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Dharma Event Announcement
Lam-Rim Retreat
Out-of-Town Retreat with Venerable Amy Miller
Friday, July 24 to Sunday, July 26
Register Now via Garrison Institute
This out-of-town retreat is a rare opportunity to experience a very conducive environment to calm our minds and develop our understanding of the Buddhist path. Through the peaceful setting of the Garrison Institute (a 70-minute train ride away from Grand Central), the collective energy of a committed group of practitioners, and the kind and wise guidance of Ven. Amy Miller, we can deepen our meditation experience of the different topics of the lam-rim (stages of the path) and be in ideal conditions to observe and transform our minds.
The lam-rim, or "graduated path," is a presentation of Shakyamuni Buddha's teachings in a form suitable for the step-by-step training of a student. Created by the great Nalanda master Lama Atisha and elaborated by Lama Tsong Khapa, the lam-rim condenses the Buddha's 84,000 teachings found in hundreds of sutras and thousands of verses into a logical, sequential set of teachings to guide the spiritual seeker on the path, to emerge from ordinariness, to liberation, and on to full buddhahood. |
| | Lama Tsong Khapa, founder of the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism |
Lama Zopa Rinpoche has frequently commented about the tremendous benefits of both studying the lam-rim and engaging in retreat. "Why retreat on the lam-rim? Because of every single teaching of Buddha, of all three vehicles, even one syllable appears as an instruction, as the practice of one person to achieve enlightenment. . . . Why specifically lam-rim retreat? Because it has a very special presentation to subdue the mind."
- Lama Zopa Rinpoche
This is also a precious chance to experience guided meditations with Ven. Amy who has led them at the famous month-long November course at Kopan Monastery in Nepal and has been noted by students as an excellent meditation teacher. Ven. Amy shares:
"Now is the time to change your mind. We can't really wait any longer. Haven't we already wasted many weekends with our multitude of distractions? Another weekend will be available for that, but this is a special time you can set aside. It's the simplest investment to make to begin to make positive shifts in your mind. It's a rare and treasured opportunity."
So let us treat ourselves (and indirectly all the people around us) by taking some time to integrate the instructions that can make us happier and more beneficial to others.
There are no formal requirements to attend the retreat and it is open to all levels of practitioners with a genuine interest in Buddhism.
For those interested, Ven. Amy will also lead us in the Eight Mahayana Precepts, prostrations to the 35 Confession Buddhas, and Vajrasattva purification practice on Saturday. The retreat will practice silence from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon.
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Program Details
Date and Time:
Friday, July 24
Registration is from 3 to 6pm, followed by dinner and an evening session.
Saturday, July 25
There will be sessions of teaching, meditation, and discussion from morning to early evening, in addition to meals and breaks.
Sunday, July 26
There will be sessions of teaching (with Q&A) and meditation. The retreat will conclude after lunch.
To receive a detailed schedule, please click here.
Location and Directions:
Garrison Institute: 14 Mary's Way, Route 9D, Garrison, NY 10524
Garrison Institute, although located in a very tranquil environment, is also relatively close to New York City.
By train: Garrison, New York is just over an hour from Grand Central Station.Take the Metro North Railroad to the Garrison Train Station via the Hudson Line. Train times vary but generally arrive and depart approximately every hour. A no-cost, no reservation required shuttle service is available from the Garrison Train Depot to the Garrison Institute during registration hours (approx. 3-6pm) and immediately after lunch on Sunday. There is also a one-mile-long walking path through the woods from the Garrison Train Depot to the Institute, lovely during good weather.
By car: If you would like to come by car, here are some maps.
More information about transportation (including how to walk from the station and the different options to come by car) is available here.
Fees:
All-inclusive: retreat expenses, the Center's teacher offering, accommodations, three vegetarian meals per day, tea/coffee, apples, shuttle from the local train station, and use of facilities.
Single Room: $360 (or $340 with house job) for full retreat
Double Room: $320 (or $300 with house job) for full retreat
Triple Room: $290 (or $270 with house job) for full retreat
Commuter: $230 for full retreat
Shantideva Meditation Center has kept fees as low as possible for this retreat.
To register via Garrison Institute, please click here.
