BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Clear Sky Meditation Centre - ECPv6.15.19//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Clear Sky Meditation Centre REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Edmonton BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20220313T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20221106T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20230312T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20231105T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20240310T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20241103T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20250309T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20251102T080000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20231006T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20231022T170000 DTSTAMP:20260429T063539 CREATED:20230206T002516Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T103246Z UID:18754-1696579200-1697994000@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:The Mind’s Cutting Edge: 12 Manjushris Meditation Retreat DESCRIPTION:The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n “If you think your Sangha isn’t your Lama\, you’ve missed the whole understanding of Sangha.” -Qapel \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sangha are the people working alongside you to wake up. Group Guru is the network of the Awakened Mind showing up in teams and conscious community. We can—and must—use each other to pull ourselves out of the mires of suffering. In this modern approach to sangha and group guru\, we will look at the interplay between the collective\, the individual and liberation. November 10 – December 1st Sundays at 9:30am MT Online \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n focus area \n \n \n \n Sangha & Conscious Community \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n practice \n \n \n \n Online Course & Weekend Home Retreat \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Duration \n \n \n \n Four Weeks \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Skill Level \n \n \n \n All  Levels \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n format \n \n \n \n Online or In-Person \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n The Buddha’s beloved student Ananda asked\, it seems good friends are perhaps half of the path? And the Buddha responded\, No\, Ananda. Good friends are the whole path. Is conscious community a preference\, or a necessity? How do we develop powerful spiritual communities that bring us forward in a meaningful way? In this modern course we will explore just this\, looking at the power of sangha and group guru. There is interplay between the collective and the individual when it comes to liberation. Let’s explore it here\, together. We each get trapped in our own bias. Our lineage Teacher the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche said it is hard for Westerners to awaken because the self\, the great individual\, is such an important part of the game. In the West\, we tend to avoid community\, avoid surrendering to collective needs\, or mistrust that we will be subsumed by ignorant ‘group think’. And yet\, sangha is something that nature knows intimately. Community is at the root of the great flourishings of humanity. Spiritual communities in the East have worked in community in the monastery setting; community is a hallmark of all time-tested spiritual tradition and practice. Today’s question is\, how do we also honor the role and uniqueness of the individual\, within a collective approach to awakening and healing? \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Power of Sangha \n \n \n \n Do you want to be part of thriving\, conscious community that values people above profit? Does living and working with people who also value spiritual growth and awakening sound appealing? We think it’s wonderful\, and beyond that\, what humanity is destined for. And\, it’s not easy. We need seriously effective tools to help integrate our spiritual ideals with the real world. Everyday life—including people\, and their personalities—are always human. They require grit. \n \n \n \n Course Learning Goals \n \n \n \n For what reason was Sangha (Spiritual Community) highlighted as one of the Triple Gems alongside the Buddha (Teachers of Awakening) and Dharma (The Teachings and Practices of Liberation)?What are our common challenges and fears around collective and community today? What are ways we can better contribute\, grow and develop effective spiritual communities that we actually want to be a meaningful part of? \n \n \n \n Recommended Reading \n \n \n \n We Started Our Own Conscious Community 20 Years Ago\, Here’s Our Advice. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "I have yet to encounter another setting where I grow as much as I do while at Clear Sky. The balance of support\, genuine care and challenge is rare and precious.\n\nWhen it comes to spiritual transformation\, Clear Sky is a place and group of people that is not only talking-the-talk but actively walking-the-walk." \n Ruth L. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course ScheduleNovember 10th – December 1st\, 2024With a new format: Morning (9:30am Class) Mountain TimeSunday\, November 10 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 17 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 24 – 9:30-11am ClassFlash Retreat*: Saturday & Sunday Nov 30-Dec 1 – 9:30am and 2:30pmThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays with a Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. *Flash Retreat Weekend: Nov 30th-Dec 1st To deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (Nov 30-Dec 1). This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, in Eastern British Columbia. We highly recommend clearing your schedule over the weekend to focus on the retreat.  Group sessions will be held at 9:30am and 2:30pm on Saturday and Sunday\, with sessions approximately 60-90 mins in duration. If you’d like to join the Flash Retreat from Clear Sky\, please contact ava@clearskycenter.org. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teachers \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Qapel Duncan \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Center\, BC\, Canada. Achariya Doug Duncan co-created this course with Sensei prior to his passing on October 5th\, 2024. Since his passing\, we have witnessed the invaluable role that Sangha plays in supporting each other through challenging times. In honour of Qapel\, we are choosing to move ahead with this course so that we may support each other more deeply and feel connecting to his teachings during this time.  Catherine Pawasarat Sensei has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course DetailsTime and LocationEach of the four weekly classes in this online course will be streamed live at 9:30-11am MST.  We ask participants to attend live whenever possible. The recording of each class will be available for one week after each class. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. The course culminates with a Flash Retreat on Nov 30-Dec1\, 2024\, with formal workshop times held at approx. 9:30-10:30am and 2:30-3:30pm Mountain Time on Saturday and Sunday. What Does the Course Cost?This course is offered based on the unique combination of 1) dāna  and 2) a $80-120 USD administrative fee. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "This retreat centre is the REAL THING. It's a modern monastery with people grounded in the present and practicing old and new methods of living in a spiritual community. This group walks the talk. I have made the trek from Ontario all the way to this remote corner of BC every year for the last 16 years to study with these teachers\, interact with these fellow seekers\, and bask in the beauty of this gorgeous property." \n Linda H. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dana and Pricing\n \n\n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. It’s our joy to offer this course\, and we trust you’ll match our time\, energy\, and passion by giving an amount of money that feels good and healthy to both you and us. The dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able Typically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  As we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  Conversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. Learn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Online Participants & Admin Fee\n \n\n In a traditional model of in-person teachings\, a retreat center or urban meditation center invites teachers to visit. In these cases the centers have infrastructure and organization costs to cover\, which might be covered by an admin fee. For the teaching itself\, dāna to the teachers is offered in a bowl. This honors both the sustainability of the teachers\, and of the supporting center. We’ve tried to recreate this approach online. The teachers’ time and the teaching themselves are offered on the basis of dāna\, separate to the admin fee. With our dāna offering we are making a direct gift of generosity to the teachers to support their teachings and livelihood. The admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, it can be surprising the costs of setting up a good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. *We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. — Below are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: high speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)online class systems (Zoom)registration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)communication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)online storage (for example\, Dropbox\, to allow us to let students watch recordings\, and to store and share selected teachings in other forms such as podcasts and video later\, and Amazon cloud)quality sound\, video and editing equipment (both for live teachings and to provide good enough quality for later sharing as podcasts and video). We are regularly updating our equipment to improve your user experience.online calendar booking system to allow students to book interviewswebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.We welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/12-manjushri-retreat/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Manjushri-Meditation-Retreat.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230924T153000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230924T170000 DTSTAMP:20260429T063539 CREATED:20230822T170027Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T075907Z UID:20107-1695569400-1695574800@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Spiritual Awakening\, Healing & Ecological Restoration: A Buddhist Mystic Perspective DESCRIPTION:The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n “If you think your Sangha isn’t your Lama\, you’ve missed the whole understanding of Sangha.” -Qapel \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sangha are the people working alongside you to wake up. Group Guru is the network of the Awakened Mind showing up in teams and conscious community. We can—and must—use each other to pull ourselves out of the mires of suffering. In this modern approach to sangha and group guru\, we will look at the interplay between the collective\, the individual and liberation. November 10 – December 1st Sundays at 9:30am MT Online \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n focus area \n \n \n \n Sangha & Conscious Community \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n practice \n \n \n \n Online Course & Weekend Home Retreat \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Duration \n \n \n \n Four Weeks \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Skill Level \n \n \n \n All  Levels \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n format \n \n \n \n Online or In-Person \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n The Buddha’s beloved student Ananda asked\, it seems good friends are perhaps half of the path? And the Buddha responded\, No\, Ananda. Good friends are the whole path. Is conscious community a preference\, or a necessity? How do we develop powerful spiritual communities that bring us forward in a meaningful way? In this modern course we will explore just this\, looking at the power of sangha and group guru. There is interplay between the collective and the individual when it comes to liberation. Let’s explore it here\, together. We each get trapped in our own bias. Our lineage Teacher the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche said it is hard for Westerners to awaken because the self\, the great individual\, is such an important part of the game. In the West\, we tend to avoid community\, avoid surrendering to collective needs\, or mistrust that we will be subsumed by ignorant ‘group think’. And yet\, sangha is something that nature knows intimately. Community is at the root of the great flourishings of humanity. Spiritual communities in the East have worked in community in the monastery setting; community is a hallmark of all time-tested spiritual tradition and practice. Today’s question is\, how do we also honor the role and uniqueness of the individual\, within a collective approach to awakening and healing? \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Power of Sangha \n \n \n \n Do you want to be part of thriving\, conscious community that values people above profit? Does living and working with people who also value spiritual growth and awakening sound appealing? We think it’s wonderful\, and beyond that\, what humanity is destined for. And\, it’s not easy. We need seriously effective tools to help integrate our spiritual ideals with the real world. Everyday life—including people\, and their personalities—are always human. They require grit. \n \n \n \n Course Learning Goals \n \n \n \n For what reason was Sangha (Spiritual Community) highlighted as one of the Triple Gems alongside the Buddha (Teachers of Awakening) and Dharma (The Teachings and Practices of Liberation)?What are our common challenges and fears around collective and community today? What are ways we can better contribute\, grow and develop effective spiritual communities that we actually want to be a meaningful part of? \n \n \n \n Recommended Reading \n \n \n \n We Started Our Own Conscious Community 20 Years Ago\, Here’s Our Advice. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "I have yet to encounter another setting where I grow as much as I do while at Clear Sky. The balance of support\, genuine care and challenge is rare and precious.\n\nWhen it comes to spiritual transformation\, Clear Sky is a place and group of people that is not only talking-the-talk but actively walking-the-walk." \n Ruth L. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course ScheduleNovember 10th – December 1st\, 2024With a new format: Morning (9:30am Class) Mountain TimeSunday\, November 10 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 17 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 24 – 9:30-11am ClassFlash Retreat*: Saturday & Sunday Nov 30-Dec 1 – 9:30am and 2:30pmThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays with a Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. *Flash Retreat Weekend: Nov 30th-Dec 1st To deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (Nov 30-Dec 1). This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, in Eastern British Columbia. We highly recommend clearing your schedule over the weekend to focus on the retreat.  Group sessions will be held at 9:30am and 2:30pm on Saturday and Sunday\, with sessions approximately 60-90 mins in duration. If you’d like to join the Flash Retreat from Clear Sky\, please contact ava@clearskycenter.org. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teachers \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Qapel Duncan \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Center\, BC\, Canada. Achariya Doug Duncan co-created this course with Sensei prior to his passing on October 5th\, 2024. Since his passing\, we have witnessed the invaluable role that Sangha plays in supporting each other through challenging times. In honour of Qapel\, we are choosing to move ahead with this course so that we may support each other more deeply and feel connecting to his teachings during this time.  Catherine Pawasarat Sensei has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course DetailsTime and LocationEach of the four weekly classes in this online course will be streamed live at 9:30-11am MST.  We ask participants to attend live whenever possible. The recording of each class will be available for one week after each class. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. The course culminates with a Flash Retreat on Nov 30-Dec1\, 2024\, with formal workshop times held at approx. 9:30-10:30am and 2:30-3:30pm Mountain Time on Saturday and Sunday. What Does the Course Cost?This course is offered based on the unique combination of 1) dāna  and 2) a $80-120 USD administrative fee. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "This retreat centre is the REAL THING. It's a modern monastery with people grounded in the present and practicing old and new methods of living in a spiritual community. This group walks the talk. I have made the trek from Ontario all the way to this remote corner of BC every year for the last 16 years to study with these teachers\, interact with these fellow seekers\, and bask in the beauty of this gorgeous property." \n Linda H. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dana and Pricing\n \n\n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. It’s our joy to offer this course\, and we trust you’ll match our time\, energy\, and passion by giving an amount of money that feels good and healthy to both you and us. The dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able Typically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  As we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  Conversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. Learn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Online Participants & Admin Fee\n \n\n In a traditional model of in-person teachings\, a retreat center or urban meditation center invites teachers to visit. In these cases the centers have infrastructure and organization costs to cover\, which might be covered by an admin fee. For the teaching itself\, dāna to the teachers is offered in a bowl. This honors both the sustainability of the teachers\, and of the supporting center. We’ve tried to recreate this approach online. The teachers’ time and the teaching themselves are offered on the basis of dāna\, separate to the admin fee. With our dāna offering we are making a direct gift of generosity to the teachers to support their teachings and livelihood. The admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, it can be surprising the costs of setting up a good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. *We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. — Below are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: high speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)online class systems (Zoom)registration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)communication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)online storage (for example\, Dropbox\, to allow us to let students watch recordings\, and to store and share selected teachings in other forms such as podcasts and video later\, and Amazon cloud)quality sound\, video and editing equipment (both for live teachings and to provide good enough quality for later sharing as podcasts and video). We are regularly updating our equipment to improve your user experience.online calendar booking system to allow students to book interviewswebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.We welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/spiritual-awakening-healing-ecological-restoration/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Spiritual-Awakening-Square.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230916T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230917T150000 DTSTAMP:20260429T063539 CREATED:20230702T231813Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260307T080025Z UID:19672-1694851200-1694962800@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Integrating Mindfulness: Weekend Retreat (In-Person & Online) DESCRIPTION:The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n “If you think your Sangha isn’t your Lama\, you’ve missed the whole understanding of Sangha.” -Qapel \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sangha are the people working alongside you to wake up. Group Guru is the network of the Awakened Mind showing up in teams and conscious community. We can—and must—use each other to pull ourselves out of the mires of suffering. In this modern approach to sangha and group guru\, we will look at the interplay between the collective\, the individual and liberation. November 10 – December 1st Sundays at 9:30am MT Online \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n focus area \n \n \n \n Sangha & Conscious Community \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n practice \n \n \n \n Online Course & Weekend Home Retreat \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Duration \n \n \n \n Four Weeks \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Skill Level \n \n \n \n All  Levels \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n format \n \n \n \n Online or In-Person \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n The Buddha’s beloved student Ananda asked\, it seems good friends are perhaps half of the path? And the Buddha responded\, No\, Ananda. Good friends are the whole path. Is conscious community a preference\, or a necessity? How do we develop powerful spiritual communities that bring us forward in a meaningful way? In this modern course we will explore just this\, looking at the power of sangha and group guru. There is interplay between the collective and the individual when it comes to liberation. Let’s explore it here\, together. We each get trapped in our own bias. Our lineage Teacher the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche said it is hard for Westerners to awaken because the self\, the great individual\, is such an important part of the game. In the West\, we tend to avoid community\, avoid surrendering to collective needs\, or mistrust that we will be subsumed by ignorant ‘group think’. And yet\, sangha is something that nature knows intimately. Community is at the root of the great flourishings of humanity. Spiritual communities in the East have worked in community in the monastery setting; community is a hallmark of all time-tested spiritual tradition and practice. Today’s question is\, how do we also honor the role and uniqueness of the individual\, within a collective approach to awakening and healing? \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Power of Sangha \n \n \n \n Do you want to be part of thriving\, conscious community that values people above profit? Does living and working with people who also value spiritual growth and awakening sound appealing? We think it’s wonderful\, and beyond that\, what humanity is destined for. And\, it’s not easy. We need seriously effective tools to help integrate our spiritual ideals with the real world. Everyday life—including people\, and their personalities—are always human. They require grit. \n \n \n \n Course Learning Goals \n \n \n \n For what reason was Sangha (Spiritual Community) highlighted as one of the Triple Gems alongside the Buddha (Teachers of Awakening) and Dharma (The Teachings and Practices of Liberation)?What are our common challenges and fears around collective and community today? What are ways we can better contribute\, grow and develop effective spiritual communities that we actually want to be a meaningful part of? \n \n \n \n Recommended Reading \n \n \n \n We Started Our Own Conscious Community 20 Years Ago\, Here’s Our Advice. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "I have yet to encounter another setting where I grow as much as I do while at Clear Sky. The balance of support\, genuine care and challenge is rare and precious.\n\nWhen it comes to spiritual transformation\, Clear Sky is a place and group of people that is not only talking-the-talk but actively walking-the-walk." \n Ruth L. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course ScheduleNovember 10th – December 1st\, 2024With a new format: Morning (9:30am Class) Mountain TimeSunday\, November 10 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 17 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 24 – 9:30-11am ClassFlash Retreat*: Saturday & Sunday Nov 30-Dec 1 – 9:30am and 2:30pmThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays with a Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. *Flash Retreat Weekend: Nov 30th-Dec 1st To deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (Nov 30-Dec 1). This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, in Eastern British Columbia. We highly recommend clearing your schedule over the weekend to focus on the retreat.  Group sessions will be held at 9:30am and 2:30pm on Saturday and Sunday\, with sessions approximately 60-90 mins in duration. If you’d like to join the Flash Retreat from Clear Sky\, please contact ava@clearskycenter.org. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teachers \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Qapel Duncan \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Center\, BC\, Canada. Achariya Doug Duncan co-created this course with Sensei prior to his passing on October 5th\, 2024. Since his passing\, we have witnessed the invaluable role that Sangha plays in supporting each other through challenging times. In honour of Qapel\, we are choosing to move ahead with this course so that we may support each other more deeply and feel connecting to his teachings during this time.  