BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Clear Sky Meditation Centre - ECPv6.15.19//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Clear Sky Meditation Centre 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:20250309T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20251102T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20260308T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20261101T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20270314T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20271107T080000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20250309T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20251102T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20260308T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20261101T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20270314T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20271107T070000 END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260118T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260208T110000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20251110T183109Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260216T062956Z UID:26460-1768728600-1770548400@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Integral Evolution: The Next Frontier (Online Course) DESCRIPTION:Waking Up\, Growing Up: Integral Evolution\n “One of the most significant contributions of Integral Spirituality and Theory is that the difference between states and stages is clarified. As meditators we get skilled with states but have remained ignorant of stages. This is not in our best interest. You can meditate forever and still be at a low stage of human development.” —Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nMoving forward with our beloved teacher Qapel’s exhortation to embrace Integral as part of our spiritual practice. Awakening\, he said\, is like everything else: evolutionary. The Buddha said that his teachings would last 2\,500 years—which brings us to now. It’s time for a new turning of the wheel. Integral Evolution is the next stage of humanity’s awakening and development. It’s thrilling we’re alive at the new frontier of consciousness. Drawing on more of the last teaching notes our guru Qapel made\, come and explore with Catherine Sensei how we can marry authentic Dharma and the Integral paradigm. How do we evolve and awaken in alignment with the fullness of our current time and lay the groundwork for a revolutionary and generative future? \nNote: Integral Spirituality by Ken Wilber is a pre-requisite for the course. Please start by reading the Appendix as we have found it is clearer this way. \nJanuary 18th – February 8\, 2026 \nSunday morning online classes 9:30-11:00am MT \n \n Register Now\n \nfocus area\nIntegral  \nSpirituality \npractice\nCourse and optional \nweekend home retreat \nDuration\nFour \nWeeks \nDay/Time\nSundays from 9:30-11am MT \nformat\nIn-Person or \nOnline \nWaking Up and Growing Up\nAs we go deeper into the 21st-century we are seeing a new turning of the Wheel of Dharma – a radical evolution of Buddhism and spiritual teachings. The last major evolution in Buddhist Dharma was more than 1000 years ago with Vajrayana. Now with psychology\, integral spirituality and science\, something new is emerging. \nAlong with the work of waking up– cultivating an enlightened state – we also need to do the work of growing up. This means learning to integrate a clear state in the world through doing our shadow work\, developing our communication skills and working through the critical human development stages – individually and collectively. \nJoin us for this exciting four week course\, together we will explore the emerging elements of a fit and dynamic vehicle for 21st-century awakening\, and beyond. \n \n Register\n \n \n \n \n “In 10 years I have NOT missed a course with master teachers Qapel and Sensei! Every class reflects the light of oneness in prisms of direction and understanding and thus a lighter load to carry in the relative world and a lightness of being. If one aspires to be a bodhisattva and to benefit all beings\, this one recommends the next one.”\n Brendan R. \nIntegral Spirituality\nIntegral Spirituality was coined by Ken Wilber\, an internationally acknowledged leader and the preeminent scholar of the Integral stage of human development.  In his many books\, he writes that traditional Buddhist teachings themselves suggest an ongoing evolution leading toward a more unified\, holistic\, and interconnected spirituality. He describes the ways in which the tradition has been open to the continuing unfolding and expansion of its own teachings\, and he suggests possible paths toward an ever more Integral approach. \nWe agree! In this course\, we are excited to be taking this work forward and translating it practically\, based on our lineage’s working experience of modern spiritual community. \nIntegral Spirituality by Ken Wilber is a pre-requisite for the course. Please start by reading the Appendix as we have found it is clearer this way. \n \nSchedule\nSundays\, January 18 – February 8\, 2026\nClass Times (Mountain Time)\n\nSunday\, January 18 – 9:30-11am\nSunday\, January 25 – 9:30-11am\nSunday\, February 1 – 9:30-11am\nSaturday & Sunday\, February 7-8 – 9:30am and 2:30pm (approx 60-90 minutes)\n\n*Daily schedule is subject to minor changes closer to the course date.\n \nMeet the Teachers\n \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher\, attendant\, consort\, co-teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe 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. \n \n Register\n \n “The teachers have brought together ancient teachings with scientific findings that prove how and why Dharma teachings radically improve life\, reduce pain and increase global peace. It doesn’t matter what you believe\, you will embody a healthy new way of being. Because of their vast collective wisdom\, you leave their presence radically altered for the betterment of humanity.”\n Evangelos D.\n \nFAQs\n What is integral spirituality? \nIntegral spirituality is a holistic spiritual approach that integrates meditation\, psychology\, human development\, and traditional wisdom into a unified framework. It acknowledges both states of awakening and stages of personal maturity\, helping practitioners live spiritual insight in daily life. \n Why is growth beyond meditation important? \nMeditation cultivates clarity and inner states\, but without development of emotional maturity\, communication\, and real-world integration\, spiritual progress can remain limited. Growth beyond meditation supports lasting transformation and effective engagement in daily life. \n What will you learn in this online course? \nYou will explore how to combine authentic Dharma with integral theory\, integrate awakened states into everyday life\, deepen human development stages\, work with shadow patterns\, and evolve toward a more complete expression of spiritual and psychological maturity. \n Who should attend this course? \nThis course is for meditators\, spiritual seekers\, and practitioners who want to deepen their inner awakening and grow in psychological and relational maturity\, integrating spirituality into all aspects of life. \n What makes this different from a meditation class? \nUnlike a standard meditation class focused on states of awareness\, this course also emphasizes stages of development — including shadow work\, communication\, and real-world application — so spiritual insights are embodied and functional in everyday life. \n Is prior spiritual experience required? \nPrior meditation or spiritual experience isn’t strictly required\, but familiarity with Integral Spirituality by Ken Wilber (recommended reading) and an interest in deepening both inner insight and personal growth will help you engage fully with the course material. \n Dana and Pricing \nDana: \nYou 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. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No one is excluded for lack of funds. However\, it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able. \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs 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. \nIf 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. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \n About the Online Admin Fee \nIn 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. \nWe’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. \nThe admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, the costs of setting up good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online can be surprising. \nOur admin fee changes based on the date of registration. \nRegister four + weeks prior: $80Register two to four weeks prior: $100Register less than two weeks prior: $120 \n*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. \n— \nBelow are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: \n\nHigh speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)\nOnline class systems (Zoom)\nRegistration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)\nCommunication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)\nOnline 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)\nQuality 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.\nOnline calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews\nWebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.\n\nWe welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n Register URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/integral-evolution-the-next-frontier-online-course/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2025-PD-courses-Square-IG-Post-4.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260129T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260129T200000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260210T174220Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T032348Z UID:27821-1769713200-1769716800@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation For Hope And Healing - Local Classes DESCRIPTION:Meditation For Hope And Healing\nwith Dean Nicholson\nDo you find yourself stressed by all the troubling news that bombards us every day?  Are you experiencing anger\, anxiety or hopelessness\, and not sure what you can do to make a difference? \nDevelop peace and calm as you practice a powerful guided meditation technique that creates hope and healing to carry throughout your day. \nWhen: Thursdays 7:00-8:00 pm MST from Jan 29 – Mar 5\, 2026 \nWhere: In-Person: Mountain View Therapeutics\, 14 A 13 Ave S #204\, Cranbrook\, BC V1C 2V3 \nCost: Pay-from-the-heart (Dāna) \n  \n— \nCurious? Before this series starts\, you’re invited to enjoy our online guided meditations. \n Register Now Questions? \nClick To Contact Us (or call 250 429 3920) \nAbout these Community Meditation Classes\nThese community classes help you develop a stronger meditation practice both on and off the cushion. \nThese classes run semi-regularly throughout the year at Clear Sky or locally in Cranbrook\, interspersed with our other retreats and offerings. \nDrop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \n Register \nCourse Cost: Dāna\n \nWe offer this course on the basis of dāna.  If you’re not familiar with dāna\, you may have come across related approaches such as “pay from the heart.” \nDāna is a Sanskrit term that translates as “generosity” in English. The practice of generosity is central to spiritual unfoldment\, whatever path you follow. In our own Buddhist lineage\, teachings have always been given on the basis of dāna\, and we are committed to this practice and its development in the West. \nDāna is a radical and – we believe – viable economic alternative to capitalism. We all know there must be something better than capitalism or its hungry cousin\, consumerism. We maintain that\, together\, we can offer a financial model that is based in life-affirming mutual support. Please join us in co-creating this promising economic alternative. \nFor this course\, we give a suggested range $20-50 per class (which would be $80-200 for the 4-week series).  You are welcome regardless of what you are able to offer.  \n \n \nTo help you choose an amount that feels right for you\, we recommend this heart-based exercise from our friends at Planet Dharma.  \nChecking in with your heart\n1) Take a few quiet breaths and center yourself. Spend a few moments to reflect on each of the below: the beauty and integrity of dāna practice; the value of receiving direct teachings from lineage holders in a recognized spiritual tradition; the reality of your financial situation. \n2) Spend another few moments contacting a sense of health\, strength and abundance. You have a healthy mind\, a body\, senses\, the good karma to have heard the teachings\, and conditions to support your practice of Dharma. Celebrate this! \n3) Now check with your heart and mind what amount feels both consistent with your situation\, and expressive of your aspiration. \nIt’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. \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-for-hope-and-healing-local-classes/2026-01-29/ LOCATION:Mountain View Therapeutics – Cranbrook\, #204 14 A 13 Avenue South\, Cranbrook\, BC\, V1C 2V3\, Canada CATEGORIES:Meditation Circle,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2.png ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260131T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260131T113000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20250928T221154Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250928T223052Z UID:26319-1769853600-1769859000@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:FREE WEBINAR: Integrating the Money Shadow in your Spiritual Life DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, January 31st @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am MT \nStruggling in your relationship with money\, values and spiritual beliefs\nThis class is for spiritually-focused people whose spiritual aspiration is the most important thing in their lives\, yet they struggle with their relationship with money and values. \nMany spiritually-focused people feel that their spiritual life is hindering their ability to earn enough money. Or they know they have money issues but do not know what those issues are. They feel confused\, lost\, and have a very scattered relationship to money—the thought of it leads to fear and dissociation.  \n \n \n Register Now\n \nAre you in a fear-state around money and don’t feel capable of earning\, receiving\, or managing money? Perhaps you feel like you’re in survival mode\, disconnected from money or like you work too much and yet you never feel like you have enough. Perhaps you are living in total overwhelm and fear about addressing your debt issues or feel defeated by money and future prospects. Or perhaps you may defer completely to your partner in financial matters and do not know how to discuss your fears and concerns with them in a productive\, generative manner.  \nIn all of these situations\, the view around money is the problem. And this webinar will help you see where your limiting beliefs are.  \nImagine having a spiritual life and your income stable\, having success in repaying your debts or having money in your savings for retreats. Imagine valuing yourself more\, making solid business decisions or increasing your rates with ease. Understanding your interior money landscape is the first step. \nThis webinar will help you begin the journey to get to a place where your ability to earn money is actively supporting your spiritual life. It’s an opportunity to transform unhelpful money habits in a supportive\, non-judgmental community. It will help you realize that you are not alone. Money troubles come from past and present conditions and are not related to a personal deficiency. \nThis free webinar will help you see the way that our society has programmed us to feel stressed around money—which is the complete antithesis of living in alignment with the universe. \n \n Register Now\n \n \nMeet your Teacher\n \nKaren McAllister \nKaren has worked with clients to transform their money issues\, helping them become more effective\, professional\, and satisfied with their financial situation\, and growing a sense of abundance. She brings knowledge and experience of financial issues from the practical\, behavioral\, and emotional perspectives. Her real magic and superpowers come from studying with her spiritual teachers\, Acariya Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, for over 20 years. Her teachers specialize in helping their students transcend their issues around money\, sex\, and power. And she is a beautiful example of the fruits of this work\, known in Buddhist philosophy as the bodhisattva path. \nKaren studied Economics in her degree and has been certified by Deborah Price of the The Money Coaching Institute as a Certified Money Coach\, a Couples Money Coach\, and a Business Archetype Coach. She studied with Lynne Twist from the Soul of Money Institute\, including Mastering your Money and Transforming your Life\, and Lynne’s Fundraising from the Heart program. \n  \nFurther\, Karen has made use of that training through her own role as a founding member at Clear Sky\, which operates with a quadruple bottom line. Karen has been Board Chair since 2014 and is leader of Fund Development. Her passion for this arises out of her deep desire to awaken more fully and make the world a better place. She’s seen many amazing spiritual explorers and transformational change agents who want to make a difference yet don’t have the funds they need to truly fulfill their missions–despite the millions of dollars floating around in the economy. And she has also seen the other side. Many spiritual explorers with money who have tried to help others experience more abundance and feel that their efforts have been rejected; or their efforts to be generous have left them feeling taken advantage of or dismissed. Karen’s work is designed to change this.  \nKaren wants you to show up as an integrated and whole human being. She’ll help you direct and attract financial resources in meaningful ways\, steering away from greed and fear and towards love\, generosity\, collaboration\, and reciprocity. \nhttps://youtu.be/BwOnDegzXIw\n Working with Karen helped me understand that you need to have a vision and to know your values first\, and then in that lens\, we can start to work for money\, save it\, invest it. We have never had real conversations about our relationship to money! Until we understand and heal our thoughts/feelings/beliefs around money\, we will continue to loop the same patterns\, think the same thoughts\, feel the same feelings and stay in the same financial situation. It is difficult to recognize these things within ourselves. Karen’s coaching helped me spot what to work on quicker\, and more effectively. I haven’t found anything else like what she does.\nThank you Karen.\n Serena\n I had been feeling stress and a lack of safety around money\, in an ongoing state of not feeling enoughness. After working with Karen in Money and Spirituality\, I have vision on how to use my money to benefit the world\, and know I want to work with people who share the same vision. This course is a great stepping stone for me to dive deeper into spirituality\, opening up new chapter in my practice. Karen has helped me to begin unknotting the fears that are extremely intertwined with capitalism. I think everybody who has the motivation to free their unhealthy habits and patterns around money should take the course. You will realize you don’t live for money; you use money as a tool to create the life you desire!\nKaren offered us deep insights on many levels and the generosity of her time\, both inside and outside the sessions. She invested as much in the process as we did. The benefits that it brings are significant – on an interpersonal as well as financial level.\n Trinh\n I couldn’t find my blind spots which block me from seeing the root of my Money and Spirituality problems. This course give me more clarity and insight\, particularly around the need to work internally on my first three chakras. If you want to educate yourself and make more conscious financial decisions\, this course if for you.\n Iris\n I knew that I have money issues\, but not what those issues were. I was confused\, lost\, and had a very scattered relationship to money—the thought of it led to fear and dissociation. In this course with Karen\, I learnt that my approach to money is mostly from a victim and innocent archetype position\, and that issues with money\, life\, and my business are connected with my relationship to my mother and father. This was groundbreaking for me. I understand which areas of my life I need to heal and work on\, and I also see how these shadows don’t allow me to grow and transform. Karen has such knowledge and wisdom\, and so generously created a safe container where I felt heard\, seen\, and held throughout the program.\n Marina\n I have been living in a survival mode of circular thinking. For so long\, I have been disconnected from money\, operating with a scarcity mindset. Karen taught me a new language. I am now empowered to take up the responsibility of creating change. The Money and Spirituality course helped me get clear on my intention\, motivation\, and needs\, which I now can practice communicating. And\, the reminder that our beliefs and habitual patterns are shaped from our early years was huge for me; we must have the awareness that they’re not our fault\, but also that we have the responsibility to do something about them. I am practicing becoming my own Great Mother!\n Sue\n \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/free-webinar-integrating-the-money-shadow-in-your-spiritual-life/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Coaching,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2024-Programming-1.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260214T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260307T120000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20250928T230301Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260214T091111Z UID:26268-1771063200-1772884800@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Money & Spirituality: Integrating Spiritual and Material (Online) DESCRIPTION:A Four-Week Online Course with Karen McAllister\nFebruary 14 & 21\, 28 and March 7th  \nSaturdays at 10am MT – 12 pm MT \nClick here to see your timezone \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \nAn invitation to slow down\, soften\, and integrate your relationship with money in community.