Scholarship:
If you might be interested in contributing to a scholarship fund or need a scholarship to attend, please contact us. Cancellation Policy: Per Garrison Institute, for individuals cancelling up to one week in advance of a retreat, there is a $50 processing fee. For cancellations within a week of the retreat, in addition to the $50 processing fee, there will be a fee of $40 per day for the length of the retreat to cover direct costs for food. If you cancel after 4pm the night before a retreat starts (July 23), there will be no refund. It is in your best interest to be certain of your intention before registering for a program.
Sponsorship:
If you are inspired to sponsor teacher offerings, the teacher's lunch, flower offerings, guest refreshments, or the teaching space, please click here. You may indicate in your donation whether you would like the funds to be used for a specific purpose.
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Retreat Information on Discipline, Readings, and Facilities
Retreat Discipline and Information about Silence and Precepts:
Please read the information below as it contains important information that will make your visit more comfortable.
Unlike teachings in the city, this retreat provides an opportunity for participants to go more deeply into practice. We request you to set aside and enjoy this time for contemplation. The optimum retreat environment is to have minimal distractions and desires. Therefore, we request that you complete whatever business you can prior to the first retreat session, Friday evening, July 24 until check out on Sunday, July 26. Cell phones will not be permitted in retreat sessions and we ask that you minimize tech use during the retreat particularly around any other participants.
Basic retreat discipline also includes attending all sessions (unless mentioned as "optional") and observing the five lay vows: no killing of any being (including insects), no sexual misconduct, no lying, no stealing or taking that which has not been given, and no intoxicants (drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes).
This retreat will be largely silent, from the end of the first session on Friday evening to Sunday lunch. During that time, participants are asked to limit speaking to indispensable practical interactions and Dharma discussions during the sessions. As we are sharing the larger facility with other groups, we also ask that you be respectful of other groups who might be in retreat.
Ven. Amy has kindly accepted to give the Eight Mahayana Precepts. This is not compulsory and requires some background in Buddhism (including having taken refuge). These precepts include the five lay vows mentioned above along with the following additions: No sexual conduct of any kind; no sitting on large, high, or expensive beds (to counter pride); no singing (apart from mantras and prayers), dancing, or playing music with attachment; no wearing perfumes, garlands, or ornaments; no eating after midday; and no eating onions, garlic, radish, egg, or meat.
A retreat can sometimes be demanding and involve changes to the schedule so please remember that this is a good occasion to practice patience, tolerance, and enthusiasm.
Required Reading:
There is no required reading, but feel free to bring along any of your favorite lam-rim texts to read or share with other participants to enrich their experience. Here are some suggested books. Food and Facilities:
Garrison Institute serves delicious vegetarian meals. There is a special foods needs station where people with food restrictions can supplement their meals.
There are single, double, and a limited number of triple and quad bedrooms. Two bedrooms are wheelchair-accessible. All rooms are provided with sheets, a pillow, blanket, bedspread, and bath towel for each guest. Bathrooms are communal and newly renovated.
There is a beautiful outdoor environment with woods, gardens, a meadow, and a wonderful view of the Hudson river.
You can find more information, including a checklist here.
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About the Teacher:
Amy J. Miller (Ven. Lobsang Chodren) first encountered Tibetan Buddhism in the spring of 1987 during a course at Kopan Monastery in Nepal. Since then, she has spent a great deal of time engaged in meditation retreats, study, teaching, and Buddhist center management throughout the world. Prior to connecting with Buddhism, Amy was a political fundraiser in Washington DC and also worked for Mother Jones Magazine in San Francisco, California.
Amy has been teaching extensively since 1992 and was ordained as a Buddhist nun in June 2000 by the great Tibetan master, Ven. Choden Rinpoche. Her teaching style emphasizes a practical approach to integrating Buddhist philosophy into everyday life. She is happy to help people connect with meditation and mindfulness in an effort to gain a refreshing perspective on normally stressful living.
Ven. Amy is the co-author of Buddhism in a Nutshell and has also directed two retreat centers in the U.S.: Vajrapani Institute in California and most recently, Milarepa Center in Vermont. Her teaching schedule and other information can be found at AmyMiller.com.
You can also view our short interviews with Ven. Amy Miller on our YouTube channel.
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About Us
Shantideva Meditation Center is dedicated to cultivating wisdom and compassion through the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism within the New York community.
We are affiliated with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), which is based on the Gelugpa tradition of Lama Tsongkhapa of Tibet as taught by Founder, Lama Thubten Yeshe and Spiritual Director, Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
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