Snow Lion Winter Meditation Retreat
With Arawana Hayashi and Gaylon Ferguson
December 27, 2022 - January 2, 2023
You are warmly invited to join our annual holiday meditation intensive, an opportunity to fully immerse oneself in five days of mindfulness-awareness practice. We live in challenging times. Practicing mindfulness together invites steadiness and stability, a settled confident openness to the personal and societal struggles of daily life. Awareness rises like the full moon of insight into compassion-emptiness, limitless loving-kindness for all living beings.
In addition to daily meditation practice, participants hear talks, have lively group conversations about practice and meditation in action, engage in embodiment practices, and meet with experienced meditation teachers.
Topics to contemplate in this year’s retreat will include: the four foundations of mindfulness, making friends with oneself and others, synchronizing body and mind, the bravery of turning towards–rather than seeking escape from–suffering. We can experience the enormous difficulties in our world today and cultivate the courage to engage fully with life.
Some of the days we’ll be in silence, which encourages opening to our direct experience of sense perceptions in the brilliantly vivid environment of Sky Lake at this time of year: snow-covered trees, silent woods, and the sounds of winter birds.
This retreat is open to all, beginning and experienced meditators.
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Scholarships:
We would like to make this retreat possible for as many as reasonably can be accommodated.
Please be in touch with us via email ) by December 7 so you may be considered.
Please include in your email: name, in person or hybrid, partial or full retreat, how much discount you need to attend. We will make the decisions quickly so people may plan accordingly.
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COVID Policy
Sky Lake’s Covid Policy will be in line with the New York State Covid Guidelines, at the time of the retreat, December 27-Jan 2.
FOR OVERNIGHT STAY/RETREATS:
- You must be fully vaccinated (including at least one booster shot).* Mask as you wish, not required.
- Take a rapid test upon arrival (bring with you if possible).
- If you have a cough or any flu-like symptoms, or if you have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID within 7 days of your arrival, please reschedule your visit.
- In the few days before your arrival, please be very careful about limiting your exposure.
- Avoid indoor, crowded spaces if possible.
- If that is not possible, for example while traveling, wear a N95 mask.
- If you have been in a high-risk COVID situation in the days before your arrival, for example working at a hospital or attending a large indoor concert, we will ask you to take a rapid test daily during your stay and consider masking for the safety of the group.
- If you become sick or exhibit symptoms while at Sky Lake we will require you to mask, even if you test negative for COVID.
NON-RESIDENTIAL/LOCAL RETREATANTS
- To join the retreat for one day or more, and be here for lunch and unmask indoors, we require proof of vaccination and a rapid test upon arrival. You may be required to test once per visit day.
- If you have a cough or any flu-like symptoms, or if you have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID within the last 7 days, please reschedule your visit.
As our protocols continue to evolve, check this site periodically. If you have further questions, please contact [email protected].
Leaders
Arawana Hayashi
Arawana’s career has been in dance, both in the theater and in communities, with a focus on cultivating individual presence and group awareness and creativity. She began to meditate and study with Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche in 1974, and has been teaching Shambhala Training and Dharma Art practices since 1980. She currently works with the Presencing Institute, creating with colleagues an art form called Social Presencing Theater, which brings the contemplative teachings of Shambhala art into the field of social change. She is the author of Social Presencing Theater: The Art of Making a True Move.
Learn more about Arawana Hayashi
Arawana’s career has been in dance, both in the theater and in communities, with a focus on cultivating individual presence and group awareness and creativity. She began to meditate and study with Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche in 1974, and has been teaching Shambhala Training and Dharma Art practices since 1980. She currently works with the Presencing Institute, creating with colleagues an art form called Social Presencing Theater, which brings the contemplative teachings of Shambhala art into the field of social change. She is the author of Social Presencing Theater: The Art of Making a True Move.
Learn more about Arawana Hayashi
Gaylon Ferguson
Gaylon Ferguson, PhD, is a senior teacher in the Shambhala and Buddhist traditions who has been leading meditation retreats since 1976. He was a member of Naropa University’s core faculty and is the author of Natural Wakefulness: Discovering the Wisdom We Were Born With. Additionally, his article, “Making Friends with Ourselves,” was selected for inclusion in The Best Buddhist Writing 2005 and his essay “No Color, All Colors” appears in the book, Mindful Politics.
Learn more about Gaylon Ferguson
Gaylon Ferguson, PhD, is a senior teacher in the Shambhala and Buddhist traditions who has been leading meditation retreats since 1976. He was a member of Naropa University’s core faculty and is the author of Natural Wakefulness: Discovering the Wisdom We Were Born With. Additionally, his article, “Making Friends with Ourselves,” was selected for inclusion in The Best Buddhist Writing 2005 and his essay “No Color, All Colors” appears in the book, Mindful Politics.
Learn more about Gaylon Ferguson
