BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Clear Sky Meditation Centre - ECPv6.15.19//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Clear Sky Meditation Centre REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Edmonton BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:-0700 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:MDT DTSTART: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:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260423T100000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260423T110000 DTSTAMP:20260414T210108 CREATED:20260331T232657Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260414T234402Z UID:28640-1776938400-1776942000@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Getting Centered: Connecting To Body Wisdom DESCRIPTION:Photo courtesy of Ava Maclean\nGetting Centered: Connecting To Body Wisdom\nWith Duncan Cryle and Karen McAllister \nWednesday\, April 22\, 2026 · 10–11am MT (9am PT / Noon ET / 5pm UK) \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. \nThis foundational session explores the nervous system as the ground of all practice—learning to settle\, to arrive\, to trust the body as a place of refuge. \nPart of our 2026 Staying Whole: Meditation For Fragmented Times series. \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. \nPart of the Staying Whole Series\nThis session is the opening of Staying Whole: Meditation Tools for Fragmented Times—a six-session 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 with: \n\nMay 20 — Compassion Without Overwhelm: Feeling Without Collapsing\nJun 24 — Boundaries as Stability: Protecting Energy Without Disconnecting\nJul 15 — Communication & Repair: Staying Connected Without Self-Abandoning\nSep 23 — Money\, Security & Trust: Working With Financial Anxiety\nOct–Nov — Integrating Mindfulness: A 4-Week Deep Dive\nNov 25 — Resilience in Community: Why We Can’t Do This Alone\n\nLearn more about the full series here \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 \nAbout Your Guides\nDuncan Cryle brings together over 35 years of meditation practice in the Namgyal lineage with Acharya Doug Duncan (Qapel) and Catherine Sensei. He combines deep contemplative experience with twenty years in senior organizational roles where he pioneered workplace mindfulness programs reaching tens of thousands. Duncan has been teaching for over 15 years\, with DespertandoNoBrasil (“Awakening In Brazil”) and through Clear Sky’s integrating mindfulness program. As Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky\, Duncan brings a unique perspective on integrating awakening practices with everyday life. \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. \nBoth Duncan and Karen have studied extensively with Clear Sky’s founding teachers and are devoted to making the path of awakening accessible and relevant to modern practitioners. \nDetails\nDate: Wednesday\, April 22\, 2026Time: 10–11am MT (9am PT / Noon ET / 5pm UK)Format: Live online via Zoom (recording available)Cost: By donation (Dāna)—everyone welcome regardless of financial circumstances \n \n Register Here\n \n “What this course has given me is a way back to myself. In the middle of all the chaos — the divorce\, the stress\, the uncertainty\, the endless decisions I can’t control — I’ve learned how to slow down\, breathe\, and actually nurture myself instead of abandoning myself. … I’m realizing that there is a life waiting for me beyond this crisis\, a steadiness I can build\, and a version of me who isn’t defined by over-responsibility or survival mode. I feel like I’m slowly remembering who I am\, and that feels hopeful.” (from Integrating Mindfulness course with Karen and Duncan)\n Angela\n “This course opened a completely new way of approaching my life and my work. It taught me to pause\, to be fully aware of where I am in the moment\, and to create the inner and outer space needed to respond wisely rather than react from stress or habit.\nI’ve begun to see how the stories I tell myself shape my emotions\, and how silence itself can be a source of wisdom. For me\, this is just the beginning of a new journey—one where mindfulness supports not only my own well-being\, but also the care I offer as a professional.” (from Integrating Mindfulness course with Karen and Duncan)\n HamidMedical Doctor\n “This course was exactly what I needed. I’ve done a lot of programs over the years\, but this one actually helped me put things into practice. Even simple actions—like making my bed—showed me I have far more control than I thought\, even in a situation with real limitations.\nWhat surprised me most was how powerful it felt to do this work alongside others; the sense of community\, the sharings\, and the space we held together made everything easier and more meaningful. I hadn’t heard of Clear Sky before\, but it arrived in my life at just the right time.” (from Integrating Mindfulness course with Karen and Duncan)\n Collette URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/getting-centered-connecting-to-body-wisdom/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Staying Whole Series ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Sanc-BullMountain-scaled.