BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Clear Sky Meditation Centre - ECPv6.16.2//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Clear Sky Meditation Centre REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Edmonton BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20230312T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20231105T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20240310T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20241103T080000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART:20250309T090000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0700 TZNAME:MST DTSTART:20251102T080000 END:STANDARD 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:20210314T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20211107T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20220313T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20221106T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20230312T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20231105T070000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:CDT DTSTART:20240310T080000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:CST DTSTART:20241103T070000 END:STANDARD 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:20260716T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260716T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20260625T215858Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260625T221217Z UID:29869-1784228400-1784232000@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Communication & Repair: Staying Connected Without Self-Abandoning DESCRIPTION:Register Here\n \nCommunication and Repair: Staying Connected Without Self-Abandoning\nWith Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle \nThursday July 16 2026 \n7-8 pm Mountain Time (6 pm PST\, 8 pm Central\, 9 pm EST) \nPay-From-The-Heart \nSession 4 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 want to stay connected. You want to work things out. You want to show up for the relationships that matter. \nAnd yet somewhere in the conversation\, you lose yourself. You over-explain. You collapse. You say what they want to hear. Maybe you shut down entirely. Or you shift into reaction\, defense and opposition – battening down the hatches. \nThis session is about staying connected without abandoning your center and your heart.  \nRupture and repair is an integral part of relationship and communication. We’ll explore how to stay present in difficult conversations without losing ourselves – and how to come back when rupture happens. \nIn this hour together\, we’ll explore: \n\nWhy we lose ourselves in difficult conversations and how to stay grounded\nThe difference between healthy compromise and self-abandonment\nKeeping the heart open and speaking what is true without aggression or collapse\nPractices for staying connected to your body while staying connected to another person\nThe art of repair: how to come back after rupture without over-apologising or shutting down\n\nThis is session 4 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 July 16\, 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 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 part 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.  \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/communication-and-repair/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Staying Whole Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CommunicationAndRepair_StayingWhole_Feature_July2026.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260625T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260625T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20260604T231954Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260625T020208Z UID:29639-1782414000-1782417600@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Boundaries As Stability: Protecting Energy Without Disconnected DESCRIPTION:Boundaries As Stability: Protecting Energy Without Disconnecting\nWith Karen McAllister\, Michelle Heinz and Duncan Cryle \nThursday June 25 2026 \n7-8 pm Mountain Time (6 pm PST\, 8 pm Central\, 9 pm EST) \nPay-From-The-Heart \nSession 3 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 want to be available. You want to be generous. You want to show up for the people in your life. \nAnd yet—you’re running on empty. You say yes when you mean no. You give more than you have. You end conversations feeling drained\, resentful\, or vaguely guilty. \nIf boundaries feel like walls you don’t want to build\, this session is for you. \nWhat We’ll Explore\nThis session moves from internal steadiness to relational clarity. We’ll reframe boundaries—not as walls or defense\, but as energy management. A form of self-care that actually supports connection. \nIn this hour together\, we’ll explore: \n\nWhy boundaries are essential for sustainable caring—not a failure of generosity\nThe difference between walls (disconnection) and boundaries (healthy containment)\nHow to recognize when your energy is being drained—and what to do about it\nPractices for protecting your energy without shutting people out\nHow clear boundaries actually deepen trust and intimacy\n\nYou’ll leave with tools for staying connected to others without abandoning yourself—and a clearer sense of what’s yours to carry and what isn’t. \nThis is session 3 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 25\, 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 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. \nMichelle Heinz \nFor this talk we are delighted to have Michelle join us. Michelle is a long-term resident and senior student. She is an Integral Master Coach\, bringing a wealth of experience especially in somatic and emotional work. \n“The consistent high-level perspective with which Michelle sees the world was just what I needed to help reframe and replace old ideas\, beliefs\, and conditioning that ultimately unleashed real growth.” \n– Fran \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 Here URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/boundaries-as-stability/ LOCATION:Online CATEGORIES:Online Courses,Staying Whole Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/BoundariesAsStability_StayingWhole.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:20260726T235829 CREATED:20260211T010736Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260624T231110Z 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. \nWe are pleased to also be able to offer scholarships to support attendance to this program. \nFor Clear Sky’s scholarship program\, please complete a Scholarship Application form. \nIn addition\, for members of Lighthouse Spokane\, with much appreciation to the UUA New Communities Partnership Program for offering a partial scholarship to this program. Please contact the Lighthouse Spokane team for details. \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:May 2024 Group Retreats 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;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260604T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260604T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 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/Chicago:20260516T110000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260516T150000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20260505T170950Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260506T234159Z UID:29337-1778929200-1778943600@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Come to your Senses: A Day to Practice Deep Mindfulness DESCRIPTION:A Clear Sky Course \nwith Dean NicholsonMay 16\, 2026 \n11:00am – 3:00pm MDT \nLife is busy.  Every day you face demands from work\, family\, finances\, health.  While navigating through life’s daily challenges it can be difficult to pause and take a breath\, to smell the roses\, to rest in the moment. \n \n Register Now\n \n \nIn this four hour in-person retreat you will learn and practice ancient mindfulness techniques that will increase your ability to stay grounded and enlivened during work and at home.  Learn to tune into your senses to stay calm\, present and peaceful no matter where you are. \nCourse Details\nWhat you can expect\nClear Sky’s 5 Principles are outstanding guiding principles helping us live in health and integrity. This program is an opportunity to practice them while being guided through a sense-based meditation retreat. If you are curious about the Clear Sky Center\, or just feel the need for a guided afternoon retreat. Join us! \n1.Honour your space  In this 4 hour retreat you will join the select group of hundreds of people who have honored the space we call Clear Sky by bringing focused attention\, sincere practice and aspiration thereby honoring the space we inhabit and our time together. \n2.Structure and routine This practice day creates a ritual which is lacking in many of our lives. Ritual is helpful for creating a space beyond words in which we can relax.  \n3.Communication shapes the space where we meet We will guide you in meditating on the senses and you may be amazed at how being in a room with other people who are disciplined in their speech can create a healthy resonance in your being.  \n4.Cleaning up big areas of your life frees up energy means you know the priorities for having a healthy\, sustainable\, generative life and you are implementing them as best as you can. Together we can support each other in this important work.  \n5.It’s easier with others  Join us for this afternoon retreat and discover the power of meditation and exploring the senses with others.  \n \n \nMeet your Teacher\nDean Nicholson\nDean has a Masters in Counselling Psychology and over 37 years clinical counselling experience in mental health care.   \nA meditation practitioner and resident at the Clear Sky Meditation Center\, Dean is a student of Qapel Doug Duncan  and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei. Dean actively lives the healing practices he teaches his clients \n \nCourse Details\n\nLocation: Clear Sky Meditation Center\nDate: May 16\, 2026\nTime: 11:00am – 3:00pm MT\nCost: $69 CAD (includes lunch)\n\n \n Register Now\n \n \n Dean 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.\n Gerard GregoireAkisqnuk First Nation Health\n You 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.\n Gareth WebbCounsellor\, Youth Substance Use\n As 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.\n Ann Morin MSW\, Invermere BC\n Dean 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.\n PK\n I 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’.\n Doug P. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/come-senses-day-practice-deep-mindfulness/ CATEGORIES:May 2024 Group Retreats ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Untitled-design-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260508T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260510T170000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20250126T231620Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260507T134622Z 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/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:May 2024 Group Retreats 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:20260507T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260507T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 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/Chicago:20260430T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260430T201500 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 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/Chicago:20260423T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260423T201500 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20260210T170647Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260418T182152Z UID:27862-1776970800-1776975300@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). \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. \nClass Series Teachers\n \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 13+ years 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 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 \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/2026-04-23/ 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:20260305T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260305T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20260210T174220Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T032352Z UID:27860-1772737200-1772740800@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/2026-03-05/ 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:20260214T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260307T120000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 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/Chicago:20260131T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260131T113000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 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;VALUE=DATE:20250717 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250808 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20250511T202234Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T104846Z UID:24568-1752710400-1754611199@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Kṣānti DESCRIPTION:  \n  \nMeditation Circle: Kṣānti – Building Resilience and Strength for Challenging Times\nwith Duncan Cryle\n  \nIn this series we continue our exploration of the six paramis (perfections) in Mahāyāna\, exploring Kșānti\, or patience.  \nThe path of meditation and spiritual growth is a long one\, with many twists and turns. We can easily get knocked out of our own center by difficult situations.  \nKșānti\, or patience\, is about developing a strong inner balance and resilience in ourselves so that we have the strength to persevere. It’s a vital resource to support us making the journey towards a heart of peace and compassion. \nNote this is a standalone series and you don’t need to have come to the earlier ones. \nDuncan is a senior practitioner in our lineage\, with 35+ years of personal practice and 15+ teaching meditation and mindfulness. He is the Co-Executive Director for Clear Sky. He has also created and led global mindfulness programs at major corporations.  \nJuly 17th – August 7th \nOnline or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7:30-8:30 pm MST \n— \nExcited? Before this series starts\, you’re invited to enjoy our online guided meditations.  \n \nAbout these Community Meditation Classes \nThese community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice both on and off the cushion. \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:30-8:30pm MST) at Clear Sky Center. \nThese classes run semi-regularly throughout the year\, interspersed with our other retreats and offerings. \nThis series\, runs from Thursday\, July 17th – August 7th and is lead by Duncan Cryle. \nDrop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Attend In-Person Attend Online \nQuestions?  \nContact Michelle via email or phone: \nmichelle@clearskycenter.org | (250) 429-3929 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle \n \n\n“I feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.” \nKaren McAllister \nMeditation Circle Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \n Attend In-Person Attend Online \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. \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 Attend In-Person Attend Online URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-k%e1%b9%a3anti/ CATEGORIES:Coaching,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;VALUE=DATE:20250508 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250530 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20250220T225705Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T103105Z UID:24008-1746662400-1748563199@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Sīla - Bringing Relief and Coolness for the Mind DESCRIPTION:  \n  \nMeditation Circle: Sīla – Bringing Relief and Coolness for the Mind\nwith Maureen Smith\nWhat could be more refreshing than Sīla – the feeling you get when you come across a tall shady Aspen tree on a scorching hot summer day? \nAlong the path of your meditation journey there are moments when we find ourselves as if walking across burning hot sand\, bare foot. As we apply ourselves to our practice- again and again\, we begin to discover moments of coolness and relief. We come to know that we can navigate towards the shade and like a salve\, it brings relief. Come\, get refreshed with us as we explore Sīla\, coolness for the mind! \nMaureen is a senior practitioner in our lineage\, which in light of our topic\, makes her very cool ; ) \nShe is the founder of Alive Mindfully\, certified with MBSR and will share the latest from her personal and professional explorations on the topic. \nMay 8th – May 29th \nOnline or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7:30-8:30 pm MST \n— \nExcited? Before this series starts\, you’re invited to enjoy our online guided meditations.  \n \nAbout these Community Meditation Classes\nThese community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice both on and off the cushion. \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:30-8:30pm MST) at Clear Sky Center. \nThese classes run semi-regularly throughout the year\, interspersed with our other retreats and offerings. \nThis series\, Sīla – Bringing Relief and Coolness for the Mind\, runs from Thursday\, May 8th – May 29th and is lead by Maureen Smith. \nDrop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Attend In-Person Attend Online \nQuestions?  \nContact Michelle via email or phone: \nmichelle@clearskycenter.org | (250) 429-3929 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle \n \n\n“I feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.” \nKaren McAllister \nMeditation Circle Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \n Attend In-Person Attend Online \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. \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 Attend In-Person Attend Online URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-sila-bringing-relief-and-coolness-for-the-mind/ CATEGORIES:Coaching,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;VALUE=DATE:20250313 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250404 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20240225T235112Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251206T092250Z UID:21655-1741824000-1743724799@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: The Dance of Generosity\, Reciprocity and Collaboration DESCRIPTION:  \n  \nThe Dance of Generosity\, Reciprocity and Collaboration\nwith Karen McAllister\nIn beginning your meditation journey\, your orientation is all-important. \nGenerosity was often the first practice given by the Buddha to beginner practitioners.  \nGenerosity is about opening our hearts to learn.  \nAs we restart our meditation circle series\, we decided to begin with generosity. What could be more fulfilling than living and engaging in life with generosity\, reciprocity and collaboration? \nJoin Karen McAllister and community in this four week Meditation Circle series on joyful interaction and engagement with yourself and others.  \nKaren works with groups and individuals on abundance\, generosity and healthy communication and collaboration. She will share the latest from her personal and professional explorations on the topic.  \nMarch 13th – April 3rd \nOnline or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7:30-8:30 pm MST \n— \nExcited? Before this series starts\, you’re invited to enjoy our online guided meditations.  \n \nAbout these Community Meditation Classes\nThese community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice both on and off the cushion. \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:30-8:30pm MST) at Clear Sky Center. \nThese classes run semi-regularly throughout the year\, interspersed with our other retreats and offerings. \nThis series\, the Dance of Generosity\, Reciprocity and Collaboration\, runs from Thursday\, March 13th – April 3rd and is lead by Karen McAllister. \nDrop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Attend In-Person Attend Online \nQuestions?  \nContact Michelle via email or phone: \nmichelle@clearskycenter.org | (250) 429-3929 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle \n \n\n“I feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.” \nKaren McAllister \nMeditation Circle Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \n Attend In-Person Attend Online \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. \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 Attend In-Person Attend Online URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-the-dance-of-generosity-reciprocity-and-collaboration/ CATEGORIES:Coaching,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:20250215T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250308T120000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20241023T160454Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250801T154706Z UID:22588-1739613600-1741435200@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Money & Spirituality: Integrating Spiritual and Material (Online) DESCRIPTION:A Four-Week Online Course with Karen McAllister \nFebruary 15 & 22\, March 1 & 8  \nSaturdays at 10am MT – 12 pm MT \nClick here to see your timezone   \nThis course is about healing the split between money and spirituality and integrating your vision and calling into your everyday work. Through this course\, you will come to a place of peace\, power\, and care in your heart in your relationship with money. \nIt is about integrating the spiritual with the material\, or the material with the spiritual\, depending on where your journey begins. \nWhat this means for you\nWorking with your relationship with money is more than just seeing your patterns and recurring behaviours around it. \nMoney is a nexus that is the doorway into greater integration. All of us have some sort of knot around money. By going into that knot\, we can attend to all of these bigger things like the shadow\, dreams\, vision\, values\, priorities\, and awakening. \nWe are inviting you to join us to release these complicated and layered knots around money and allow yourself to let go the dam of resistance\, shame\, guilt\, superiority\, privilege\, and fear. To have the courage to look at your projections onto money and be on your way to a place of integration between the material and the spiritual. \nWe want you to be lighter\, brighter and to give and attract the amount of money you need to manifest your purpose.  \n \n \n \n \nDo any of these knots sound like you?\n\n\nStruggling with Authenticity:\n You’re passionate about your work—be it as an artist\, teacher\, or healer—but find it hard to embrace money without feeling inauthentic. Is the notion of the “starving artist” really noble?\n\nElusive Money:\n You might feel that money is always just out of reach\, coming and going without establishing a real relationship with you. Do you find yourself waiting for a “Prince Charming” to rescue you financially\, or believing that your worthy cause should automatically attract support?\n\nGiving Too Much:\n Are you overextending yourself—whether in your organization\, relationships\, or community? You might feel unseen or burnt out\, with health and financial concerns needing attention.\n\nMixed Experiences of Wealth:\n If you come from a background of privilege but still struggle financially\, you may find yourself feeling conflicted about abundance. Your generosity might sometimes feel unrecognized or taken for granted.\n\nFeeling Isolated:\n If you’ve achieved financial success but still feel disconnected from the very people you wish to help\, you might feel like an outsider in both spiritual and transformational spaces.\n\nNavigating New Wealth:\n If you’ve recently come into money without the tools to manage it effectively\, you may feel overwhelmed. Fear of losing what you have could keep you from making heart-aligned decisions.\n\nSense of Not Enoughness:\nYou may feel overwhelmed with fear of losing money\, even though you have enough. Fear of losing what you have could keep you from making decisions that are more in alignment with your heart and awakening.\n\nGuilt and Trust Issues:\nYou might wrestle with feelings of guilt around money and find it difficult to trust yourself and others. The distance money creates can be challenging.\n\nTransactional Mind-states:\nMainstream motivation comes with expectations of a transaction—”I will give you this if you give me that”—rather than embracing a more generous\, open-hearted approach like Dāna practice.\n\nWe can undo these knots\, together!\n \n REGISTER\n \nWhat are some of the main patterns that spiritual types have around money? Dissociation and overgiving are two examples. \nKaren McAllister\, Certified Money Coach and Board Chair 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 \nWhat Previous Participants Have Said\n \n \n \n \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.”\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 \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.Metaphorically 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.We 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. We 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. What 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 I was suffering from chronic not-enough syndrome\, and it was drowning out my reality. When I saw Karen’s Money and Spirituality course\, my whole body was singing\, “yes!” And\, while the course’s primary focus appears to be money\, it has opened so many other doors to personal healing. I now recognize that my relationship with money is just a reflection of my relationship with other things\, everything being linked\, so clearing up one space has an impact on others. I feel less anxious about money; I feel curious excitement for more openness; and I feel I can shift my relationship with money\, power\, and sex even further. Karen’s teaching on gratitude has become a strong spiritual practice for me\, and in the way it has grounded me\, I feel more ready to commit to generosity. I so enjoy Karen’s deeply rooted personal spirituality—it shines in her teachings and I know she walks her talk. It helps me take her and the material seriously. I trust her as a teacher.Thank you Karen.\n Sally\n I was feeling scared about selling my house\, sad to be giving up the garden\, and frustrated that I couldn’t find other people who would like to explore co-housing. Thanks to Karen and the Money and Spirituality group course\, I am owning my choice\, and trusting that the timing is right and all will unfold as it is meant to. I feel more trust in the opening up of new possibilities.\n Debi\n I was skint\, and also in a passive\, fatalistically desperate state of mind about it—things had reached an absolute nadir\, and I’d thrown the towel in. Following the Money and Spirituality course\, there is a shift in attitude. I’m focused and proactive. I’m holding the space\, including sitting with the not-knowing\, without the previous despair and cynicism. And\, my next steps are setting up a conscious wellness business! I wanted to before\, but I feel affirmed in it now. There is a greater sense of clarity and hope. Thank you.\n Myriam\n I was working too much\, never had enough\, feeling defeated by money and my future prospects; a total scarcity mindset. This class with Karen shone a light into the darkness. Her Money and Spirituality course provides empowerment\, hope\, community\, and healing; things shifted almost immediately for me as a result of doing this work. I have a plan for repayment of debt\, I am valuing myself more\, and I have an understanding of my archetypes and how they impact my views and actions around money. Interestingly enough I have had an influx of requests for services and people are happily paying my raised rates. I think every person on the planet would benefit from taking this course.\n Jenn\n Money has always been a struggle. Now having taken the Money and Spirituality course\, I am able to question my decisions\, thoughts\, and spending patterns through a different lens. If anyone is struggling with their relationship with money and their values and spiritual beliefs\, then they should look at this course. I believe it is much like therapy. The individual has to want to take the course to deepen their understanding around their relationship with money in their spiritual life. There are many blind spots around money\, and taking the course has the power to illuminate them.\n Dana \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. \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. \nCourse Details\n\nLocation: Online (Zoom)\nDates: Feb 15 – March 8\, 2025 (Saturdays)\n4 x 2 hour sessions + 2 Individual 30 minute sessions\nTime: 10am – 12 pm 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 understand that your income might be effected due to COVID either negatively or positively. 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 your business is actually more profitable due to COVID. 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\, as another opportunity to practice a heart of openness and giving.\n \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 URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/money-spirituality-integrating-spiritual-and-material-online/2025-02-15/ CATEGORIES:Money & Spirituality,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/Chicago:20250125T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20250125T113000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20241023T164820Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251208T064831Z UID:23198-1737799200-1737804600@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:FREE WEBINAR: Integrating the Money Shadow in your Spiritual Life DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, January 25 @ 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\nRegister 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\nRegister 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. \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. \n\nWorking 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.\nSerena\nI 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.\nTrinh\nI 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.\nIris\nI 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.\nMarina\nI 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!\nSue\n\nRegister Now URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/free-webinar-integrating-the-money-shadow-in-your-spiritual-life-2025/ 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:20241023T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20241113T190000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20230905T162924Z LAST-MODIFIED:20240908T221514Z UID:22123-1729704600-1731524400@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Money & Spirituality: Integrating Spiritual and Material (Online) DESCRIPTION:A Four-Week Online Course with Karen McAllister and in partnership with Awaken in Toronto \nOct 9th\, 16th\, 23rd and 30th October  \nWednesdays at 5.30 pm MT – 7 pm MT\n \nClick here to see your timezone –  \nThis course is about healing the split between money and spirituality and integrating your vision and calling into your everyday work. Through this course\, you will come to a place of peace\, power\, and care in your heart in your relationship with money. \nIt is about integrating the spiritual with the material\, or the material with the spiritual\, depending on where your journey begins. \nWhat this means for you\nWorking with your relationship with money is more than just seeing your patterns and recurring behaviours around it. \nMoney is a nexus that is the doorway into greater integration. All of us have some sort of knot around money. By going into that knot\, we can attend to all of these bigger things like the shadow\, dreams\, vision\, values\, priorities\, and awakening. \nWe are inviting you to join us to release these complicated and layered knots around money and allow yourself to let go the dam of resistance\, shame\, guilt\, superiority\, privilege\, and fear. To have the courage to look at your projections onto money and be on your way to a place of integration between the material and the spiritual. \nWe want you to be lighter\, brighter and to give and attract the amount of money you need to manifest your purpose. \n\n\nREGISTER NOW\n\n\n\n \nDo any of these 8 knots sound like you?