulness as a Path to Freedom (2021),
The Arts of Contemplative Care: Pioneering Voices in Buddhist Chaplaincy and Pastoral Work (2012),
Everyday Dharma: Seven Weeks to Finding the Buddha in You (2009), and
Essence of Ambrosia (2005). Her articles and translations have appeared in
Tricycle, Lion’s Roar,
Buddhadharma,
Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies,
Tibet Journal, and other periodicals and anthologies.
She is a contemplative faculty member with the Mind and Life Institute, Sangha Live, One Earth Sangha, Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, the Omega Institute and Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. She is a member of Clark University’s Council of the Uncertain Human Future and sits on the advisory board for One Earth Sangha.
At present, Willa writes, teaches, guides meditation retreats, and develops curriculum for people interested in cultivating a deep meditation practice in daily life. Her teaching interests include the wisdom of the body, eco-dharma, non-dual awareness and compassion.
Details of this retreat
Live Online!
Please note different time: 12:00 - 1:30 pm ET
What does it mean to learn from a teacher, and how does that relationship support awakening? In this hour-long dharma talk, we’ll explore the role of the teacher–student relationship in spiritual practice—its possibilities, challenges and ethical foundations.
Drawing on traditional teachings and contemporary perspectives, the talk will reflect on the role of discernment, trust, inner wisdom, responsibility and agency in cultivating a relationship with a teacher or teachers.
We will also consider the breadth of what “teacher” means in an Eastern context, as a principal that permeates our outer, inner and innermost world, how being a student is a practice of taking life itself as our teacher.
Zoom link —The Zoom meeting link will be emailed separately several days before the session or following registration if closer to the event time. Please put this address in your Contacts to ensure you receive our emails: register@naturaldharma.org. If you haven’t received the link, please first check your spam folder and then contact the email above by the prior Saturday or zoomsupport@natualdharma.org the morning of the session if you still need assistance.
Important: Please put these this email address in your Contact or Safe-Send list to make sure you receive our emails:
register@naturaldharma.org
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