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260508T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260510T170000 DTSTAMP:20260414T210108 CREATED:20250126T231620Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260402T072749Z 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 \n REGISTER 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 \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 \n REGISTER NOW\n \n \nFAQs\n\n What is the Meditation\, Hope & Healing Retreat?\n \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. \n\n Who is this retreat for?\n \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. \n\n What can I expect to experience there?\n \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. \n\n How does meditation support healing?\n \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. \n\n Will this retreat help with grief\, loss\, or burnout?\n \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. \n\n How long is the retreat?\n \nThe retreat runs from 5:00 pm Friday\, May 8\, 2026\, to 5:00 pm Sunday\, May 10\, 2026 at Clear Sky Meditation Center. \n\n Is prior meditation experience needed?\n \nNo. The retreat welcomes both beginners and experienced practitioners. \n\n What results can I expect?\n \nParticipants can expect renewed hope\, deeper compassion\, emotional steadiness\, and a stronger connection to their capacity for kindness and positive change. \n\n How will this retreat support emotional well-being?\n \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. \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/meditation-hope-healing-retreat/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Group Retreats and Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/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:20260619T170000 DTEND;TZID=America/Edmonton:20260621T170000 DTSTAMP:20260414T210108 CREATED:20260211T010736Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T212631Z 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\nREGISTER 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\nREGISTER NOW\n\nYou 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.\nErika 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 the plant kingdom. 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\nREGISTER NOW\n\n\n \nAbout Your Guides\nDuncan Cryle has practiced meditation for over 20 years in the Namgyal lineage. He combines deep contemplative experience with twenty years in senior organizational roles where he pioneered workplace mindfulness programs reaching tens of thousands. As Co-Executive Director of Clear Sky\, Duncan brings a unique perspective on integrating awakening practices with everyday life. \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. \nBoth Duncan and Karen have studied extensively with Clear Sky’s founding teachers and are devoted to making the path of awakening accessible and relevant to modern practitioners. \nCourse Details\n\nLocation: Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, Fort Steele\, BC\, V0B 1N0\nDate: Jun 19-21\, 2026\nTime: 5:00pm Friday -5:00pm Sunday MT\nCost: Premium Private Cabin – $576\, Private Cabin – $546\,    Shared Room – $446\, Tenting – $326\n\n\n\nREGISTER NOW\n\n“What this course has given me is a way back to myself. In the middle of all the chaos — the divorce\, the stress\, the uncertainty\, the endless decisions I can’t control — I’ve learned how to slow down\, breathe\, and actually nurture myself instead of abandoning myself. … I’m realizing that there is a life waiting for me beyond this crisis\, a steadiness I can build\, and a version of me who isn’t defined by over-responsibility or survival mode. I feel like I’m slowly remembering who I am\, and that feels hopeful.” (from Integrating Mindfulness course with Karen and Duncan)\nAngela\n“This course opened a completely new way of approaching my life and my work. It taught me to pause\, to be fully aware of where I am in the moment\, and to create the inner and outer space needed to respond wisely rather than react from stress or habit.\nI’ve begun to see how the stories I tell myself shape my emotions\, and how silence itself can be a source of wisdom. For me\, this is just the beginning of a new journey—one where mindfulness supports not only my own well-being\, but also the care I offer as a professional.” (from Integrating Mindfulness course with Karen and Duncan)\nHamidMedical Doctor\n“This course was exactly what I needed. I’ve done a lot of programs over the years\, but this one actually helped me put things into practice. Even simple actions—like making my bed—showed me I have far more control than I thought\, even in a situation with real limitations.\nWhat surprised me most was how powerful it felt to do this work alongside others; the sense of community\, the sharings\, and the space we held together made everything easier and more meaningful. I hadn’t heard of Clear Sky before\, but it arrived in my life at just the right time.” (from Integrating Mindfulness course with Karen and Duncan)\nCollette \nFAQs\nDo 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. \nWhat 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. \nWhen and where is this retreat held? \nThe retreat runs June 19–21\, 2026 (Friday 5pm to Sunday 5pm 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. \nWhat 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. \nWho are the retreat teachers? \nThe retreat is led by Duncan Cryle and Karen McAllister\, both Co-Executive Directors of Clear Sky and senior meditation teachers with over 20 years of practice in the Namgyal lineage. Duncan has pioneered workplace mindfulness programs reaching tens of thousands globally; Karen is also a certified money coach and contemplative leader. Both have trained extensively with Clear Sky’s founding teachers. \nIs 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. \nHow is this different from a silent meditation retreat? \nUnlike a private silent retreat\, this is a guided group experience with a set schedule\, teacher-led sessions\, and community meals. It’s a warmer\, more supported entry point — ideal if you want structure and connection alongside your practice rather than extended solitude. URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/coming-home-meditating-in-nature/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Group Retreats and Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/ComingHome_MeditatingInNature.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260629 DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260830 DTSTAMP:20260414T210108 CREATED:20251218T164759Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T091908Z UID:26796-1782691200-1788047999@www.clearskycenter.org SUMMARY:Re-Generation Youth Program: Where Spirituality\, Ecology & Community Meet DESCRIPTION:Re-Generation Youth Program: Where Spirituality\, Ecology & Community Meet\nNote: this is a special summer Youth Program – for our regular three month immersive program outside of the summer see here \nBelieve in Life Again\nWe think young people deserve better than what the world is currently offering. We’re willing to show up and see what we can do to generate wholesome impacts\, together. Learn about yourself\, the land and living in community together so that you are equipped to better make decisions and take action in life.  This program is designed to help you develop skills to co-create a world you want to live in. \nJoin us from June 29 – August 29\, 2026. \nQuestions? Please contact  michelle@clearskycenter.org or (250) 429-3929. FAQ’s can be found at the bottom of the page. \n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\nSpend just two months in residence to remember that life can be meaningful\, that you can be part of the solution\, that connection is real\, and that you have what it takes. \n \nThat’s what we’re really offering. Not a fix. Not a cure. A remembering that we can believe in life again. \nThis youth program is our way of saying: you’re not alone\, the world isn’t hopeless\, and there are people who care about your generation inheriting something worth having. Daily\, we practice meditation together so that we can embody what we teach – what we fondly refer to as “a life worth living”. We do this by leveraging our shared vision and values to live well in community. We align around our quadruple bottom line: spiritual\, environmental\, social and financial well-being. \nThis is for you if:\n\nYou’re 21-35 and feeling lost\nYou’re tired of superficiality and want real connection\nYou want to counter your eco-anxiety with wholesome action\nYou want to be of service in a world that needs us\, instead of feeling helpless\nYou want mentorship from elders who haven’t given up\n\n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\n \n Inquire Here\n \nYou don’t need to:\n\nBe Buddhist (though we work in that tradition)\nHave meditation experience (we’ll teach you)\nHave your life figured out (literally no one does)\n\n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\nReady To Get Real?\nThis is for you if you struggle to make commitments\, be in community and want to try. You’ll be away from your usual distractions\, working with your hands and real people. Living in a small community you’ll face yourself and it can be uncomfortable. \nIf you want to believe in life again\, and you want to be part of the solution– instead of drowning in problems\, this might be exactly what you need. Space to remember who you are. \n\n \nThis program is psychedelic and drug free\, but we know this world. If you’ve had experiences with psychedelics and are trying to integrate them\, we can support that work in a grounded\, contemplative context. \n \n Inquire Here\n \nWhat You’ll Learn\n\nHow to meditate and practices that work including\, relief from struggle (not bypassing it\, actually working with it) \nHow to lead\, follow\, and work as a team in community (leading with a heart for service\, not ego)\nHow to be a bodhisattva in the world (someone who acts\, not just talks about it)\nHow to live sustainably with people\, pressures and the planet\n\n \nOur team includes Buddhist teachers and practitioners– our head teacher Catherine Sensei and long term students offer authentic spiritual teachings and practices in a modern day context\, plus: \n\nEntrepreneurs\, coaches and career mentors who’ve built meaningful lives \nTherapists who work with depression\, addiction and trauma\nLand lovers who know and care for the land intimately\nCreative professionals (writers\, filmmakers) who’ll help you tell your story\n\n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\n \n\n“As a Gen Z\, I felt like I was giving up on life\, and I wanted to find the peace and purpose that I felt was beyond my capacities. I found Clear Sky\, and the teachers\, teachings\, and community showed me what I had been looking for: a way to wake up\, and become the person I want to be—to learn how to listen to what life and the earth are speaking to me\, and to march forward in our communal pursuit of the common good. I am ready now from this community’s support to love and serve on this planet as I was meant to\, and I know that I am not alone. Full steam ahead!” \nERIKA R. \n\n \n Inquire Here\n \n \n \nThe Nitty Gritty\nDates: June 29 – August 29\, 2026 \nHow much does it cost? We’re committed to making this accessible and decided to offer sliding scale pricing so that you can choose what is right for your situation. Additionally\, we do offer payment plans. \n\n$2000 CAD covers our costs for organic meals and accommodation.\n$2500-$3500 CAD covers our costs for organic meals and accommodation plus some tuition\n$3500 CAD and above allows us to cover our costs and pay some forward in scholarships\n\nAre Scholarships available?  Yes. We welcome all scholarship applications and prioritize those holding marginalized identities\, including Black\, Indigenous and other people of color\, immigrants\, and LGBTQIA+ people. We also recognize that those working in social justice\, climate\, public service\, and education are historically underpaid — if that’s you\, please apply here. \nApply early\, as funds are limited and cannot cover every application. \nHow many participants? This will be a small group of  3-4 participants. This means real connection\, individual attention and genuine community. \nWhat about screens/phones? For this summer program we’ll be outside a lot. We use WhatsApp groups for communication and occasional wholesome social media posting\, for the most part we encourage you to step back from your usual online life. We know this might seem difficult\, but you’ll probably thank us. You’ll still be accessible for emergencies and necessary communication. \nIs this program physically demanding? \nWe believe in taking action\, not just talking about what we can do for the planet. This program is intentionally designed to enhance our practice of embodiment\, eco-restoration and connection with the land. Expect to be active and engaged on the land daily. We balance activity with meditation\, learning in community and one day of rest per week to integrate our learnings. \nWhat if I don’t have outdoor skills? Perfect. You’ll learn them. That’s the whole point. Most of us grew up in cities or spent too much time inside. You’ll learn by doing\, with patient teachers who remember what it’s like to be new at this stuff.  \nWe’re still finalizing details and if you want to talk about whether this is right for you\, reach out to michelle@clearskycenter.org \nIn the meantime: \n\nExplore teachings on Planet Dharma\nCheck out our Clear Sky Website to get a feel for who we are\nIf you like more intensity\, learn more about our three month intensive\nFollow your gut. If something in you lit up reading this\, pay attention and listen to that : )\n\n \n \n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\n\n Photo credit: Ava Maclean\n \n Inquire Here\n \nMeet Our Head Teacher\n \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei \nCatherine Pawasarat Sensei began her spiritual practices in earnest in her early 20s\, when she struggled to make sense of and overcome personal suffering and international environmental and social justice challenges. She became a student of metaphysics\, Western spiritual traditions\, and the ayahuasca sacraments in the 1990s. \nFor 26 years Catherine Sensei trained daily with Qapel Doug Duncan in an intensive spiritual apprenticeship that is rare in the modern West. She received lay ordination from Ven. Namgyal Rinpoche in 2003. \nWith Qapel she co-founded Clear Sky Retreat Center and Planet Dharma and is a lineage holder for these teachings. She supports the spiritual underpinnings of social entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurship for spiritual practitioners. She worked as an advocacy photojournalist and studied traditional Japanese arts (including koto\, shamisen\, kyogen) in Kyoto for 20 years\, culminating in her landmark work GionFestival.org. \nSince the early 2000s Sensei has provided dharma training and taught the path of awakening to hundreds of students\, together with Qapel and on her own. In addition to Buddhist philosophy and its applications to daily life\, Sensei also draws on generative living (a.k.a. sustainability) and the arts. \nAbout Clear Sky\nLocated in the BC rocky mountains\, we offer over 300-acres to deepen your practice and reconnect with nature.  \nFounded by Qapel Doug Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei\, we are home to students from around the globe who are dedicated to co-creating a supportive and innovative space for awakening in our modern world. \nIn adherence with our quadruple bottom line\, we source our food as local and organic as possible. \nEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW on how to get here\, what to bring and what to expect.  \n \n \n \n \n “Clear Sky is my favourite place to retreat. I am so grateful to find such an amazing place to study various meditation practices\, walk in stunning nature and eat fresh food from the farm. I always enjoy going there for more.”\n Maya L.\n \nFAQs\n What is the Re-Generation Youth Program? \nIt’s a two-month in-person immersion at Clear Sky Meditation Centre in BC\, designed for young adults aged 21–35. You’ll live in community\, practise daily meditation\, work on the land through eco-restoration\, and develop real-world life skills — all within a structured spiritual framework. It’s not a wellness retreat or a camp. It’s a meaningful alternative for those who want to believe in life again. \n Do I need meditation or outdoor experience to apply? \nNeither. You’ll be taught meditation from the ground up\, and all land-based activities are guided by patient teachers who expect you to be new to this. What matters is an open heart and genuine willingness to engage — not what you already know. \n How is this different from a regular summer program or gap year? \nMost gap year programs focus on travel or skill-building. This one focuses on inner transformation alongside outer action — combining Buddhist meditation\, ecological restoration\, community living\, and mentorship from experienced teachers. If you want something that actually changes how you see yourself and the world\, this goes much further than a typical summer program. \n Who is this program for? \nYoung adults aged 21–35 who are feeling lost\, burnt out\, or disconnected — whether from nature\, community\, or themselves. You don’t need to be Buddhist\, spiritual\, or have your life figured out. If you’re tired of superficiality and want real connection and purpose\, this program was built for you. \n How much does the program cost and is financial assistance available? \nPricing is on a sliding scale: $2\,000 CAD covers accommodation and all organic meals; $2\,500–$3\,500 CAD covers costs plus some tuition; $3\,500 CAD and above allows us to cover costs and contribute toward scholarships for others. If cost is still a barrier\, scholarship support is available — complete a Scholarship Application and we’ll do our best to make it work. \n What is dāna and how much should I budget for it? \nDana: \nFor attendance of retreats and events that are in addition to the program we do charge registration fees to cover the materials needed to offer the retreat/event. The Teachings are freely given on the basis of dāna. \nYou may have come across this elsewhere in the form of “pay from the heart”. Dāna is a Sanskrit term meaning “generosity”. With dāna\, we give as a mutual exchange of generosity. It’s our joy to offer this course\, and we trust you’ll match our time\, energy\, and passion by giving an amount of money that feels good and healthy to both you and us. \nThe dharma has been built on generosity. No-one is excluded for lack of funds but it is also extremely beneficial to give as much as you are able \nTypically people give in a range of $120-$500 USD for a course.  \nAs we’re committed to ensuring everyone has access to the Dharma\, please feel comfortable to give less if you are not financially secure.  Another form of giving dāna is to offer service\, and if you are interested in providing support in a non-financial way\, we invite you to contact us.  \nConversely\, if you are financially secure\, we invite you to generate merit by providing more financial support to the Triple Gem. Contributions like these make the difference in supporting our teachers\, teachings\, and center. \nLearn more about the practice of dāna here. \n What does a typical day look like? \nDays are full and intentional. Morning group meditation is followed by eco-restoration activities on the land\, community meals\, afternoon contemplation\, and evening learning sessions. You’ll have one rest and integration day per week. Screens and social media are largely set aside — this is time to remember who you are without the usual noise. \n What does the daily schedule look like? \nSpecific times may change – this is a rough guide (MST) \n\n7:00- 7:45 AM: Group Meditation Practice and Contemplation led by Sangha\n7:45- 9:00 AM: Breakfast: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n9:00 – 11:30 AM: Eco Activities led by Sangha\n12:30 – 1:30 PM: Lunch: Prepare\, eat\, clean up\n1:30 – 3:00 PM: Rest\n3:00 – 4:00 PM: Group Contemplation led by Sangha\n4:00 – 5:30 PM: Elective Projects\n5:30 – 7:00 PM: Dinner: prepare\, eat\, clean up\n7:15 – 8:30 PM: Community Learning and Practices \n8:30 – Beyond: Personal Care & bed\n\n Where is the program held and how do I get there? \nClear Sky sits on 300 acres near Bull River in southeastern BC\, 40–60 minutes from Cranbrook/Canadian Rockies International Airport (YXC). It’s a four-hour drive from Calgary and one hour from the US border (accessible from Spokane\, Sandpoint\, and Whitefish). Airport pickup is available — just notify us when registering. For full directions\, visit our Getting Here page. \n How many participants are accepted and when should I apply? \nThis is intentionally a small group of 3–4 participants to ensure real connection and individual attention. Applications close June 15th\, 2026 for the summer intake (June 29–August 29). Apply as early as possible. If you’re drawn to a longer or year-round commitment\, explore our Three-Month Karma Yoga Intensive which runs multiple intakes throughout the year. \n \n \n \n Inquire Here URL:https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/re-generation-youth-program-where-spirituality-ecology-community-meet/ LOCATION:Clear Sky Meditation Center\, 3567 Cockell Road\, PO BOX 19\, Fort Steele\, British Columbia\, V0B 1NO\, Canada CATEGORIES:Featured Courses,Group Retreats and Courses ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://www.clearskycenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Re-Generation-Youth-Program.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Clear Sky Center":MAILTO:contact@clearskycenter.org END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR