Yoga:

Here we are referring to group asana practice which will be led daily by a qualified and well experienced yoga teacher. Most sessions will be done in the morning before breakfast, and if the group wants, we may do some winding down sessions before turning in for the night.

Meditation:

There is nothing religious about the practice of meditation or in visiting sacred places. In fact, there is nothing even Buddhist about it! The idea of pilgrimage here, means that while we are exploring sacred sites, we are also investigating ourselves with a ‘tried, tested, and true’ introspective process called meditation. The practice of meditation is simply a tool to bring your mind back to a place of naked awareness, to a place of basic space with yourself and environment.

It is simply a technique with which to uncover all the layers of hope, fear, grasping, and judgement that are all such strong habits which cloud the mind. With the practice of meditation, we can learn to come back to ourselves, to become familiar with the groundless, unfabricated, and raw quality of reality. The daily schedule in this itinerary comprises of meditating together every morning and evening – this may be for 20-60 minutes (several sessions of sitting and walking meditation) depending on what the group wants and where we are in our itinerary. We will not meditate for longer than 15-20 minutes in a single sit and making adjustments so that you are comfortable is encouraged.

Buddhist Philosophy:

Buddhist philosophy sessions are roughly 1-hour per day, combining a short presentation with group discussion.

Throughout the journey we slowly walk through all 3 yanas (vehicles) of the Tibetan Buddhist path. We explore how & why shamatha/mindfulness (one-pointed calm-abiding meditation) + vipassana (insight) are used as tools from the beginning through to the end of the path. The foundational path of the Shravakayana is comprised of: The 4 Turnings of the Mind, Refuge, The 3 Marks of Existence, and The Four Noble Truths. There is an emphasis on exploring the middle yana – the Mahayana (the great vehicle of the Bodhisattvas) which entails: Bodhicitta (awakened heart/mind), The 6 Paramitas (perfect actions), Shunyayta (emptiness), and Lojong (mind-training).

We explore Lojong slogans as brought forth in an accessible way by great Tibetan/Western hybrid teachers Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and Pema Chodron. We touch upon the final yana, the Vajrayana of Tibetan Buddhism, by exploring its many expressions and intricate symbolism. At face value Tibetan Buddhism may look esoteric, but with investigation we may see first-hand how it is simply a system for training one’s mind by utilizing various methods which combine mindfulness, compassion, and wisdom cultivation practices.