\n\nYou might be very passionate about your work as an artist\, teacher\, healer\, in business\, or as a transformational change agent. Yet you seem to repel the very resources that you need. Somehow embracing the money thing is felt as inauthentic to your values or being evil on some level. Is it truly noble to be a starving artist or a martyr?\n Perhaps you feel money is elusive and you never seem to have it\, or when it comes in it leaves very quickly. You may feel that you and money just don’t seem to have any relationship at all. Or you don’t feel you are good with it. You might be looking for that Prince Charming\, or a protector to turn up and make it all better for you. Or maybe\, you feel that money should just come because you are devoting your life to a worthy cause or to your awakening. Shouldn’t I just trust in the universe that the money comes? Yet\, it doesn’t.\n Perhaps you over give\, undervalue yourself in your organization\, non-profit or in partnerships\, either in marriage or in business. You might expect others to read your mind and know how to support you\, and they don’t. You might have the experience of feeling unseen\, burnt out\, with health and money issues calling for your attention.\n Or your family may have money but you don’t\, giving you mixed experiences of privilege and scarcity; you may try to help others experience more abundance and feel that your efforts are rejected;  or your efforts to be generous may leave you feeling taken advantage of or dismissed.\n You might be a person with wealth and/or worldly success. In spite of this\, you might feel ostracized by the very people you want to help. You might not feel so cared for or maybe even feel like an outsider by those in the spiritual or transformational world or with a mission-based business. What is this about?\n You may have mixed feelings about having money\, as a spiritual explorer. Perhaps you have come into money without being introduced to the skills to handle it skillfully\, both practically and psychologically.\n Or perhaps you feel overwhelmed with fear of losing money\, even though you have enough of it. Your fear of loss might keep you paralyzed and stuck from making decisions that are more in alignment with your heart and your own awakening.\nYou might feel guilty about having money and find that trusting yourselves and others is an ongoing challenge. You might not like the distance that money causes between you and others.\n\nThese knots can be undone.\nWhat are some of the main patterns that spiritual types have around money? Dissociation and overgiving are two examples. \nKaren McAllister\, Certified Money Coach and Board Chair 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. \n \nWhat Previous Participants Have Said\n\n \n\n \nI 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.”\nFred\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.\nMike\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.\nJennifer\nI 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.\nMaike\nI 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.\nKerry\nI 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.\nMaya\nI 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.\nAva \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. Metaphorically 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. We 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. We 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. What 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\nI was suffering from chronic not-enough syndrome\, and it was drowning out my reality. When I saw Karen’s Money and Spirituality course\, my whole body was singing\, “yes!” And\, while the course’s primary focus appears to be money\, it has opened so many other doors to personal healing. I now recognize that my relationship with money is just a reflection of my relationship with other things\, everything being linked\, so clearing up one space has an impact on others. I feel less anxious about money; I feel curious excitement for more openness; and I feel I can shift my relationship with money\, power\, and sex even further. Karen’s teaching on gratitude has become a strong spiritual practice for me\, and in the way it has grounded me\, I feel more ready to commit to generosity. I so enjoy Karen’s deeply rooted personal spirituality—it shines in her teachings and I know she walks her talk. It helps me take her and the material seriously. I trust her as a teacher.Thank you Karen.\nSally\nI was feeling scared about selling my house\, sad to be giving up the garden\, and frustrated that I couldn’t find other people who would like to explore co-housing. Thanks to Karen and the Money and Spirituality group course\, I am owning my choice\, and trusting that the timing is right and all will unfold as it is meant to. I feel more trust in the opening up of new possibilities.\nDebi\nI was skint\, and also in a passive\, fatalistically desperate state of mind about it—things had reached an absolute nadir\, and I’d thrown the towel in. Following the Money and Spirituality course\, there is a shift in attitude. I’m focused and proactive. I’m holding the space\, including sitting with the not-knowing\, without the previous despair and cynicism. And\, my next steps are setting up a conscious wellness business! I wanted to before\, but I feel affirmed in it now. There is a greater sense of clarity and hope. Thank you.\nMyriam\nI was working too much\, never had enough\, feeling defeated by money and my future prospects; a total scarcity mindset. This class with Karen shone a light into the darkness. Her Money and Spirituality course provides empowerment\, hope\, community\, and healing; things shifted almost immediately for me as a result of doing this work. I have a plan for repayment of debt\, I am valuing myself more\, and I have an understanding of my archetypes and how they impact my views and actions around money. Interestingly enough I have had an influx of requests for services and people are happily paying my raised rates. I think every person on the planet would benefit from taking this course.\nJenn\nMoney has always been a struggle. Now having taken the Money and Spirituality course\, I am able to question my decisions\, thoughts\, and spending patterns through a different lens. If anyone is struggling with their relationship with money and their values and spiritual beliefs\, then they should look at this course. I believe it is much like therapy. The individual has to want to take the course to deepen their understanding around their relationship with money in their spiritual life. There are many blind spots around money\, and taking the course has the power to illuminate them.\nDana \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. \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. \nCourse Details\n\nLocation: Online (Zoom)\nDates: Oct 2 – Oct 23\, 2024\n4 x 90 minute sessions + 2 Individual 30 minute sessions\nTime: 5.30 pm – 7 pm 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 understand that your income might be effected due to COVID either negatively or positively. 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 your business is actually more profitable due to COVID. 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\, as another opportunity to practice a heart of openness and giving.\n\nWorking 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.\nSerena\nI 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.\nTrinh\nI 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.\nIris\nI 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.\nMarina\nI 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!\nSue\n\nREGISTER NOW URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/money-spirituality-online-2024/2024-10-23/ 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/Chicago:20240925T173000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20240925T190000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20231127T202240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260218T090631Z UID:20576-1727285400-1727290800@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:FREE WEBINAR: Integrating the Money Shadow in your Spiritual Life DESCRIPTION:Saturday\, January 31 @ 10:00 – 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\n \nReady to Go Deeper? \nThis free webinar is the perfect introduction to Karen’s full 4-Week Money & Spirituality Course starting February 14\, 2026. In the course\, you’ll work through your money patterns using Clear Sky’s Five Principles\, explore your money archetypes\, build new habits\, and transform your relationship with money over four intensive sessions plus individual coaching. \nLearn More About the 4-Week Course → \nFAQs\n What does Shadow mean in spirituality? \nIn spirituality\, the shadow refers to unconscious beliefs\, emotions\, and patterns we avoid or deny. These hidden aspects influence our thoughts\, behaviors\, and life experiences until they are consciously acknowledged and integrated. \n Who is this webinar designed for? \nThis webinar is for spiritually oriented individuals who struggle with money\, feel conflicted about earning or receiving\, or sense a disconnect between their spiritual values and financial life. \n What will I learn from the webinar? \nYou will learn how unconscious money beliefs shape your financial reality\, how spirituality can unintentionally block abundance\, and practical ways to integrate money into your spiritual life with clarity and ease. \n Will this webinar help with fear or anxiety around money? \nYes. The webinar addresses the emotional roots of money fear and anxiety\, helping you recognize and soften these patterns so you can relate to money with greater calm\, confidence\, and awareness. \n Is any prior experience in spirituality or money coaching needed? \nNo prior experience is required. The webinar is accessible to beginners while offering meaningful insights for those already engaged in spiritual or personal development work. \n How can healing my money shadow improve my life? \nHealing your money shadow can reduce stress\, dissolve inner conflict\, improve financial stability\, and create a sense of wholeness where your spiritual values and material life support each other. \n Can this help me make better decisions about earning and spending? \nYes. By becoming aware of unconscious money patterns\, you can make clearer\, more aligned decisions around earning\, spending\, saving\, and receiving support. \n How is money shadow work different from financial planning? \nMoney shadow work focuses on inner beliefs\, emotions\, and patterns around money\, while financial planning focuses on external strategies and numbers. Shadow work creates the internal foundation that allows financial plans to succeed. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/money-and-spirituality-free-webinar/ 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;VALUE=DATE:20240801 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240823 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20240225T224710Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T104233Z UID:21602-1722470400-1724371199@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Summer of the Spotless Mind DESCRIPTION:Online or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7-8pm MST \nDrop-Ins Welcome \nSummer of the Spotless Mind\nwith Maureen Smith\nThe best summer vacation experience ever is actually the spotless mind. Join Maureen Smith and community in this four week meditation circle series on stepping into the brightness of your life.  \nThrough breathing meditation and therapeutic tools we will learn how to self regulate through life’s difficult experiences. Maureen will share from her exciting explorations from EMDR\, psychology and Buddhist approaches to healing\, insight and wisdom.  \n  \n— \nExcited? Before this series starts\, you’re invited to enjoy our online guided meditations.  \n \nAbout these Community Meditation Classes\nHow do you grow your inner well-being?  These community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice. \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:00-8:00pm MST) at Clear Sky Center. \nThese classes run semi-regularly throughout the year\, interspersed with our other retreats and offerings. \nThis series\, Summer of the Spotless Mind\, runs from Thursday\, August 1-22\, 2024 and is lead by Maureen Smith. \nDrop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Attend In-Person Attend Online \nQuestions?  \nContact Cara via email or phone: \ncara@clearskycenter.org | 250-421-8280 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle \n \n\nI feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.’ \nKaren McAllister \nMeditation Circle Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \nCara Conroy-Lau\nCara brings a joyful East meets West approach to meditation and holistic health. \nAs a New Zealand-born citizen of the world\, she grew up in New Zealand\, Singapore\, Japan and China. Cara has trained in mind-body integrative health for over 18 years. She is the founding acupuncturist and owner of Cranbrook Acupuncture Clinic. \nCara has been training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy since her early 20’s\, and has a particular interest in healing internalised prejudices and biases.  She is a long time resident at Clear Sky Centre\, and was the Centre’s first farm and food forest manager from 2009-2012.  \n Attend Online Attend In-Person \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. \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 Attend Online Attend In-Person URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-summer-spotless-mind-aug-2024/ CATEGORIES:Coaching,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;VALUE=DATE:20240613 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240705 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20240122T181943Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T102356Z UID:21205-1718236800-1720137599@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Living the Body Electric DESCRIPTION:Online or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7-8pm MST \nDrop-Ins Welcome \nLiving the Body Electric\nwith Cara Conroy-Lau\n“I sing the body electric\, The armies of those I love engirth me and I engirth them\, They will not let me off till I go with them\, respond to them\, And discorrupt them\, and charge them full with the charge of the soul.” — Walt Whitman   \nLive the body electric with Cara Conroy-Lau and community in this four week meditation circle series. Through breathing meditation and other somatic body awareness practices\, we will deepen our connections to the unified field of the bodymind – observing the layers of what makes us human\, and within it\, pure life-force and potentiality.  \nGrounding and somatic awareness practices from our meditation tradition and The Wakeful Body by Willa B Milla will be introduced.  \n— \nExcited? Before this series starts\, you’re invited to enjoy our online guided meditations.  \n \nAbout these Community Meditation Classes\nHow do you grow your inner well-being?  These community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice.   \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:00-8:00pm MST) at Clear Sky Center.   \nThese classes run semi-regularly throughout the year\, interspersed with our other retreats and offerings. \nThis series\, Living the Body Electric\, runs from Thursday\, June 13th to July 4th\, 2024 and is with Cara Conroy-Lau. \nDrop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Attend Online Attend In-Person \nQuestions?  \nContact Cara via email or phone: \ncara@clearskycenter.org | 250-421-8280 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle \n \n\nI feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.’ \nKaren McAllister \nMeditation Circle Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \nCara Conroy-Lau\nCara brings a joyful East meets West approach to meditation and holistic health. \nAs a New Zealand-born citizen of the world\, she grew up in New Zealand\, Singapore\, Japan and China. Cara has trained in mind-body integrative health for over 18 years. She is the founding acupuncturist and owner of Cranbrook Acupuncture Clinic. \nCara has been training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy since her early 20’s\, and has a particular interest in healing internalised prejudices and biases.  She is a long time resident at Clear Sky Centre\, and was the Centre’s first farm and food forest manager from 2009-2012.  \n Attend Online Attend In-Person \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. \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 Attend Online Attend In-Person URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-body-electric-june-2024/ CATEGORIES:Coaching,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:20240511T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20240512T170000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20240107T141734Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251205T090046Z UID:20951-1715418000-1715533200@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Come to Your Senses: A Spring Renewal Retreat DESCRIPTION:With Maureen Smith & Dean Nicholson \nLife is busy.  It is easy to get caught up in the everyday demands and worries of work\, family\, finances and social media.  Do you find it hard to slow down\, pause\, connect with yourself and rest in the moment?  Do you long for a chance to feel refreshed and rejuvenated?If this sounds like you\, then take a much needed break\, and join us for this two day in-person retreat of self-discovery and renewal.  Tune into your senses and experience the wonder and beauty of everyday moments.  Learn and practice simple mindfulness techniques that will increase your ability to stay grounded\, calm and enlivened at work and at home.\n\nREGISTER NOW\n \nCourse Details\nA 2-day residential retreat at Clear Sky Meditation Center (click here for details)\nWhat you can expect\nThis two-day retreat is an opportunity to unplug from your devices and rejuvenate in nature while being guided in sense-based meditations. Through the profound exploration of the senses we learn to be more conscious\, slow down and taste the beauty of what life is meant to be for each of us. Perhaps you are looking for an opportunity to learn and grow at Clear Sky Retreat Center\, or you want to connect with your inner wisdom or gain sustainable skills for living well – if any of these scenarios apply to you\, come and join us!As local meditation teachers and counsellors we embrace the complexity of modern life and see the benefit of combining our passions. You may know us as counsellors through our private practice business Alive Mindfully. You may have meditated with us at Meditation Circle or Start Your Morning with Calm. We are offering Come to Your Senses\, a two day residential retreat\, as meditation teachers with Clear Sky Retreat Center. However you know us\, or if we haven’t met before\, we welcome you to join us in exploring nature\, the senses and Clear Sky.In this retreat we will be giving you a taste of Clear Sky’s 5 principles which are designed specifically to support you to live in health and integrity.This weekend we invite focused attention\, sincerity and aspiration thereby honoring the space we inhabit and our time together. The carefully crafted structure and routine of this weekend will create a health-focused retreat\, in a space beyond words in which we can relax.Starting when you first arrive we will gently and skillfully guide you into a weekend retreat community focused on health\, inner peace and respect. Using thoughtful communication we will shape the space where we meet. You may be amazed at how being in a room with other people who are disciplined in their speech can create a healthy resonance in your being.Being present in the moment with our senses means we are focused\, calm\, and concentrated. This frees up energy and affords us the opportunity to clean up big areas of our life\, which in turn frees up more energy.Together we will support each other in this powerful opportunity to unwind and reconnect with our essential human birthright of joy and compassion.Join us for this two day residential retreat and discover the power of meditation in nature with others.\n \nMeet Your Teachers\n \nMaureen Smith\nA Registered Clinical Social Worker and Certified Imago Relationship Therapist\, Maureen has been a Mental Health and Substance Use Counsellor since 2011. Initially drawn to social work in order to support folks in Hospice and Palliative Care\, she is also a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) facilitator and meditation teacher. \nSince 2005\, Maureen has been a resident and co-manager of the Clear Sky Retreat Center.  