\nMoney touches some of the most tender places in us: safety\, belonging\, power\, worth. And yet\, most of us were never taught how to meet money with awareness\, care\, or honesty. \nIf you’ve ever felt: \n\nanxious\, avoidant\, or overwhelmed around money\nashamed\, guilty\, or “behind\,” even when you’re doing your best\ncaught between spiritual values and financial realities\nalone with your money questions\n\nYou’re not broken and you’re not alone. \nThis four-week program is an invitation to meet your relationship with money slowly\, gently\, and in relationship\, so what has tightened can begin to soften. \nA gentle threshold\nIf you’ve already had a taste of this work\, you may have noticed that what we touched wants time\, care\, and relationship to truly integrate. \nThis course offers exactly that. \nWhat this course is and what it is not\nThis is not: \n\na budgeting or financial optimization course\na mindset or manifestation program\na place to fix yourself or “get it right”\na space for exposure\, pressure\, or forced sharing\n\nThis is: \n\na relational\, trauma-aware container\ngrounded in the body\, the nervous system\, and lived experience\noriented toward integration rather than insight alone\na place to explore money as a spiritual and relational teacher\n\nThe pace is intentionally slow.Silence is welcome.Sharing is invitational. \nHow integration happens here\nIn this course\, we work with how money actually lives\, not just in thought\, but in the body\, the nervous system\, and relationship. \nOver four weeks\, we explore: \n\nwhere money touches safety\, belonging\, and power\nhow ego-clinging shows up as grasping\, pushing away\, or confusion\nhow shame weaves across these patterns without being the cause\nhow awareness and relationship allow patterns to soften\n\nRather than trying to fix money patterns\, we learn to recognize them\, name them\, and stay present as they loosen. \nIntegration happens when: \n\nwhat was secret becomes speakable\nsensations in the body are noticed with care\nold strategies are met with understanding rather than force\nbody\, speech\, mind\, and action begin to come back into alignment\n\nNot Sure If This Course Is Right for You? \nYou’re welcome to watch the free 1-hour webinar below as a way to explore your relationship with money and sense whether this work feels supportive for you. \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \nThe Money Knots\, a compassionate map\nOver many years of this work\, I’ve noticed that money patterns tend to cluster into a small number of recognizable Money Knots. \nThese are not diagnoses or flaws.They are adaptive survival strategies\, ways the nervous system learned to cope around money. \nSome of the knots we may explore include: \n\nscarcity and survival \n\nover-responsibility and control \n\nover-giving and depletion \n\navoidance and confusion \n\nworthiness and shame \n\n\nchaos or freeze patterns \n\n\nMost people recognize themselves in more than one. \nIn this course\, we don’t try to untie these knots forcefully.We meet them with awareness\, allowing them to loosen at their own pace. \nWhy this work happens best in group\nMoney tends to isolate us.Not because we’re failing but because of how our systems and culture have been shaped around money. \nIn group\, something different becomes possible. \nHealing often begins when: \n\nwe hear our own patterns reflected in others \n\ncomparison softens into recognition \n\nshame loosens through shared awareness \n\nwe discover we’re not alone with what we carry \n\n\nThis group is intentionally small and carefully held.Not to fix one another but to allow relational repair to emerge naturally. \nWhat integrates here doesn’t stay here.As you become more settled\, you may notice changes in how you show up: \n\nmore steadiness \n\nless reactivity \n\nclearer choice around money\, power\, and responsibility \n\n\nPersonal repair quietly becomes relational repair and ripples outward into the communities you’re already part of. \nWe can undo these knots together!\nWhat are some of the main patterns that spiritual types have around money? Dissociation and overgiving are two examples. \nKaren McAllister\, Certified Money Coach of Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, shares some of her insights in the main money patterns experienced by spiritual seekers\, artists and those in the non-profit sector. \nhttps://youtu.be/BwOnDegzXIw\n \n \n \n \nWhat to Expect\nThe course structures itself according to Clear Sky’s Five Principles\, which name the qualities of a supportive space for human flourishing. We apply these principles to help you come to a place of peace\, ease and clarity around your relationship with money. This course falls under the Fourth Principle\, which is\, “Cleaning up big areas of your life frees up energy.” The course structure follows each of the other four principles. \nSession #1: Honor your space. \nMetaphorically speaking\, we open the door and take a look inside your financial room. For many of us\, it is a room full of cobwebs\, things not in their place\, and dust bunnies running amok. The curtains are closed\, and there is a stale\, musty smell in the room. How did this room get this way? By applying principle #1\, we honor your space\, we face the mess and start cleaning it up. We start revisiting the past to see what was not acknowledged and owned around money in the family system and culture.   \nSession #2: Structure and routine are your friends. \nWe look at the money habits that you currently have and write them all down. What do you need to let go of\, and what new habits do you need to take on? How are you going to build them into your structure and routine? We will use the cue\, routine and reward from “The Power of Habit” to help you work new routines around your money life. We will share all the apps\, budget tools\, and a ton of resources for you to guide you in finding the right tool for you around your finances. \nSession #3: Communication shapes the space where we meet. \nWe look at building gratitude and generosity practices to help you overcome the fear and scarcity mentality that takes root in our beings because it is the very water of capitalism that we swim in. A model that promotes a chronic sense of not-enoughness in the being. We will learn to become very mindful of the scarcity we feed ourselves and get really good at cutting these dialogues off skillfully and kindly\, with fierce discernment.  \nSession #4: It’s easier with others. \nWhat are your relationships with money like with your spouse\, your colleagues\, and your friends? Do you end up feeling betrayed or tight around money with others\, or do you stick your head in the sand and not take responsibility? We will study money and relationships through the lens of the eight money archetypes. Archetypes are powerful teachers and allies\, since they inform us of where we need to grow. \n \n \n \nMeet Your Teacher\n \n \n \n \nKaren McAllister’s work is rooted in a simple\, brave question: What happens when our inner life and our financial life are no longer split apart? As a money coach\, meditation teacher\, and contemplative leader\, Karen supports people in healing their relationship with money so they can live\, lead\, and give from a place of wholeness rather than fear. \nFor many years\, Karen has walked alongside individuals\, couples\, and communities who are committed to a spiritual path\, whether expressed through meditation\, service\, creativity\, or conscious relationship\, as they untangle old money patterns and rediscover their capacity for care\, clarity\, and sufficiency. She works with people for whom inner life truly matters\, and for whom money is part of their practice rather than something separate from it. Her approach is both deeply practical and deeply human\, grounded in real financial skill\, emotional honesty\, and a profound respect for the inner life that shapes how we earn\, spend\, save\, and give. \nKaren’s work is shaped by more than twenty years of close study with her spiritual teachers\, Acariya Qapel and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei. Their teachings\, especially around money\, sex\, and power have deeply informed Karen’s way of being with others. She is known for her steady presence\, compassion\, and integrity\, and for embodying a path of practice that brings wisdom into lived\, relational\, and material life\, what Buddhist tradition calls the bodhisattva path. \nShe studied Economics as part of her degree and later trained as a Certified Money Coach\, Couples Money Coach\, and Business Archetype Coach through the Money Coaching Institute. She also studied with Lynne Twist at the Soul of Money Institute\, deepening her understanding of money as a spiritual\, relational\, and ethical force. \nKaren is a founding member and Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky Meditation & Study Centre\, where she lives in residential community. She is a meditation teacher and program developer with a particular focus on money and spirituality\, and she serves as Lead Fund Developer\, currently guiding the multi-year funding of Clear Sky’s Temple Project. This work is not theoretical for her. It is a lived practice of aligning vision\, values\, and material support in service of collective awakening. \nOver the years\, Karen has witnessed the quiet heartbreak on both sides of money: people with deep purpose and sincere spiritual commitment who lack the resources to sustain their work\, and people with financial means who long to give generously yet feel unseen\, mistrusted\, or misunderstood. Her work exists to heal this divide\, to restore trust\, dignity\, and mutual care between those who hold vision and those who hold resources. \nAt the heart of everything Karen offers is an invitation to show up as an integrated\, whole human being. She supports individuals\, couples\, and communities to direct and attract financial resources in ways that align with their deepest values\, moving away from fear and grasping\, and toward love\, generosity\, reciprocity\, and shared flourishing. \nWhat Previous Participants Have Said:\n I wanted to better understand myself with and around money. The benefits of this course? Take a closer look at your relationship with money. When\, why\, what\, who\, with money. Now I understand why I do what I do. The next step is taking action\, and knowing when to take that action. I think everyone would benefit from looking into their money relationship\, especially anyone saying money is evil\, or “I don’t seem to have enough.”\nThank you Karen.\n Fred\n ​​Before Money and Spirituality\, I was unhappy with money in my life but I didn’t know why. After the 4 weeks\, I now know the direction I need to head in to change that. It is now clear how my childhood has been driving my financial decisions as an adult in his 30s. I didn’t realize how much inner healing still needed to be done\, and addressing money brought those issues to light. I am excited to step more into my power. This class is perfect for the “odd balls” who never felt like they fit into society—artists\, spiritual types\, creatives\, and healers—there’s nothing wrong with you or money itself. The view is the problem\, and this class will help you see clearly.\n Mike\n I was living in total overwhelm and fear about addressing my debt issues. I was deferring almost completely to my partner in financial matters and did not know how to discuss my fears and concerns with him in a productive\, generative manner. I did not have much understanding of how my past money trauma may be affecting me today. When I saw the course was being offered this year\, it still scared me but I knew it was an important part of my work to do it. After taking Money and Spirituality\, I am more empowered\, positive\, and hopeful\, and my Warrior archetype is becoming activated. It’s an opportunity to transform unhelpful money habits in a supportive\, non-judgmental community. It will help you realize that you are not alone\, that money troubles come from past and present conditions and are not related to a personal deficiency. There are ways to understand a person’s interior money landscape\, and steps one can take to heal it.\n Jennifer\n I was stuck in a backlog of taxes\, missing day-to-day financial structures and education\, and feeling scarcity around money. Understanding my archetype as well as my beliefs and behaviors around money through this course with Karen were a huge relief. I understand sufficiency and generosity better\, which has made it easier for me to give and to receive. I also brought attention to my own abundance which shifted things and made me see how much I have to offer. I am amazed how big of an impact these seemingly little shifts have. I recommend this to friends; people who spend too much or have shopping addictions\, people who struggle with purpose\, people whose money and work are influenced by others too much\, people who feel they can’t sustain their business. Free yourself from false beliefs about money\, the learned and inherited behavior.\n Maike\n I want to do good in this world. This course has helped me to make business decisions knowing my voice is confident and kind. Learning with Karen gives the gift of a deeper understanding of how you can relate to money and awakening. We can all do it together.\n Kerry\n I have struggled with what vision I wish to have and invest money in\, for my personal growth and for the future of others. I felt ignorant in regard to global economy and the notion of a positive future for me and others. The course with Karen forced me to grow up and see the reality of what I can really afford to have in my life\, to go beyond the scarcity mind into more trusting and loving\, to take care of my body and my mind and therefore be in service to others to do the same. There comes clarity of vision\, understanding creative stress vs. emotional tension\, and knowing the future can be positive if our mindset is right and we learn from leaders like Karen what can be if we do something about our life and take up our responsibility for our Earth. I needed inspiration to move out from a limbo I’ve created for myself. As far as I see\, Karen offers one of the most evolved programs there is on the planet. It brings very conscious humans together to learn and ask really great questions.\n Maya\n I was in a fear state around money. I felt restrictive in my being and that I wasn’t capable of earning\, receiving\, or managing money. As a result of my work in the Money and Spirituality course\, my income has been stable\, I’m repaying my debts and have money in my savings! Karen helped me see the way that our society has programmed us to feel stressed around money—which is the complete antithesis to living in alignment with the universe. I now trust that the universe is supporting me\, and that I have the tools and capabilities to manage my money. Instead of feeling like my spiritual life is hindering my ability to earn enough money\, this course helped me get to a place where my ability to earn money is actively supporting my spiritual life. I’d especially recommend this course to spiritually-focused solopreneurs and anyone whose spiritual aspiration is the most important thing in their life.\n Ava \nHow the 4 Weeks Unfold\nEach week includes: \n\na short teaching to orient the theme\nguided reflection and somatic inquiry\noptional group sharing and listening\ntime for integration between sessions\n\nThe emphasis is on presence\, not performance. \nCourse Details\n\nLocation: Online (Zoom)\nDates: February 14 – March 7\, 2026\n4 x 2 hour session + 1 Individual 30 minute session\nTime: 10am – Noon MT\nDana: $200CAD – $500CAD recommended range.\nPlease chat with us if you have concerns about the cost. Part of taking the money out of the shadow is stepping forward and having a pricing conversation with us.\n\nThis course is Dana based. We do not want to turn away anyone and we are always looking for ways to help you cultivate your generosity practise. Because of this\, we are giving you the opportunity to give the lower rate if you are earning less currently\, or we encourage to give the higher rate if you are able. Many people feel guilty because they are doing well. We encourage you to think about paying it forward. \nThere is also an opportunity to give to the scholarship fund \n \n \nA Gentle Invitation\nIf your body felt a quiet “yes” as you read this\, this course may be a supportive next step. \nThere is no pressure to join.Trust your own timing. \nIf you’d like support in deciding\, I offer a complimentary 30-minute conversation\, not a sales call\, simply a chance to reflect together. https://clearskycoaching-karen.youcanbook.me/ \n \n Register Now\n \nFAQs\n Why does spirituality and money often feel disconnected? \nMany spiritual teachings emphasize renunciation or selflessness\, which can create unconscious beliefs that money is unspiritual. This inner split leads to guilt\, avoidance\, or confusion around earning\, receiving\, and valuing money. \n Can this improve confidence around financial decisions? \nYes. By understanding emotional patterns and beliefs around money\, participants gain clarity and self-trust\, allowing them to make calmer\, more aligned decisions about earning\, spending\, and receiving support. \n Is prior experience with spiritual practice required? \nNo prior experience is required. The course is accessible to beginners while offering depth for those already engaged in spiritual or personal growth work. \n What kinds of struggles is this course best suited to address? \nThe course supports people experiencing scarcity mindset\, money anxiety\, overgiving\, undercharging\, avoidance of finances\, guilt around earning\, or conflict between spiritual values and financial needs. \n What results can participants expect? \nParticipants often experience greater ease\, clarity\, and care in their relationship with money\, along with reduced stress\, healthier habits\, and better alignment between purpose\, values\, and financial life. \n How is this different from financial planning or therapy? \nThis course focuses on inner awareness and spiritual integration rather than budgets or diagnoses. It addresses the emotional and belief-based roots of money patterns\, creating the inner foundation that practical financial tools can build upon. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/money-spirituality-online-course-2026/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Coaching,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2024-Programming.png ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260321T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260321T110000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260202T051633Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260315T145014Z UID:27430-1774085400-1774090800@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Psynauts Vol 1: Book Launch (Online Event) DESCRIPTION:“Only some beings access the methodology to become a Psynaut\, although almost all have the capacity.” \n-Qapel Doug Duncan\nQapel was always uncategorizable and his book Psynauts is the same. Is it a Dharma book\, is it sci-fi\, is it autobiography?  \nOn March 21st\, 2026\, at the Spring Equinox—the moment of perfect balance between light and dark\,  when new growth becomes inevitable\, when what has been dormant underground breaks through into manifestation – we gather virtually to celebrate the much-anticipated arrival of Psynauts Vol 1: The Source!  \nThrough dramatic readings\, visual media\, and guided experience\, you’ll be initiated into the Psynaut way of seeing—where ordinary reality becomes transparent to deeper truths. \nThis isn’t just a book launch. It’s the activation of a teaching that Elbud spent 30 years preparing to deliver—wisdom refined through thousands of meditation hours\, countless retreats\, and direct transmission from enlightened masters. \nQapel chose story because\, as he says in the book\, “Sometimes the ego’s defenses are so strong\, wisdom needs to sneak in through the back door.” \nOn March 21st\, that door opens! \n \n Sneak Peek! Download a Complimentary Chapter\n \nJoin us as the Victory Protocols—ancient wisdom from beyond this world—are unveiled to seekers ready to receive them. \nHear directly from those who worked alongside Elbud (Qapel Doug Duncan) during his Earth incarnation. They’ll share what it was like witnessing a master teacher channel cosmic wisdom into story form. \nDiscover what it means to be a space-traveling being—a Psynaut \n​📅 DATE: March 21\, 2026 (Spring Equinox) \n​🕐 TIME: 9:30 AM Mountain \n​🌐 LOCATION: Virtual (Zoom link sent upon registration) \n​💫 COST: Free – No one is turned away \n​⏱️ DURATION: 90 minutes \n​❔Can’t attend live? Recordings will be available for 1 week for anyone registered. \n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n✍️ ABOUT THE AUTHOR \nQapel Doug Duncan brings decades of meditation practice and teaching to this innovative blend of science fiction and spiritual memoir. A respected teacher in the Buddhist tradition\,  Qapel has crafted a unique narrative that makes ancient wisdom accessible to modern seekers. \n  \nA Dharma teacher known for his compassion\, humor\, and fearless wisdom\, Qapel was a lineage holder who studied with Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche for nearly thirty years. He led retreats around the world\, and co-founded Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n  \nA lifelong wanderer\, Qapel began exploring as a child—often requiring police escorts home. Over his decades as a teacher\, he helped many students integrate ancient wisdom with contemporary understandings. The Psynauts trilogy represents Qapel’s first work of fiction—a culmination of decades of spiritual insight. \nAre you a Psynaut?\nAnswer these honestly: \nHave you always felt like you don’t quite belong in “ordinary” reality? \nDo you sense there’s something more—but the usual spiritual answers feel incomplete? \nDoes the idea of consciousness traveling between worlds feel strangely familiar? \nHave you been searching for teachings that honor both ancient wisdom and cosmic possibility? \nDid finding this page feel like more than coincidence? \nIf you answered yes to even one of these… You may already be a Psynaut—you just haven’t remembered yet. March 21st is your remembering. \nSee beyond the ordinary story you’ve been told about consciousness… \nRemember the cosmic nature you’ve forgotten \nJoin a lineage of awakening beings spanning worlds and lifetimes \n \nMeet Your Host \n \n Seasoned meditator and Namgyal Lineage Teacher\, Catherine Pawasarat Sensei walked alongside Qapel for two decades\, co-founding Clear Sky Retreat in the BC Rockies and helping thousands of students remember their cosmic nature. She carries the transmission forward—and on March 21st\, she’ll help you understand why this teaching chose fiction as its vessel.\n \n Register Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/psynauts-book-launch-celebration-online/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Online Courses,Special Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Psynauts-Book-Launch-Square.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260327 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260406 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20251110T181955Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T020721Z UID:26461-1774569600-1775433599@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Vipassanā Meditation Retreat (In-Person & Online Retreat) DESCRIPTION:Vipassana Meditation Retreat\n“Our problems are noisy\, but our breakthroughs are quiet. All great mystics are born of solitude and silence.” \n-Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nMany first-time meditators choose Vipassanā for their first retreat. \nVipassanā is ideal for those new to meditation because it introduces you to the foundations needed to build a strong meditation practice and is a doorway to profound insight and realization. \nJoin Catherine Pawasarat Sensei in an ten-day Vipassana meditation retreat\, where we will practice a balanced meditative approach using the foundations of mindfulness from the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. \nwith Catherine Pawasarat Sensei | March 27 – April 5\, 2026 \nRegistration Deadlines: \nIn-Person Retreat registration deadline: March 13th \nOnline retreat registration deadline: March 20th \nEarly Bird Deadline: \nIn-person retreat Early Bird deadline: January 25th \nOnline retreat Early Bird deadline: February 1st \nWe recommend in-person retreats as the best way to get the most out of your experience. That said\, we recognize that travel is inhibitive for some people and are offering an online option to people living outside of Western Canada.  \n\nRegistration (In-Person)\n\n\nRegistration (Online)\n \nfocus area\nBuddhist Foundations\npractice\nVipassana\n(Insight)\nDuration\nEight Days\nSkill Level\nAll\nformat\nIn-Person & Online\nA Life Changing Experience\nAt this retreat\, the practice itself is awakening\, life-changing and healing. And most importantly\, you will reap great benefit from the rare in-person guidance of an accomplished meditation teacher and wisdom holder\, Catherine Pawasarat Sensei. Sensei’s teaching is radical\, down to earth\, and one-of-a-kind. \nIf you have a background in Vipassana retreats and are interested in doing something that is similar but a next step\, with a live teacher\, then this retreat may be for you. You will receive more detailed instructions based on the Buddhist satipatthana sutta\, and opportunities for asking questions and receiving feedback on your practice. This is priceless. \nAn online option is also available for those not in Western Canada\, to make participation possible from anywhere in the world. \n\nRegister for In-Person\n\n\nRegister for Online\n\n\n\n\n“I feel like a whole new world of understanding has opened up for me to explore. The teachings were interesting\, vibrant\, and so very relevant to our lives. Qapel and Catherine Sensei have done a wonderful job at distilling these vast teachings without oversimplying concepts. The teachings were visual\, informative\, and interactive. It was a great and lots of fun!”\nJenai L. \nTen Day Vipassana Meditation Retreat\nWhile we believe any undertaking can be a vehicle for awakening\, there’s no substitute for the power of one’s own profound experience of truth\, gained through meditation. This is why meditation is one of the four foundational practices of our teaching. \nAnother of our foundation practices is learning. A guiding text for this retreat is the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta\, or Discourse on the Establishing of Mindfulness.  It is an incredibly powerful methodology. In it\, the Buddha describes four foundations of mindfulness: body\, feeling\, mind\, and mental objects. It is a guide to liberation. \nThis simple yet powerful framework will extend your meditation experience to everything from subatomic particles to the vastness of space\, and all that’s between. It includes practice in all four postures—sitting\, walking\, standing\, and lying down. Experience will transform. And\, finally\, we will offer support for bridging the gap between retreat and daily life when you get home. \n\n \nSchedule\nFor those traveling short distances\, please arrive by 3pm on the start day. For those coming from international or longer distance travel\, please plan to arrive 1-2 days early to allow time to rest and acclimatize before the start of retreat. \nSample brief daily schedule: \n9am Class with Teacher \n11am Group Meditation led by a Senior Student \n12:30pm Lunch \n3pm Group Meditation with Teacher \n6pm Dinner \n7:30 pm Meditation led by a Senior Student \nDeparture: \nDepartures will begin after lunch on the final day of the retreat\, however we also recommend adding some extra nights to your stay for a more easeful transition from retreat to daily life. \n*Daily schedule is subject to minor changes closer to the course date\n\n\n\n\nRegister (In-Person)\n\n\nRegister (Online)\n \nMeet the Teachers\n \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei began her spiritual practices in earnest in her early 20s\, when she struggled to make sense of and overcome personal suffering and international environmental and social justice challenges. She became a student of metaphysics\, Western spiritual traditions\, and the ayahuasca sacraments in the 1990s. \nFor 26 years Catherine Sensei trained daily with Qapel Doug Duncan in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nWith Qapel she co-founded Clear Sky Retreat Center and Planet Dharma and is a lineage holder for these teachings. She supports the spiritual underpinnings of social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurship for spiritual practitioners. She worked as an advocacy photojournalist and studied traditional Japanese arts (including koto\, shamisen\, kyogen) in Kyoto for 20 years\, culminating in her landmark work GionFestival.org. \nSince the early 2000s Sensei has provided dharma training and taught the path of awakening to hundreds of students\, together with Qapel and on her own. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Sensei also draws on generative living (a.k.a. sustainability) and the arts. \nAbout Clear Sky\nLocated in the BC rocky mountains\, we offer over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature. \nFounded by Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, we are home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world. \nIn adherence with our quadruple bottom line\, we source our food as local and organic as possible. \nEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \n\n\n\n\n“Clear Sky is my favourite place to retreat. I am so grateful to find such an amazing place to study various meditation practices\, walk in stunning nature and eat fresh food from the farm. I always enjoy going there for more.”\nMaya L.\n \nFAQs\nCosts \nThe teaching itself is offered in the traditional Buddhist way on the basis of Dāna\,  Please see the section About Dāna below. \nThe costs below cover the accommodation\, food and program/admin fees for Clear Sky to operate the retreat. \nIn person cost including meals and accommodation. \n\nShared Room – CAD $1\,557.00\nPrivate Cabin – CAD $2\,007.00\nOrion Private Cabin – CAD $2\,142.00\nTenting – CAD $1\,017.00\n\nOnline \n\nCAD $450.00 – Online Course Fee\n\nEarly bird discount available (see below). \nAbout Dāna \nDana: \nRegistration fees cover food\, accommodation and the technology needed to offer the retreat online. The Teachings are freely given on the basis of dāna. \nYou 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. \nThe 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 \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs 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. \nConversely\, 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. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \nScholarship Application \nWe aim to make our retreats as accessible as possible. \nAs a centre run entirely by Karma Yoga (selfless service)\, retreat fees only cover food\, accommodation and the equipment required to offer them online. \nThe teachings themselves are offered on the basis of Dāna (pay-from-the-heart). \nFor some\, this is still a barrier of entry. \nIf you are seeking financial assistance to attend a retreat\, please complete a Scholarship Application form. \nDetailed Daily Schedule (Long retreats) \nSpecific times may change – this is a rough guide (MST) \n6:30 – 7:30 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice\n7:30 – 8:15 AM: Breakfast: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n8:15 – 8:45 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice\n9:00 – 10:00 AM: Class with Teachers\n10:00 – 10:30 AM: Walk\n10:30 – 11:30 AM: Group Practice led by Sangha\n11:30 – 12:30 PM: Personal Practice\n12:30 – 1:30 PM: Lunch: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n1:30 – 3:00 PM: Personal Practice\n3:00 – 4:00 PM: Group Practice led by Sangha\n4:00 – 5:30 PM: Personal Practice\n5:30 – 7:00 PM: Dinner: prepare\, eat\, clean up\n7:00 – 7:30 PM: Walk &/or Personal Practice\n7:30 – 8:30 PM: Group Practice and Q & A with Teachers\n8:30 – Beyond: Personal Practice & bed \nFood\, Weather\, Accommodation and How to Get Here \nClick here for details on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \nNote: In the unlikely scenario that this retreat is cancelled\, we recommend purchasing refundable travel fares. \nCannabis\, Psychedelics and Microdosing \nWe recognize and respect plant medicine as an important part of some people’s spiritual paths. \nPlease note\, the meditation practice on this retreat is very powerful. Consuming mind-altering substances will detract from your experience and could cause negative side-effects. \nWe ask that you refrain from microdosing or consuming mind-altering substances during this retreat and in the days immediately following it. \nEarly Bird & Registration Deadlines \nIN-PERSON: Please register as early as possible so we can plan for the retreat. Save 10% on fees until April 13\, 2025. Registration deadline for in-person retreatants is May 9th 2025. \nONLINE: We encourage early registration. Save $100 on the online fees until April 20\, 2025. June 6th is the final online registration deadline. \n\n\n\nRegister for In-Person\n\n\nRegister for Online URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/vipassana-meditation-retreat-in-bc-rocky-mountains/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2025-PD-courses-Square-IG-Post-1.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260409T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260409T201500 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260210T170647Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260418T174447Z UID:27745-1775761200-1775765700@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Finding Ground: Meditation For Uncertain Times DESCRIPTION:Finding Ground: Meditation For Uncertain Times\nwith Duncan Cryle and Karen McAllister\nAre you feeling stretched thin by the pace of modern life? Struggling to stay centered when the world feels unsettled? \nJoin us for a four-week evening series offering simple meditation practices and communication tools to help you find your ground and reconnect in these unsettled times. Through guided practices\, we’ll learn to settle the body\, come back to the breath\, and draw on nature and community as sources of support. \nEach session includes guided meditation\, reflection\, and time for questions. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming—come as you are. \nNo experience necessary—complete beginners welcome. \nWhen: Thursdays 7:00-8:15 pm MST from April 9 – 30\, 2026 \nWhere: In-Person: Mountain View Therapeutics\, 14 A 13 Ave S #204\, Cranbrook\, BC V1C 2V3 or Online Via Zoom \nCost: Pay-from-the-heart (Dāna). Suggested range $20-50 per class (and welcome regardless of what you are able to offer). \nCurious? Before this series starts\, you’re invited to enjoy our online guided meditations.  \n \n \n Attend In Person\n \n \n Attend Online\n \nAbout these Community Meditation Classes\nThese community classes help you develop a stronger meditation practice both on and off the cushion. \nThese classes run semi-regularly throughout the year at Clear Sky or locally in Cranbrook\, interspersed with our other retreats and offerings. \nDrop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nClass Series Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nKaren McAllister has been practicing meditation since the 1990s and studying in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei since 1998. A founding member of Clear Sky in 2004\, she now serves as Co-Executive Director and leads the funding of the Temple project\, supporting a vision of refuge and deep practice for generations to come. With over a decade of teaching meditation and mindfulness\, Karen’s approach is grounded\, compassionate\, and real\, shaped by the lived practice of community and the willingness to meet life as it is. She invites people to slow down\, listen inwardly\, and find a sense of steadiness within uncertainty. She is also the founder of Mindful Money Coaching\, supporting people to bring awareness and care to how they give\, receive\, and relate to resources. \nDuncan Cryle\nThrough 30+ years of personal practice and 15+ teaching meditation and mindfulness\, alongside an active career working all over the world\, I’ve learnt a lot about an integrating mindfulness into daily life.  As a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004\, I’m amazed at the power of a beautiful\, natural and dedicated space for supporting people to deepen their meditation and feel more connected.  Alongside. my Clear Sky work\, I hold a director position at a large software company where I also run a volunteer global mindfulness program to 1000s employees.  I was formerly one of the pioneers of IBM’s mindfulness movement.  I’m passionate about how mindfulness-based approaches can transform how we live and work together\, and be of better service in the world. \n \nCourse Cost: Dāna\n \n Attend In Person\n \n \n Attend Online\n \n \nWe offer this course on the basis of dāna.  If you’re not familiar with dāna\, you may have come across related approaches such as “pay from the heart.” \nDāna is a Sanskrit term that translates as “generosity” in English. The practice of generosity is central to spiritual unfoldment\, whatever path you follow. In our own Buddhist lineage\, teachings have always been given on the basis of dāna\, and we are committed to this practice and its development in the West. \nDāna is a radical and – we believe – viable economic alternative to capitalism. We all know there must be something better than capitalism or its hungry cousin\, consumerism. We maintain that\, together\, we can offer a financial model that is based in life-affirming mutual support. Please join us in co-creating this promising economic alternative. \nFor this course\, we give a suggested range $20-50 per class (which would be $80-200 for the 4-week series).  You are welcome regardless of what you are able to offer.  \n \n \nTo help you choose an amount that feels right for you\, we recommend this heart-based exercise from our friends at Planet Dharma.  \nChecking in with your heart\n1) Take a few quiet breaths and center yourself. Spend a few moments to reflect on each of the below: the beauty and integrity of dāna practice; the value of receiving direct teachings from lineage holders in a recognized spiritual tradition; the reality of your financial situation. \n2) Spend another few moments contacting a sense of health\, strength and abundance. You have a healthy mind\, a body\, senses\, the good karma to have heard the teachings\, and conditions to support your practice of Dharma. Celebrate this! \n3) Now check with your heart and mind what amount feels both consistent with your situation\, and expressive of your aspiration. \nIt’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. \n \n Attend In Person\n \n \n Attend Online\n \nFAQ\n Who leads the Meditation Circle? \nThe series is led by experienced meditation teachers Duncan Cryle and Karen McAllister\, who specialize in integrating mindfulness into daily life and community practice. \n What is the purpose of this meditation series? \nThe program helps participants find stability\, grounding\, and emotional balance during challenging or uncertain times through simple meditation and communication practices. \n What practices are included in the sessions? \nEach session includes guided meditation\, reflection\, breath awareness practices\, and group discussion\, supporting both inner calm and connection with others. \n What can participants expect to experience? \nParticipants learn to settle the body\, reconnect with the breath\, and draw support from nature and community\, creating a sense of steadiness and clarity. \n Is prior meditation experience required? \nNo. The meditation circle is open to complete beginners as well as experienced practitioners. \n How does this program support wellbeing during uncertain times? \nThe practices help reduce overwhelm by strengthening presence\, emotional resilience\, and grounded awareness\, allowing participants to stay centered despite external stress. \n Is this suitable for stress or anxiety relief? \nYes. The series is designed specifically for people feeling stretched\, unsettled\, or disconnected\, offering practical tools for calm and stability. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-finding-ground-meditation-for-uncertain-times/2026-04-09/ LOCATION:Mountain View Therapeutics – Cranbrook\, #204 14 A 13 Avenue South\, Cranbrook\, BC\, V1C 2V3\, Canada CATEGORIES:Meditation Circle,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2.png ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260430T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260430T201500 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260210T170647Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260418T181249Z UID:27863-1777575600-1777580100@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Finding Ground: Meditation For Uncertain Times DESCRIPTION:Finding Ground: Meditation For Uncertain Times\nwith Duncan Cryle and Karen McAllister\nAre you feeling stretched thin by the pace of modern life? Struggling to stay centered when the world feels unsettled? \nJoin us for a four-week evening series offering simple meditation practices and communication tools to help you find your ground and reconnect in these unsettled times. Through guided practices\, we’ll learn to settle the body\, come back to the breath\, and draw on nature and community as sources of support. \nEach session includes guided meditation\, reflection\, and time for questions. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming\, come as you are. \nNo experience necessary. Complete beginners welcome. \nWhen: Thursdays 7:00-8:15 pm MST from April 9 – 30\, 2026 \nWhere: In-Person: Mountain View Therapeutics\, 14 A 13 Ave S #204\, Cranbrook\, BC V1C 2V3 \nCost: Pay-from-the-heart (Dāna). Suggested range $20-50 per class (and welcome regardless of what you are able to offer). \nCurious? Before this series starts\, you’re invited to enjoy our online guided meditations.  \n Register Now Questions? \nClick To Contact Us (or call 250 429 3920) \nAbout these Community Meditation Classes\nThese community classes help you develop a stronger meditation practice both on and off the cushion. \nThese classes run semi-regularly throughout the year at Clear Sky or locally in Cranbrook\, interspersed with our other retreats and offerings. \nDrop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nClass Series Teachers\nKaren McAllister\nThrough over 25 years of meditation practice in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, and more than a decade of teaching meditation and mindfulness\, I’ve come to trust the importance of staying present with life as it is\, especially in times of uncertainty. As a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004\, I’m continually inspired by the power of intentional community as a place to deepen awareness\, navigate challenges\, and grow together. Alongside my teaching\, I serve as Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky and lead the funding of the Temple project\, supporting a long-term vision of refuge and deep practice for generations to come. I’m also the founder of Mindful Money Coaching\, where I support people to bring greater awareness and care to how they give\, receive\, and relate to resources\, aligning their material lives with what matters most. \nDuncan Cryle\nThrough 30+ years of personal practice and 15+ teaching meditation and mindfulness\, alongside an active career working all over the world\, I’ve learnt a lot about an integrating mindfulness into daily life.  As a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004\, I’m amazed at the power of a beautiful\, natural and dedicated space for supporting people to deepen their meditation and feel more connected.  Alongside. my Clear Sky work\, I hold a director position at a large software company where I also run a volunteer global mindfulness program to 1000s employees.  I was formerly one of the pioneers of IBM’s mindfulness movement.  I’m passionate about how mindfulness-based approaches can transform how we live and work together\, and be of better service in the world. \nCourse Cost: Dāna\n Register \n \nWe offer this course on the basis of dāna.  If you’re not familiar with dāna\, you may have come across related approaches such as “pay from the heart.” \nDāna is a Sanskrit term that translates as “generosity” in English. The practice of generosity is central to spiritual unfoldment\, whatever path you follow. In our own Buddhist lineage\, teachings have always been given on the basis of dāna\, and we are committed to this practice and its development in the West. \nDāna is a radical and we believe viable economic alternative to capitalism. We all know there must be something better than capitalism or its hungry cousin\, consumerism. We maintain that\, together\, we can offer a financial model that is based in life-affirming mutual support. Please join us in co-creating this promising economic alternative. \nFor this course\, we give a suggested range $20-50 per class (which would be $80-200 for the 4-week series).  You are welcome regardless of what you are able to offer.  \n \nTo help you choose an amount that feels right for you\, we recommend this heart-based exercise from our friends at Planet Dharma.  \nChecking in with your heart\n1) Take a few quiet breaths and center yourself. Spend a few moments to reflect on each of the below: the beauty and integrity of dāna practice; the value of receiving direct teachings from lineage holders in a recognized spiritual tradition; the reality of your financial situation. \n2) Spend another few moments contacting a sense of health\, strength and abundance. You have a healthy mind\, a body\, senses\, the good karma to have heard the teachings\, and conditions to support your practice of Dharma. Celebrate this! \n3) Now check with your heart and mind what amount feels both consistent with your situation\, and expressive of your aspiration. \nIt’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. \n Register Now \nFAQ\n Who leads the Meditation Circle? \nThe series is led by experienced meditation teachers Duncan Cryle and Karen McAllister\, who specialize in integrating mindfulness into daily life and community practice. \nWhat is the purpose of this meditation series? \nThe program helps participants find stability\, grounding\, and emotional balance during challenging or uncertain times through simple meditation and communication practices. \nWhat practices are included in the sessions? \nEach session includes guided meditation\, reflection\, breath awareness practices\, and group discussion\, supporting both inner calm and connection with others. \nWhat can participants expect to experience? \nParticipants learn to settle the body\, reconnect with the breath\, and draw support from nature and community\, creating a sense of steadiness and clarity. \nIs prior meditation experience required? \nNo. The meditation circle is open to complete beginners as well as experienced practitioners. \nHow does this program support wellbeing during uncertain times? \nThe practices help reduce overwhelm by strengthening presence\, emotional resilience\, and grounded awareness\, allowing participants to stay centered despite external stress. \n Is this suitable for stress or anxiety relief? \nYes. The series is designed specifically for people feeling stretched\, unsettled\, or disconnected\, offering practical tools for calm and stability. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-finding-ground-meditation-for-uncertain-times-2026-04-30/ LOCATION:Mountain View Therapeutics – Cranbrook\, #204 14 A 13 Avenue South\, Cranbrook\, BC\, V1C 2V3\, Canada CATEGORIES:Meditation Circle,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2.png ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260507T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260507T200000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260331T232657Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T165659Z UID:28640-1778180400-1778184000@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Getting Centered: Connecting To Body Wisdom DESCRIPTION:Photo courtesy of Duncan Cryle\nGetting Centered: Connecting To Body Wisdom\nWith Karen McAllister \nThursday May 7 2026 \n7-8 pm Mountain Time (6 pm PST\, 8 pm Central\, 9 pm EST) \nPay-From-The-Heart \nSession 1 of 6 of our 2026 online drop-in series – see here for other sessions in the series: Staying Whole: Meditation Tools for Fragmented Times \nFor many of us\, there’s a low-grade anxiety that never quite turns off. A sense of bracing for what’s next. Sleep that doesn’t fully restore. A quiet exhaustion from holding it all together. \nIf this sounds familiar\, you’re not alone. And there are practices that help. This foundational session explores ways of getting centered by connecting to the wisdom of the body. The nervous system is the ground of all practice\, learning to settle\, to arrive\, to trust the body as a place of refuge. \nThis is session 1 of our 2026 online drop-in series – see here for future sessions Staying Whole: Meditation Tools For Fragmented Times series. \nSession Details\n\nDate: Thursday May 7\, 2026\nTime: 7-8 pm Mountain Time (6 pm PST\, 8 pm Central\, 9 pm EST)\nFormat: Live online via Zoom (recording available)\nCost: By donation (Dāna)—everyone welcome regardless of financial circumstances\n\n\n Photo courtesy of Ava Maclean\n “You can read and try all sorts of things by yourself\, but doing it with a group\, and with Karen and Duncan as wonderful teachers who really know what they are doing\, will set you up to get closer to the direction and peace that you so deeply crave.”\n Erika RasmussenWriter and Film Maker\n \n Register Here\n \nWhat We’ll Explore\nThis foundational session explores the nervous system as the ground of all practice. When we’re chronically activated—always slightly on edge\, never fully settling—it’s hard to access our deeper resources. We stay reactive rather than responsive. We lose touch with our own steadiness. \nIn this hour together\, we’ll explore: \n\nWhy so many of us are carrying chronic low-grade activation\nSimple practices to help the nervous system settle and regulate\nHow to trust the body as a place of arrival and support\nBuilding a foundation for the deeper work of boundaries\, communication\, and resilience\n\nYou’ll leave with practices you can use immediately\, and return to whenever you need to find your ground. \nWhat to Expect\nEach session in the series weaves together: \n\nTeaching grounded in Buddhist wisdom and 35+ years of practice\, adapted for real-world application\nGuided practice you can use immediately and return to between sessions\nReflection & dialogue with others navigating similar terrain\nIntegration tools designed for daily life\, not just the cushion\n\n\n Photo courtesy of Ava Maclean\n \n Register Here\n \nPart of the 2026 Staying Whole Series\nThis session is the opening of Staying Whole: Meditation Tools for Fragmented Times\, a six-session online drop-in series running through 2026\, offering practical tools for inner steadiness\, relational resilience\, and community belonging. Each session stands alone\, so you’re welcome to join just this one. And if this resonates\, the series continues on June 4 with Compassion Without Overwhelm: Feeling Without Collapsing \nLearn more about the full series here\n \n \nYour Guides For The Series\nDuncan Cryle has practiced meditation and Buddhist Dharma for over 35 years in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Sensei. He was a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004 and a resident since 2018. Duncan has been teaching for over 20 years—with Awaken in Toronto\, Despertando no Brasil (“Awakening in Brazil”)\, and through Clear Sky’s Integrating Mindfulness program. Through the intense work of living in intentional community—navigating conflict\, collaboration\, and collective decision-making—he’s learned firsthand what it takes to stay whole in fragmented times. He also spent many years in senior business roles pioneering workplace mindfulness\, and now consults with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations on building mindfulness\, resilience\, and trust. \nKaren McAllister has practiced meditation since the 1990s and studied Buddhist Dharma for over 25 years in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei. She was a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004 and has been a resident since 2018. Karen has been teaching meditation and mindfulness for over 13 years through Awaken in Toronto\, Despertando no Brasil (“Awakening in Brazil”)\, and Clear Sky’s Integrating Mindfulness and Money & Spirituality programs. Through the ongoing practice of living in intentional community\, navigating relationship\, conflict\, and shared responsibility\, she has learned firsthand what it takes to stay grounded and whole in uncertain and changing times. Alongside her teaching\, Karen serves as Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky and leads the funding of the Temple project\, supporting a long-term vision of refuge and deep practice for generations to come. She is also the founder of Mindful Money Coaching\, where she supports people in the helping professions and mission-driven fields to transform their relationship with money\, bringing awareness to how they give\, receive\, and steward resources in alignment with their values and purpose. \n… And special guest teachers from the Clear Sky onsite Sangha\nClear Sky’s onsite team have a rich diversity of experience and many years of deep spiritual practice.  During this series we’ll benefit from bringing in other voices to add depth and range to the exploration. \n \n “Duncan and Karen are wonderful instructors who help everyone\, from beginners to people with more experience\, practice meditation and self-care. As I joined remotely\, I appreciated how the online participants were engaged through conversation and breakout rooms.”\n Kristi\n \n Register Here URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/getting-centered-connecting-to-body-wisdom/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Staying Whole Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GettingCentered_StayingWholeSeries_FeatureImage-e1776703744676.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260508T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260510T170000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20250126T231620Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260415T143528Z UID:23794-1778259600-1778432400@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation for Hope and Healing Retreat DESCRIPTION:Meditation for Hope and Healing\nWith Maureen Smith & Dean Nicholson \nDo you find yourself stressed by all the troubling news that bombards us every day?  Are you experiencing anger\, anxiety or hopelessness\, and not sure what you can do to make a difference? \n\nREGISTER NOW\n \nThen join us for a weekend retreat grounded in the time-honored compassion practices of the Himalayan Buddhist traditions. Compassion\, for ourselves and for the world\, is a powerful force that helps heal the hurts and wounds\, and gives us the confidence that we can be agents of action for positive change.  Set within the natural sanctuary of Clear Sky Retreat Center\, the retreat offers space for deep meditation and inner renewal. \nThrough these ancient practices\, we explore compassion not as an abstraction\, but as a living force that transforms both ourselves and our world. Using traditional visualization techniques\, we connect with the healing energy of loving-kindness\, allowing it to permeate every aspect of our being. \n\n \nThis retreat is an invitation to discover how authentic compassion creates the world we long for—one rooted in hope and healing rather than division and despair. We will work with visualization\, meditation\, mantra and contemplative practices that have guided practitioners for centuries. \nWhether you’re new to meditation or an experienced practitioner\, this weekend offers precious time to step away from daily demands and reconnect with your innate capacity for kindness. Held by the natural beauty of this place and the support of community\, you’ll discover how these time-honored practices illuminate a path toward genuine transformation—for yourself and all beings. \n\n \nThis retreat will be led by Maureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) and Dean Nicholson (MA\, RCC)\, psychotherapists and Buddhist meditation practitioners. \nThey are devoted students of Catherine Sensei\, cofounder of the Clear Sky Meditation Center\, and they have made Clear Sky Meditation Center their home for 20 and 10 years respectively. \nBoth are experienced teachers who bring decades of clinical counselling experience together with deep personal practice. \nThrough their work at Alive Mindfully\, they support people in living richer lives of meaning\, joy and purpose\, drawing on meditation\, counselling\, and connection to the natural world. \nTheir teaching is grounded in genuine practice and a commitment to awakening in relationship with community and the land. \nCourse Details\n\nLocation: Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\nDate: May 8 -May 10\, 2026\nTime: 5:00pm Friday -5:00pm Sunday MT\nCost: Premium Private Cabin – $576\, Private Cabin – $546\,    Shared Room – $446\, Tenting – $326\n\n\nREGISTER NOW\n\n \nFAQs\nWhat is the Meditation\, Hope & Healing Retreat?\nThe Meditation for Hope and Healing Retreat is a weekend program grounded in time-honored Himalayan Buddhist compassion practices. It offers guided meditation\, visualization\, mantra\, and contemplative practices to cultivate hope\, healing\, and inner renewal in a supportive retreat setting. \nWho is this retreat for?\nThis retreat is for anyone feeling stressed\, overwhelmed\, anxious\, angry\, or hopeless due to current events or personal challenges. It is open to both new and experienced meditation practitioners seeking renewal and reconnection with compassion. \nWhat can I expect to experience there?\nParticipants will engage in meditation\, visualization\, mantra\, and compassion practices within the natural sanctuary of Clear Sky Meditation Center. The retreat provides space for deep reflection\, inner healing\, and supportive community connection. \nHow does meditation support healing?\nThrough traditional compassion and loving-kindness practices\, meditation helps heal emotional wounds\, build resilience\, and reconnect participants with their innate capacity for kindness and positive action. \nWill this retreat help with grief\, loss\, or burnout?\nThe retreat is designed to support those experiencing stress\, anxiety\, anger\, or hopelessness. By cultivating compassion and inner stability\, it offers tools that can help participants navigate emotional challenges with greater strength and clarity. \nHow long is the retreat?\nThe retreat runs from 5:00 pm Friday\, May 8\, 2026\, to 5:00 pm Sunday\, May 10\, 2026 at Clear Sky Meditation Center. \nIs prior meditation experience needed?\nNo. The retreat welcomes both beginners and experienced practitioners. \nWhat results can I expect?\nParticipants can expect renewed hope\, deeper compassion\, emotional steadiness\, and a stronger connection to their capacity for kindness and positive change. \nHow will this retreat support emotional well-being?\nThrough compassion-based meditation practices\, supportive community\, and time in nature\, the retreat fosters emotional healing\, resilience\, and a sense of meaningful connection to oneself and the world. \nDean is a very skilled\, knowledgeable and interactive presenter. He delivered a two day introductory Counselling Skills Training for the Akisqnuk First Nation Health and Administrative staff which was very well received and beneficial to all participants.\nGerard GregoireAkisqnuk First Nation Health\nYou are never quite sure how the unknown is going to be\, but mindfulness will exceed your expectations and open your eyes to how beautiful the mind really is. Maureen’s warm personality and patience helped ease us into it\, especially for those of us in unfamiliar waters. Her delivery\, tone and pace were perfect for me to digest.\nGareth WebbCounsellor\, Youth Substance Use\nAs I mentioned I have some experience (but don’t have a structured daily practice except in times of Crisis). The wording that Maureen used was very clear and could easily be understood and added to my knowledge. Also she made it very easy to incorporate into everyday life. The second best thing was the profound peace that I felt by the end of the second day. I left feeling absolutely lovely and this state lasted the rest of the weekend. Thank you.\nAnn Morin MSW\, Invermere BC\nDean is a professional with an amazing ability to understand what I couldn’t. Dean never did the work for me and he always seems to know what to say to help guide me towards making up my own mind and figuring out my issues. Having Dean as a counsellor is like having a caring knowledgeable friend help you through hard times.\nPK\nI appreciated the longer meditations in all the senses.\nAlthough I have been engaged in guided meditations fairly consistently for 2 years plus; having your support really helped me to ‘stretch out’.\nDoug P. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-hope-healing-retreat/ CATEGORIES:Group Retreats and Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Meditation-for-hope-and-healing-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260604T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260604T200000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260422T195048Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T172656Z UID:29242-1780599600-1780603200@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Compassion Without Overwhelm: Feeling Without Collapsing DESCRIPTION:Compassion Without Overwhelm: Feeling Without Collapsing\nWith Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle \nThursday June 4 2026 \n7-8 pm Mountain Time (6 pm PST\, 8 pm Central\, 9 pm EST) \nPay-From-The-Heart \nSession 2 of 6 of our 2026 online drop-in series – see here for other sessions in the series: Staying Whole: Meditation Tools for Fragmented Times \nYou care deeply. And it’s exhausting. Grief about the state of the world. The people around you that you see suffering. The troubles on the news.  \nIf you’re someone who feels things deeply\, you’ve probably learned to manage by numbing\, distancing\, or staying busy.  \nCompassion is an essential part of life and being human\, a quality that is central to our spiritual growth. But without the resilience and perspective to go with it\, it can tip into overwhelm\, collapse\, or burnout. This session offers practices for staying open without being swept away. \nIn this hour together\, we’ll explore: \n\nThe difference between empathy (feeling with) and compassion (feeling for)—and why it matters\nWhy highly sensitive and caring people are especially vulnerable to overwhelm\nPractices for containment: allowing grief and care without drowning in them\nHow to stay connected to the world’s suffering without abandoning yourself\n\nYou’ll leave with tools you can use when the weight of the world feels like too much—and a clearer sense of how to care sustainably. \nThis is session 2 of our 2026 online drop-in series – see here for future sessions Staying Whole: Meditation Tools For Fragmented Times series. \nSession Details\n\nDate: Thursday June 4\, 2026\nTime: 7-8 pm Mountain Time (6 pm PST\, 8 pm Central\, 9 pm EST)\nFormat: Live online via Zoom (recording available)\nCost: By donation (Dāna)—everyone welcome regardless of financial circumstances\n\n\n Photo courtesy of Ava Maclean\n “You can read and try all sorts of things by yourself\, but doing it with a group\, and with Karen and Duncan as wonderful teachers who really know what they are doing\, will set you up to get closer to the direction and peace that you so deeply crave.”\n Erika RasmussenWriter and Film Maker\n \n Register Here\n \nWhat We’ll Explore\nWhen we care deeply\, we often absorb more than we realize. Over time\, the weight of others’ pain — and the state of the world — can leave us feeling depleted\, numb\, or caught in cycles of guilt and withdrawal. We lose access to the very compassion we value most. \nIn this hour together\, we’ll explore: \n\nThe difference between empathy and compassion — and why understanding this distinction can protect you from burnout\nWhy highly sensitive and caring people are especially vulnerable to overwhelm\nPractices for staying open to suffering without being swept away by it\nHow to grieve\, care\, and stay connected — without abandoning yourself in the process\n\nYou’ll leave with tools you can use when the weight of the world feels like too much\, and a clearer sense of how to care sustainably. \nWhat to Expect\nEach session in the series weaves together: \n\nTeaching grounded in Buddhist wisdom and 35+ years of practice\, adapted for real-world application\nGuided practice you can use immediately and return to between sessions\nReflection & dialogue with others navigating similar terrain\nIntegration tools designed for daily life\, not just the cushion\n\n\n Photo courtesy of Ava Maclean\n \n Register Here\n \nPart of the 2026 Staying Whole Series\nThis session is the second of Staying Whole: Meditation Tools for Fragmented Times\, a six-session online drop-in series running through 2026\, offering practical tools for inner steadiness\, relational resilience\, and community belonging. Each session stands alone\, so you’re welcome to join just this one. And if this resonates\, the series continues on June 25 with Boundaries As Stability: Protecting Energy Without Disconnecting \nLearn more about the full series here\n \n \nYour Guides For The Series\nDuncan Cryle has practiced meditation and Buddhist Dharma for over 35 years in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Sensei. He was a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004 and a resident since 2018. Duncan has been teaching for over 20 years—with Awaken in Toronto\, Despertando no Brasil (“Awakening in Brazil”)\, and through Clear Sky’s Integrating Mindfulness program. Through the intense work of living in intentional community—navigating conflict\, collaboration\, and collective decision-making—he’s learned firsthand what it takes to stay whole in fragmented times. He also spent many years in senior business roles pioneering workplace mindfulness\, and now consults with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations on building mindfulness\, resilience\, and trust. \nKaren McAllister has practiced meditation since the 1990s and studied Buddhist Dharma for over 25 years in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei. She was a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004 and has been a resident since 2018. Karen has been teaching meditation and mindfulness for over 13 years through Awaken in Toronto\, Despertando no Brasil (“Awakening in Brazil”)\, and Clear Sky’s Integrating Mindfulness and Money & Spirituality programs. Through the ongoing practice of living in intentional community\, navigating relationship\, conflict\, and shared responsibility\, she has learned firsthand what it takes to stay grounded and whole in uncertain and changing times. Alongside her teaching\, Karen serves as Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky and leads the funding of the Temple project\, supporting a long-term vision of refuge and deep practice for generations to come. She is also the founder of Mindful Money Coaching\, where she supports people in the helping professions and mission-driven fields to transform their relationship with money\, bringing awareness to how they give\, receive\, and steward resources in alignment with their values and purpose. \n… And special guest teachers from the Clear Sky onsite Sangha\nClear Sky’s onsite team have a rich diversity of experience and many years of deep spiritual practice.  During this series we’ll benefit from bringing in other voices to add depth and range to the exploration. \n \n “Duncan and Karen are wonderful instructors who help everyone\, from beginners to people with more experience\, practice meditation and self-care. As I joined remotely\, I appreciated how the online participants were engaged through conversation and breakout rooms.”\n Kristi\n \n Register Here URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/compassion-without-overwhelm/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Staying Whole Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/StayingWhole_CompassionWithoutOverwhelm.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260619T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260621T170000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260211T010736Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260421T184742Z UID:27870-1781888400-1782061200@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Coming Home: Meditating in Nature DESCRIPTION:Photo courtesy of Ava Maclean\nComing Home: Meditating In Nature\nWith Duncan Cryle and Karen McAllister \nAre you longing to reconnect with the natural world and discover a deeper sense of belonging? Do you sense that healing the separation between yourself and nature could transform your experience of life? \nJoin us for a weekend immersed in the mountains and meadows of Clear Sky\, where we’ll explore natural meditation practices that awaken us to our intimate connection with all of life. \n \n REGISTER NOW\n \nReconnecting with the Web of Life\nLiving in our modern world\, it’s easy to forget that we are part of an ecosystem that is incredibly old and spans a whole planet. This forgetting has become so deep that it shapes our culture and institutions. Yet the separation we feel – from nature\, from our bodies\, from each other – is not the truth of how things are. \nThis retreat offers a path home. \nThrough simple yet profound practices done outdoors in Clear Sky’s stunning mountain setting\, we’ll rediscover a natural connection with our breath\, the earth\, and the land around us. We’ll learn to see with fresh eyes\, as if we were explorers encountering life for the first time. \n \nWho This Retreat Is For\nThis retreat welcomes anyone who: \n\nFeels disconnected from nature and longs to reconnect\nIs new to meditation and wants an accessible entry point\nHas meditation experience but wants to deepen their practice outdoors\nSeeks healing from the stress and isolation of modern life\nIs curious about Buddhist approaches to ecology and interconnection\n\nNo prior meditation experience is required. The practices we’ll explore are simple yet profound – suitable for beginners while offering depth for experienced practitioners. \n \n \n REGISTER NOW\n \n You can read and try all sorts of things by yourself\, but doing it with a group\, and with Karen and Duncan as wonderful teachers who really know what they are doing\, will set you up to get closer to the direction and peace that you so deeply crave.\n Erika RasmussenWriter and Film Maker\n \nWhat You’ll Experience\nIntroduction To Breathing Meditation: Foundational accessible instructions in reconnecting to our breath\, and using the breath as a natural anchor to support presence.  \nBreathing With Nature: A beautiful meditation practice that reconnects us with the ancient dance of giving and receiving between humans and nature. This simple practice rapidly brings calm and wellbeing while revealing that we truly belong to something much larger than ourselves. \nNature Contemplation: Guided explorations in Clear Sky’s forests\, meadows\, and along its mountain trails. We’ll practice seeing the interconnectedness that reveals itself wherever we look – discovering\, as the early explorers did\, how encountering the natural world transforms our sense of who and what we are. \nEmbodied Presence: Practices that bring us home to our bodies as living expressions of nature itself. We’ll learn to savor the breath as rare nectar and discover how attention to our embodied experience reconnects us to the larger body of life. \n \n REGISTER NOW\n \n \n \nAbout Your Guides\nDuncan Cryle has practiced meditation and Buddhist Dharma for over 35 years in the Namgyal lineage with Qapel and Catherine Sensei. He was a founding member of Clear Sky in 2004 and a resident since 2018. Duncan has been teaching for over 20 years—with Awaken in Toronto\, Despertando no Brasil (“Awakening in Brazil”)\, and through Clear Sky’s Integrating Mindfulness program. Through the intense work of living in intentional community—navigating conflict\, collaboration\, and collective decision-making—he’s learned firsthand what it takes to stay whole in fragmented times. He also spent many years in senior business roles pioneering workplace mindfulness\, and now consults with nonprofits and mission-driven organizations on building mindfulness\, resilience\, and trust. \nKaren McAllister has practiced meditation for over 20 years and is a senior teacher at Clear Sky. She is a contemplative leader and certified money coach who integrates embodiment\, relational practice\, and material life as a path of awakening. As Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky\, Karen brings a deep commitment to aligning spiritual practice\, community life\, and the ethical flow of resources in service of collective flourishing. \nCourse Details\n\nLocation: Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, Fort Steele\, BC\, V0B 1N0\nDate: Jun 19-21\, 2026\nTime: Arrive between 3-5 pm Friday\, retreat finishes 4 pm Sunday MT\nCost: Premium Private Cabin – $576\, Private Cabin – $546\,    Shared Room – $446\, Tenting – $326\n\n \n “Duncan and Karen are wonderful instructors who help everyone\, from beginners to people with more experience\, practice meditation and self-care. As I joined remotely\, I appreciated how the online participants were engaged through conversation and breakout rooms.”\n Kristi\n \n REGISTER NOW\n \nFAQs\n Do I need meditation experience to attend this retreat? \nNo prior experience is needed. This retreat is designed to be accessible to complete beginners while still offering depth for those with an existing practice. The practices are simple\, grounded\, and done mostly outdoors — no background in Buddhism or meditation is required. \n What does meditating in nature actually involve? \nThe retreat includes guided breathing meditation\, outdoor nature contemplation walks through Clear Sky’s forests and mountain meadows\, and embodied presence practices. Everything takes place on Clear Sky’s 300-acre property in the BC Rockies — the land itself is very much part of the teaching. \n When and where is this retreat held? \nThe retreat runs June 19–21\, 2026 (arriving Friday between 3-5pm to Sunday 4 pm MT) at Clear Sky Meditation Centre\, 3567 Cockell Road\, Fort Steele\, BC. Clear Sky is about 40 minutes from Cranbrook International Airport and a four-hour drive from Calgary. See our Getting Here page for directions. \n What does the retreat cost and what accommodation options are available? \nPricing is based on your accommodation choice: Premium Private Cabin ($576)\, Private Cabin ($546)\, Shared Room ($446)\, or Tenting ($326). All options include three organic\, locally sourced meals per day prepared by our resident community. \n Is this retreat suitable for people dealing with stress\, burnout\, or eco-anxiety? \nYes — this is one of the central intentions of the retreat. The practices are specifically designed to address the disconnection and overwhelm that come with modern life\, including eco-anxiety. Participants regularly report feeling calmer\, more grounded\, and more connected after spending a weekend in nature with these practices. \n How is this different from a silent meditation retreat? \nUnlike a private silent retreat\, this is a guided group experience with a set schedule\, teacher-led sessions\, and community meals. It’s a warmer\, more supported entry point — ideal if you want structure and connection alongside your practice rather than extended solitude. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/coming-home-meditating-in-nature/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Group Retreats and Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ComingHome_MeditatingInNature.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260629 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260830 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20251218T164759Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T091908Z UID:26796-1782691200-1788047999@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Re-Generation Youth Program: Where Spirituality\, Ecology & Community Meet DESCRIPTION:Re-Generation Youth Program: Where Spirituality\, Ecology & Community Meet\nNote: this is a special summer Youth Program – for our regular three month immersive program outside of the summer see here \nBelieve in Life Again\nWe think young people deserve better than what the world is currently offering. We’re willing to show up and see what we can do to generate wholesome impacts\, together. Learn about yourself\, the land and living in community together so that you are equipped to better make decisions and take action in life.  This program is designed to help you develop skills to co-create a world you want to live in. \nJoin us from June 29 – August 29\, 2026. \nQuestions? Please contact  michelle@clearskycenter.org or (250) 429-3929. FAQ’s can be found at the bottom of the page. \n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\nSpend just two months in residence to remember that life can be meaningful\, that you can be part of the solution\, that connection is real\, and that you have what it takes. \n \nThat’s what we’re really offering. Not a fix. Not a cure. A remembering that we can believe in life again. \nThis youth program is our way of saying: you’re not alone\, the world isn’t hopeless\, and there are people who care about your generation inheriting something worth having. Daily\, we practice meditation together so that we can embody what we teach – what we fondly refer to as “a life worth living”. We do this by leveraging our shared vision and values to live well in community. We align around our quadruple bottom line: spiritual\, environmental\, social and financial well-being. \nThis is for you if:\n\nYou’re 21-35 and feeling lost\nYou’re tired of superficiality and want real connection\nYou want to counter your eco-anxiety with wholesome action\nYou want to be of service in a world that needs us\, instead of feeling helpless\nYou want mentorship from elders who haven’t given up\n\n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\n \n Inquire Here\n \nYou don’t need to:\n\nBe Buddhist (though we work in that tradition)\nHave meditation experience (we’ll teach you)\nHave your life figured out (literally no one does)\n\n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\nReady To Get Real?\nThis is for you if you struggle to make commitments\, be in community and want to try. You’ll be away from your usual distractions\, working with your hands and real people. Living in a small community you’ll face yourself and it can be uncomfortable. \nIf you want to believe in life again\, and you want to be part of the solution– instead of drowning in problems\, this might be exactly what you need. Space to remember who you are. \n\n \nThis program is psychedelic and drug free\, but we know this world. If you’ve had experiences with psychedelics and are trying to integrate them\, we can support that work in a grounded\, contemplative context. \n \n Inquire Here\n \nWhat You’ll Learn\n\nHow to meditate and practices that work including\, relief from struggle (not bypassing it\, actually working with it) \nHow to lead\, follow\, and work as a team in community (leading with a heart for service\, not ego)\nHow to be a bodhisattva in the world (someone who acts\, not just talks about it)\nHow to live sustainably with people\, pressures and the planet\n\n \nOur team includes Buddhist teachers and practitioners– our head teacher Catherine Sensei and long term students offer authentic spiritual teachings and practices in a modern day context\, plus: \n\nEntrepreneurs\, coaches and career mentors who’ve built meaningful lives \nTherapists who work with depression\, addiction and trauma\nLand lovers who know and care for the land intimately\nCreative professionals (writers\, filmmakers) who’ll help you tell your story\n\n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\n \n\n“As a Gen Z\, I felt like I was giving up on life\, and I wanted to find the peace and purpose that I felt was beyond my capacities. I found Clear Sky\, and the teachers\, teachings\, and community showed me what I had been looking for: a way to wake up\, and become the person I want to be—to learn how to listen to what life and the earth are speaking to me\, and to march forward in our communal pursuit of the common good. I am ready now from this community’s support to love and serve on this planet as I was meant to\, and I know that I am not alone. Full steam ahead!” \nERIKA R. \n\n \n Inquire Here\n \n \n \nThe Nitty Gritty\nDates: June 29 – August 29\, 2026 \nHow much does it cost? We’re committed to making this accessible and decided to offer sliding scale pricing so that you can choose what is right for your situation. Additionally\, we do offer payment plans. \n\n$2000 CAD covers our costs for organic meals and accommodation.\n$2500-$3500 CAD covers our costs for organic meals and accommodation plus some tuition\n$3500 CAD and above allows us to cover our costs and pay some forward in scholarships\n\nAre Scholarships available?  Yes. We welcome all scholarship applications and prioritize those holding marginalized identities\, including Black\, Indigenous and other people of color\, immigrants\, and LGBTQIA+ people. We also recognize that those working in social justice\, climate\, public service\, and education are historically underpaid — if that’s you\, please apply here. \nApply early\, as funds are limited and cannot cover every application. \nHow many participants? This will be a small group of  3-4 participants. This means real connection\, individual attention and genuine community. \nWhat about screens/phones? For this summer program we’ll be outside a lot. We use WhatsApp groups for communication and occasional wholesome social media posting\, for the most part we encourage you to step back from your usual online life. We know this might seem difficult\, but you’ll probably thank us. You’ll still be accessible for emergencies and necessary communication. \nIs this program physically demanding? \nWe believe in taking action\, not just talking about what we can do for the planet. This program is intentionally designed to enhance our practice of embodiment\, eco-restoration and connection with the land. Expect to be active and engaged on the land daily. We balance activity with meditation\, learning in community and one day of rest per week to integrate our learnings. \nWhat if I don’t have outdoor skills? Perfect. You’ll learn them. That’s the whole point. Most of us grew up in cities or spent too much time inside. You’ll learn by doing\, with patient teachers who remember what it’s like to be new at this stuff.  \nWe’re still finalizing details and if you want to talk about whether this is right for you\, reach out to michelle@clearskycenter.org \nIn the meantime: \n\nExplore teachings on Planet Dharma\nCheck out our Clear Sky Website to get a feel for who we are\nIf you like more intensity\, learn more about our three month intensive\nFollow your gut. If something in you lit up reading this\, pay attention and listen to that : )\n\n \n \n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\n \n Inquire Here\n \nMeet Our Head Teacher\n \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei began her spiritual practices in earnest in her early 20s\, when she struggled to make sense of and overcome personal suffering and international environmental and social justice challenges. She became a student of metaphysics\, Western spiritual traditions\, and the ayahuasca sacraments in the 1990s. \nFor 26 years Catherine Sensei trained daily with Qapel Doug Duncan in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nWith Qapel she co-founded Clear Sky Retreat Center and Planet Dharma and is a lineage holder for these teachings. She supports the spiritual underpinnings of social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurship for spiritual practitioners. She worked as an advocacy photojournalist and studied traditional Japanese arts (including koto\, shamisen\, kyogen) in Kyoto for 20 years\, culminating in her landmark work GionFestival.org. \nSince the early 2000s Sensei has provided dharma training and taught the path of awakening to hundreds of students\, together with Qapel and on her own. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Sensei also draws on generative living (a.k.a. sustainability) and the arts. \nAbout Clear Sky\nLocated in the BC rocky mountains\, we offer over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature.  \nFounded by Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, we are home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world. \nIn adherence with our quadruple bottom line\, we source our food as local and organic as possible. \nEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \n \n \n \n \n “Clear Sky is my favourite place to retreat. I am so grateful to find such an amazing place to study various meditation practices\, walk in stunning nature and eat fresh food from the farm. I always enjoy going there for more.”\n Maya L.\n \nFAQs\n What is the Re-Generation Youth Program? \nIt’s a two-month in-person immersion at Clear Sky Meditation Centre in BC\, designed for young adults aged 21–35. You’ll live in community\, practise daily meditation\, work on the land through eco-restoration\, and develop real-world life skills — all within a structured spiritual framework. It’s not a wellness retreat or a camp. It’s a meaningful alternative for those who want to believe in life again. \n Do I need meditation or outdoor experience to apply? \nNeither. You’ll be taught meditation from the ground up\, and all land-based activities are guided by patient teachers who expect you to be new to this. What matters is an open heart and genuine willingness to engage — not what you already know. \n How is this different from a regular summer program or gap year? \nMost gap year programs focus on travel or skill-building. This one focuses on inner transformation alongside outer action — combining Buddhist meditation\, ecological restoration\, community living\, and mentorship from experienced teachers. If you want something that actually changes how you see yourself and the world\, this goes much further than a typical summer program. \n Who is this program for? \nYoung adults aged 21–35 who are feeling lost\, burnt out\, or disconnected — whether from nature\, community\, or themselves. You don’t need to be Buddhist\, spiritual\, or have your life figured out. If you’re tired of superficiality and want real connection and purpose\, this program was built for you. \n How much does the program cost and is financial assistance available? \nPricing is on a sliding scale: $2\,000 CAD covers accommodation and all organic meals; $2\,500–$3\,500 CAD covers costs plus some tuition; $3\,500 CAD and above allows us to cover costs and contribute toward scholarships for others. If cost is still a barrier\, scholarship support is available — complete a Scholarship Application and we’ll do our best to make it work. \n What is dāna and how much should I budget for it? \nDana: \nFor attendance of retreats and events that are in addition to the program we do charge registration fees to cover the materials needed to offer the retreat/event. The Teachings are freely given on the basis of dāna. \nYou 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. \nThe 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 \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  \nAs 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.  \nConversely\, 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. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \n What does a typical day look like? \nDays are full and intentional. Morning group meditation is followed by eco-restoration activities on the land\, community meals\, afternoon contemplation\, and evening learning sessions. You’ll have one rest and integration day per week. Screens and social media are largely set aside — this is time to remember who you are without the usual noise. \n What does the daily schedule look like? \nSpecific times may change – this is a rough guide (MST) \n\n7:00- 7:45 AM: Group Meditation Practice and Contemplation led by Sangha\n7:45- 9:00 AM: Breakfast: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n9:00 – 11:30 AM: Eco Activities led by Sangha\n12:30 – 1:30 PM: Lunch: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n1:30 – 3:00 PM: Rest\n3:00 – 4:00 PM: Group Contemplation led by Sangha\n4:00 – 5:30 PM: Elective Projects\n5:30 – 7:00 PM: Dinner: prepare\, eat\, clean up\n7:15 – 8:30 PM: Community Learning and Practices \n8:30 – Beyond: Personal Care & bed\n\n Where is the program held and how do I get there? \nClear Sky sits on 300 acres near Bull River in southeastern BC\, 40–60 minutes from Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport (YXC). It’s a four-hour drive from Calgary and one hour from the US border (accessible from Spokane\, Sandpoint\, and Whitefish). Airport pickup is available — just notify us when registering. For full directions\, visit our Getting Here page. \n How many participants are accepted and when should I apply? \nThis is intentionally a small group of 3–4 participants to ensure real connection and individual attention. Applications close June 15th\, 2026 for the summer intake (June 29–August 29). Apply as early as possible. If you’re drawn to a longer or year-round commitment\, explore our Three-Month Karma Yoga Intensive which runs multiple intakes throughout the year. \n \n \n \n Inquire Here URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/re-generation-youth-program-where-spirituality-ecology-community-meet/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Re-Generation-Youth-Program.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260710T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260712T170000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20251220T181131Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T020621Z UID:26898-1783702800-1783875600@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:As the Spirit Moves (In-Person & Online) DESCRIPTION:As the Spirit Moves\n“When the training is for the rest of your life — and all future lifetimes — that’s when it gets really fruitful.” \n-Catherine Sensei \nExpect the unexpected! How will the Spirit move? This weekend is an offering of raw Dharma from the Teacher. You get to show up and experience epic Dharmic teachings\, without a particular predetermined subject. Be ready for anything and everything Dharma. Unforeseen\, undetermined\, unregulated. No seatbelts allowed. \nRetreat Dates: July 10 – 12\, 2026 \nRegistration Closes: July 3rd \n\nAttend In-Person\n\n\nAttend Online\n \nBuddhism\nfocus area\nGuru Yoga\npractice\nWeekend\nDuration\nAdvanced\nSkill Level\nIn-Person & Online\nformat\nAs the Spirit Moves\nIn the past\, people “showed up” for Dharma teachings\, regardless of topic. The teachings given were inspired by the energy of the people there. Qapel\, one of our founding teachers\, used to say that he would go to a class of his Teacher\, Namgyal Rinpoche\, even if he were just reading a phone book! The Spirit of Dharma… it moves! \nSo\, are you ready to join Catherine Pawasarat Sensei for an eclectic weekend of “old school” style Dharma teachings? Wisdom invites you to learn on the path of riding the dragon\, come what may. \nAs you are well aware\, life is a great big journey into the unknown\, a Dharmic odyssey. This weekend is the same! Come to soak in Dharmic teachings from Catherine Sensei\, have fun\, and learn more about how to be the kind of being you want to be. As Bodhisattvas\, we keep on diving into learning how to be of service and help alleviate the suffering of beings. It’s an amazing ride\, and every opportunity to dive into the depth of Dharma is a precious one. How do we know what we need to hear—and when we hear it\, will we listen? There’s only one way to find out. \nTake a leap of faith. Join the Teacher. Join the spirit of integral evolution. We dare you! \n\nAttend In-Person\n\n\nAttend Online\n\n\n\n\n“I feel like a whole new world of understanding has opened up for me to explore. The teachings were interesting\, vibrant\, and so very relevant to our lives. Qapel and Catherine Sensei have done a wonderful job at distilling these vast teachings without oversimplying concepts. The teachings were visual\, informative\, and interactive. It was a great and lots of fun!”\nJenai L. \nCourse Details\nTime and Location\nAs the Spirit Moves will be led by Catherine Sensei at Clear Sky Meditation Center in Eastern BC. \nAn online option is also available to make participation possible from anywhere in the world. \nWhat Does the Course Cost?\nIn-Person Participants: \n\nDāna to the Teachers and\nAccomodation and meal costs for your stay Clear Sky Meditation Centre.\n\nOnline Participants: \n\nDāna to the Teacher\nOnline administration fee of $150.\n\n\n \nMeet the Teachers\n \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei began her spiritual practices in earnest in her early 20s\, when she struggled to make sense of and overcome personal suffering and international environmental and social justice challenges. She became a student of metaphysics\, Western spiritual traditions\, and the ayahuasca sacraments in the 1990s. \nFor 26 years Catherine Sensei trained daily with Qapel Doug Duncan in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nWith Qapel she co-founded Clear Sky Retreat Center and Planet Dharma and is a lineage holder for these teachings. She supports the spiritual underpinnings of social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurship for spiritual practitioners. She worked as an advocacy photojournalist and studied traditional Japanese arts (including koto\, shamisen\, kyogen) in Kyoto for 20 years\, culminating in her landmark work GionFestival.org. \nSince the early 2000s Sensei has provided dharma training and taught the path of awakening to hundreds of students\, together with Qapel and on her own. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Sensei also draws on generative living (a.k.a. sustainability) and the arts. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage \nAbout Clear Sky\nLocated in the BC rocky mountains\, we offer over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature. \nFounded by Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, we are home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world. \nIn adherence with our quadruple bottom line\, we source our food as local and organic as possible. \nEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.\n\n\nAttend In-Person\n\n\nAttend Online\n\n\n\n\n“Clear Sky is my favourite place to retreat. I am so grateful to find such an amazing place to study various meditation practices\, walk in stunning nature and eat fresh food from the farm. I always enjoy going there for more.”\nMaya L.\n \nFAQs\nAbout Dāna \nDana: \nRegistration fees cover food\, accommodation and the technology needed to offer the retreat online. The Teachings are freely given on the basis of dāna. \nYou 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. \nThe 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 \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs 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. \nConversely\, 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. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \nSample Daily Schedule \nSpecific times may change – this is a rough guide (MST) \n6:30 – 7:30 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice\n7:30 – 8:15 AM: Breakfast: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n8:15 – 8:45 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice\n9:00 – 10:00 AM: Class with Teachers\n10:00 – 10:30 AM: Walk\n10:30 – 11:30 AM: Group Practice led by Sangha\n11:30 – 12:30 PM: Personal Practice\n12:30 – 1:30 PM: Lunch: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n1:30 – 3:00 PM: Personal Practice\n3:00 – 4:00 PM: Group Practice led by Sangha\n4:00 – 5:30 PM: Personal Practice\n5:30 – 7:00 PM: Dinner: prepare\, eat\, clean up\n7:00 – 7:30 PM: Walk &/or Personal Practice\n7:30 – 8:30 PM: Group Practice and Q & A with Teachers\n8:30 – Beyond: Personal Practice & bed \nFood\, Weather\, Accommodation and How to Get Here \nClick here for details on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \nNote: In the unlikely scenario that this retreat is cancelled\, we recommend purchasing refundable travel fares. \nScholarship Application \nWe aim to make our retreats as accessible as possible. \nAs a centre run entirely by Karma Yoga (selfless service)\, retreat fees only cover food\, accommodation and the equipment required to offer them online. \nThe teachings themselves are offered on the basis of Dāna (pay-from-the-heart). \nFor some\, this is still a barrier of entry. \nIf you are seeking financial assistance to attend a retreat\, please complete a Scholarship Application form. \nCannabis\, Psychedelics and Microdosing \nWe recognize and respect plant medicine as an important part of some people’s spiritual paths. \nPlease note\, the meditation practice on this retreat is very powerful. Consuming mind-altering substances will detract from your experience and could cause negative side-effects. \nWe ask that you refrain from microdosing or consuming mind-altering substances during this retreat and in the days immediately following it. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/as-the-spirit-moves-2026/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/As-the-Spirit-Moves-Weekend-Course.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260726T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260816T110000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20251217T031307Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T091801Z UID:26795-1785058200-1786878000@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Emotional Intelligence (Online) DESCRIPTION:Emotional Intelligence: Four-Week Online Course\n“The proof of our emotional intelligence is how much time we spend in the Brahma Viharas” \n—Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Sensei Pawasarat  \nThe spiritual path is the hardest—yet most worthwhile—path one can undertake. To walk the path and meet our challenges\, we need serious sustenance. Joy is a vital treasure that can feed us and put the air under our wings. \nIn what can be seen as a dark time for our whole planet\, joy is vital to cultivate for ourselves and for each other\, in our aspiration to benefit all beings. This online course with teacher Catherine Pawasarat Sensei throws open the door to joy\, and revitalizes it as a resource for the journey of awakening. \nHave you ever said something and watched the other person’s face change—realizing they heard something completely different from what you meant? Or felt a wave of conflicting emotions arise\, not knowing whether to suppress them\, express them\, or somehow transform them? \nFrom one perspective\, we could say that conflicting emotions are the source of all of our suffering. Difficult situations can arise\, but if we don’t have conflicting emotions about them\, we don’t suffer so much—or at all. \nThis course offers something rare: the chance to learn how – from the meditator and Dharma practitioner perspective – to work skillfully with emotional risings.  