Mindfulness and awareness alone are the iron hook that will lead you to liberation. 

–Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Having helped lead a month-long meditation retreat at Dorje Denma Ling in 2023, Dede Gaston was inspired to offer an intensive retreat here at the Victoria Shambhala Centre, saying, “Such consistent daily practice made me experience so much freedom from painful habitual patterns that I want to do one every year.”

This four-week intensive will take place Monday through Saturday from nine until five, lunch included. Anyone is welcome to join the sitting for a half-day from nine to twelve (lunch not included), for an entire day, or for one or more weeks. If you are on the Shambhala path, you can earn credit for a weekthun, or, if you attend the entire month, a dathun. 

This will be a silent retreat with the exception of an afternoon discussion group every other day during tea break. There will be pith meditation instructions read as gentle guidance during sitting sessions. We will also have contemplation practice. Catered lunch and afternoon snack are provided. Meeting with a meditation instructor is offered during the afternoon break. The morning session will include the practice of Qigong to help integrate the healing wisdom of meditation with the healing wisdom of the body. Since practice and study go hand in hand, and to encourage a 24-hour meditation experience, evening readings from The Sacred Path of the Warrior will be suggested. We hope you can join us!

Daily Schedule:

9-12—sitting and walking meditation, Qigong

12-12:30—catered lunch in shrine room

12:30-2:00—clean up, break, opportunity to meet with meditation instructor

2:00-3:30—meditation and contemplation practice

3:30-4:00—tea

3:30-4:30 (every other day)—tea and discussion

4:00-5:00—meditation

Evening—home reading and study

Price:

4 weeks—$800

1 week— $225

Full day—$40

Half day—$15 or by donation

Dede Gaston is a long-time student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, and was trained as a meditation instructor by Pema Chodron. She is past director of the Halifax Shambhala Centre, and helped establish the Fredericton Shambhala Centre. She is a retired ballet dancer and choreographer, an author, a mother of four, and a grandmother.

For further information, or if you are interested in staffing this program, and can commit to at least one week, please contact Dede at [email protected]

HOW TO REGISTER AND PAY:

You can register for:

1. The full month (24 days for $800, November 4^th to 30th),
2. One to three weeks (6 days at $225 for the week), or
3. Individual or consecutive days (up to 5 days at $40 per day).

• These prices include a catered vegan lunch.
• We require prepayment for each of these three options.
• If you want to register for 7 days, for example, the cost will be one week plus one day ($225 plus $40).
• When you register, it is important that you indicate the exact dates you will be attending. Changes to dates should be made one week in advance by emailing: Diane Osoko at [email protected]

Registration Steps:

1. Click on the registration button below.
2. Fill out your name and contact details.
3. Fill our your requested option (month, week or weeks, day or days)
4. When you register, it is important that you indicate the exact dates you will be attending, in order to assist in staff and meal planning. Please do so by writing the dates in the Comment section when you register. Changes to dates should be made on week in advance by emailing: Diane Osoko at [email protected]
5. After you have registered, you must return to this page to make your payment. Registrations are not considered complete until payment is made.
6. Pre-pay for your registration through one of two methods.
7. 1. Credit card payment online through PayPal. You do not need a PayPal account to do this. Just follow the steps after clicking on the link:
      https://victoria.shambhala.org/dathun-payment-page/
   2. E-transfer your full payment to [email protected]. Please write “November Dhatun” in the comment box when you make payment.

Morning Drop-in Option:

 We are also offering a morning-only (9 am to 12 pm) drop-in fee for $15 or by donation. Lunch is not included for drop-ins. Participants wanting this option should come early (8:30 am) to register and pay. Sessions start promptly at 9 am.

Please contact [email protected] with payment questions.