The year 2000 was when Maureen began studying meditation and mindfulness with awakening masters Qapel (Doug Duncan) and Sensei (Catherine Pawasarat).   Maureen believes life is a delicately woven tapestry.  Her life’s purpose is exploring consciousness and gaining wisdom into human nature in order to support people to grow into fully developed human beings. \nDuring her time-out relaxation moments\, Maureen enjoys gazing at the sky through leaves on tree branches\, hiking\, creating art and reading. \nDean Nicholson\nDean is a psychotherapist\, educator and meditation practitioner.  He has a Masters Degree in Counselling Psychology and over 34 years of clinical counselling experience in the mental health and substance use field.  He provides individual counselling in-person and virtually through www.alivemindfully.ca.  Dean has facilitated hundreds of therapy groups and leads meditation classes and retreats. \nDean is a resident at the Clear Sky Meditation Center\, and studies meditation and mindfulness with awakening masters Qapel (Doug Duncan) and Sensei (Catherine Pawasarat).  Dean actively lives the healing practices he teaches his clients. \nFor fun Dean enjoys music\, film and literature\, and exploring the natural wonders of the East Kootenay area. \n \nCourse Details\n\nLocation: Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\nDate: May 11-12\, 2024\nTime: 9:00am -5:000pm MT\nCost: Private Cabin – $365              Shared Room – $314\n\n\nREGISTER NOW\n\n\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/come-to-your-senses-a-spring-renewal-retreat-3/ CATEGORIES:May 2024 Group Retreats ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Untitled-design-1.png ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20240208 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20240301 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20231205T030926Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T091316Z UID:20623-1707350400-1709251199@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Body\, Speech & Mind - Liberating Stuck Patterns DESCRIPTION:Online or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7-8pm MST \nDrop-Ins Welcome \nCommunity Meditation Classes\nHow do you grow your inner well-being?  These community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice.   \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:00-8:00pm MST) at Clear Sky Center.   \nThese classes run semi-regularly throughout the year\, interspersed with our other retreats and offerings. \nThis Series Topic: Body\, Speech & Mind Liberating Stuck Patterns \nThe next series runs from Thursday\, February 8th to 29th\, 2024 and is with Duncan Cryle – see below for details. \nDrop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Attend In-Person Attend Online \nQuestions?  \nContact Cara via email or phone: \ncara@clearskycenter.org | 250-421-8280 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle \nNext Series: Body\, Speech & Mind: Liberating Stuck Patterns\nwith Duncan Cryle\nFrom the time we are born and all through our formative years\, traumas and conditioned patterns and blocks get laid down in our bodies. They get deeply ingrained in habitual tensions and postures. Likewise deep emotional and communication patterns are laid in from a young age\, as well as imbibing many unconscious mental views. Meditation is a powerful tool for bringing these shapings in body\, speech and mind to consciousness\, and letting them shift and ease. Along with our regular core breathing practice together we’ll explore other meditative exercises to open up\, and have space to share with each other our explorations. \nExcited? In the meantime\, you’re invited to enjoy our online guided meditations.  \n \n\nI feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.’ \nKaren McAllister \nMeditation Circle Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \nCara Conroy-Lau\nCara brings a joyful East meets West approach to meditation and holistic health. \nAs a New Zealand-born citizen of the world\, she grew up in New Zealand\, Singapore\, Japan and China. Cara has trained in mind-body integrative health for over 18 years. She is the founding acupuncturist and owner of Cranbrook Acupuncture Clinic. \nCara has been training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy since her early 20’s\, and has a particular interest in healing internalised prejudices and biases.  She is a long time resident at Clear Sky Centre\, and was the Centre’s first farm and food forest manager from 2009-2012.  \n Attend Online Attend In-Person \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. \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 Attend Online Attend In-Person URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-feb-2024/ CATEGORIES:Coaching,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:20231116T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20231207T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20230918T165250Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251208T070157Z UID:20294-1700161200-1701979200@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Community Classes for Inner Well-Being (Online or In-Person) DESCRIPTION:Online or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7-8pm MST \nDrop-Ins Welcome \nWeekly Meditation Classes: Simplify and Renew\nHow do you grow your inner well-being?  These community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice.   \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:00-8:00pm MST) at Clear Sky Center.   \nThese classes run throughout the year except for when we are closed for group retreats. This current series theme is “Simplify and Renew”\, with Maureen Smith\, and runs for four weeks: Thursday\, November 16th to December 7th.  Drop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Registration – Attend In-Person Registration – Attend Online \nQuestions?  \nContact Cara via email or phone: \ncara@clearskycenter.org | (250) 421-8280 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle \nSeries Overview: Simplify and Renew\nwith Maureen Smith\nIncrease joy\, calm and energy in your life. Reduce upset and stress by using more effectively what you have available to you right at your fingertips. \nUsing the senses\, we will explore how they are always available to support\, stabilize and uplift. \n \n\nI feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.’ \nKaren McAllister \nMeditation Circle Teachers\n\nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \nCara Conroy-Lau\nCara brings a joyful East meets West approach to meditation and holistic health. \nAs a New Zealand-born citizen of the world\, she grew up in New Zealand\, Singapore\, Japan and China. Cara has trained in mind-body integrative health for over 18 years. She is the founding acupuncturist at Cranbrook Acupuncture Clinic. \nCara has been training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy since her early 20’s\, and has a particular interest in Asian philosophy.  She is a long time resident at Clear Sky Centre\, and was the Centre’s first farm and food forest manager from 2009-2012.  \n Registration – Attend Online Registration – Attend In-Person \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. \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 Registration – Attend Online Registration – Attend In-Person URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-november-2023/ CATEGORIES:Coaching,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:20230907T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20230928T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20230810T174907Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T102220Z UID:20058-1694113200-1695931200@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Community Classes for Inner Well-Being (Online or In-Person) DESCRIPTION:Online or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7-8pm MST \nDrop-Ins Welcome \nWeekly Meditation Classes\nHow do you grow your inner well-being?  These community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice.   \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:00-8:00pm MST) at Clear Sky Center.   \nThese classes run throughout the year except for when we are closed for group retreats. This current series will be on ‘The Art of Conscious Living’\, and runs for four weeks: Thursday\, September 7th to 28th.  Drop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Registration – In Person Class Registration – Online Class \nQuestions?  \nContact Richard via email or phone: \nrichard@planetdharma.com | 250-429-3929 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle\n\nSeries Overview: Inner and Outer Awareness\nwith Karen McAllister\nHaving a daily meditation practice expands our awareness and ability to hold the good\, the bad\, and the ugly with expansiveness and compassion. \nMeditation explores self-awareness (what’s going on with me?) and self management (how do I manage what’s going on with me?) \nThen\, there’s the interpersonal (the inner and outer world at play)\, social awareness (what’s going on around me?) and relationship management (how do I manage what’s going on with us?) \nIn this series\, we will dig deeper into how our meditation practice can inform our compassionate action out in the world and vice versa. \n \n\n“I feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.'” \nKaren McAllister\n\nMeditation Circle Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \nCara Conroy-Lau\nCara brings a joyful East meets West approach to meditation and holistic health. \nAs a New Zealand-born citizen of the world\, she grew up in New Zealand\, Singapore\, Japan and China. Cara has trained in mind-body integrative health for over 18 years. She is the founding acupuncturist at Cranbrook Acupuncture Clinic. \nCara has been training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy since her early 20’s\, and has a particular interest in Asian philosophy.  She is a long time resident at Clear Sky Centre\, and was the Centre’s first farm and food forest manager from 2009-2012.  \n Registration – Online Class Registration – In Person Class \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. \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 Registration Coming Soon – Online Class Registration Coming Soon – In Person Class URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-september-2023/ CATEGORIES:Coaching,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:20230713T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20230803T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20230702T213153Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T100607Z UID:19801-1689274800-1691092800@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Community Classes for Inner Well-Being (Online or In-Person) DESCRIPTION:Online or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7-8pm MST \nWeekly Meditation Classes\nHow do you grow your inner well-being?  