Catherine Pawasarat Sensei has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course DetailsTime and LocationEach of the four weekly classes in this online course will be streamed live at 9:30-11am MST.  We ask participants to attend live whenever possible. The recording of each class will be available for one week after each class. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. The course culminates with a Flash Retreat on Nov 30-Dec1\, 2024\, with formal workshop times held at approx. 9:30-10:30am and 2:30-3:30pm Mountain Time on Saturday and Sunday. What Does the Course Cost?This course is offered based on the unique combination of 1) dāna  and 2) a $80-120 USD administrative fee. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "This retreat centre is the REAL THING. It's a modern monastery with people grounded in the present and practicing old and new methods of living in a spiritual community. This group walks the talk. I have made the trek from Ontario all the way to this remote corner of BC every year for the last 16 years to study with these teachers\, interact with these fellow seekers\, and bask in the beauty of this gorgeous property." \n Linda H. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dana and Pricing\n \n\n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. It’s our joy to offer this course\, and we trust you’ll match our time\, energy\, and passion by giving an amount of money that feels good and healthy to both you and us. The dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able Typically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  As we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  Conversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. Learn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Online Participants & Admin Fee\n \n\n In a traditional model of in-person teachings\, a retreat center or urban meditation center invites teachers to visit. In these cases the centers have infrastructure and organization costs to cover\, which might be covered by an admin fee. For the teaching itself\, dāna to the teachers is offered in a bowl. This honors both the sustainability of the teachers\, and of the supporting center. We’ve tried to recreate this approach online. The teachers’ time and the teaching themselves are offered on the basis of dāna\, separate to the admin fee. With our dāna offering we are making a direct gift of generosity to the teachers to support their teachings and livelihood. The admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, it can be surprising the costs of setting up a good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. *We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. — Below are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: high speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)online class systems (Zoom)registration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)communication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)online storage (for example\, Dropbox\, to allow us to let students watch recordings\, and to store and share selected teachings in other forms such as podcasts and video later\, and Amazon cloud)quality sound\, video and editing equipment (both for live teachings and to provide good enough quality for later sharing as podcasts and video). We are regularly updating our equipment to improve your user experience.online calendar booking system to allow students to book interviewswebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.We welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/weekend-retreat/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses,Integrating Mindfulness,Online Courses,Special Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2023-Programming-Horizontal-Instagram-Post-Square-5.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230811T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230820T150000 DTSTAMP:20260429T063539 CREATED:20230205T223441Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T085458Z UID:18756-1691766000-1692543600@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Breathing 2.0 Meditation Retreat DESCRIPTION:The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n “If you think your Sangha isn’t your Lama\, you’ve missed the whole understanding of Sangha.” -Qapel \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sangha are the people working alongside you to wake up. Group Guru is the network of the Awakened Mind showing up in teams and conscious community. We can—and must—use each other to pull ourselves out of the mires of suffering. In this modern approach to sangha and group guru\, we will look at the interplay between the collective\, the individual and liberation. November 10 – December 1st Sundays at 9:30am MT Online \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n focus area \n \n \n \n Sangha & Conscious Community \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n practice \n \n \n \n Online Course & Weekend Home Retreat \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Duration \n \n \n \n Four Weeks \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Skill Level \n \n \n \n All  Levels \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n format \n \n \n \n Online or In-Person \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n The Buddha’s beloved student Ananda asked\, it seems good friends are perhaps half of the path? And the Buddha responded\, No\, Ananda. Good friends are the whole path. Is conscious community a preference\, or a necessity? How do we develop powerful spiritual communities that bring us forward in a meaningful way? In this modern course we will explore just this\, looking at the power of sangha and group guru. There is interplay between the collective and the individual when it comes to liberation. Let’s explore it here\, together. We each get trapped in our own bias. Our lineage Teacher the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche said it is hard for Westerners to awaken because the self\, the great individual\, is such an important part of the game. In the West\, we tend to avoid community\, avoid surrendering to collective needs\, or mistrust that we will be subsumed by ignorant ‘group think’. And yet\, sangha is something that nature knows intimately. Community is at the root of the great flourishings of humanity. Spiritual communities in the East have worked in community in the monastery setting; community is a hallmark of all time-tested spiritual tradition and practice. Today’s question is\, how do we also honor the role and uniqueness of the individual\, within a collective approach to awakening and healing? \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Power of Sangha \n \n \n \n Do you want to be part of thriving\, conscious community that values people above profit? Does living and working with people who also value spiritual growth and awakening sound appealing? We think it’s wonderful\, and beyond that\, what humanity is destined for. And\, it’s not easy. We need seriously effective tools to help integrate our spiritual ideals with the real world. Everyday life—including people\, and their personalities—are always human. They require grit. \n \n \n \n Course Learning Goals \n \n \n \n For what reason was Sangha (Spiritual Community) highlighted as one of the Triple Gems alongside the Buddha (Teachers of Awakening) and Dharma (The Teachings and Practices of Liberation)?What are our common challenges and fears around collective and community today? What are ways we can better contribute\, grow and develop effective spiritual communities that we actually want to be a meaningful part of? \n \n \n \n Recommended Reading \n \n \n \n We Started Our Own Conscious Community 20 Years Ago\, Here’s Our Advice. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "I have yet to encounter another setting where I grow as much as I do while at Clear Sky. The balance of support\, genuine care and challenge is rare and precious.\n\nWhen it comes to spiritual transformation\, Clear Sky is a place and group of people that is not only talking-the-talk but actively walking-the-walk." \n Ruth L. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course ScheduleNovember 10th – December 1st\, 2024With a new format: Morning (9:30am Class) Mountain TimeSunday\, November 10 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 17 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 24 – 9:30-11am ClassFlash Retreat*: Saturday & Sunday Nov 30-Dec 1 – 9:30am and 2:30pmThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays with a Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. *Flash Retreat Weekend: Nov 30th-Dec 1st To deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (Nov 30-Dec 1). This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, in Eastern British Columbia. We highly recommend clearing your schedule over the weekend to focus on the retreat.  