The Way of Shamatha Retreat with Alan Wallace (1/26)

This session is from the retreat: Way of Shamatha: Soothing the Body, Calming the Mind, Illuminating Awareness with Alan Wallace.

During this retreat, Alan explored in theory and practice a range of methods for developing meditative quiescence, or shamatha. It began with the practice of mindfulness of the breathing as taught by the Buddha, which is an especially effective approach to soothing the body and calming the discursive mind. 

Then explored an approach to shamatha that is particularly pertinent for Dzogchen practice, called “settling the mind in its natural state,” as taught by the nineteenth-century Dzogchen master Lerab Lingpa in his commentary to the Heart Essence of Vimalamitra.

Finally, Lama Alan taught the practice of “shamatha without signs” as taught by Padmasambhava in his classic terma Natural Liberation. Although this subtle practice is taught explicitly as a means of achieving shamatha, Padmasambhava comments that it may even result in a realization of rigpa, or pristine awareness.

The achievement of shamatha is widely regarded in the Buddhist tradition as an indispensable foundation for the cultivation of contemplative insight (vipashyana), and this retreat is designed to provide students with a sufficient theoretical understanding and a basis in experience to enable them to proceed effectively toward this extraordinary state of mental and physical balance.

This retreat was co-led with scholar and practitioner of Buddhism, Eva Natanya, (who has edited two of Alan’s most recent books Open Mind and Fathoming the Mind) to lead one guided meditation each day followed by a Q&A session with all participants.