2019 Annual Retreat

This silent retreat will introduce the three levels of practice with the focus on Amitabha Buddha. Amitabha Buddha name means Infinite Light Buddha and is associated with the west. He is often called a meditation buddha. This retreat will be looking at the speech, meditation, and ultimate mind of Buddha practice. This is a very profound practice bringing significance understanding and technical details to your Buddhist path.

Amitabha Buddha and the associated practices we will be learning are based on concepts that fall under the Mahayana umbrella of Buddhism. In particular, the Pure Land school of Buddhism focuses almost exclusively on these practices.

The retreat will consist of sitting and walking meditations, dharma talks, interviews with the teachers, and some meditative activities.

This retreat is a great opportunity for people who have never been on a retreat and want to try it out before committing to a longer retreat. You should have some meditation experience and it is strongly encouraged that you sit with our group a few times prior to the retreat to meet the teachers and get a sense of the type of meditation we will be doing.

The retreat will be held at Lazy M Lodge, a peaceful oasis located near Caroline, a short 2 hour drive north-east of Calgary. All meals will be provided, including Thursday dinner and Monday lunch. Accommodations are shared but private rooms may be possible depending how many participants we have.

Meditation cushions will be available but if you have your own cushions and zabutons please bring them to ensure we have enough for everyone.

Retreat Start: 6pm, Thursday May 16
Retreat End: 12pm, Monday May 20

Retreat Costs

Early bird
(Before April 18)
$550
Regular $600 (April 18 – May 14)
Upgrade+$150 (May 10 – May 16, if available)

Cancellation policy:

On or before April 18Full refund (minus $10 cancellation fee)
After April 18All cancellations after April 18 will be processed May 25 and depend on actual retreat costs (minus $50 cancellation fee).

For example, if you cancel after April 18 and we do not
have enough participants to cover the minimum
charges, you will not receive a refund.

To register please fill out the form at the link below. Your place will not be guaranteed until you submit payment. Payment can be made by email, cheque or cash. Details will be sent after you submit the registration form.

Registration Form

May 2018 Retreat

About the retreat
Our annual May Long Retreat will be held near Golden, B.C., at Quantum Leaps. This is a beautiful, serene environment, with a river, a large garden, and chickens running around.
All levels of meditators are welcome on this retreat. Instructions will be provided throughout the retreat. You will have opportunities to meet with the teachers to discuss any individual questions or concerns.
Delicious vegetarian meals will be served every day and are included in the price. You will be responsible for your own breakfasts (must be vegetarian). There are fridges, dishes, cutlery, pots, pans, stoves, and microwaves.

Theme
The theme for this retreat is “Wisdom On and Off the Cushion”. Many of us have a difficult time bringing our meditation experience into our daily lives. When we meditate we are quiet, focused, calm, relaxed… how can you feel those things in the middle of rush hour, in a meeting, or trying to get your 3 year old dressed? During this retreat we will explore what it means to live wisely, and how we can wisely integrate the things we discover in meditation with our daily life.
As part of our contemplation of wisdom we will be learning about a boddhisattva named Manjusri. Manjusri (Ch. Wenshu, Jp. Monju) is a Great Bodhisattva who is also the ruler of the meditation hall and is associated with wisdom and insight. When depicted, he almost always has a sword “to cut off all delusions”. He is associated with the lion because the Buddha’s teachings are called “The Lion’s Roar”. We will be using images, chants, mantras, and stories related to Manjusri to help deepen our understanding of Buddhist wisdom.

Pricing

Accommodation Type Early Bird (by April 15) Regular
Teepee $300 $350
Shared room $425 $475
Private room $500 $550

Cost includes
– 3 nights’ accommodations
– 3 dinners (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)
– 2 lunches (Saturday, Sunday)

Cost does NOT include
– 3 breakfasts (Saturday, Sunday, Monday)
– Lunch before arrival Friday
– Lunch after departure Monday

Registration
Please fill out the registration FORM.
Payment can be emailed to amalatr@gmail.com.
For other payment options please contact Steph directly through Meetup chat.

Your spot is not confirmed until we receive your registration form and your payment.

Refund policy
– Full refund if you cancel on or before April 15
– Cancellations after April 15 but before May 11 will be handled after the retreat. If we cannot fill your spot and the venue still bills us you will not get a refund. We are generally able
to provide partial to full refunds but this is not a guarantee.
– Cancellations on or after May 11 will be handled after the retreat in the same way as post-April-15 cancellations MINUS a $25 cancellation fee (if a partial refund is available).

Carpool
Carpool will be arranged for Friday morning between 9-10 am

Meet & Greet & Retreat Info

A lot of people have signed up to our group over the past couple of months and since we won’t have formal meditation sessions until the fall, I thought y’all might like a chance to meet some of us sooner. We can answer questions about our group, about meditation, and about Buddhism.

For existing members, hope you can also come out and catch up with us!

ALSOOOOO – we are having a retreat at the end of August, so if you’d like to find out more about that we can answer those questions too.

We will have reservations at Limericks Pub on Wednesday August 2, from 7:00-8:30pm. Ask for the Meditation Group. Drop in anytime, stay as long as you’d like!

You can sign up on our Meetup site, or just show up.

August 2017 Meditation Retreat

Registration is now officially open for our August Retreat!

This year we will be hosting the retreat at the Folk Tree Lodge, a short 45 minute drive from Calgary but a world away from the big city.

This retreat is open to new and more “seasoned” meditators alike. It’s a great opportunity for anyone looking to delve deeper in their practice.

This is a “silent’ retreat – the participants are asked not to talk during their stay. Don’t worry, the silence doesn’t start as soon as you get there – there will be dinner and an opening ceremony at which the teachers will explain what to do with the silence and when to start. There will also be times set aside for one on one talks with the teachers.

Retreats provide a fantastic environment to get away from the noise and distractions of everyday life. Silence is a beautiful thing and can help you connect with your inner wisdom. The theme for this year’s retreat will be “The Art of Letting Be”.

We have also tried to keep costs down as much as possible. The cost should be around $300-$450, depending on what accommodation type people choose. However, all participants will pay the same price regardless of room type (except for Early Bird Discount). All rooms are shared but if you need a private room for medical reasons we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

Early Bird Pricing is available until August 14. Early bird price will be $60 less than the regular price. To receive the early bird price you will need to provide a $200 deposit by August 14. If you need to cancel after paying this deposit you will be refunded only if we can fill your spot.  If price is an issue, let us know and we will try to work something out for you.

Delicious vegetarian dinners will be served everyday and are included in the price. You will be responsible for your own breakfasts and lunches. There are fridges, dishes, cutlery, pots, pans, and microwaves.

Please plan for a 5:30pm arrival. Dinner and orientation to start at 6:00pm on Friday. The retreat will go until 11:00am on Monday Morning.

To apply for the retreat, please fill in the following REGISTRATION FORM

End of Year/Buddha’s Birthday Potluck

Please join us after our regular Sunday Dharma talk from 11-12 for our end of year potluck!

We will also take this opportunity to celebrate the Buddha’s birthday (no special dress code or ceremonies required).

If you are able to bring a vegetarian dish to share that would be greatly appreciated. Store-bought is acceptable 🙂

You can attend one or both events. Hope to see you all there!