Weekend Meditation Retreat - The Birth of the Warrior with Elaine Yuen

About the Course

The point of Shambhala Training is to get out of the cocoon, which is the shyness and aggression in which we have wrapped ourselves… A Shambhala warrior is someone who is brave enough not to give in to the aggression and contradictions that exist in society…who is able to step out of the cocoon–that very comfortable cocoon that he or she is trying to sleep in.

—Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche

Deepen your meditation practice, and continue along the path of the Shambhala teachings on warriorship, in this weekend retreat.

Birth of the Warrior: Shambhala Training Level II builds on the presentation of basic goodness in Shambhala Level I, and explores how habitual ways of thinking, known as “cocoon” in Shambhala, obscure the raw brilliance of ourselves and the world we live in.

You will learn a meditation practice that builds upon the mindfulness-awareness technique of Shambhala Training Level I, and explore real techniques for working with fear and habitual patterns of thought and behavior.

By opening to our own genuineness and tenderness, we begin to notice, and learn how to work with, our deep-seated habits and defenses. We begin seeing through obscurations of habitual patterns that we have created over time.

Included in the Retreat

• Guided meditation instruction
• Periods of both sitting and walking meditation
• Talks by an experienced dharma teacher 
• Silent periods
• Question & answer periods
• Group discussions
• Individual meetings with a trained Meditation Instructor 
• Connecting with people interested in meditation and discovering the brilliance of the world around them! 

Birth of the Warrior is the second retreat in a progressive series of weekend retreats, meaning each weekend builds a foundation for the following weekend. It is not required, but strongly suggested.

About the Teachers

Elaine Yuen is an educator, chaplain and researcher. She has been a student and teacher in the Shambhala community since the early 1970’s, and has been a Philadelphian since 1980. Between 2012
and 2010 she was a professor at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado where she taught courses on pastoral caregiving (chaplaincy), contemplative education and Buddhist studies. Elaine is deeply
interested in how we shape our social interactions with caring and authentic presence. She continues to explore the interfaces between Buddhism, meditation, creativity, and contemplative care-giving. Her
website on Contemplative Chaplaincy can be found at elaineyuen.com.

Our Generosity Policy

In order to make our programs accessible to everyone, we have a “Price that fits me” policy. If the listed price is an obstacle for you, please decide what works for you and offer whatever you can. No one will be turned away!