Clear Sky: Discovering the Peaceful Nature of Your Mind | Weekend Retreat
With Gen Kelsang Chokyi, Resident Teacher KMC Indianapolis & KMC Bloomington
Friday, January 30 - Sunday, February 1
Our problems are like bad weather in the mind, or like clouds in the sky. We all know that when the storms disappear and the clouds fade away, the sky becomes clear, still and bright. We don’t have to make the sky like that; it’s like that, before and after the stormy weather.
In the same way our mind always has the potential to be peaceful, clear and positive. That is its true nature. We don’t have to force peace into our mind. We just have to understand our own mind and how to uncover its natural potential.
During this away retreat, Gen Chokyi will explore “what exactly is my mind?” based on the wisdom of the Mahamudra masters. The retreat will provide us with the opportunity to experience the vast space of mental peace that already exists within all our minds while learning to improve our concentration and experience of meditation.
Settling like the trail of a bird flying in the sky.
“When a bird flies through the sky it leaves no trace of its movements, and so there is no trail to follow. In the same way, if distracting thoughts arise during our meditation we should not follow them but, by keeping our mind single-pointedly on the object of meditation, let them pass without trace.”
This retreat will be using the book The Oral Instructions of Mahamudra, Meaningful to Behold and Meditations for a Clear Mind by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche. It's not required to have these books or MP3, but some people like to have them on hand during the event. You can purchase books and Meditations for a Clear Mind, which is a downloadable MP3 of guided meditations, at the Retreat or at KMC Indianapolis’ Bookstore & Shop.
Schedule
FRI, January 30
5:30 - 6:45pm — Registration & Dinner
7:00 - 8:00pm — Introduction to retreat
SAT, January 31
7:15 - 8:15am — Breakfast
8:30 - 9:45am — Session 1
9:45 - 11:00am — Break
11:00am - 12:15pm — Session 2
12:30 - 1:30pm — Lunch
2:00 - 3:15pm — Session 3
3:15 - 5:00pm — Break
5:00 - 6:15pm — Session 4
6:30 - 7:30pm — Dinner
7:30pm — The Fireplace Room, Informal Q&A and Discussion (optional)
SUN, February 1
7:15 - 8:15am — Breakfast
8:30 - 9:45am — Session 1
9:45 - 11am — Break
11:00am - 12:15pm — Session 2 (final session)
12:30 - 1:30pm — Lunch
Pricing & Registration
Room Type
Double: $325 (please indicate your preferred roommate when registering)
Single: $450
Meals
All meals are included in the purchase and are vegetarian.
If you have additional dietary restrictions, please indicate when registering.
Venue & Accommodations
Waycross Camp and Conference Center
4879 Richards Road, Morgantown, Indiana 46160
Waycross Camp and Conference center is a serene retreat center tucked away in the wooded hills of Brown County.
In between retreat sessions, you can explore their sprawling grounds, pond and wooded areas to connect with nature. It provides a perfect contemplative environment to engage in retreat and unplug from the business of everyday life.
About the Retreat Teacher
Gen Kelsang Chokyi is the Resident Teacher of Kadampa Meditation Centers Indianapolis and Bloomington.
As a student of Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Gen Kelsang Chokyi is a modern-day Kadampa nun. With joy, wisdom, and experience, she shows how everyone can easily integrate Buddha’s teachings into daily life. She has been a student of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche for 20 years.