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While enlightenment in Mahayana Buddhism and Vedantic Hinduism is described as indescribable, it is evoked as experiencing the infinite universe as your very own body (Dharmakaya), while still energetically maintaining your effortless continuity of wisdom and compassion to help other beings also discover their own liberating oneness. The doorway to such enlightenment is a critical concentrative meditational search for knowledge of the ultimate ground reality, which is described as “vajra” or Brahma, meaning adamantine, unbreakable, supremely powerful, or divine, and is equated with “bliss-freedom-indivisible” or “being-awareness-bliss.”

The yoga tradition evolves through Indian spiritual history as the practical way of full body-mind realization of such exalted insight, gradually, delicately, and inexorably liberating the ordinary body-mind complex from its ego-centrist ignorance and corresponding constrictedness. In this workshop we will explore, intellectually and experientially, some of the texts and practices from the yogic technologies associated with both major nondualist traditions, with the aim of better understanding the potential and actuality of the Vajra or Brahma Body. We will refer to texts from Buddhist and Hindu traditions during the retreat.

Richard and John will teach yoga daily and Robert will join them for all lectures and question and answer sessions (please refer to the tentative schedule below). This year we are offering an extended six-day program, split up into two parts, the Intensive and the Weekend Retreat. You may attend either part or the entire event.  You need not have attended last year’s program to register for and appreciate this one.

Join us for this totally unique, absolutely transformative, and very inspiring event!

All levels welcome!

Richard Freeman has been a student of yoga since 1968 and is one of America's foremost teachers of yoga. He has studied various traditions in Asia which he incorporates into the Ashtanga yoga practice as taught by his principal teacher, K. Pattabhi Jois. Richard is an avid student of both Western and Eastern philosophy, as well as Sanskrit.

John Campbell started practicing Ashtanga yoga in India seventeen years ago with the late Shri K. Pattabhi Jois.  His teachers include HH the Dalai Lama, Denma Lochoe Rinpoche & Eddie Stern.  He received his doctorate in the Religion Department at Columbia University in New York City, with a dissertation on the Indian and Tibetan Buddhist and Hindu Tantric yoga.

Robert Thurman is Professor of Indo-Tibetan Studies at Columbia University, President of Tibet House U.S., a popular lecturer on Tibetan Buddhism, the translator of many philosophical treatises and sutras, and author of numerous books including Inner Revolution, Anger, & his most recent book Why the Dalai Lama Matters.

Tuition

Intensive Only -                     $425 (per person);  $383 (THUS members)    
Weekend Retreat Only -       $425 (per person);  $383 (THUS members)    
Entire Event-                         $680 (per person);  $612 (THUS members)


Accommodations

Intensive Only-  Arrive Monday, depart Thursday.
or
Retreat Only-  Arrive Thursday, depart Sunday.

Fee includes housing and gourmet vegetarian meals and is in addition to tuition.

Room with Queen Bed and Private Bath -  $589 (per person); $760 couple ($380 per person)
Room with Queen Bed and Shared Bath -  $511 (per person); $710 couple ($355 per person)

Room with 2 Twin Beds and Private Bath -  $460 (per person)
Room with 2 Twin Beds and Shared Bath -  $427 (per person)

Room in Private House with twin beds or twin bunks -  $360 (per person). Singles, doubles, triples, and quads available.  Please note that beds in shared rooms are on a first come first serve basis. We cannot assign specific beds on registration.

Cots -  $285 (per person).  We have a large breakout room in the Conference Center with ten cots/single mattresses for those who want the camping rate but prefer to sleep indoors.

Campers -  $285 (per person).  Includes facility use and all meals.

Commuters - $225 (per person). Includes facility use and all meals.



Entire Event-  Arrive Monday, depart Sunday.

Fee includes housing and gourmet vegetarian meals and is in addition to tuition.

Room with Queen Bed and Private Bath -  $880 (per person); $1140 couple ($570 per person)
Room with Queen Bed and Shared Bath -  $766 (per person); $1064 couple ($532 per person)

Room with 2 Twin Beds and Private Bath -  $690 (per person)
Room with 2 Twin Beds and Shared Bath -  $640 (per person)

Room in Private House with twin beds or twin bunks -  $540  (per person).  Singles, doubles, triples, and quads available.  Please note that beds in shared rooms are on a first come first serve basis. We cannot assign specific beds on registration.

Cots -  $427 (per person).  We have a large breakout room in the Conference Center with ten cots/single mattresses for those who want the camping rate but prefer to sleep indoors.

Campers -  $427 (per person).  Includes facility use and all meals.

Commuters - $338 (per person). Includes facility use and all meals.

Note: We will assign you a roommate if you do not register with one and do not book a single.


Cancellation Policy

If you cancel:
-  two weeks prior to the program, you will receive a 100% refund, minus a $35 processing fee.
-  one full day to two weeks prior to the program, you will receive full credit, minus a 35%
    processing fee, which can be applied to any other Tibet House sponsored program at Menla.
    This credit is good for one year.
-  the day of the program or do not show up for any reason, no refund or credit will be
    given.  

Tibet House US/Menla Mountain Retreat & Conference Center reserves the right to cancel any program at any time for low enrollment or circumstances beyond our control.  Should this take place, a full refund will be offered.


Program Schedule

Monday, June 6    
3 - 8  p.m.                 Check-in
4:15 p.m.                  Optional Early Arrival Asanas (Freeman)
6 – 7 p.m.                 Dinner
7:30 p.m.                  Welcome  and Discussion:  Yogic Body (All Faculty)
    
Tuesday, June 7    
7 a.m.                       Inner Yoga (Freeman)
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.       Breakfast
10 a.m.                     Outer Yoga (Freeman and Campbell)
12 - 1 p.m.                Lunch
1 p.m.                       Free Time  
4 p.m.                       Mantra Meditation (All Faculty)
6 - 7 p.m.                  Dinner
7:30 p.m.                  Discussion (All Faculty)  
    
Wednesday, June 8    
7 a.m.                       Inner Yoga (Freeman)
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.       Breakfast
10 a.m.                     Discussion (All Faculty)  
12 - 1 p.m.                Lunch
1 p.m.                       Free Time  
4 p.m.                       Outer Yoga (Freeman and Campbell)
6 - 7 p.m.                  Dinner
7:30 p.m.                  Evening Program
    
Thursday, June 9    
7 a.m.                       Inner Yoga (Freeman)
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.       Breakfast
10 a.m.                     Discussion (All Faculty)  
12 - 1 p.m.                Lunch and Departure for Participants only Attending Intensive
1 p.m.                       Free Time
3 - 8  p.m.                 Check-in for Participants only Attending Retreat
4:15 p.m.                  Optional Early Arrival Asanas (Freeman)
6 – 7 p.m.                 Dinner
7:30 p.m.                  Welcome and Discussion:  Yogic Body (All Faculty)
    
Friday, June 10    
7 a.m.                       Inner Yoga (Freeman)
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.       Breakfast
10 a.m.                     Outer Yoga (Freeman and Campbell)
12 - 1 p.m.                Lunch
1 p.m.                       Free Time  
4 p.m.                       Mantra Meditation (All Faculty)
6 - 7 p.m.                  Dinner
7:30 p.m.                  Discussion (All Faculty)  
    
Saturday, June 11    
7 a.m.                       Inner Yoga (Freeman)
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.       Breakfast
10 a.m.                     Discussion (All Faculty)  
12 - 1 p.m.                Lunch
1 p.m.                       Free Time  
4 p.m.                       Outer Yoga (Freeman and Campbell)
6 - 7 p.m.                  Dinner
7:30 p.m.                  Meditation Music Program with Prana
    
Sunday, June 12    
6:30 a.m.                 Inner-Outer Yoga (Freeman and Campbell)
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.      Breakfast
10 a.m.                    Closing Discussion  (All Faculty)
12:30 – 1:30 p.m.    Lunch and Departure
    
    
** Schedule subject to change at any time    

See above.