These community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice.   \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:00-8:00pm MST) at Clear Sky Center.   \nThese classes run throughout the year except for when we are closed for group retreats. This current series will be on ‘The Art of Conscious Living’\, and runs for four weeks: Thursday\, July 13th to August 3rd.  Drop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Registration – In Person Class Registration – Online Class \nQuestions?  \nContact Richard via email or phone: \nrichard@planetdharma.com | 250-429-3929 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle\n\nSeries Overview: The Art of Conscious Living\nwith Duncan Cryle\nOnce you can reach some kind of calm and clarity in your daily meditation\, what does it look like to apply it? What kind of a person do you show up as? For this meditation circle series\, we will explore character traits you can bring to your life\, work and relationships that are based on a clear loving meditative state.  Drawing from contemporary studies\, we’ll look at seven core ways of showing up from embracing personal responsibility\, to authentically communicating and relating with integrity.  These seven ways can be seen as how the meditative mind of openness and peace moves in the world.  Learning and cultivating these offer a way to bridge between your inner life and your life in the world.  \nAlong with this study\, we’ll continuing building the foundation of breathing meditation practice together.  And we’ll continuing coming together as a virtual community to share and learn together. \n“Living consciously is a state of being mentally active rather than passive. It is the ability to look at the world through fresh eyes … Living consciously is seeking to be aware of everything that bears on our interests\, actions\, values\, purposes and goals. It is the willingness to confront facts\, pleasant and unpleasant. It is the desire to discover our mistakes and correct them … it is the quest to keep expanding our awareness and understanding both of the world external to self and of the world within” \n–Nathaniel Branden \n \n\n“I feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.'” \nKaren McAllister\n\nMeditation Circle Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \nCara Conroy-Lau\nCara brings a joyful East meets West approach to meditation and holistic health. \nAs a New Zealand-born citizen of the world\, she grew up in New Zealand\, Singapore\, Japan and China. Cara has trained in mind-body integrative health for over 18 years. She is the founding acupuncturist at Cranbrook Acupuncture Clinic. \nCara has been training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy since her early 20’s\, and has a particular interest in Asian philosophy.  She is a long time resident at Clear Sky Centre\, and was the Centre’s first farm and food forest manager from 2009-2012.  \n Registration – Online Class Registration – In Person Class \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. \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 – Online Class Register Now – In Person Class URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-july-2023/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Coaching,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:20230608T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20230706T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20230224T033312Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T091526Z UID:19203-1686250800-1688673600@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Community Classes for Inner Well-Being (Online or In-Person) DESCRIPTION:Online or In-Person at Clear SkyThursdays 7-8pm MST \nWeekly Meditation Classes\nHow do you grow your inner well-being?  These community classes at Clear Sky Center help you develop a stronger meditation practice.   \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:00-8:00pm MST) at Clear Sky Center.   \nThese classes run throughout the year except for when we are closed for group retreats. This current series will be on ‘Awakening through the Body’\, and runs for five weeks: Thursday\, June 8th to July 6th.  Drop ins are welcome\, and we also encourage you to attend all classes if possible. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n Registration – In Person Class Registration – Online Class \nQuestions?  \nContact Cara via email or phone: \ncara@clearskycenter.org | 250-421-8280 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle\n\nSeries Overview: Positively Awakening\nwith Karen McAllister \nHow would you like to avoid and solve problems? Or let go of disturbing emotions and mental states. Perhaps empower yourself to be of the best help to others. \nThis 5-week series as part of Clear Sky’s Meditation Circle classes is for anyone looking to train to develop positive attitudes and to reach the far shore of the ocean of our problems. \nThis is an introduction to the 6 important mental states that we need to develop if we want to reach any of our positive goals in life.  \nThese six far-reaching attitudes are states of mind that lead the way to liberation and enlightenment. As antidotes to some of our biggest mental obstacles – anger\, greed\, jealousy\, laziness and so on – the six attitudes work together\, enabling us to deal with everything that life throws at us. By developing these attitudes\, we can slowly but certainly realize our full potential\, bringing the highest benefit to ourselves and others. \nIn this series\, in each session\, we’ll meditate together\, and explore: \n\n\nGenerosity \n\n\nEthical Self-Discipline \n\n\nPatience \n\n\nPerseverance \n\n\nMental Stability (Concentration) \n\n\nDiscriminating Awareness (Wisdom) \n\n\n \n\n“I feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.'” \nKaren McAllister\n\nMeditation Circle Teachers\n \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \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 \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \nCara Conroy-Lau\nCara brings a joyful East meets West approach to meditation and holistic health. \nAs a New Zealand-born citizen of the world\, she grew up in New Zealand\, Singapore\, Japan and China. Cara has trained in mind-body integrative health for over 18 years. She is the founding acupuncturist at Cranbrook Acupuncture Clinic. \nCara has been training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy since her early 20’s\, and has a particular interest in Asian philosophy.  She is a long time resident at Clear Sky Centre\, and was the Centre’s first farm and food forest manager from 2009-2012.  \n Registration – Online Class Registration – In Person Class \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. \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 – Online Class Register Now – In Person Class URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-community-classes-for-inner-well-being-online-or-in-person-3/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Coaching,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:20230126T190000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20230223T200000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20221217T044741Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T103440Z UID:18359-1674759600-1677182400@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Community Classes for Inner Well-Being (Online or In-Person) DESCRIPTION:Foundations of Meditation Classes (Online or In-Person at Clear Sky)Thursdays 7-8pm MST \nHow do you grow your inner well-being?  These community classes at Clear Sky center help you develop a stronger meditation practice.   \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:00-8:00pm MST) at Clear Sky Center.  You can attend in-person\, or join us online.   \nThese classes will run each season of the year. This current series of classes will run from Thursday\, January 26th to February 24th.  We encourage you to attend all classes. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n  \n Registration – In Person Registration – Online \nQuestions?  \nContact Cara via email or phone: \ncara@clearskycenter.org | 250-421-8280 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle\n\nSeries Overview – with Duncan Cryle\nDoes your mind feel scattered and distracted?  Do you feel like you are going through life on auto-pilot?  Or do you feel constantly tired and low on energy?  This 5 week series as part of Clear Sky’s Meditation Circle classes is for anyone looking to establish or deepen a meditation practice. \nMeditation helps us build our concentration\, our mindfulness and our energy.  With our hearts and mind fully present\, able to give our deep attention\, we become able to grow quickly in wisdom and compassion.   \nIn this series\, in each session we’ll meditate together\, and explore: \n\nWhat is insight breathing meditation (vipassana) and how can we use question and investigation in meditation to invite insights\nHow to practice – deepen your practice\nBuild your meditation toolkit – classical teachings on how to work with obstacles and distractions\, and to build mindfulness and calm\nWays to establish and deepen a daily meditation practice at home\nMeditation tips and practices you can integrate into daily life and work\n\n \n\n“I feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.'” \nKaren McAllister\n\nMeet the Teachers\n \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \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 \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \nCara Conroy-Lau\nCara brings a joyful East meets West approach to meditation and holistic health. \nAs a New Zealand-born citizen of the world\, she grew up in New Zealand\, Singapore\, Japan and China. Cara has trained in mind-body integrative health for over 15 years. She is the founding acupuncturist at Cranbrook Acupuncture Clinic. \nCara has been training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy since her early 20’s\, and has a paritcular interest in Asian philosophy.  She is a long time resident at Clear Sky Centre\, and was the Centre’s first farm and food forest manager from 2009-2012.  \n Registration – Online Registration – In Person \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. \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 – Online Register Now – In Person URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-community-classes-for-inner-well-being-online-or-in-person-2/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Coaching,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:20230121T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20230211T120000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20220818T171853Z LAST-MODIFIED:20230119T000433Z UID:17171-1674295200-1676116800@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Money & Spirituality: Integrating Spiritual and Material (Online) DESCRIPTION:A Four-Week Online Course with Karen McAllister \nSaturdays at 10am MT \nClick here to see your timezone \nThis course is about healing the split between money and spirituality and integrating your vision and calling into your everyday work. Through this course\, you will come to a place of peace\, power\, and care in your heart in your relationship with money. \nIt is about integrating the spiritual with the material\, or the material with the spiritual\, depending on where your journey begins. \nWhat this means for you\nWorking with your relationship with money is more than just seeing your patterns and recurring behaviours around it. \nMoney is a nexus that is the doorway into greater integration. All of us have some sort of knot around money. By going into that knot\, we can attend to all of these bigger things like the shadow\, dreams\, vision\, values\, priorities\, and awakening. \nWe are inviting you to join us to release these complicated and layered knots around money and allow yourself to let go the dam of resistance\, shame\, guilt\, superiority\, privilege\, and fear. To have the courage to look at your projections onto money and be on your way to a place of integration between the material and the spiritual. \nWe want you to be lighter\, brighter and to give and attract the amount of money you need to manifest your purpose.  \n \n \n REGISTER NOW\n \n \n \nDo any of these 8 knots sound like you?\n\nYou might be very passionate about your work as an artist\, teacher\, healer\, in business\, or as a transformational change agent. Yet you seem to repel the very resources that you need. Somehow embracing the money thing is felt as inauthentic to your values or being evil on some level. Is it truly noble to be a starving artist or a martyr?\n Perhaps you feel money is elusive and you never seem to have it\, or when it comes in it leaves very quickly. You may feel that you and money just don’t seem to have any relationship at all. Or you don’t feel you are good with it. You might be looking for that Prince Charming\, or a protector to turn up and make it all better for you. Or maybe\, you feel that money should just come because you are devoting your life to a worthy cause or to your awakening. Shouldn’t I just trust in the universe that the money comes? Yet\, it doesn’t.\n Perhaps you over give\, undervalue yourself in your organization\, non-profit or in partnerships\, either in marriage or in business. You might expect others to read your mind and know how to support you\, and they don’t. You might have the experience of feeling unseen\, burnt out\, with health and money issues calling for your attention.\n Or your family may have money but you don’t\, giving you mixed experiences of privilege and scarcity; you may try to help others experience more abundance and feel that your efforts are rejected;  or your efforts to be generous may leave you feeling taken advantage of or dismissed.\n You might be a person with wealth and/or worldly success. In spite of this\, you might feel ostracized by the very people you want to help. You might not feel so cared for or maybe even feel like an outsider by those in the spiritual or transformational world or with a mission-based business. What is this about?\n You may have mixed feelings about having money\, as a spiritual explorer. Perhaps you have come into money without being introduced to the skills to handle it skillfully\, both practically and psychologically.\n Or perhaps you feel overwhelmed with fear of losing money\, even though you have enough of it. Your fear of loss might keep you paralyzed and stuck from making decisions that are more in alignment with your heart and your own awakening. \nYou might feel guilty about having money and find that trusting yourselves and others is an ongoing challenge. You might not like the distance that money causes between you and others. \n\nWhat are some of the main patterns that spiritual types have around money? Dissociation and overgiving are two examples. \nKaren McAllister\, Certified Money Coach and Board Chair 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 \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. Metaphorically 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. We 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. We 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. What 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 \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. \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. \nCourse Details\n\nLocation: Online (Zoom)\nDates: January 21st – Febrauary 11th\, 2023\n4 x 2 hour session + 3 Individual 30 minute sessions\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 understand that your income might be effected due to COVID either negatively or positively. 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 your business is actually more profitable due to COVID. Many people feel guilty because they are doing well. We encourage you to think about paying it forward.There is also an opportunity to give to the scholarship fund.\n \n \n REGISTER NOW\n \n Karen is such a talented guide. She has the ability to see what you are not seeing and to sense that\, what is not spoken. I felt very safe with her\, to go deep into unexplored areas of my life. She is picking you up\, where you are and takes you on an adventurous journey that is life changing.\nThank you Karen.\n AndreaGermany\n I signed up for a series of Money Coaching sessions with Karen last year along with a team of people I work closely with. I truly believe this was the best thing we could have done. The sessions with Karen provided us with a clear\, safe and supportive place to talk\, open up and work through what was coming up for each of us.\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 ZoeEngland URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/money-spirituality-online-2023/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Coaching,Online Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/money-and-spirituality-feature.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20220929T193000 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20221013T203000 DTSTAMP:20260726T235829 CREATED:20220901T175832Z LAST-MODIFIED:20251209T092545Z UID:17296-1664479800-1665693000@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Meditation Circle: Community Classes for Inner Well-Being (Online or In-Person) DESCRIPTION:Foundations of Meditation Classes (Online or In-Person at Clear Sky)Thursdays 7:30pm MST \nHow do you grow your inner well-being?  These community classes at Clear Sky center help you develop a stronger meditation practice.   \nJoin us for Meditation Circle\, Thursday nights (7:30-8:30pm MST) at Clear Sky Center.  You can attend in-person\, or join us online.   \nThese classes will run each season of the year. This current series of classes will run from September 29th to October 13th.  We encourage you to attend all classes. \nThere are two ways to attend – in person or online. Just click the appropriate button to register. See you soon!  \n  \n Registration – In Person Registration – Online \nQuestions?  \nContact Cara via email or phone: \ncara@clearskycenter.org | 250-421-8280 \n \n\n“Meditation is like turning on a light in a dark room. The power of awareness lets us see what is there – in our bodies\, emotions\, mind\, workplaces\, homes and relationships. Seeing what is there gives us the freedom and the courage to make deeply impactful changes.” \nDuncan Cryle\n\nCourse Overview\nThese classes will cover foundational meditation instructions\, and teach you how to properly practice breathing meditation. \nIn these sessions we will also practice creative guided meditations together. \n \n\n“I feel like we’re so disembodied today in our technological culture that meditation is my little kindness to myself in saying ‘hello body\, you’re part of my day.'” \nKaren McAllister\n\nMeet the Teachers\n \nMaureen Smith\nMaureen Smith (MSW\, RCSW) is a therapist and meditation teacher. Passionate about what she does\, she will guide you to a more alive\, aware and mindful path of living. \nMaureen is a well-respected Cranbrook-based therapist and educator. She works with individuals and couples in the public sector in addictions and mental health. Not only was Maureen the first acting caretaker at Clear Sky Meditation Center in BC\, she has studied numerous meditation practices intensively for over 10 years. She has a Master of Social Work degree and is a Registered Clinical Social Worker in British Columbia. \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 \nKaren McAllister\nAs Clear Sky’s Chair of the Board and Director of Business Development\, I’m passionate about teaching the much-ignored principles of nurturing the factors – like honor your space\, structure\, and communication – that create the conditions we need to wake up more in daily life. I see how I learned and embodied these principles in my different roles at Clear Sky as the center went from self-starter to second-stage growth. This is what I call “the hands-on way of doing an MBA with a spiritual bottom line!” \nIn my free time\, I love travelling\, speaking Portuguese and reading history\, architecture and art books. \nCara Conroy-Lau\nCara brings a joyful East meets West approach to meditation and holistic health. \nAs a New Zealand-born citizen of the world\, she grew up in New Zealand\, Singapore\, Japan and China. Cara has trained in mind-body integrative health for over 15 years. She is the founding acupuncturist at Cranbrook Acupuncture Clinic. \nCara has been training in meditation and Buddhist philosophy since her early 20’s\, and has a paritcular interest in Asian philosophy.  She is a long time resident at Clear Sky Centre\, and was the Centre’s first farm and food forest manager from 2009-2012.  \n Registration – Online Registration – In Person \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. \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 – Online Register Now – In Person URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/meditation-circle-community-classes-for-inner-well-being-online-or-in-person/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Coaching,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 END:VCALENDAR