Another Meditation, Yoga, and Sensory Awareness Retreat: A Long Weekend of Gathering the Gaze of Awareness

“What is Buddha’s Way?” “Great intimacy.”
“What is Yoga’s Way?” “Great intimacy.”

As our June 3-8 retreat quickly filled and now has a waiting list, Southern Dharma has
kindly asked us to offer a similar three-day retreat the week before.

The course description for the June retreat begins with the sentence, “Yoga and Buddhism both
teach that in each moment this whole universe – including our living humanness –
appears out of nowhere, and all that appears, including us, is the pure presence of the
place. The great work of our lives is to become increasingly intimate with the true nature
of that presence. One master described that true nature as a pristine awareness,
suffused with warmth. We take up our awareness practice to become increasingly
intimate with and informed by that pristine awareness, suffused with warmth.”

This will be a slightly shorter retreat than the June retreat, but the purpose of any
retreat, no matter the length, is to provide a somewhat special container in which to
steep in that intimacy work. We work to clarify and strengthen our basic inherent human
sanity – which is good for us, but also good for the crazy beautiful world we step into
when we leave the retreat.

We will offer teachings from Yoga (especially Kashmiri Shaivism), Buddhism, and
contemporary wisdom teachings, but the practices themselves are forms meant to
support the attention work that supports the settling into intimacy. The silence itself
creates an atmosphere that supports a deepening intimacy with one’s living experience,
and in that atmosphere, we will practice sitting and walking meditation and periods of
yoga posture and sensory awareness practice. The yoga offered is grounded in
awareness of breath and the physical movement that is grounded in and flows from that
breath awareness. The emphasis is on listening rather than any physical achievement,
and in this listening, each moment is always unique and new and perfectly itself.
Posture, breath, chanting, sensory awareness, and the deep relaxation of yoga nidra
are the tools of this exploration.

There will be meditation and yoga practice instruction each day and a talk each
evening, and we will have an optional teacher-led group meeting each day in which
retreatants can ask questions and explore concerns.

Silently a flower blooms,
In silence it falls away;
Yet here, now, at this moment, in this place,
the whole of the flower,
the whole of the universe,
is blooming.
This is the speech of the flower, the truth of
the blossom:
The glory of eternal life is fully shining here.
–Zenkei Shibayama

We will not be requiring or administering Covid-19 tests in 2025, but please bring mindfulness to your activity in the days leading up to the retreat out of consideration for our staff, teachers and participants. Masks will be optional and encouraged, especially if a participant is feeling unwell. Avoiding higher risk situations and making use of masks whenever possible will minimize the likelihood of transmitting viruses to others while on site. We strongly encourage folks to stay home if they are symptomatic of any communicable illness.

First-time retreatants at Southern Dharma must arrive by 5pm ET on the first day of retreat. Check-in begins at 3pm. Returning yogis can check-in between 3 and 6pm.

Departures will take place by 2:00pm on the last day of retreat. Please make sure that you can attend the full program before registering.

All registrations are subject to our new 2025 cancellation policy. All retreatants must review and agree to this policy upon registration.

For our 2025 retreats, three fee tiers are offered. Please choose the option that best fits your ability to give in this time. Any amount paid above the Base rate is a tax deductible contribution to Southern Dharma Retreat Center. Your confirmation email is your receipt for tax purposes.

We are deeply grateful for your support.

Note that registration fees do not include dana for the teacher(s). In the Buddhist tradition the teachings are offered freely and teachers are not paid for their offerings. They rely on dana contributions from students. Similarly, Southern Dharma keeps registration fees low to ensure the Dharma is accessible to all. Fees cover only a fraction of Southern Dharma’s operating expenses. We appreciate your practice of generosity to continue the dissemination of the Dharma.

Housing and all meals are included in the program fee. We are currently offering six housing options:

1. Bed in Lodge, shared double room (2nd floor)
2. Bed in Lodge, dorm with privacy partitions (3rd floor)
3. Unheated kuti (single cabin, outdoor bathroom)
4. Heated kuti (single cabin, outdoor bathroom)
5. Canvas Tent (furnished, outdoor bathroom)
6. Basic Tent Platform (camping with your own gear)

Please use the appropriate field in the registration process to let us know your preferences in regards to housing, if any, and also specify if you insist on or prefer being housed with others of the same gender. All housing options are priced the same except for the Basic Tent Platform.

Southern Dharma is offers 50% scholarship awards for BIPOC and Young Adults, in addition to those with financial need. Indicate your interest in a Southern Dharma in-house scholarship during the registration process.

In 2025, the Hemera Foundation will not be offering fellowships in the same manner as pervious years, there will be no application or approval process. Southern Dharma is deeply grateful for Hemera Foundation’s continued support of the center’s ability to provide scholarships through their generous grant. Yogis who have utilized Hemera Foundation Fellowships in the past are welcome to utilize any of the in-house scholarship options.