It aims to help you show up in kinder\, more compassionate\, and wiser ways in the world. And one of the side benefits? You’re generally a happier person. \nJuly 26 – August 16\, 2026 \nSunday morning online classes 9:30-11:00am MT\, july 26\, Aug 2 and Aug 9 \nSaturday & Sunday August 15-16 – 9:30am and 2:30pm (approx 60-90 min) \n \n Registration (Coming Soon)\n \nfocus area\nBuddhism \nPsychology \npractice\nCourse & Optional \nHome Retreat \nDuration\nFour \nWeeks \nDay/Time\nSundays from 9:30-11am MT \nformat\nIn-Person or \nOnline \nBeyond Spiritual Bypassing\n\nHere’s the truth many of us meditators need to hear: a lot of us use our meditation practices to bypass conflicting emotions\, which is different than transcending them. \nIn this course\, we’ll look at the difference between bypassing and transcending these emotions\, and discover how to use conflicting emotions skillfully to propel us further on the path. What if those difficult emotions weren’t obstacles\, but fuel? \nThe Year of Transformation \n  \n2026 is the year of transformation here at Planet Dharma. That means growth\, skill development\, transcendence. \nThink about it: how many of your challenges right now trace back to a miscommunication? A text message that landed wrong? A conversation where you felt completely misunderstood? \nWe could likely say that 90% of our problems are related to misunderstandings in communication. Does that resonate? \nCommunication isn’t just a valuable skill—it’s vital. To be able to communicate something in a way where the other person hears what you mean\, in a wholesome way\, that’s a real\, very high skill. Because they can hear something completely different. \nWhen more of us are able to communicate that way\, it will undoubtedly improve the quality of life for all beings on the planet. The more effectively and wholesomely we learn to communicate\, the better off the Earth is. \nSo when we talk about emotional intelligence\, we’re talking about the Bodhisattva vow—and an important aspect of ecological restoration for all. \n \n Register (Coming Soon)\n \n \n \n \n “In 10 years I have NOT missed a course with master teachers Qapel and Sensei! Every class reflects the light of oneness in prisms of direction and understanding and thus a lighter load to carry in the relative world and a lightness of being. If one aspires to be a bodhisattva and to benefit all beings\, this one recommends the next one.”\n Brendan R. \nWhat is Emotional Intelligence\, Really?\nEmotional intelligence has a lot to do with being true to ourselves\, having integrity\, and being able to communicate in that integrity with others in skillful ways—and the ability to receive the same. \nWith the development of emotional intelligence of this kind\, if someone behaves or speaks in a way that’s not so skillful\, we’re able to receive it in a way that’s skillful. That is a form of wholesome transformation. \nThink of it as sending skillfully and receiving skillfully\, regardless of what the other person is doing. And of course\, in our own development\, we endeavor to support others to be or become skillful too. \nBody\, Speech\, and Mind\nIn this course\, we’ll look at working with emotions to help us with the Speech aspect of Body\, Speech\, and Mind. Using the Himalayan Buddhist perspective\, the Body is located in the forehead\, Speech in the throat\, and Mind in the heart. \nEmotions are located in the throat too\, so they relate to wholesome speech and self-expression—which relates to creativity! \nWhen we talk about the Body\, Speech and Mind of the Buddha\, the deity Vajrapani represents the Body\, Chenrezi—the realm of compassion—represents Speech\, and Manjushri represents Mind. Thus\, the skillfulness of our compassion pertains very closely to our Speech. \nYour Unique Line of Development\nHere’s something liberating to consider: we can think of Emotional Intelligence as its own Line of Development in the Integral model. \nYou might be brilliant cognitively\, advanced spiritually\, or gifted artistically or somatically—but not so high in the Emotional Intelligence line. This course is meant to offer us all resources to grow in the Emotional Line of Development. \nConversely\, someone might be high in the Emotional Line but not so high in the others. This course might give them a chance to shine and become more aware of growth edges! \nWhat to Expect\nCatherine Sensei will offer exercises for students to undertake with their Sanghas in the weeks between classes. \nAs you engage with the course materials\, notice: What arisings are coming up for you? Is there emotional content? What kind of emotional content do you feel prepared to transform\, to allow the arising to pass away? Do you have the skills to transform it into something generative? \nThe final weekend of the course will be a flash retreat that will include exercises for students. The flash retreat registration is a separate registration. \nDeepening Your Learning\nThe course links beautifully to Catherine’s Sensei weekend retreat in September 2026 on the north and south nodes in AstroDharma. The nodes work reveals the deeper patterns at play\, while emotional intelligence gives you the skills to navigate them skillfully. We strongly recommend taking them together for a complete approach to working with yourself and others. \nCourse Texts\nWe’ll draw on these texts and other sources: \nDestructive Emotions: How Can We Overcome Them? A scientific dialogue with the Dalai Lama Narrated by Daniel Goleman \nEmotional Intelligence By Daniel Goleman \n \n \nCourse Schedule\nJuly 26 – August 16\, 2026 \nClass Times (Mountain Time)\n\nSunday July 26 – 9:30-11am\nSunday August 2 – 9:30-11am\nSunday August 9 – 9:30-11am\nSaturday & Sunday August 15-16 – 9:30am and 2:30pm (approx 60-90 min)\n\nThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays\, with a separate registration for the Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. \nWe encourage you to connect with Sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. \nFlash Retreat Weekend: August 15-16\nTo deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (August 15-16)\, offered by a separate registration\, which will include exercises to engage in. This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre in Eastern British Columbia. \nFormal group sessions will be held at these approximate times: \n\nFlash Retreat morning session: 9:30am MT\nFlash Retreat afternoon session: 2:30pm MT\nSessions will be 60-90 mins in length.\n\n \n \nMeet the Teachers\n \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei\nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher\, attendant\, consort\, co-teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan from 1998 until his passing in 2024\, in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage \n \n Register Now (Coming Soon)\n \n “The teachers have brought together ancient teachings with scientific findings that prove how and why Dharma teachings radically improve life\, reduce pain and increase global peace. It doesn’t matter what you believe\, you will embody a healthy new way of being. Because of their vast collective wisdom\, you leave their presence radically altered for the betterment of humanity.”\n Evangelos D.\n \nFAQs\n What is Emotional Intelligence (EQ) and why is it important? \nEmotional Intelligence is the ability to recognize and manage your emotions while skillfully navigating others’. It is the “Speech” component of Clear Sky’s Body\, Speech\, and Mind framework. High EQ is essential for reducing stress\, improving communication\, and turning daily struggles into vitality. \n How does this Emotional Intelligence course help my career? \nThis course builds high-performance leadership skills like self-regulation\, empathy\, and conflict resolution. By mastering these\, you can handle high-pressure workplace scenarios with composure\, lead teams more effectively\, and align your professional actions with your personal values. \n Who is this Emotional Intelligence course for? \nIt is designed for professionals\, leaders\, and spiritual seekers who want to bridge the gap between their inner growth and their external relationships. Whether you’re an executive or a student\, this course is for anyone ready to transform how they interact with the world. \n What makes the Clear Sky approach to EQ unique? \nOur approach integrates Integral Buddhism with modern EQ frameworks. Led by Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, we focus on “waking up” and “growing up” simultaneously\, using mindfulness to address the root causes of emotional triggers rather than just managing symptoms. \n How is this course different from standard corporate Emotional Intelligence training? \nWhile corporate training often focuses on productivity “scripts\,” Clear Sky emphasizes authentic\, generative change. We treat EQ as a holistic practice for your spiritual\, social\, and professional life\, helping you maintain inner peace even in high-stress environments. \n Dana and Pricing \nDana: \nYou 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. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No one is excluded for lack of funds. However\, it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able. \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs 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. \nIf 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. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \n About the Online Admin Fee \nIn 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. \nWe’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. \nThe admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, the costs of setting up good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online can be surprising. \nOur admin fee changes based on the date of registration. \nRegister four + weeks prior: $80Register two to four weeks prior: $100Register less than two weeks prior: $120 \n*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. \n— \nBelow are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: \n\nHigh speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)\nOnline class systems (Zoom)\nRegistration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)\nCommunication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)\nOnline 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)\nQuality 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.\nOnline calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews\nWebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.\n\nWe welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n \n \n \n Register (Coming Soon) URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/emotional-intelligence-online-course/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Emotional-Intelligence-Square.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260918T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260920T150000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20251217T031637Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260220T020551Z UID:26792-1789750800-1789916400@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:AstroDharma: The Nodes & Your Planetary Purpose (In-Person & Online) DESCRIPTION:AstroDharma 2026: The Nodes & Your Planetary Purpose\nOnline or In-Person | September 18-20\, 2026 \n“Astrology allows us to identify our unique challenges and strengths as individuals in order to more fully embody and live our spiritual awakening… Dharma empowers us to transcend our challenges\, leverage our strengths and reduce the suffering within ourselves and those around us.” \n-Catherine Pawasarat Sensei \nWhat does the planet need from you? Who are you here to be? And how do you get there from here? These aren’t small questions. You sense there’s a unique contribution only you can make. A purpose that’s yours alone. But how do you find it? More importantly—how do you live it? \nJoin Catherine Sensei for a transformative weekend that helps you discover how to use your natural resources—your talents\, your experiences\, your unique energy—to be more generous in the world. This isn’t abstract spiritual philosophy. This is about finding your planetary purpose and learning how to actually embody it. \nIn-Person Registration Closes: September 4th \nOnline Registration Closes: September 11th \n\n\nIn-Person Registration\n\n\nOnline Registration\n \nThe nodes in your astrological chart hold the map. They show your path of spiritual progress in this lifetime. Your South Node reveals your karma—the familiar patterns you default to\, the conditioning that keeps you stuck. Your North Node points to your Dharma—the direction your soul is being called to grow\, the gifts you’re here to share with the world. \nYou Know That Feeling When…\n\nYou keep hitting the same walls\, running the same patterns\, and you know there’s a way through but you can’t quite see it\nYou sense you have gifts to offer the world\, but you’re not sure what they are or how to share them\nYour relationships keep triggering the same dynamics\, and you wonder if there’s a deeper pattern at play\nYou’re ready to get unstuck from old conditioning and step into who you’re truly meant to be\nYou’re part of a spiritual community and you want to understand the energy dynamics that create harmony (or friction) between people\nYou feel called to something bigger but you’re not sure how to bridge the gap between where you are and where you need to beIf any of these resonate\, this course is for you.\n\n\n \n This course for you if:\n\nYou want to study an astrological Dharmic framework with a wisdom teacher in the Namgyal lineage.\nYou’re ready to learn how to get unstuck from your conditioning and discover where you want to acquire experience\, knowledge\, and skills to develop your unique Dharmic path\nYou’re seeking greater clues into finding your planetary purpose—who you’re here to be in this lifetime\nYou’re part of a Sangha and want to better understand one another’s patterns so you can transform interpersonal conflict into mutual support (this course is really good for Sanghas)\nYou want practical tools for recognizing energy dynamics in your relationships and shifting them in more wholesome ways\nYou’re ready to discover how to share your gifts with the world in a way that actually serves\n\nWhy the Nodes Matter\nThe nodes describe how we can use our natural resources\, our talents\, to be more generous in the world. They show us where we get stuck and how to get unstuck. They reveal where we have gifts and where there’s potential for further growth. \nThe nodes were one of the parts of AstroDharma that our late teacher Qapel had the most interest in\, and a key area Catherine Sensei focuses on in her AstroDharma teachings. \nThis course is especially powerful for developing community. Understanding one another’s AstroDharmic patterns—your natal horoscopes—can really help us take interpersonal conflict and look at the energy dynamics that are involved. Instead of the usual patterns of either engaging in interpersonal conflict or avoiding it altogether\, you’ll learn how to understand these dynamics and shift them in more wholesome ways so you can really support one another. \nThe course links beautifully to the Emotional Intelligence course—the nodes work reveals the deeper patterns at play\, while emotional intelligence gives you the skills to navigate them skillfully. We strongly recommend taking them together for a complete approach to working with yourself and others. \n\n\n“I greatly appreciate the depth of knowledge and level of expertise that is shared by Sensei. Her teachings are always well prepared and transformative in my spiritual growth.”\nMichele C.Astrologer \nWhat You’ll Learn:\n\nIn this course\, we’ll explore the nodes from multiple angles—what they portray astronomically and astrologically\, how they show up in our lives\, and specifically how they show up for you. \nYou’ll learn: \n\nHow the nodes reveal your path of spiritual progress in this lifetime\nWhere your conditioning keeps you stuck—and how to get unstuck\nWhere you want to acquire experience\, knowledge\, and skills to develop your unique Dharmic path\nHow to use your natural resources (talents) to be more generous in the world\nTools for understanding interpersonal dynamics and energy patterns within communities\nHow to bridge the gap from where you are to who you’re meant to beFor in-person participants: You’ll experience somatic AstroDharma mandalas (somatic constellations) to explore the nodes through your body. These are visceral\, compelling experiences that bring the teachings alive in a whole new way. Lucky us!\n\n\nWhy AstroDharma\n\nFor spiritual seekers looking to grow\, Catherine Sensei’s unique combination of Buddhism and Transpersonal Astrology speeds us up on our spiritual path. \nMany of us in the West are raised to celebrate the individual self—to find our unique path and explore why we’re here on this planet. Yet Buddhist Dharma leaps over personalization by teaching that there is no inherent self\, and that we must realize this to find spiritual awakening. \nFor many of us\, that’s a big leap. \nOn the way\, we may miss valuable lessons about how to compassionately show up in the world as unique individuals. AstroDharma bridges these two systems. Transpersonal Western astrology reveals individual patterns and influences—we get a window into the energies\, the pushes and pulls of the psyche. Dharma expands the view beyond self\, into a path of service to community\, for the benefit of all beings. \nOver time\, with growing confidence and awareness\, we can transcend our natal charts and awaken. But first\, we work with what we’ve got. \nWe initially pursued AstroDharma because Namgyal Rinpoche also taught astrology. We’ve found it to be an effective tool for helping us explore our patterns. It’s unique for each person\, and AstroDharma helps us unpack that uniqueness so you can use it better for yourself and for others. \n\n\n \nMeet the Teacher – Catherine Sensei\n \nCatherine Pawasarat \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. She has developed AstroDharma as a tool for transformation\, synthesizing Buddhist teachings on spiritual awakening with transpersonal Western astrology based on the teachings of Carl Jung. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan from 1998 until his passing in 2024 in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West\, and received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nSince the early 2000s\, Catherine has provided dharma training and taught the path of awakening to hundreds of students. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, she draws on generative living\, transpersonal astrology\, and Japanese arts. Catherine comes from a lineage of spiritual awakening that values the best of Eastern and Western philosophy—an ideal training for Westerners and an evolution of traditional teachings for the modern seeker. \n \nCourse Details\nTime and Location\nLed by Catherine Pawasarat Sensei at Clear Sky Meditation Center in Eastern BC. Available in-person or online. \nRetreating at Clear Sky means you can participate in the in-person somatic AstroDharma constellation work—always a more grounded\, supportive\, communal experience. \nSchedule / Class Times:\nAll listed in Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)\, and will be 60-90 minutes in duration. Please clear your schedule for the entire weekend to focus on this work. The following class times are approximate: \nFriday\, September 18 — 7pm (arrive on-site at 3pm)\nSaturday\, September 19 — 9am\, 2pm\, plus in-person somatic work at 7pm\nSunday\, September 20 — 9am\, 2pm\, plus in-person somatic work at 4pm \nOnline participants are expected to attend classes live. We have arranged class times to be comfortable for most time zones. However we understand that some class times might occur after midnight in some regions; if this is the case for you\, please let us know when you register. We can provide a recording so you can catch up on that particular class if it occurs in the middle of the night for you.\nWhat you’ll need: Your astrology chart with the Nodes\, Chiron\, and Eris\, using Placidus house system. Detailed instructions provided upon registration. \nWhat Does the Course Cost?\nIn-Person Participants: \n\nDāna to the Teacher\nAccomodation and meal costs for your stay Clear Sky Meditation Centre.\n\nOnline Participants: \n\nDāna to the Teacher\nOnline administration fee of $170 CAD.\n\nKeen practitioner pricing: 5% savings on program fees available until February 14\, 2025. \nImportant: The last day to register is one week prior to the retreat start date. Please register early. \nQuestions?\nIf you have questions about the retreat\, please contact the Clear Sky Retreat Manager at 250-429-3929  (phone) or at bookings@clearskycenter.org (email). \n\n\n\nIn-Person Registration\n\n\nOnline Registration\n \nAbout Clear Sky\nLocated in the BC rocky mountains\, we offer over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature. \nFounded by Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, we are home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world. \nIn adherence with our quadruple bottom line\, we source our food as local and organic as possible. \nEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \n\n \nLocally-grown organic food \n \nSupportive meditation guidance \n \nStunning bedroom views \n\nIn-Person Registration\n\n\nOnline Registration\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.”\nLinda H. \n \nFAQs\nAbout Dana \nYou 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. \nThe 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 \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs 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. \nConversely\, 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. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \nAbout the Admin Fee \nIn 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. \nWe’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. \nThe 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. \n*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. \n— \nBelow are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: \n\nhigh speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)\nonline class systems (Zoom)\nregistration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)\ncommunication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)\nonline 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)\nquality 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.\nonline calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews\nwebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.\n\nWe welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \nDaily Schedule \nSpecific times may change – this is a rough guide (MST) \n6:30 – 7:30 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice\n7:30 – 8:15 AM: Breakfast: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n8:15 – 8:45 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice\n9:00 – 10:00 AM: Class with Teachers\n10:00 – 10:30 AM: Walk\n10:30 – 11:30 AM: Group Practice led by Sangha\n11:30 – 12:30 PM: Personal Practice\n12:30 – 1:30 PM: Lunch: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n1:30 – 3:00 PM: Personal Practice\n3:00 – 4:00 PM: Group Practice led by Sangha\n4:00 – 5:30 PM: Personal Practice\n5:30 – 7:00 PM: Dinner: prepare\, eat\, clean up\n7:00 – 7:30 PM: Walk &/or Personal Practice\n7:30 – 8:30 PM: Group Practice and Q & A with Teachers\n8:30 – Beyond: Personal Practice & bed \nFood\, Weather\, Accommodation and How to Get Here \nClick here for details on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \nPSYCHEDELICS/MICRODOSING \nWe recognize and respect plant medicine as an important part of some people’s spiritual paths. \nPlease note\, the meditation practice on this retreat is very powerful. Consuming mind-altering substances will detract from your experience and could cause negative side-effects. \nWe ask that you refrain from microdosing or consuming mind-altering substances during this retreat and in the days immediately following it. \nSCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION \nWe aim to make our retreats as accessible as possible. \nAs a centre run entirely by Karma Yoga (selfless service)\, retreat fees only cover food\, accommodation and the equipment required to offer them online. We do not have paid staff. \nThe teachings themselves are offered on the basis of Dāna (pay-from-the-heart). \nFor some\, this is still a barrier of entry. \nIf you are seeking financial assistance to attend a retreat\, please complete a Scholarship Application form. \n\n\n\nIn-Person Registration\n\n\nOnline Registration URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/astrodharma-nodes-planetary-purpose-online-course/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/AstroDharma-Square.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261001T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261004T140000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260407T165111Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260429T214041Z UID:28760-1790852400-1791122400@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Healing Love\, Healing Money (Online) DESCRIPTION:Healing Love\, Healing Money: Trust as the Foundation for a New Culture\nA Four-Day Live Online Course in partnership between Clear Sky Center and Tamera. \nHosted by Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle from Clear Sky and  Monika Alleweldt and Benjamin von Mendelssohn from Tamera \nOctober 1-4\, 2026Time: 11am–2pm MST; 1–4 pm EST; 6–9 pm WEST/BST; 7–10 pm CET \nThis course explores a simple but rarely examined question: \nWhat if our struggles with money are not primarily financial…but relational? \nAnd what if the way we’ve learned to love is shaping the way we earn\, spend\, give and receive? \nOver four weeks\, we explore how fear around belonging\, intimacy\, security\, and survival shapes both our relationships and our economic behaviour and how healing trust at the community level may be essential for real change. \n \n \n \n \n \n Register Now\n \nAgenda\nOct 1st — The Roots of FearWhy Money Anxiety Is Not Just About Money \nWe begin by exploring how: \n\nfear of exclusion shows up as financial stress\nscarcity responses live in the nervous system\ncollective trauma influences earning\, saving and giving\nmoney becomes a proxy for safety and belonging\n\nParticipants will: \n\nstart to map their early survival adaptations around both love and money\nlearn introductory groundwork to notice grasping\, avoidance or control patterns\nbegin tracking somatic responses to financial and relational stress\n\nOct 2nd — Love\, Possession & PowerThe Hidden Economic Training Ground of Relationship \nThis session looks at: \n\nownership in love and ownership in the economy\njealousy\, control and financial secrecy\nhow partnership becomes an economic unit\nthe influence of patriarchal conditioning on intimacy and livelihood\n\nParticipants will: \n\nstep into exploring communication patterns around money and intimacy\nembark on identifying inherited relational and financial agreements\nundertake the practice of truth-telling in a carefully held small-group setting\n\nOct 3rd — Trust as InfrastructureCommunity as a Container for Healing \nWe examine why: \n\nhealing often fails when kept private\nboth love and money tend to isolate us\ntrust requires social structures\, not just personal insight\nnew relational agreements create economic safety\n\nParticipants will: \n\nwork in small pods to explore feedback and witnessing\nexperiment with shared inquiry around resource and care\nreflect on what supports transparency in both love and livelihood\n\nOct 4th — Ethical LivelihoodFrom Private Survival to Collective Sufficiency \nWe close by exploring: \n\nwhat “enough” really means\npurpose-aligned earning\ngenerosity and reciprocity\nlivelihood as participation in cultural healing\n\nParticipants will: \n\nset out on clarifying values around work and contribution\ncontemplate giving\, receiving and sustainability\nsow the seeds for creating a personal practice that aligns love\, money and service\n\n \n Register Now\n \n \n \n \n \n \nThroughout the Course\n\nshort meditation practices\nrelational inquiry exercises\nsomatic awareness practices\nbuddy conversations\noptional journaling prompts\nThe emphasis is on: \n\nslow integration\nshared learning\nrelational repair\nand honest dialogue\nIntended Outcomes\n\nBy the end of the four weeks\, participants may notice: \n\nless isolation around money or relationship struggles\nincreased capacity for truthful communication\nclearer alignment between values and livelihood\ngreater ease in giving and receiving\na shift from private survival toward shared sufficiency\nThis pilot can naturally lead into: \n\na longer 8–12 week program\nyour 6-month integration container\nor Tamera’s deeper community processes\nPricing\n\nCAD $450 to CAD $550 – Pay-It-Forward Helps make supported spaces possible for others and strengthens the collective container.\nCAD $350 to CAD $450 – Full Contribution (Sustaining Rate) Reflects the true value of the course and supports the continuity of this work.\nCAD $200 to CAD $350 – Supported Access For those with limited income\, in transition\, or experiencing financial constraint at this time.\n \n Register Now\n \n \nYour Teaching Team\n \nKaren Mcallister\nKaren is a contemplative leader\, senior meditation teacher\, and certified money coach who has spent years working at the intersection of money\, relationship\, and spiritual practice.\n Keep Reading \nShe works with individuals\, communities\, and spiritual organizations to uncover how early relational conditioning around safety\, belonging\, and worth shapes patterns of earning\, spending\, giving\, and receiving. Her approach integrates somatic awareness\, relational inquiry\, and practical financial coaching\, supporting people to move from private survival strategies into more conscious\, connected\, and sustainable ways of relating to money. \nAs Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky\, Karen has been deeply engaged in exploring the ethical flow of resources within intentional community\, supporting both individuals and groups to build trust\, transparency\, and alignment between values and livelihood. \nHer work invites a shift from scarcity and isolation toward shared sufficiency\, relational repair\, and money as a path of awakening. \n \nDuncan Cryle\nDuncan brings together over 20 years of meditation practice in the Namgyal lineage with a strong background in systems thinking\, organizational leadership\, and financial stewardship.\n Keep Reading \nAs the financial controller and Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky\, Duncan works at the heart of how a living spiritual community organizes its resources\, balancing vision\, sustainability\, and collective wellbeing. His perspective bridges inner development and outer systems\, exploring how trust\, structure\, and financial clarity support resilient and thriving communities. \nWith two decades of experience in senior organizational roles—including pioneering large-scale workplace mindfulness programs—Duncan brings a grounded\, practical lens to how economic systems\, relational dynamics\, and cultural patterns intersect. \nHe is especially interested in how transparent structures and shared agreements can transform money from a source of tension into a foundation for trust and collaboration. \n \n Monika Alleweldt\nBorn 1954 in Giessen\, Germany\, M.Sc. (Agriculture)\, works for many years for and with the “Plan of Healing Biotopes”. Since 2001 she mainly lives in Tamera\, Portugal.  \n Keep Reading \nUntil 2024 she was one of the owners of the publishing house Meiga.Since her early youth she aspired a carrier in helping people in need all over the world. As a young student\, she travels to Guatemala as part of her studies. The trip becomes a turning point in her life. \nShe realizes that help alone does not change anything. Symptoms can be alleviated\, but the cause of the suffering are not eliminated. So what is the right approach? A serious illness forces her to return home early and leads her to an existential decision. She completes her studies but then leaves her professional career and sets out to find an answer that gives hope. She examines many paths\, contacts different people and initiatives. \nFinally she finds convincing answers in the work of Dieter Duhm. A cooperation begins that continues to this day. In 2021 she finishes her first book titled „Global Liberation from Fear and Violence“ (in German). \nToday\, she is joining with other women to bring forth a second book\, provisionally titled Women’s Solidarity: The End of Collective Repression. The End of Patriarchy — a work that envisions a new feminine consciousness\, and a deep reverence for\, and love of\, the masculine. \n \nBenjamin von Mendelssohn\nBorn into a once-wealthy\, culturally significant Jewish banking family in Germany\, the issues of reconciliation\, politics and money accompanied Benjamin from his early years.\n Keep Reading \nAfter a radical but frustrating period of political engagement in his youth\, Benjamin started to explore holistic approaches to bringing about change. To this end he co-founded the Peace University at Potsdam and later researched into many social experiments and intentional communities. \nAlthough he trained as a healer\, dancer and choreographer Benjamin retained a focus on new models for living and a passion for complex synergies and systems theory. Creating syntheses of seemingly opposing forces is important to him – politics and spirituality; vision work and concrete manifestation; Eros and religion; free sexuality and deep\, committed partnership; nature and technology and most critically inner and outer peace work. \nBenjamin has been living and researching in Tamera since 1998 where he now serves as a next-generation leader. He has been co-leading The Global Love School since its inauguration in 2012 and was director the Grace Foundation for Humanising Money for 15 years. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/healing-love-healing-money-online/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Coaching,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Programming-Horizontal-1-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20261009T150000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20261025T170000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260220T020424Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260327T111545Z UID:27028-1791558000-1792947600@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Tantra Practice Retreat DESCRIPTION:“Perhaps it is a more difficult path since we tend to get caught up in our desires that end up in attachment that is the source of suffering. But it is also a richer and more integrated path as we can use our full human potential and capabilities to rediscover wonderment without the clinging that causes suffering.” \n\nQapel (Acharya Doug Duncan) \nLife as Tantra: Weaving Desire into Liberation – Blog \nDeepen your relationship with the inner deity in this two-week tantra retreat. Whether it be a dance\, an embrace\, making love\, or merely establishing an initial rapport\, the deep archetypes of the mind beckon you to enter in communion. Led by Catherine Sensei\, this retreat is an opportunity to dive deep into the tantric teachings and practices of a thousand-year-old lineage. \nOctober 9 – 25\, 2006 \nIn-Person \n \n Apply Here\n \n \nTantra \nfocus area\nMeditation Retreat \npractice\nTwo Weeks \nDuration\nAdvanced \nSkill Level\nIn-Person \nformat\nTantra Practice Retreat\nA Practice Transmission\nJoin us for seventeen days of tantric meditation as we draw on classical texts and lineage wisdom.  \nYou’ll journey through the four classes of Tantra\, engaging deeply with creation stage (visualization of enlightened form) and completion stage (direct realization of ultimate reality) practices. This is training in how to enter\, progress on\, and complete the Vajrayana journey through all four classes of tantra\, following the classical Kagyu and Gelug presentations. \nYou’ll establish or deepen the four preliminary practices essential to this path: contemplating impermanence and precious human birth\, understanding karma\, developing bodhicitta\, and cultivating devotion to the lineage and guru. From this stable ground\, we progress through systematic training in generation stage yoga—learning to visualize ourselves in enlightened form—and completion stage yoga\, where we realize the ultimate nature of reality directly. \nThroughout\, we return to fundamental questions: \n\nWhat truly brings happiness?\nWhat is our actual motivation?\nHow much can our rational minds grasp\, and where must we surrender to direct experience?\n\nThis is an advanced retreat and is offered upon approved application and requires an established meditation practice and completion of a significant portion of your foundation practices. If foundational practices are not complete\, the applicant must be actively progressing in their foundation work. \nWhile we believe any undertaking can be a vehicle for awakening\, there’s no substitute for the power of profound direct experience gained through meditation. This is why meditation is one of the four foundational practices of our teaching. \n \n Apply Here\n \n \n \n \n “Qapel and Sensei teach in a light\, but profound way – taking us on a brilliant journey of understanding with guile and humour.\nTheir male and female perspectives help balance with differing approaches to explaining a complex but genius system that holds all life understanding from religion\, science\, psychotherapy and wisdom traditions.”\n Jonathan C. Shiatsu\, Qigong & Meditation Teacher\n \nWhat’s Expected of Me if I Come to This Retreat?\n\nA strong foundation of parami and a willingness to see other dimensions and cultivate your mind\, drug free.\nThe more extensive meditation experience you’ve had the better. \nYou are responsible for your own wellbeing.\nTo maximize your depth of practice\, we ask that you refrain from reading\, using the internet\, phone or listening to music during the course.\n\n \nSchedule\nArrival: October 9th at 3pm\, MT \nSample brief daily schedule: \n9am Class with Teacher \n11am Group Meditation led by a Senior Student \n12:30pm Lunch \n3pm Group Meditation led by a Senior Student \n6pm Dinner \n7:30 pm Meditation and Q&A with Sensei \nDeparture: October 25th  \n*Daily schedule is subject to changes closer to the course date.  Questions about the retreat? Phone 250-429-3929\, or contact michelle@clearskycenter.org \nIn order to give enough time to rest from travel before the retreat starts\, we recommend that domestic travellers arrive one day early\, and long distance international travellers arrive two days early. After the retreat we also suggest staying for at least another day for integration\, however you are also welcome to stay longer for one of  our hybrid stay options. \nBooking a flight? Airport pickups can be booked when you register for the retreat. On the rare chance that this retreat is cancelled or if unforseen global circumstances cause travel interruptions\, we highly recommend purchasing travel insurance and modifiable tickets.  \n \n \n \nMeet the Teacher\nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei\n \nCatherine Pawasarat 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 Qapel Doug Duncan she co-founded of Clear Sky Retreat Center in the BC Rockies. \n \n Apply Here\n \nAbout Clear Sky\nLocated in the BC rocky mountains\, we offer over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature.  \nFounded by Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, we are home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world. \nIn adherence with our quadruple bottom line\, we source our food as local and organic as possible. \nEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \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.Dharma Teacher & Author\n \nFAQs\n\n What is Tantra practice in this retreat?\n \nThis retreat teaches Vajrayana Tantra as a path of transformation\, using desire\, perception\, and human experience itself as means for awakening rather than sources of attachment and suffering. \n\n Detailed Daily Schedule (Long retreats)\n \nSpecific times may change – this is a rough guide (MST) \n6:30 – 7:30 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice7:30 – 8:15 AM: Breakfast: Prepare\, eat\, clean up8:15 – 8:45 AM: Walk &/or Personal Practice9:00 – 10:00 AM: Class with Teachers10:00 – 10:30 AM: Walk10:30 – 11:30 AM: Group Practice led by Sangha11:30 – 12:30 PM: Personal Practice12:30 – 1:30 PM: Lunch: Prepare\, eat\, clean up1:30 – 3:00 PM: Personal Practice3:00 – 4:00 PM: Group Practice led by Sangha4:00 – 5:30 PM: Personal Practice5:30 – 7:00 PM: Dinner: prepare\, eat\, clean up7:00 – 7:30 PM: Walk &/or Personal Practice7:30 – 8:30 PM: Group Practice and Q & A with Teachers8:30 – Beyond: Personal Practice & bed \n\n Dana and Pricing\n \nDana: \nThis retreat is offered on the basis of dāna (generosity). \nDāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”\, and is the traditional way in which Buddhist teachings are offered.  With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. You may have come across this in the form of “pay from the heart”. 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. \nYou will be sent a link to offer “dana” to the teachers after registration.  \nFor more information on dāna click here. \nPricing:  \nIn addition to Dana to the Teacher\, Clear Sky Meditation Centre provides an incredible space for your retreat.  Situated on a beautiful 310-acre property in the Rocky Mountains\, the center and its karma yogis provide you nourishing daily meals and comfortable accomodation. Read more: Staying with us (Clear Sky Meditation Centre) \nPlease go to the retreat registration page for this retreat for details of the all inclusive fee for the retreat. \n\n Scholarship Application\n \nWe aim to make our retreats as accessible as possible.  \nAs a centre run entirely by Karma Yoga (selfless service)\, retreat fees only cover food\, accommodation and the equipment required to offer them online. \nThe teachings themselves are offered on the basis of Dāna (pay-from-the-heart).  \nFor some\, this is still a barrier of entry. \nIf you are seeking financial assistance to attend a retreat\, please complete a Scholarship Application form. \n\n What will participants learn during the Tantra Practice Retreat?\n \nParticipants train through the four classes of Tantra\, including creation stage visualization practices and completion stage meditation\, progressing toward direct realization of ultimate reality. \n\n Is prior meditation experience required?\n \nYes. This is an advanced retreat requiring an established meditation practice and active progress in Ngöndro foundational practices. \n\n What makes Tantra a unique spiritual path?\n \nTantra is considered a richer and more integrated path because it works with full human potential—including desire and experience—transforming them into liberation instead of rejecting them. \n\n What are the foundational practices emphasized in this retreat?\n \nThe retreat strengthens four key foundations: \n\nReflection on impermanence and precious human birth\nUnderstanding karma\nCultivating bodhicitta (awakening motivation)\nDeveloping devotion to teacher and lineage\n\n\n What is expected from participants during the retreat?\n \nParticipants commit to disciplined practice\, personal responsibility for wellbeing\, maintaining a drug-free environment\, and minimizing distractions such as phones\, internet\, reading\, or music to deepen meditation experience. \n\n Microdosing/Psychedelics\n \nWe recognize and respect plant medicine as an important part of some people’s spiritual paths.  \nPlease note\, the meditation practice on this retreat is very powerful. Consuming mind-altering substances will detract from your experience and could cause negative side-effects.  \nWe ask that you refrain from microdosing or consuming mind-altering substances during this retreat and in the days immediately following it.  \n\n What are states vs stages of consciousness?\n \nStates of consciousness are temporary meditation experiences such as clarity or bliss\, while stages of consciousness represent stable developmental shifts achieved through sustained practice that transform perception and understanding permanently. \n \n \n \n Apply Here URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/tantra-practice-retreat/ CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/advanced.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20261028T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20261118T120000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260404T232527Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260404T232533Z UID:28705-1793181600-1795003200@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Integrating Mindfulness Fall 2026: Tools for Holistic Living (In-Person or Online) DESCRIPTION:You’re Not Alone in This \nYou meditate. You work on yourself. Yet you still feel overwhelmed by everything you need to address—the habits draining your energy\, the relationship dynamics you can’t quite navigate\, the spaces that don’t support you\, the routines that keep slipping away. \nMaybe you’re working on all of this in isolation\, not sure if others struggle the same way. Or you’ve “scratched the surface” of integration but haven’t found a way to bring it all together. \nWhat if there was a container that could hold all of it? \nThis 4-week course offers that container—a sanctuary where you can pause\, reflect\, and reconnect with what truly matters. With heart-centered guides and a community of like-minded individuals\, you’ll discover how to integrate mindfulness into every facet of your life: your spaces\, routines\, communication\, relationships\, and the big areas that hold you back. \nWe see you\, and we walk this path with you. \nAccessible sliding scale pay-from-the-heart from $200-500 CAD according to your financial means.\n \n Attend Online (Register Here)\n \nfocus area\nMeditation  \n& Daily Life \npractice\nInteractive \nWorkshop \nDuration\nFour \nWeeks \nDay/Time\nWednesdays\, October 28\, November 4\, 11 & 18\, 2026  \n10am-12pm MT\, \nNoon-2 pm EST \nformat\nIn-Person \nor \nOnline by Zoom \nWhy integrating mindfulness?\nBecause having the pieces isn’t the same as knowing how they fit together. \nYou might have meditation apps\, self-help books\, therapy insights\, and good intentions. But when it comes to actually applying these tools to your messy real life—your difficult conversations\, your cluttered spaces\, your draining routines\, your money stress—it all feels scattered and overwhelming. \nThis course gives you a framework that makes everything fit together. \nUsing Clear Sky’s Five Principles\, you’ll discover how to create a supportive container—not just for your meditation practice\, but for your entire life. A container that can hold the overwhelm\, the growth\, the vulnerability\, and the breakthroughs. With heart-centered guides and a small community of people who genuinely understand\, you’ll move from working on this alone to being supported every step of the way. \nA holistic approach\nIntegrating Mindfulness addresses the fullness of life—not just your meditation cushion\, but your habits\, relationships\, environment\, communication patterns\, and the big areas you’ve been avoiding (yes\, including money). \nHere’s what makes this different: \nMost mindfulness courses focus only on the practice itself. This course teaches you how to build a complete supportive container using Clear Sky’s Five Principles—so your practice can actually land at a deeper level and transform your daily life. \nThrough this course\, you will: \n\nGet clarity on what truly matters – and let go of what’s draining your energy\nCreate physical and energetic spaces that actually support your well-being\nBuild sustainable routines and structure – even during life transitions\nLearn to communicate honestly – expressing your needs and listening deeply\, even in difficult conversations\nAddress the “big areas” holding you back – relationships\, money\, career\, habits\nExperience the power of community – discovering you’re not alone in these struggles\n\nThe real transformation happens when these pieces work together. One participant described it as “an expansive embrace” that provides “a container that can hold all of it.” Another found it gave them “a solid anchor” during a major life transition. \nWe work with heart-centered guides and a small\, intimate group of like-minded individuals\, fostering genuine connection and belonging. \nWhat Previous Students are Saying\n There are big areas of my life I needed to look at… that I didn’t know I needed to. I am more aware of them now\, and have perspective on how to bring daily mindfulness to them. Now I have a technique to structure my life and prioritize the things I actually want to do\, and a dialogue technique that is helping in my relationships. Integrating Mindfulness allows you to think about issues in a different way (such as money!). Insightful and nourishing.\n Daniel\n Participating in the Integrating Mindfulness course has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. It has helped me cultivate greater awareness and compassion and provided me with practical tools for managing stress and anxiety. I am deeply grateful for the Clear Sky community and support provided by the course.\n Artin\n “I’m so stressed out… I cannot see an end to it”—says everybody. I’m always considering options\, and I had doubts around the authenticity of the Integrating Mindfulness programme\, but I’m glad to report those doubts were completely unfounded. With this course\, you learn to stop and breathe\, and the teachers will show you that it is indeed possible—necessary\, even—to put mindfulness at the very centre of your life. At first it might not seem there have been any changes\, but on reflection the changes have been huge.\n Pat\n I wanted more clarity on which direction to go. In Integrating Mindfulness\, I found fluidity and a variety of approaches to things I need\, like scheduling\, conversation\, clearer speech\, and language. In it\, I also discovered a definite need for clearing and dissolution. The question of work and overall change remains\, but I have moved forward on that journey.\n Zoe\n \n Attend Online (Register Here)\n \nWhat’s inside the course?\nOur four-week journey is rooted in Clear Sky Retreat Center’s Five Principles\, offering a framework to create a mindful container for growth. These principles are: \nWeek 1 – Honor Your SpaceTransform your physical and energetic surroundings into a supportive sanctuary. Learn how your environment directly impacts your meditation practice and emotional well-being. \nWeek 2 – Structure and RoutineDevelop sustainable daily rhythms and rituals that ground you through life’s ebbs and flows. Discover how to prioritize what truly matters and let go of what drains you. \nWeek 3 – CommunicationDeepen your connections through authentic\, compassionate dialogue. Learn to express your needs clearly and listen with an open heart—even in difficult conversations. \nWeek 4 – Cleaning Up Big Areas & CommunityAddress the unresolved challenges that hold you back (money\, relationships\, career). Discover how transformation accelerates when supported by conscious community. \nThis course is a unique synthesis of practical tools and profound awareness practices\, designed to address the whole of your life. \n \n FREE PDF – Five Principles of a Mindful Container\n \nWho is this course for?\nThis course is for those ready to step into their wholeness: \n\nTo learn skillful communication and healthy boundaries\nTo learn how to reduce distractions and bad habits that hold you back\nTo navigate life’s challenges with grace and ease.\nTo feel profoundly connected to themselves and others.\nTo embrace awareness as a catalyst for sustainable\, heart-centered change.\n\nWhether you join online or in person\, this course meets you where you are and provides flexibility and tools to support and ignite your personal path and journey. \nNot sure if this is right for you? Attend our free webinar From Resentment to an Open Heart first to experience our teaching style and get a feel for the Five Principles. \nHow much does it cost?\nTo make this course as accessible as possible\, we offer a sliding scale pay-from-the-heart approach to let you pay according to your financial means. \nSuggested range $200-500 CAD \nCourse details\nWhen: October 28\, November 4\, 11 & 18\, 2026Time: 10am-12pm MT; Noon-2pm ESTFormat: Interactive workshops via Zoom\, or join us in-person at Clear SkyWhat you’ll need: A quiet space\, journal\, and willingness to engage \nBetween sessions\, you’ll have: \n\nSimple daily practices to integrate what you’re learning\nAccess to our online community for questions and support\nOptional office hours with Karen and Duncan\n\nAll sessions are recorded for online participants who need to miss a session. \n \n \n \n \n \n Attend Online (Register Here)\n \nExperience Our Teaching Before You Register\nNot sure if this course is right for you? Watch our recent webinar “From Resentment to an Open Heart” where we introduce one of Clear Sky’s Five Principles: honest communication. \nThis 90-minute session gives you a real sense of: \n\nOur teaching style and approach\nThe depth and practicality of the tools\nHow we create space for interactive learning\nWhether this work resonates with you\n\nThe webinar focused on communication. The 4-week course takes you through all Five Principles with the same depth – plus time for personal integration and practice. \nhttps://youtu.be/71CDP3tAunY \nMeet The Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\n Karen McAllister brings a wealth of wisdom as Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development. She founded The Mindful Money Coach and has helped hundreds of people better integrate and align their spiritual path and relationship with money. Her passion lies in nurturing spaces\, structure\, and communication to support awakening in everyday life. With her decades of spiritual leadership\, Karen gently guides participants to uncover their innate wisdom and clarity. \nDuncan Cryle\n Duncan Cryle is a co-founding member of Clear Sky Center\, Dharma teacher\, and certified mindfulness instructor. He blends years of co-creating Clear Sky’s conscious community and dynamic team\, with an international executive career. He has created and run mindfulness programs at major companies\, including one of the creators of the IBM mindfulness community.  Duncan’s compassionate and holistic approach invites participants to weave spiritual growth seamlessly into their lives\, making profound insights accessible and transformative.\n \nWhat Previous Students are Saying\n Before Integrating Mindfulness\, I had been struggling with consistent practice\, conflicts within marriage about my practice\, and finances. Now I have a dedicated space for my practice\, am solidifying my need for sangha\, and am reassessing myself and my blocks and shadows. I would encourage someone interested in this to be open to change\, and know that change is always occurring—it doesn’t need to be a negative.\n Leslie \n Mindfulness is so much more than just truly enjoying my cup of tea! I was struggling to find balance with all the big life issues that are changing in my life; finding Integrating Mindfulness was serendipity. It is what I need in my spiritual toolbox to help me stay open and connected. I am more aware now when I am losing myself in grief\, when I am handling difficult conversations\, and in seeing how human differences are to be enjoyed\, as I enjoy different flowers. There is so much more to discover about life. Integrating Mindfulness is about interactions with fellow travellers! If you want to take mindfulness deeper\, you need this course.\n Kirsty\n I am doing a lot of other courses. They are all good—this one is special. Integrating Mindfulness provides a good foundation to support any other studies. People who express feeling unhappy\, overwhelmed\, lacking connection\, would find an ideal fit here. Now\, I am committed to being aware of my boundaries\, and doing what it takes to maintain them\, including clear communication to others. I’m going to continue working on my spiritual container and structure. I plan to come to Clear Sky for more!\n Kim\n Before Integrating Mindfulness\, I was exploring many directions\, and this was sapping my energy and making me ungrounded. I have been intending to discover a “middle way.” Through this course\, I have been getting clearer on my core\, non-negotiable values. I have gained confidence in asserting and communicating my boundaries and initiating conversations\, whereas in the past I avoided conflict. My sense of self-worth is deepening and I am valuing my time and energy more. I am discovering solutions for meeting my basic needs\, not subscribing to short-term gratification impulses\, and being in communion with conscious community\, all simultaneously.\n Aila\n Since Integrating Mindfulness\, I’m beginning to see how mindfulness is a part of everything\, and how much of my life I have let slip out of my hands by not being mindful. I’m seeing how much power I will regain as I learn to be aware of myself more constantly and expand my ability to actually choose what I want to choose in each moment. Talk about life-changing!\nIntegrating Mindfulness will give you the opportunity to peel back some of the daily veils put up around painful and confusing areas of your life. Doing it with a group\, and with Karen and Duncan as wonderful teachers who really know what they are doing\, will set you up to get closer to the direction and peace that you so deeply crave.\n Erika \nready to transform?\nMindfulness is not just a practice; it’s a way of being that illuminates the path to wholeness and connection. This course offers a nurturing container where you can pause\, reflect\, and embrace the beauty of your journey. \nThis course stands apart because it combines mindfulness with real-world integration\, creating a path for sustainable transformation. \nJoin us for Integrating Mindfulness\, and together\, we will uncover the power of awareness to create a life filled with intention\, compassion\, and deep fulfillment. \n \n Attend Online (Register Here)\n \nLEARN more about clear sky’s five principles\nBased on Clear Sky’s Five Principles\, Integrating Mindfulness helps you build a sustainable meditation practice that permeates your body\, career\, relationships and all other areas of your life.  \nYou can learn more about our Five Principles here and get our free pdf overview by clicking the link below. \n \n FREE PDF – Five Principles of a Mindful Container\n \n \nFAQs\n What transformation can I expect from this course? \nThe course has been described as one of the most transformative experiences of many people’s lives. It helps cultivate greater awareness and compassion while providing practical tools for real-world integration of mindfulness into life and work\, creating lasting transformation. \n What will I learn and experience during the four weeks? \nEach week invites you to develop embodied awareness and presence\, cultivate heart-centered communication and compassionate listening\, balance inner work with outer action\, and live authentically aligned with your values. You’ll work with heart-centered guides and a community of like-minded individuals. \n Who is this course designed for? \nThe course is for those ready to step into their wholeness\, seeking deeper meaning\, a fuller embrace of life\, and a practice that nourishes both their inner world and connections to community. It’s ideal if you feel disconnected or struggle to bridge the gap between your intentions and daily challenges. \n What makes this mindfulness course different from other programs? \nThis course uses a threefold approach that cultivates mindfulness\, crafts a supportive container\, and powerfully integrates mindfulness into all aspects of life and work. It addresses the fullness of life including habits\, relationships\, environments\, and deepest aspirations\, ensuring participants experience profound\, tangible transformation. \n What are the Five Principles the course is based on? \nThe course is rooted in Clear Sky Retreat Center’s Five Principles: Awareness\, Communication\, Balance\, Authenticity\, and Mindfulness/Meditation. These principles provide a framework to create a mindful container for growth\, with each week building on the last. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/integrating-mindfulness-fall-2026-tools-for-holistic-living-in-person-or-online/ CATEGORIES:Integrating Mindfulness,Online Courses,Special Events ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Integrating-Mindfulness-Feature-Image.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20261108T093000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20261129T170000 DTSTAMP:20260430T221413 CREATED:20260422T022709Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260422T024719Z UID:29193-1794130200-1795971600@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Power in Tantric Traditions (Online) DESCRIPTION:Power in Tantric Traditions: Four-Week Online Course\nDo you feel empowered in your practice? In Buddha nature? Showing up authentically with both courage and vulnerability can support our sense of empowerment. \nIn these confusing contemporary times\, such genuine empowerment is essential for tantric practitioners. \nIn this online series\, Catherine Sensei and Right Use of Power and Authentic Leadership teacher Susan Skjei teach together about what power and empowerment mean in the context of tantric spiritual practices. This course aims to empower you to weave every moment with exactly the energy that is needed. \nIn this age of confusion about what we can believe and who we can trust\, many of us may feel disempowered at times. Victim culture is often more supported than empowered culture. Uncertainty about the future of humanity and the planet can shake our confidence to its core. \nAnd when scandals happen with spiritual leaders – often around money\, sex\, and power – it can leave tantric practitioners wondering: What does authentic empowerment actually look like? What is my power? How can I strengthen it? How can I ethically wield it? This course attends to these questions and issues\, pressing ones for contemporary tantra practitioners. \nNovember 8 – November 29\, 2026 \nSunday morning online classes 9:30-11:00am MT\, Nov 8\, Nov 15 and Nov 22 \nSaturday & Sunday November 28-29 – 9:30am and 2:30pm (approx 60-90 min) \n\nRegistration\n \nfocus area\nBuddhism \nPower \npractice\nCourse & Optional \nHome Retreat \nDuration\nFour \nWeeks \nDay/Time\nSundays from 9:30-11am MT \nformat\nIn-Person or \nOnline \nThe Path Forward: Your Practice Holds the Key to True Empowerment.\nDo you feel strong and safe in your tantric practice? In your authentic presence? Do you have the resources you need to support others to feel empowered? \nPrimarily\, our practice helps us become a person who is authentic and therefore trustworthy – for ourselves and for others. This is part of what non-duality is about. The confusion of our times and world leaders doesn’t have to lead to our disempowerment. This course shares how our practice helps us to weave authenticity\, trustworthiness\, personal power\, and empowerment together. \nAs symbols representing the lower three chakras\, authenticity related to money\, sex\, and power form the foundation of our being\, energetically and in the material world. Catherine Sensei and her partner and teacher Qapel have taught that money and sex are often\, the handmaidens of power\, and that the spiritual path is a quest for the truest and most deep-rooted empowerment there is. \nIn this course\, Catherine Sensei and Susan Skjei teach on what power and empowerment mean for tantric practitioners\, drawing on tantric teachings\, Authentic Leadership\, and Right Use of Power to provide an important framework for understanding power in traditional and modern tantric traditions – empowering us to weave every moment with exactly the energy that is needed. \n\nRegister\n\n\n\n\n“In 10 years I have NOT missed a course with master teachers Qapel and Sensei! Every class reflects the light of oneness in prisms of direction and understanding and thus a lighter load to carry in the relative world and a lightness of being. If one aspires to be a bodhisattva and to benefit all beings\, this one recommends the next one.”\nBrendan R. \nWhat You’ll Learn\nIn Power in Tantric Traditions\, you’ll discover: \n\nHow to be empowered as a tantric practitioner in uncertain times\nHow to feel strong in your tantric practice and tradition\nA deeper understanding of tantra in the context of Buddhism\nHow to be trustworthy for yourself and others through non-dual practice\nThe resources to support others to feel empowered\n\nThis course weaves together the wisdom of tantric Buddhism with proven frameworks for Authentic Leadership and the Right Use of Power\, giving you practical tools to embody empowerment in every moment. \n \nCourse Schedule\nNovember 8 – 29\, 2026 \nClass Times (Mountain Time)\n\nNovember 8 – 9:30-11am\nNovember 15 – 9:30-11am\nNovember 22 – 9:30-11am\nSaturday & Sunday November 28-29 – 9:30am and 2:30pm (approx 60-90 min)\n\nThe formal and participatory teachings for this course will occur on Sundays\, with a separate registration for the Saturday-Sunday flash retreat on the fourth weekend. Class times are estimates and may change slightly. \nWe encourage you to connect with Sangha outside of class times to discuss and deepen your learning of the material. \nFlash Retreat Weekend: November 28-29\nTo deepen and integrate your experience\, the final (fourth) weekend during the course will also be a Flash Retreat (August 15-16)\, offered by a separate registration\, which will include exercises to engage in. This can be done at home\, or with us at Clear Sky Meditation Centre in Eastern British Columbia. \nFormal group sessions will be held at these approximate times: \n\nFlash Retreat morning session: 9:30am MT\nFlash Retreat afternoon session: 2:30pm MT\nSessions will be 60-90 mins in length.\n\n\n \nMeet the Teachers\n\n \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei\nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei is a contemporary Dharma teacher\, attendant\, consort\, co-teacher via Planet Dharma and co-founder of Clear Sky Retreat Center. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Catherine also draws on generative living and universal spiritual tools including transpersonal astrology and Japanese arts. \nShe trained daily with Acariya Doug Duncan as his attendant and consort from 1998 until his passing in 2024\, in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nMore About Sensei | About the Lineage \nSusan Skjei\, Ph.D\nSusan Skjei\, Ph.D. has been a practitioner and Senior Teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist Community for the last 30 years. She has taught many programs and led retreats in the US\, Canada and Europe. She studied with Chogyam Trungpa\, Rinpoche and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche as well as other Tibetan Buddhist and Zen teachers. Susan is also a leadership coach and organizational consultant. She has been a catalyst for positive change for leaders\, executive teams and boards of nonprofit organizations\, businesses\, and government agencies for over 25 years. She enjoys creating energetic and high trust learning environments that accelerate practical organizational results while building strong\, collaborative relationships. Formerly Susan was a Vice-President and Chief Learning Officer in the technology industry\, a co-founder of the ALIA Institute\, and the founding Director of the Authentic Leadership Center at Naropa University. She loves being in nature and enjoys hiking\, biking and watercolor painting. \n\nRegister Now\n\n“The teachers have brought together ancient teachings with scientific findings that prove how and why Dharma teachings radically improve life\, reduce pain and increase global peace. It doesn’t matter what you believe\, you will embody a healthy new way of being. Because of their vast collective wisdom\, you leave their presence radically altered for the betterment of humanity.”\nEvangelos D.\n \nFAQs\nWhat is the main focus of the Power in Tantric Traditions course? \nThis 4-week series explores what empowerment means within Tantric Buddhism. It teaches practitioners how to navigate money\, sex\, and power using proven frameworks from Authentic Leadership and the Dharma. \nWho are the teachers for this course and what are their backgrounds? \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei\, a contemporary Dharma teacher\, collaborates with Susan Skjei\, Ph.D.\, an Authentic Leadership coach. Together\, they bridge ancient Buddhist wisdom with modern\, ethical leadership and empowerment frameworks. \nHow does this course help me feel more empowered during uncertain times?\nThe course provides practical tools to move beyond victim culture. By strengthening your spiritual practice and understanding non-duality\, you will develop the internal resources needed to remain resilient.\nWhy does the course focus specifically on money\, sex\, and power? \nThese foundational energies are often the “handmaidens of power.” Understanding them through a spiritual lens helps practitioners build trustworthiness and prevents the scandals often seen in modern spiritual communities. \nIs this course suitable for beginners in Tantric practice? \nYes\, the course is open to any practitioner with an open mind. It is designed to deepen your understanding of power\, whether you are new or highly experienced in spirituality. \nHow does non-dual practice help me become more trustworthy for others? \nNon-dual practice clarifies confusion\, helping you become a more reliable person. By aligning your actions with your practice\, you provide a stable\, empowered presence that supports yourself and the community. \nWhat practical resources will I gain from participating in this series? \nYou will discover how to feel strong in your tradition\, understand Tantra within Buddhism more deeply\, and gain leadership resources to support the empowerment of those around you. \nDana and Pricing \nDana: \nYou 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. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No one is excluded for lack of funds. However\, it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able. \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course. \nAs 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. \nIf 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. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \nAbout the Online Admin Fee \nIn 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. \nWe’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. \nThe admin fee* goes to support the infrastructure and organization necessary to support them to teach. As anyone with an online business will know\, the costs of setting up good infrastructure to support effective teaching and connection online can be surprising. \nOur admin fee changes based on the date of registration. \nRegister four + weeks prior: $80\nRegister two to four weeks prior: $100\nRegister less than two weeks prior: $120 \n*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. \n— \nBelow are a few of the work and benefits that your admin fee payment is supporting: \n\nHigh speed internet (to allow interviews and classes on-line)\nOnline class systems (Zoom)\nRegistration / admin systems (Eventbrite\, Basecamp)\nCommunication systems to keep everyone informed\, share connection details\, teachings and other resources (Mailchimp)\nOnline 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)\nQuality 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.\nOnline calendar booking system to allow students to book interviews\nWebsite hosting and maintenance for sharing upcoming courses\, teachings\, blogs and other resources.\n\nWe welcome any questions. May all our efforts be sustainable\, abundant and for the benefit of all beings! \n\n\n\nRegister URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/power-in-tantric-traditions/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Power-in-Tantric-traditions-2026-square.png ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR