EVENTS
2025 Residential Retreats
Autumn 2025: September 26th – October 6th
Building Capacity for a Compassionate Life
A 10 day Residential Retreat with Claudia Hansson and Beth Johnson
Mercy Center, Auburn, California
We all carry the desire to live a more compassionate and awakened life, but find it difficult to realize our good intentions. This retreat will focus on deepening the foundational skills that set the conditions for living in awareness. We will focus on deepening our capacity and breadth of attention, increasing our skill in managing energy, exploring ways to increase ease in the body, and honing our mindfulness off the cushion.
The retreat will include teachings, guided meditations, directed movement and individual interviews. Neil Taylor will be providing the movement work. Mercy Center provides full meals, linens and beautiful grounds for outside work.
The cost for this retreat is $1910 which includes teacher dana. Payment is due by 9/15/25
See the newsletter for registration details.
Spring 2026: March 23rd – 30th
Summer 2026: June 29th – July 20th (3 weeks)
Autumn 2026: November 9th – 16th
Upcoming Events
(see newsletter for details on how to register)
WEEKLY AND MONTHLY GROUPS
Times listed below are PST
Sunday Afternoon 1- 2pm PST (Weekly)
Sangha sit with occasional teachings.
Dream Yoga Sundays: Through September, every third Sunday sangha sit will include a 30-minute meditation followed by a Dream Yoga Practice Group for continued support of the practices taught on the recent retreat. This is open to all sangha members regardless of attendance at the retreat.
Monday Morning 9-10am PST (Weekly)
A 30-minute sit followed by 30 minutes of free writing.
Led by Beth Johnson, Steven Coughran or Mark Mixon
Tuesdays 4pm – 5:15pm PST (Weekly)
Ongoing group on ‘Aging, Death & Dying – The Study of Impermanence and Trauma’
Using the book, “Preparing to Die,” by Andrew Holecek as a guide, we will study the advice and wisdom that comes from our Tibetan Buddhist Tradition. Teachings on impermanence, compassion and loving-kindness, help us to live a better life and we can use our practice to prepare for a good death, “which is a complete openness to whatever arises.” (Holecek) We will discuss the spiritual issues for preparing for death and the practical preparations, including legal issues, hospice, and after death care.
Led by Richard Owings
Wednesday Sunrise 5-6am PST (Weekly)
A simple 45-minute unguided meditation led by Ian Mckown and Rebecca Krause-Hardie
Thursdays 5-6pm PST (Weekly)
Ongoing study group using Reflections on Silver River, Ken McLeod’s translation and commentary of Gyalsé Tokmé Zangpo’s 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva.
In this weekly group, we read passages from the text and commentary and offer our own commentary and conversation around the text. All are welcome.
Cost is free. Led by Ian Mckown
Friday Morning Sits 7-8am PST (Weekly)
This weekly group will begin with a short talk, reflection or discussion, followed by a 30 minute meditation. Led by Sophie Taggart and Anita Hansen. Cost is free.
Monthly Sangha Circle
3rd Friday of the Month – 4pm PST – Starting February 21st
This is an informal monthly gathering to connect with each other and to engage in dialog around integrating life into practice. We will open with introductions and informal check-ins, and transition into discussion around practice themes that are coming up for us.
Hosted by Marie and Colleen
Beginning Anew
A full moon practice of confession, atonement and setting aside unskillful actions on the bodhisattva path
Every full moon, starting February 12th 5pm PST
A few weeks ago it came up in one of the weekly groups that it would be beneficial if the sangha could meet once a month to participate in a ritual practice of setting aside any unskillful actions that occurred in the previous month. Rather than a heavy-handed practice of should and should-nots, we set aside any heavy thoughts, guilt or reactivity around our unskillful actions, in order to move forward fresh, for the months to come; a celebration of our intention to be a benefit to all beings.
Hosted by Ian McKown, Becky Krause-Hardie (or rotating teachers)
Cost is free