Awakened Meditation Centre
Awakened Meditation Centre Weekend Meditation Retreat
Touching Stillness, Touching Peace; Lessons from The Heart Sutra
Friday April 5, 3:00 p.m. - Sunday April 7, 1:00 p.m.
Location: The Dharma Centre of Canada, 1267 Galway Rd, Kinmount, ON K0M 2A0
“The Bodhisattva of Great Compassion when practicing deeply the Heart of Wisdom…is saved from all suffering and distress”
The Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra shows a path to ending emotional distress and suffering.
There is so much suffering in the world and in our lives that practicing well becomes essential to touching the stillness and peace that are not dependent on causes and conditions.
In the tranquil embrace of nature, where the sound of the wind rustling leaves supports our practice, we will come together for a Prajna Paramita Heart Sutra Meditation Retreat. Here, the sutra’s verses will become our compass, guiding us toward the experience of a more peaceful mind
Themes from the Sutra
Emptiness (Sunyata): We sit on our meditation cushions, aligning breath and intention. The sutra’s words resonate: “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form.” We will explore this apparent paradox to realize the spaciousness within all things.
Wisdom (Prajna): Beyond concepts, we will seek to see with the prajna eye, the clear vision that pierces illusions. In silence, we will touch the essence—the luminous heart of existence.
Practices on this retreat:
Sitting Meditation: Each breath unravels knots of perception. Thoughts arise like ripples on a still pond. We return to the sutra’s mantra: “Gate gate paragate parasamgate bodhi svaha.”
Walking Meditation: Walking in the Dharma Hall and on the forest path, we step mindfully. Each footfall is an invitation to develop penetrating wisdom and the intention to save all beings.
Tea Ceremony: In the Dharma Hall, we enjoy tea with all our senses.
Dharma Talks: The teachers from the Awakened Meditation Centre will share lessons and insights from the sutra., revealing the map toward ending suffering and distress.
Greg Samuelson practices and teaches in the Korean Ganhwasoen (Koan Zen) tradition. He received Dharma Transmission from his teacher in 2013. Greg has attended retreats with teachers from various Buddhist Mahayana and Theravada traditions. Greg is a trainer for the Compassionate Mind Foundation. He facilitates workshops that help therapists and other professionals understand how to help others in developing compassionate responding. Greg is a Registered Nurse and a Registered Psychotherapist with over 30 years experience in the mental health field working in a variety of settings. His current professional practice focuses on the use of Compassion Focused Therapy in individual psychotherapy. Greg was a founding member of the Canadian Network - Compassion Focused Therapy - Réseau Canadien.
Matthew Juksan Sullivan is a lineage holder in the Korean Zen tradition. He was ordained as a Dharma Teacher in 2006 and a Zen Master in 2013. He is a dharma heir of the Venerable Yangil Sunim, who himself was a dharma heir of the Venerable Wol Ha Sunim, a Grand Zen Master and the former Supreme Patriarch of the Jogye Order of Buddhism. He has taught meditation at Såana Yoga and the Awakened Meditation Centre. He lives in Toronto. He is an author of a new translation and commentary on the Blue Cliff Record.
Important Details
When: April 5-7, 2024 Please plan to arrive between 3-5pm on the first day. The retreat will begin with a property orientation at 5:30pm followed by a light supper and the first evening class and will finish after lunch on the final day.
Rates: non-members: $276 members: $250
(To find out how to become a member please visit our membership page)
Rates include: Single accommodation and all meals. They do not include instructor fees. Teachers are sharing their experience within the traditional Buddhist understanding of Dana. To understand more about Dana, please read the following:
What is Dana? Teachers give the teachings of awakening (Dharma) freely so that anyone, no matter their financial means can attend classes. Each time one receives teachings, it is an opportunity to consciously practice generosity. Giving money and other means of support expresses gratitude and support to the teacher and helps to ensure that these teachings continue. Each person receiving Dharma teachings determines the kind and amount of Dāna according to one’s heart and one’s financial means. When deciding how much to offer, one should think about what these teachings mean to you and try to give accordingly. It is recommended that students make an offering of dāna at the beginning of a class or retreat to establish the intention to make the most of this opportunity for one’s own progression and for the benefit of all others.
Deposit: A 50% deposit is required to hold your space upon registration.
Cancellation policy: Full refund up to 14 days before the commencement of the course. For cancellations less than 14 days prior to course begin, a $100 administrative fee will be charged.