Courses and Retreats
The following courses and retreats are on the schedule for the coming year. They have been grouped by location:
Please check back regularly as we will add more information as it comes to hand.
Older teaching schedules can be accessed here.
Queenstown
THE FOUNDATION OF BUDDHIST MEDITATION - THE PRACTICE OF LOVING KINDNESS
With: Lama Mark Webber
Location: 12 Lake Street, Queenstown
Contact: Alan at qtndharmahouse@yahoo.com
Dates: Wednesday 20th - Friday 22nd February 2008, 7.30pm start
Course Description: "At the heart of all Buddhist meditation is the practice of Loving-kindness. Without a good foundation in loving-kindness many obstacles will occur to unfolding the union of wisdom and compassion. There is so much frustration, anger, rage and jealousy in all of us; these states of mind and body must be quenched, tamed and dissolved into a loving, open heart of clear mind. To love, we feel we must hold on, deeply grasp to ideas, objects, people and places--this is not so--the more we empty out all grasping and delusions, the more love for all life pours into us. The less sticky we are, the greater the love. As loving-kindness develops and insight grows, we discover that love, the absence of fear, grows into a profound trust in the universe. We then want to engage with all life, explore, discover, share, and assist--be compassionate with clear and wise minds; the most natural thing to do. Let's explore and learn how to do this!" Lama Mark
Contact: Alan at qtndharmahouse@yahoo.com
HOW TO MERGE DEITY (YIDAM) YOGA PRACTICE WITH WISDOM: TEACHINGS FROM THE NYINGMA TRADITION
With: Lama Mark Webber
Location: 12 Lake Street, Queenstown
Dates: Sun 24th – Wed 27th February 2008, 7.30pm start
Course Description: "For those engaged in the Vajrayana tradition of Buddhism, Deity (Yidam) Yoga practice is essential. These meditations bring about mental and physiological strength, ripen talents and richness, clear away difficult obstacles and help bring about profound compassion and wisdom. There will be discourse, practice and commentary to help practitioners gain a vast view of the importance and joy of Yidam meditation and mantra yoga and how to deeply integrate it with the mind's inner potential. So many unnecessary misunderstandings and frustrations are present around these Yogas, especially the practice and view of mantra yoga, visualization, different modes of practice and the essential dissolution stage. The structure, purpose and inner nature of these meditations will be clarified. In addition, the training and explorations that must be accomplished, the signs of discovery, and how insight meditations such as Mahamudra and Dzogchen are seamlessly integrated into these Yogas will be shown. Without integrating these yogas with the View of Emptiness, one may as well plant seeds in barren ground or watch images in a mirror without ever investigating the nature of the mirror. Lama Mark
Contact: Alan at qtndharmahouse@yahoo.com
THE WESTERN MYSTICAL PATH: TEACHINGS FROM ST JOHN OF THE CROSS, A BOLD ILLUMINATION OF THE MEDITATIVE PATH
With: Lama Mark Webber
Location: 12 Lake Street, Queenstown
Dates: Wed 5th - Sunday 9th March 2008 & Fri 14th – Tue 18th March, 7.30pm start
Course Description: Lama Mark Webber will be teaching on the topic of the Western Mystical path, a subject he is currently teaching and exploring during the three-month San Ginesio retreat. Readings and commentary from St. John of the Cross's manual of meditation called the Ascent of Mt. Carmel will form the core of this weekend of teaching and meditation. St. John of the Cross is a famous 16th century mystic and one of Spain's greatest poets. He was also a brilliant systematizer of the entire spiritual path, especially his division of the path into three Dark Nights; of the senses, of faith and of God, corresponding to the lights of evening, midnight and dawn. The equivalences, to be revealed in these classes between St. John of the Cross's teachings and the Mahamudra and Dzogchen traditions are unmistakable, illuminating and beautiful to behold. Lama Mark will also discuss some differences in cultural attitudes and history between Buddhism and its meditation systems and the path of the Western Mystic; including how we integrate our rich Western tradition of enquiry and scientific method. By exploring the teachings of a great Christian Mystic, meditative practitioners no matter what path they follow may see how universal and essential is the nature of liberation.
Contact: Alan at qtndharmahouse@yahoo.com
Makarora
BUDDHIST MEDITATIONS ON REALIZING THE NATURALLY AWAKE STATE
With: Lama Mark Webber
Location: Makaroa Homestead - http://www.makarora.com
Date: 3 weeks, April 19 to May, 10 2008
Course Description: The subject of the retreat is "Buddhist Meditations on Realizing The Naturally Awake State". We will issue an announcement when we are receiving deposits. As those who attended previous retreats will attest - it is not to be missed. This is early notice for in particular, those who will need to accrue annual leave.
Click here for more details...
Christchurch
THE NATURE OF FAMILIAR MATERIALS: A PRACTICAL LAB COURSE
With: Lama Mark Webber and Rafael Hoekstra
Location: Chemistry Department, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
Date: April 7-15, 2008
Course Description: This is a fun introductory chemistry course for non-scientists, specifically designed for practitioners of Dharma.
Click here for more details...
Please contact Rafael Hoekstra to express your interest.
Wellington
DEEP SENSING AND SEEING WITH THE HEART - AN EXPLORATION OF THE HEART SUTRA
With: Lama Mark Webber
Location: Home of Compassion, Island Bay, Wellington
Date: Febuary 15 - 17
Course Description: Lama Mark will be teaching from the Heart Sutra during this non-residential retreat. The Heart Sutra is one of the great Buddhist classics on the nature of wisdom. It is a pithy and poetic meditation text, it is deep and moving. With mindful attention to the experiences of our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind we begin to experience a vaster, fascinating and compassionate universe. The Tantric empowerment and meditation of Prajnaparamita, who embodies the teaching of the Heart Sutra will be bestowed during this course.
Contact: Ruth Pink - pinkruth@clear.net.nz
Auckland
MEDITATIONS ON OVERCOMING FEARS: EMPOWERMENT AND TEACHINGS ON THE MANDALA OF THE TWENTY-ONE TARAS
With: Lama Mark Webber
Classes/Residential retreat: February 8-10
Course Description: “The meditations of the Twenty-one Taras (female embodiments of wisdom and compassion) are a powerful entry gate into liberation from fears and anxieties and the building of great emotional and mental strength. By becoming each figure in the mandala, different types of obstacles are dissolved and strengths and talents open. This is a mandala of compassionate awake activity. Each figure is an aspect of the central green figure of Tara (Tara - “to cross over”). Around her are four different Taras representing the Four Buddha Activities of: peacefulness, unfoldment/increase, power, and fierce cutting through all obstacles. Then there are the remaining sixteen Taras that help remove deep seated fears and anxieties and bring about immense strength. In addition to explaining the rich and ancient tradition of Tara, this is an ideal time to share some modern psychological and physiological views about anxiety and fear, trauma and the remarkable plasticity and openness of our nervous system.” Lama Mark
Contact: Janet Eades - janete1@ihug.co.nz