Group sessions will be held at 9:30am and 2:30pm on Saturday and Sunday\, with sessions approximately 60-90 mins in duration. If you’d like to join the Flash Retreat from Clear Sky\, please contact ava@clearskycenter.org. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teachers \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Qapel Duncan \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Center\, BC\, Canada. Achariya Doug Duncan co-created this course with Sensei prior to his passing on October 5th\, 2024. Since his passing\, we have witnessed the invaluable role that Sangha plays in supporting each other through challenging times. In honour of Qapel\, we are choosing to move ahead with this course so that we may support each other more deeply and feel connecting to his teachings during this time.  Catherine Pawasarat Sensei has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course DetailsTime and LocationEach of the four weekly classes in this online course will be streamed live at 9:30-11am MST.  We ask participants to attend live whenever possible. The recording of each class will be available for one week after each class. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. The course culminates with a Flash Retreat on Nov 30-Dec1\, 2024\, with formal workshop times held at approx. 9:30-10:30am and 2:30-3:30pm Mountain Time on Saturday and Sunday. What Does the Course Cost?This course is offered based on the unique combination of 1) dāna  and 2) a $80-120 USD administrative fee. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "This retreat centre is the REAL THING. It's a modern monastery with people grounded in the present and practicing old and new methods of living in a spiritual community. This group walks the talk. I have made the trek from Ontario all the way to this remote corner of BC every year for the last 16 years to study with these teachers\, interact with these fellow seekers\, and bask in the beauty of this gorgeous property." \n Linda H. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dana and Pricing\n \n\n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. It’s our joy to offer this course\, and we trust you’ll match our time\, energy\, and passion by giving an amount of money that feels good and healthy to both you and us. The dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able Typically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  As we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  Conversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. Learn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Online Participants & Admin Fee\n \n\n In a traditional model of in-person teachings\, a retreat center or urban meditation center invites teachers to visit. In these cases the centers have infrastructure and organization costs to cover\, which might be covered by an admin fee. For the teaching itself\, dāna to the teachers is offered in a bowl. This honors both the sustainability of the teachers\, and of the supporting center. We’ve tried to recreate this approach online. The teachers’ time and the teaching themselves are offered on the basis of dāna\, separate to the admin fee. With our dāna offering we are making a direct gift of generosity to the teachers to support their teachings and livelihood. The admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, it can be surprising the costs of setting up a good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. *We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. — Below are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: high speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)online class systems (Zoom)registration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)communication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)online storage (for example\, Dropbox\, to allow us to let students watch recordings\, and to store and share selected teachings in other forms such as podcasts and video later\, and Amazon cloud)quality sound\, video and editing equipment (both for live teachings and to provide good enough quality for later sharing as podcasts and video). We are regularly updating our equipment to improve your user experience.online calendar booking system to allow students to book interviewswebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.We welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/breathing-meditation-retreat/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Breathing-Meditation-Retreat.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230721T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230723T170000 DTSTAMP:20260429T063539 CREATED:20230328T193439Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260310T102858Z UID:18673-1689958800-1690131600@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:As the Spirit Moves (In-Person and Online) DESCRIPTION:The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n “If you think your Sangha isn’t your Lama\, you’ve missed the whole understanding of Sangha.” -Qapel \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sangha are the people working alongside you to wake up. Group Guru is the network of the Awakened Mind showing up in teams and conscious community. We can—and must—use each other to pull ourselves out of the mires of suffering. In this modern approach to sangha and group guru\, we will look at the interplay between the collective\, the individual and liberation. November 10 – December 1st Sundays at 9:30am MT Online \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n focus area \n \n \n \n Sangha & Conscious Community \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n practice \n \n \n \n Online Course & Weekend Home Retreat \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Duration \n \n \n \n Four Weeks \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Skill Level \n \n \n \n All  Levels \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n format \n \n \n \n Online or In-Person \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n The Buddha’s beloved student Ananda asked\, it seems good friends are perhaps half of the path? And the Buddha responded\, No\, Ananda. Good friends are the whole path. Is conscious community a preference\, or a necessity? How do we develop powerful spiritual communities that bring us forward in a meaningful way? In this modern course we will explore just this\, looking at the power of sangha and group guru. There is interplay between the collective and the individual when it comes to liberation. Let’s explore it here\, together. We each get trapped in our own bias. Our lineage Teacher the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche said it is hard for Westerners to awaken because the self\, the great individual\, is such an important part of the game. In the West\, we tend to avoid community\, avoid surrendering to collective needs\, or mistrust that we will be subsumed by ignorant ‘group think’. And yet\, sangha is something that nature knows intimately. Community is at the root of the great flourishings of humanity. Spiritual communities in the East have worked in community in the monastery setting; community is a hallmark of all time-tested spiritual tradition and practice. Today’s question is\, how do we also honor the role and uniqueness of the individual\, within a collective approach to awakening and healing? \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Power of Sangha \n \n \n \n Do you want to be part of thriving\, conscious community that values people above profit? Does living and working with people who also value spiritual growth and awakening sound appealing? We think it’s wonderful\, and beyond that\, what humanity is destined for. And\, it’s not easy. We need seriously effective tools to help integrate our spiritual ideals with the real world. Everyday life—including people\, and their personalities—are always human. They require grit. \n \n \n \n Course Learning Goals \n \n \n \n For what reason was Sangha (Spiritual Community) highlighted as one of the Triple Gems alongside the Buddha (Teachers of Awakening) and Dharma (The Teachings and Practices of Liberation)?What are our common challenges and fears around collective and community today? What are ways we can better contribute\, grow and develop effective spiritual communities that we actually want to be a meaningful part of? \n \n \n \n Recommended Reading \n \n \n \n We Started Our Own Conscious Community 20 Years Ago\, Here’s Our Advice. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "I have yet to encounter another setting where I grow as much as I do while at Clear Sky. The balance of support\, genuine care and challenge is rare and precious.\n\nWhen it comes to spiritual transformation\, Clear Sky is a place and group of people that is not only talking-the-talk but actively walking-the-walk." \n Ruth L. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course ScheduleNovember 10th – December 1st\, 2024With a new format: Morning (9:30am Class) Mountain TimeSunday\, November 10 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 17 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 24 – 9:30-11am ClassFlash Retreat*: Saturday & Sunday Nov 30-Dec 1 – 9:30am and 2:30pmThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays with a Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. *Flash Retreat Weekend: Nov 30th-Dec 1st To deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (Nov 30-Dec 1). This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, in Eastern British Columbia. We highly recommend clearing your schedule over the weekend to focus on the retreat.  Group sessions will be held at 9:30am and 2:30pm on Saturday and Sunday\, with sessions approximately 60-90 mins in duration. If you’d like to join the Flash Retreat from Clear Sky\, please contact ava@clearskycenter.org. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teachers \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Qapel Duncan \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Center\, BC\, Canada. Achariya Doug Duncan co-created this course with Sensei prior to his passing on October 5th\, 2024. Since his passing\, we have witnessed the invaluable role that Sangha plays in supporting each other through challenging times. In honour of Qapel\, we are choosing to move ahead with this course so that we may support each other more deeply and feel connecting to his teachings during this time.  Catherine Pawasarat Sensei has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course DetailsTime and LocationEach of the four weekly classes in this online course will be streamed live at 9:30-11am MST.  We ask participants to attend live whenever possible. The recording of each class will be available for one week after each class. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. The course culminates with a Flash Retreat on Nov 30-Dec1\, 2024\, with formal workshop times held at approx. 9:30-10:30am and 2:30-3:30pm Mountain Time on Saturday and Sunday. What Does the Course Cost?This course is offered based on the unique combination of 1) dāna  and 2) a $80-120 USD administrative fee. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "This retreat centre is the REAL THING. It's a modern monastery with people grounded in the present and practicing old and new methods of living in a spiritual community. This group walks the talk. I have made the trek from Ontario all the way to this remote corner of BC every year for the last 16 years to study with these teachers\, interact with these fellow seekers\, and bask in the beauty of this gorgeous property." \n Linda H. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dana and Pricing\n \n\n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. It’s our joy to offer this course\, and we trust you’ll match our time\, energy\, and passion by giving an amount of money that feels good and healthy to both you and us. The dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able Typically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  As we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  Conversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. Learn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Online Participants & Admin Fee\n \n\n In a traditional model of in-person teachings\, a retreat center or urban meditation center invites teachers to visit. In these cases the centers have infrastructure and organization costs to cover\, which might be covered by an admin fee. For the teaching itself\, dāna to the teachers is offered in a bowl. This honors both the sustainability of the teachers\, and of the supporting center. We’ve tried to recreate this approach online. The teachers’ time and the teaching themselves are offered on the basis of dāna\, separate to the admin fee. With our dāna offering we are making a direct gift of generosity to the teachers to support their teachings and livelihood. The admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, it can be surprising the costs of setting up a good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. *We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. — Below are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: high speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)online class systems (Zoom)registration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)communication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)online storage (for example\, Dropbox\, to allow us to let students watch recordings\, and to store and share selected teachings in other forms such as podcasts and video later\, and Amazon cloud)quality sound\, video and editing equipment (both for live teachings and to provide good enough quality for later sharing as podcasts and video). We are regularly updating our equipment to improve your user experience.online calendar booking system to allow students to book interviewswebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.We welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/as-the-spirit-moves/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/As-the-Spirit-Moves-online.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230616T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230618T160000 DTSTAMP:20260429T063539 CREATED:20230205T213536Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T100438Z UID:18672-1686942000-1687104000@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Dharma in the Stars: AstroDharma Basics (In-Person or Online) DESCRIPTION:The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n “If you think your Sangha isn’t your Lama\, you’ve missed the whole understanding of Sangha.” -Qapel \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sangha are the people working alongside you to wake up. Group Guru is the network of the Awakened Mind showing up in teams and conscious community. We can—and must—use each other to pull ourselves out of the mires of suffering. In this modern approach to sangha and group guru\, we will look at the interplay between the collective\, the individual and liberation. November 10 – December 1st Sundays at 9:30am MT Online \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n focus area \n \n \n \n Sangha & Conscious Community \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n practice \n \n \n \n Online Course & Weekend Home Retreat \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Duration \n \n \n \n Four Weeks \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Skill Level \n \n \n \n All  Levels \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n format \n \n \n \n Online or In-Person \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n The Buddha’s beloved student Ananda asked\, it seems good friends are perhaps half of the path? And the Buddha responded\, No\, Ananda. Good friends are the whole path. Is conscious community a preference\, or a necessity? How do we develop powerful spiritual communities that bring us forward in a meaningful way? In this modern course we will explore just this\, looking at the power of sangha and group guru. There is interplay between the collective and the individual when it comes to liberation. Let’s explore it here\, together. We each get trapped in our own bias. Our lineage Teacher the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche said it is hard for Westerners to awaken because the self\, the great individual\, is such an important part of the game. In the West\, we tend to avoid community\, avoid surrendering to collective needs\, or mistrust that we will be subsumed by ignorant ‘group think’. And yet\, sangha is something that nature knows intimately. Community is at the root of the great flourishings of humanity. Spiritual communities in the East have worked in community in the monastery setting; community is a hallmark of all time-tested spiritual tradition and practice. Today’s question is\, how do we also honor the role and uniqueness of the individual\, within a collective approach to awakening and healing? \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Power of Sangha \n \n \n \n Do you want to be part of thriving\, conscious community that values people above profit? Does living and working with people who also value spiritual growth and awakening sound appealing? We think it’s wonderful\, and beyond that\, what humanity is destined for. And\, it’s not easy. We need seriously effective tools to help integrate our spiritual ideals with the real world. Everyday life—including people\, and their personalities—are always human. They require grit. \n \n \n \n Course Learning Goals \n \n \n \n For what reason was Sangha (Spiritual Community) highlighted as one of the Triple Gems alongside the Buddha (Teachers of Awakening) and Dharma (The Teachings and Practices of Liberation)?What are our common challenges and fears around collective and community today? What are ways we can better contribute\, grow and develop effective spiritual communities that we actually want to be a meaningful part of? \n \n \n \n Recommended Reading \n \n \n \n We Started Our Own Conscious Community 20 Years Ago\, Here’s Our Advice. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "I have yet to encounter another setting where I grow as much as I do while at Clear Sky. The balance of support\, genuine care and challenge is rare and precious.\n\nWhen it comes to spiritual transformation\, Clear Sky is a place and group of people that is not only talking-the-talk but actively walking-the-walk." \n Ruth L. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course ScheduleNovember 10th – December 1st\, 2024With a new format: Morning (9:30am Class) Mountain TimeSunday\, November 10 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 17 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 24 – 9:30-11am ClassFlash Retreat*: Saturday & Sunday Nov 30-Dec 1 – 9:30am and 2:30pmThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays with a Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. *Flash Retreat Weekend: Nov 30th-Dec 1st To deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (Nov 30-Dec 1). This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, in Eastern British Columbia. We highly recommend clearing your schedule over the weekend to focus on the retreat.  Group sessions will be held at 9:30am and 2:30pm on Saturday and Sunday\, with sessions approximately 60-90 mins in duration. If you’d like to join the Flash Retreat from Clear Sky\, please contact ava@clearskycenter.org. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teachers \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Qapel Duncan \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Center\, BC\, Canada. Achariya Doug Duncan co-created this course with Sensei prior to his passing on October 5th\, 2024. Since his passing\, we have witnessed the invaluable role that Sangha plays in supporting each other through challenging times. In honour of Qapel\, we are choosing to move ahead with this course so that we may support each other more deeply and feel connecting to his teachings during this time.  Catherine Pawasarat Sensei has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course DetailsTime and LocationEach of the four weekly classes in this online course will be streamed live at 9:30-11am MST.  We ask participants to attend live whenever possible. The recording of each class will be available for one week after each class. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. The course culminates with a Flash Retreat on Nov 30-Dec1\, 2024\, with formal workshop times held at approx. 9:30-10:30am and 2:30-3:30pm Mountain Time on Saturday and Sunday. What Does the Course Cost?This course is offered based on the unique combination of 1) dāna  and 2) a $80-120 USD administrative fee. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "This retreat centre is the REAL THING. It's a modern monastery with people grounded in the present and practicing old and new methods of living in a spiritual community. This group walks the talk. I have made the trek from Ontario all the way to this remote corner of BC every year for the last 16 years to study with these teachers\, interact with these fellow seekers\, and bask in the beauty of this gorgeous property." \n Linda H. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dana and Pricing\n \n\n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. It’s our joy to offer this course\, and we trust you’ll match our time\, energy\, and passion by giving an amount of money that feels good and healthy to both you and us. The dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able Typically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  As we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  Conversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. Learn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Online Participants & Admin Fee\n \n\n In a traditional model of in-person teachings\, a retreat center or urban meditation center invites teachers to visit. In these cases the centers have infrastructure and organization costs to cover\, which might be covered by an admin fee. For the teaching itself\, dāna to the teachers is offered in a bowl. This honors both the sustainability of the teachers\, and of the supporting center. We’ve tried to recreate this approach online. The teachers’ time and the teaching themselves are offered on the basis of dāna\, separate to the admin fee. With our dāna offering we are making a direct gift of generosity to the teachers to support their teachings and livelihood. The admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, it can be surprising the costs of setting up a good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. *We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. — Below are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: high speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)online class systems (Zoom)registration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)communication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)online storage (for example\, Dropbox\, to allow us to let students watch recordings\, and to store and share selected teachings in other forms such as podcasts and video later\, and Amazon cloud)quality sound\, video and editing equipment (both for live teachings and to provide good enough quality for later sharing as podcasts and video). We are regularly updating our equipment to improve your user experience.online calendar booking system to allow students to book interviewswebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.We welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/astrology-dharma-retreat/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Astrology-Dharma-Retreat.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20230114T080000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20240204T170000 DTSTAMP:20260429T063539 CREATED:20231211T221125Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T101314Z UID:18750-1673683200-1707066000@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Multiple Realities: Bardos & Beyond (Online Course) DESCRIPTION:The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n “If you think your Sangha isn’t your Lama\, you’ve missed the whole understanding of Sangha.” -Qapel \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Sangha are the people working alongside you to wake up. Group Guru is the network of the Awakened Mind showing up in teams and conscious community. We can—and must—use each other to pull ourselves out of the mires of suffering. In this modern approach to sangha and group guru\, we will look at the interplay between the collective\, the individual and liberation. November 10 – December 1st Sundays at 9:30am MT Online \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n focus area \n \n \n \n Sangha & Conscious Community \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n practice \n \n \n \n Online Course & Weekend Home Retreat \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Duration \n \n \n \n Four Weeks \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Skill Level \n \n \n \n All  Levels \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n format \n \n \n \n Online or In-Person \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n The Power of Sangha & Group Guru \n \n \n \n The Buddha’s beloved student Ananda asked\, it seems good friends are perhaps half of the path? And the Buddha responded\, No\, Ananda. Good friends are the whole path. Is conscious community a preference\, or a necessity? How do we develop powerful spiritual communities that bring us forward in a meaningful way? In this modern course we will explore just this\, looking at the power of sangha and group guru. There is interplay between the collective and the individual when it comes to liberation. Let’s explore it here\, together. We each get trapped in our own bias. Our lineage Teacher the Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche said it is hard for Westerners to awaken because the self\, the great individual\, is such an important part of the game. In the West\, we tend to avoid community\, avoid surrendering to collective needs\, or mistrust that we will be subsumed by ignorant ‘group think’. And yet\, sangha is something that nature knows intimately. Community is at the root of the great flourishings of humanity. Spiritual communities in the East have worked in community in the monastery setting; community is a hallmark of all time-tested spiritual tradition and practice. Today’s question is\, how do we also honor the role and uniqueness of the individual\, within a collective approach to awakening and healing? \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Power of Sangha \n \n \n \n Do you want to be part of thriving\, conscious community that values people above profit? Does living and working with people who also value spiritual growth and awakening sound appealing? We think it’s wonderful\, and beyond that\, what humanity is destined for. And\, it’s not easy. We need seriously effective tools to help integrate our spiritual ideals with the real world. Everyday life—including people\, and their personalities—are always human. They require grit. \n \n \n \n Course Learning Goals \n \n \n \n For what reason was Sangha (Spiritual Community) highlighted as one of the Triple Gems alongside the Buddha (Teachers of Awakening) and Dharma (The Teachings and Practices of Liberation)?What are our common challenges and fears around collective and community today? What are ways we can better contribute\, grow and develop effective spiritual communities that we actually want to be a meaningful part of? \n \n \n \n Recommended Reading \n \n \n \n We Started Our Own Conscious Community 20 Years Ago\, Here’s Our Advice. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "I have yet to encounter another setting where I grow as much as I do while at Clear Sky. The balance of support\, genuine care and challenge is rare and precious.\n\nWhen it comes to spiritual transformation\, Clear Sky is a place and group of people that is not only talking-the-talk but actively walking-the-walk." \n Ruth L. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course ScheduleNovember 10th – December 1st\, 2024With a new format: Morning (9:30am Class) Mountain TimeSunday\, November 10 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 17 – 9:30-11am ClassSunday\, November 24 – 9:30-11am ClassFlash Retreat*: Saturday & Sunday Nov 30-Dec 1 – 9:30am and 2:30pmThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays with a Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. *Flash Retreat Weekend: Nov 30th-Dec 1st To deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (Nov 30-Dec 1). This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, in Eastern British Columbia. We highly recommend clearing your schedule over the weekend to focus on the retreat.  Group sessions will be held at 9:30am and 2:30pm on Saturday and Sunday\, with sessions approximately 60-90 mins in duration. If you’d like to join the Flash Retreat from Clear Sky\, please contact ava@clearskycenter.org. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Meet the Teachers \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Qapel Duncan \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat are Dharma and meditation teachers who founded Clear Sky Meditation Center\, BC\, Canada. Achariya Doug Duncan co-created this course with Sensei prior to his passing on October 5th\, 2024. Since his passing\, we have witnessed the invaluable role that Sangha plays in supporting each other through challenging times. In honour of Qapel\, we are choosing to move ahead with this course so that we may support each other more deeply and feel connecting to his teachings during this time.  Catherine Pawasarat Sensei has trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan since 1998 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and the arts. With Doug she is co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Course DetailsTime and LocationEach of the four weekly classes in this online course will be streamed live at 9:30-11am MST.  We ask participants to attend live whenever possible. The recording of each class will be available for one week after each class. We encourage you to connect with sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. The course culminates with a Flash Retreat on Nov 30-Dec1\, 2024\, with formal workshop times held at approx. 9:30-10:30am and 2:30-3:30pm Mountain Time on Saturday and Sunday. What Does the Course Cost?This course is offered based on the unique combination of 1) dāna  and 2) a $80-120 USD administrative fee. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n "This retreat centre is the REAL THING. It's a modern monastery with people grounded in the present and practicing old and new methods of living in a spiritual community. This group walks the talk. I have made the trek from Ontario all the way to this remote corner of BC every year for the last 16 years to study with these teachers\, interact with these fellow seekers\, and bask in the beauty of this gorgeous property." \n Linda H. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n FAQs \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Dana and Pricing\n \n\n You may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. It’s our joy to offer this course\, and we trust you’ll match our time\, energy\, and passion by giving an amount of money that feels good and healthy to both you and us. The dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able Typically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  As we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  Conversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. Learn more about the practice of dāna here. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Online Participants & Admin Fee\n \n\n In a traditional model of in-person teachings\, a retreat center or urban meditation center invites teachers to visit. In these cases the centers have infrastructure and organization costs to cover\, which might be covered by an admin fee. For the teaching itself\, dāna to the teachers is offered in a bowl. This honors both the sustainability of the teachers\, and of the supporting center. We’ve tried to recreate this approach online. The teachers’ time and the teaching themselves are offered on the basis of dāna\, separate to the admin fee. With our dāna offering we are making a direct gift of generosity to the teachers to support their teachings and livelihood. The admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, it can be surprising the costs of setting up a good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online. The admin fee changes based on date of registration. Register four + weeks prior: $80 | Register two to four weeks prior: $100 | Register less than two weeks prior: $120. *We also do not wish to exclude anyone from the Teachings\, so if you are not currently in a financial position to afford the admin fee\, please contact the course Registrar via registrar@planetdharma.com so we can support you to attend. — Below are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: high speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)online class systems (Zoom)registration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)communication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)online storage (for example\, Dropbox\, to allow us to let students watch recordings\, and to store and share selected teachings in other forms such as podcasts and video later\, and Amazon cloud)quality sound\, video and editing equipment (both for live teachings and to provide good enough quality for later sharing as podcasts and video). We are regularly updating our equipment to improve your user experience.online calendar booking system to allow students to book interviewswebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.We welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/bardos-online-course/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/2024-PD-courses-Square-IG-Post.jpg END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR