191 Cragsmoor Road Cragsmoor, New York 12566
April 26 - 28, 2024
About this Retreat
Anna Winkler has been practicing and teaching yoga since 1989, when she certified with the Sivananda Yoga Organization, in both India and Canada. She served as a volunteer staff member there for 6 years, assisting in Yoga Teacher Training courses and modeling for 2 yoga books, among other things. Anna has been practicing Ashtanga Yoga since 1997 (with Eddie Stern and other authorized teachers), and teaching Ashtanga since 2002. She has been studying and practicing Iyengar Yoga at Studio Yoga in Madison, NJ since 2007, where she received her second 500-hour teaching certificate. Anna teaches an Alignment Based Hatha Yoga class. Her Ashtanga classes are also alignment influenced. Anna has been teaching in the Maplewood, NJ area since 2001, and is the founder and director of Shakti Yoga & living arts (since 2005). Anna is also a Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Ayurveda Lifestyle Consultant.
Bob Blanton has over 40 years of experience in the martial arts, 25 of which have been dedicated to the study and practice of Tai Chi and QiGong. For over 10 years Bob has devoted his time to a deeper study of the principals and forms of these arts. In addition to teaching private and group classes, he has participated in numerous demonstrations and competitions.
Madalina Blanton is a Reiki Master Teacher, Family Constellation facilitator and spiritual artist with a practice based in Maplewood NJ. She has been certified as a Reiki Master Teacher and Spiritual Counselor after a 550 hours program at the Open Center in NY, taught by the late Margaret Ann Case.
After a successful career as a designer of children's books Madalina decided to dedicate her time to healing practices. Through her personal healing journey, she learned that lasting transformation happens when we bring awareness to all aspects of our being and fully engage our soul energy. She brings gentle care, compassion and deep attention to her clients, blending her knowledge of the visual arts, her passion for energy work, homeopathy and nutrition to help her clients and students reawaken their own source of creativity, expanded energy and ultimately their well-being.
www.soultoearthhealing.com
Carol Schoffmann is a Certified Healing Sound Practitioner, Certified Reiki Master/Teacher, Certified Meditation Teacher, and Intuitive Spiritual Guide And Mentor.
Her interest in holistic health started in her twenties, after she was diagnosed with a chronic illness. As she learned about alternative health practices and nutrition, she changed her lifestyle—and her health. Carol believes we all have an inner wisdom that we can tap in to, if we get quiet enough to listen, that guides us intuitively toward happiness and whole health. This is the foundation of her practice.
Carol first encountered Himalayan singing bowls in 1990 on her first trip to Nepal. Since then, she has played hundreds of singing bowls, and recently becoming trained in ancient healing protocols using these beautiful Himalayan singing bowls. She received a Level 3 Practitioner Certificate from the Atma Buti (Soul Medicine) Sound and Vibration School.
Carol continues to study and certify in different energy modalities that compliment each other, helping create pathways to inner tranquility as she practices these healing arts.
Learn more at: https://www.yourinnertranquility.com/meet-carol
Gary Wheaton has been a Buddhist practitioner and student of Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche since 2008. He has served as retreat cook, retreat organizer, retreat leader, and teacher's assistant. Professionally he is a human resources director, with expertise in conflict resolution and coaching.
STUDENT COMMENTS
- "Sharing his personal experiences, Gary made a regular meditation practice seem realistic and attainable."
- "Gary knows his stuff—and is also gentle, kind, and open to questions. We even laughed."
- "Gary was wonderful and provided me with many skills for finding inner peace. I am so happy to have arrived at this comforting and supportive place."
- "Gary is really compassionate and down to earth. His teaching reflects this."
Details of this retreat
A DHARMAKAYA CENTER RETREAT
Disconnect from your devices and reconnect with nature, the present moment, and your inner being. Six teachers guide you through a range of powerful practices—including shamata, yoga, walking meditation, guided compassion meditation, personal outdoor meditation, reiki, qi gong, and singing bowls. You will find yourself refreshed, recharged, and reconnected to yourself.
"This is my favorite program of the year. I leave completely re-energized."
BRING A FRIEND DISCOUNT: Do you know someone who would like this program, but hasn't been to the Center? Bring them, and you both get a 10% discount on your entire program package. For the discount to apply, there must be two reservations, at least one of whom has not taken a Dharmakaya Center class previously. At checkout, apply the Discount Code: BringAFriend.
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE: We are pleased to be able to offer partial scholarships for this program. Please apply here.
STAY SAFE DURING COVID-19: We are committed to your health and safety. Please read our COVID-19 Precautions & Preparations to understand our strategies.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
During this restorative weekend you will engage in six distinctive, accessible meditation and yoga practices and their philosophical underpinnings. These practices each help build the resilience, openness and stability with which to move through daily life. The weekend includes teachings, discussion and practice, allowing us to explore how each form of meditation is helpful and how they complement each other.
Stillness Meditation: Linked to serenity, stillness meditation is designed to quiet an active mind by focusing on the breath, concentrating on a single topic, or practicing a centering meditation that helps release painful emotions and negative thought patterns.
Walking Meditation: In essence, walking meditation is an examination of time; we will use it to help root our awareness in the present moment.
Qigong: Using Hunyuan Qigong as a starting point, we will explore the use of mind-intent in the development, nurturing, gathering, moving and storing of Qi. We will also practice Zhanzhuang Gong, still standing meditation.
Reiki: Exploring meditative practices from the tradition of the Reiki System of Natural Healing, we will do a series of centering practices and breathing exercises to increase energy awareness and energy flow.
Tibetan Singing Bowls: Sound and vibration with Singing Bowls can be used to achieve deep relaxation, reduce stress and create a healthy flow of energy through the physical and etheric body.
Yoga: We will practice mindful movement, coordinated with the breath, followed by guided relaxation, in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness of body and mind, and enjoy a deep sense of well-being.
Together these practices provide a strong mind-body foundation to help transform daily living.
When not in class, relax in the Center’s beautiful, tranquil environment. Enjoy the view from the patio or a nearby hike, curl up with a book in the library or contemplate the stars while sitting by the fire pit.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
Intimate setting with personal access to the teacher
Interactive sessions with question and answer periods
Shamatha and guided meditations
Delicious all-vegetarian meals with locally sourced ingredients
Extensive library of dharma books
Expansive wooded grounds with beautiful flora and fauna
Option to extend stay on Personal Retreat
OPEN TO ALL
There are no prerequisites for this program. It is appropriate for meditators at all levels and the mindful movement can be completed at your own skill level.
SCHEDULE
(subject to change)
Friday, April 26
3:00 PM
Check in begins
6:00-7:00 PM
Dinner
7:30-9:00 PM
Welcome and Introduction
Gentle Guided Yoga
Saturday, April 27
7:00-8:00 AM
Morning Yoga
8:00-9:00 AM
Breakfast
9:30-10:30 AM
QiGong
10:30-11:00 AM
Free time
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
Meditation
12:00-1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00-2:30 PM
Free time
2:30-3:30 PM
Reiki
3:30-4:00 PM
Free time
4:00-5:00 PM
Walking Meditation
6:00-7:00 PM
Dinner
7:30-8:45 PM
Tibetan Singing Bowls
Sunday, April 28
7:00-8:00 AM
Morning Yoga
8:00-9:00 AM
Breakfast
9:30-10:30 AM
Walking Meditation
10:30-11:00 AM
Free time
11:00-11:30 AM
Meditation and Reflection
11:30 AM-12:00 PM
Q&A
12:00-1:00 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM
Checkout and Departure