Online Retreats / Online Metta Retreat Details / Online Retreat Program / Support Page/ Online Application-Signup
Meet the Online Retreat Teachers
Meet the Online Retreat Teachers
Online Retreats
ONLINE RETREATS are guided by Rev. Khanti Khema (private only), David Johnson, Teri Pohl, John Parlett, Prashant Billore and Delson Armstrong with supervision by Most Ven. Bhante Vimalaramsi. If you can't come for a physical retreat, why not do a retreat at home with guidance online?
Free of charge -please consider donating to keep this project going.
A few actual quotes from the progress reports (from this years online retreats with David Johnson)
- " I was able to generate loving-kindness and radiate the feeling to my spiritual friend. Within a few seconds I felt an overwhelming wave of joy. It was like my spiritual friend was radiating metta back to me; I cried out of joy..... Again I returned to my meditation object (spiritual friend) but again I felt the wave of joy, this time I just felt and tremendously grateful." E.M. California
- "After the infinite space dissipated I relaxed again and I began to see objects like lights street across my view. I relaxed again and bubble of pure joy enveloped me. Inside this bubble was dark and featureless. The joy was the most complete and intense I have ever experienced. Then it faded and I came out of the meditative state." M.R. Japan
- More...
DSMC Online Retreats -Program Description
The DSMC Online Retreat Project was started in 2005 by Sister Khema. These retreats are designed to introduce people to a simple meditation practice called TWIM, short for Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation. It is the method that is found in the earliest Buddhist texts. The goal of the meditation is to slow down the mind's wild activity and uncover the joy and happiness that lies dormant. The Buddha said that there was suffering but he also gave us the method to end that suffering. You will learn the practice of the 6Rs with the Lovingkindness meditation that is the key to much faster progress than you may have been accustomed to in other practices. If properly applied this practice will lead to the experience of awakening - to Nibbana! Freedom from Craving.
These retreats are designed so that you can continue working in any occupation while learning to develop a greater potential of your mind. You will experience how meditation can become an integral part of your life and how you can continuously purify and retrain the mind so that personal reactions begin to slow down and clear responses to life increase. The practice leads to a comfortable change in most people’s behavior.
Meditation is known to relieve stress, lighten life’s load, and bring relief in many ways. Beginners will find this online approach a nice way to learn such a practice. If the instructions are followed closely, all meditators will sharpen their observation power and go deeper than ever before in their practice. You will see directly how your mind actually works. You are likely to reclaim some wonderment in your life and smile a whole lot more.
- "I felt a lot of relief during this meditation. There was a moment where everything became a little bit lighter... It felt very healing and I thought I was going to breakthrough if that word makes sense... At that point I started to tear up, but not out of sadness, maybe more out of relief or joy." J. G. Michigan
We will be working our way through what is called in Buddhism, the Brahma Viharas (the heavenly Abodes). We will begin with METTA for our first meditation object. METTA means LOVING KINDNESS MEDITATION. We will also experience COMPASSION, JOY, and EQUANIMITY along the way. Nibbana is the ultimate goal of this practice. Each retreat is 8 days long with one additional Q&A day added onto the end to ask any open questions you may have about Meditation in general or about the early foundation Buddhist teaching.
During your retreat, you are asked to take 6 Precepts in the morning and to read a few supportive verses found in a book called the Dhammapada. You are required to sit in meditation for a minimum of 30 minutes twice a day (AM and PM) and to take a short walk each day for at least 15-20 minutes as a minimum. Many people take a lunchtime walk or after an evening meal; whatever is possible is fine. You agree to listen to one Dhamma talk each evening given by Audio or Video format (your choice) online. Talks are taken from a Retreat collection by Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi, our Abbot. These talks are given in simple clear English. Each day you are required to answer short questions in a Daily report you send to the teacher to which they will reply. Their job is to monitor where you are in your progress and to coach you on your next step in the meditation.
- "Of all the things I learned this week, maybe the most valuable is not to get too serious and force things. D.S. New York
This is a Dana project at our center and is totally supported by your grateful donations given at the end of each retreat time. This is how the Maha Sangha ( group of Buddhist monks and nuns worldwide) are supported to provide their basic requisites of Food, Shelter, Clothing, and Medicine for their survival, It also pays for online connections and space for this and other research work to continue. Please note that there is no set amount asked for and people offer whatever they can to help this project continue based on their experience and the value gained from this practice. If you can't afford anything that is ok too.
Subjects covered in the Dhamma talks:
Day 1 Friday - Orientation and Instruction Video -Watch Friday evening at your leisure. Do one sitting.
Day 2 Saturday - MN 2 The Buddha's advice on how to handle Distractions/Hindrances during practice
Day 3 Sunday - MN 111 Anupada Sutta - The levels of progress -What are the Jhanas?
Day 4 Monday - MN 10 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness - Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta - Part 1
Day 5 Tuesday - MN 10 The Four Foundations of Mindfulness - Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta - Part 2
Day 6 Wed - MN 43 The Greater Series of Questions and Answers - Mahāvedalla Sutta
Day 7 Thurs - MN 38 The Destruction of Craving (Seeing Dependent Origination) - Mahātaṇhāsankhaya Sutta
Day 8 Friday - MN 44 The Noble 8-Fold Path and DhammaDinna
Day 9 Saturday - Taking Metta Meditation into Daily Life.
Day 10 Sunday - Optional Day - You can submit questions and an additional report.
Once you are registered, you will receive a link explaining, in full, all links and instructions shortly before your retreat begins.
Apply for an Online Retreat Below - Schedule is on the sign up page
Teachers - check the Teachers Page
- David Johnson
- Teri Pohl
- Prashant Billore
- Delson Armstrong - TBD
- Paul Johnson - TBD
- Ven. Khanti Khema - (On Leave teaching in Malaysia & India)
