Category: retreats & events

Everything about this silent retreat was designed to make it accessible for everyone. We wanted to remove any barriers for those of us living busy schedules, who find it difficult to find the time to get some silence and equanimity in our lives. So we kept the location close and the costs as low as possible. This in-city retreat is also great if you’ve never been on a meditation retreat before and want to get a feeling for what prolonged periods of silence is like. Lastly, even if you’ve meditated for years and just need the opportunity to get some extra cushion time in, it’ll be a solid weekend.

Theme: The Path to Liberation – Living with Presence and Meaning in the World
Price: $75 and that includes a vegetarian lunch on Saturday.
Location: FCJ Christian Life Centre – 219 19 Ave SW

Schedule:

• Friday, November 18 –  6:00pm – 9:00pm
• Saturday, November 19 –  9:00am – 5:00pm. For those looking for additional meditation time, you can stay for the optional evening session from 6:00pm – 9:00pm
• Sunday, November 20 –  9:00am – 12:00pm

Each night, you go home and sleep in your own bed. You are encouraged, but not required, to remain in silence for the entire weekend. If this causes you some anxiety, no sweat, we can figure something out. Meditation (including retreats) should never be a cause for more stress in our already stressful lives.

Questions or curiosities? You can hit up Philip directly at 403-690-5365.

To apply for the retreat, please fill in the following application form.

Shirfu has offered to give us our very own guided tour of the Glenbow’s Asian Exhibit! Although we know him as our teacher, Shirfu also teaches Asian studies at the University of Calgary and has extensive knowledge about this collection.

Here is a description of the exhibit from the Glenbow website:

“Many Faces, Many Paths: Art of Asia

Glenbow’s Asian Gallery, Many Faces, Many Paths: Art of Asia, includes more than 80 superb sculptures from Asia, some of which have been loaned and most of which have been gifted by the Bumper Development Corporation Ltd. of Calgary. Glenbow is especially pleased to be the steward of this outstanding collection because it gives the museum an unusual opportunity to represent the splendid artistic heritage of the growing population of Asian Canadians in our city and province. The Asian Gallery is an integral part of Glenbow’s effort not only to bridge cultures while building awareness of the diverse communities of Canada but also to make Calgary the home of some of the world’s most accomplished works of art.”

The first Thursday of each month is free so there should be no entry fee. However please have some money in case their policies have changed or there are unexpected expenses.

You can sign up for this event on our Meetup site.

Please meet by the ticket counter inside the Glenbow museum at 6:45 so can start the tour at 7pm. The tour will be about 1.5 hours.

 

Join us for hiking + meditation in Kananaskis on Saturday August 13.

***Please sign up on our Meetup site so we know who is going and can communicate any updates to you!

It will be an easy/moderate hike, and all are welcome (last year our hike was 9km and 300m elevation gain.) And of course, we will be stopping for lunch and meditation, so bring a packed lunch and something comfortable to sit on.

We’ll meet inside the Visitor Centre (note: this is a different Visitor’s Centre than the one we met at last year) at 9:45am and head out from there. It will be a 20-40 minute drive from the Visitor Centre to the trailhead, depending on the hike selected. The exact hike will be confirmed at the Visitor Centre based on the most up-to-date closures and wildlife reports.

Please indicate in your confirmation whether you need a ride – drivers and passengers will be connected before the event.

If the chance of rain that day is above 40% on the Weather Network, the event will be cancelled – please check the meetup site the morning of the hike to confirm that the event will be happening.

Meeting time: 9:45am

Meeting place: Barrier Lake Visitor Information Centre

Directions: Take Hwy 1 west to Hwy 40 (exit 118). Take Hwy 40 south approximately 7km to the Barrier Lake Visitor Information Centre, which will be on the right.

***Please sign up on our Meetup site so we know who is going and can communicate any updates to you!
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pictures from the hike:

***Due to heavy rain over the past couple of weeks and additional rainfall expected this weekend, we are postponing our annual hike until August – stay tuned for new dates. Surely by that time the rain will have stopped!!!

Join us for hiking + meditation in Kananaskis on Saturday July 16th

It will be an easy/moderate hike, and all are welcome (last year our hike was 9km and 300m elevation gain.) And of course, we will be stopping for lunch and meditation, so bring a packed lunch and something comfortable to sit on.

We’ll meet inside the Visitor Centre (note: this is a different Visitor’s Centre than the one we met at last year) at 9:45am and head out from there. It will be a 20-40 minute drive from the Visitor Centre to the trailhead, depending on the hike selected. The exact hike will be confirmed at the Visitor Centre based on the most up-to-date closures and wildlife reports.

Please indicate in your confirmation whether you need a ride – drivers and passengers will be connected before the event.

If the chance of rain that day is above 40% on the Weather Network, the event will be cancelled – please check the meetup site the morning of the hike to confirm that the event will be happening.

Meeting time: 9:45am

Meeting place: Barrier Lake Visitor Information Centre

Directions: Take Hwy 1 west to Hwy 40 (exit 118). Take Hwy 40 south approximately 7km to the Barrier Lake Visitor Information Centre, which will be on the right.

Thanks to all who participated in the retreat!

Registration is now officially open for the Annual May Long Weekend Retreat taking place, once again at the beautiful and serene Quantum Leaps Lodge from Thursday, May 19 to Monday, May 23, 2016.

This retreat is open to new and more “seasoned” meditators alike. It is a great opportunity for anyone looking to delve deeper in their practice.  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. So during the retreat, meditators will be requested to spend their time with intention and mindful contemplation (i.e. not talking). The theme for this year’s retreat will be Applying Wisdom & Compassion.

Early Bird Pricing is available until April 30, if registered and paid in full. Regular Pricing will take effect May 1 and onwards.

Teepee – $450.00 (Regular Price – $495.00) – more pics
Shared – $585.00 (Regular Price – $635.00) – more pics
Private  – $680.00 (Regular price $725.00) – more pics

Delicious vegetarian lunch and dinners will be served everyday and are included in the price. You will be responsible for your own breakfast. (You can purchase eggs from the lodge as they have free range chickens running around).

Located near Golden, roughly a 3 hour drive from Calgary. For directions.

Please plan for a 7:30pm arrival, with tea and retreat orientation to start at 8:00pmon Thursday. The retreat will go until 11:00am on Monday Morning.

To apply for the retreat, please fill in the following application form.

Join us for a long weekend of quietude.

During our time together, we will focus full attention on the mind. Shirfu will lead us through various aspects of thoughtful practice and ritual.

Sit, eat, walk, sleep, mindfulness. We will share space together, in silence, for five days and four nights.

Dates & Times:
Start: Thursday, May 14 – arrive at 6pm, dinner is served at 6:30pm.
Finish: Monday, May 18 – 11am

Location:
We’re pretty excited to hold our retreat at the beautiful Quantum Leaps Retreat Centre again this year. Check out the location and accommodations here.

Meals:
Prices include dinner and lunch for the duration of the retreat (this includes dinner Thursday @ 6:30pm). You will need to provide your own breakfast, so please bring whatever you need (there is access to a fridge and stocked kitchen). All meals provided will be organic and vegetarian with little sugar and salt. The meals will generally be gluten free.

Availability:
Limited Spaces.

Costs (accommodations & food):
Private Room – Lodge: $680
Shared Room for 2 – Lodge: $585
Shared Teepee for 4: $450
*Prices are per person, include taxes and are subject to change depending on the number of registrants.

If price feels like a barrier, please be in touch with us. Lowered pricing (or possibly totally free spots) is available as an option based on situational circumstances.

Interested in joining us or looking for more information?
Deposits due by Tuesday, April 7 at 9pm.

In addition to our regular Sunday practice on December 7, we will be having a potluck celebration immediately after.  It’s a great opportunity to connect with members of the group.  If you are able to do so, please bring a vegetarian dish to share.

Description
This retreat combines together the Buddhist explanation of different states of mind that predominate in individuals and a course of meditation.  The meditation is suitable for those at the early stages of their spiritual development up to advance mediators. This will be a silent retreat. In addition to talks on the mind, each student will have time with the teacher to clear up questions, to address specific questions, and to enhance their practice.

Dates & Times:
Start: Friday, May 16 – 1pm (preferred. 7pm late arrival if you are unable to take the day off work.)
Finish: Monday, May 19 – 11am

Location:
We are very fortunate this year to have our retreat at the beautiful Quantum Leaps Retreat Centre, “a unique, peaceful, and scenic riverside retreat in the Blaeberry Valley just 15 minutes northwest of Golden, BC.  We welcome people who are seeking a place for peace, quiet, and rejuvenation. The land is sacred with our Labyrinth and Medicine Wheel creating a beautiful vibration.  We have a large vegetable garden which in the summer you are welcome to come and gather fresh produce (by donation).  Our “wild mountain” chickens run free during the day.  And wild creatures such as Deer and Bears are not uncommon in our beautiful valley.”
Exact location & Pictures

Meals Provided:
Friday & Monday: bring your own food
Saturday & Sunday: breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided by Quantum Leaps.

Availability:
Only 14 spots available (possibly 20 depending on demand).
1 spot is available through a scholarship opportunity if you are unable to pay the costs of the retreat.

Application:
You will receive confirmation on your registration within 7 days.
Once you are a confirmed retreat registrant, we will send you a link to our PayPal account so you can make a deposit.

Costs (accommodations & food):
Private Room – Lodge: $450*
Shared Room for 2 – Lodge: $380*
Shared Teepee for 4: $275*

*Prices are per person, include taxes and are subject to change depending on the number of registrants.
(Think it’s a bit on the pricey side? I’m with ya. But accommodations and food account for almost all of the price. Calgary Buddhist Meditation charges a tiny amount more to cover some of our costs. This is also the reason why we decided not to provide food on Friday and Monday – to keep the retreat as affordable as possible.)

Sunday, January 26, 2014
1 pm

Join our teacher as he guides us through the Many Faces, Many Paths: Art of Asia Exhibit. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the pieces.  You can read more about the exhibit here: http://www.glenbow.org/exhibitions/permanent.cfm

We will meet in the Lobby of the Glenbow Museum 130 – 9 Avenue S.E.

One of us will Hold a sign with Calgary Buddhist Meditation written on it so you can spot us. We will begin Promptly at 1 so please be on time.