Heart as Wide as the World: Heart practices of the Buddhist and Bhakti Paths
With Sharon Salzberg, Krishna Das, Nina Rao and Lily Cushman
November 14 - 17, 2019
Both the Bhakti and Buddhist paths tell us that we all have the same capacity for compassion and for peace. A life of connection and authenticity can come completely alive for us, even now when the world is in greater turmoil than ever before. We can discover that our hearts are indeed, wide enough to embrace the whole world of experience. This discovery offers us extraordinary freedom and happiness. The poet Rainer Maria Rilke beautifully describes this way of living as:
“I live my life in widening circles
that reach out across the ocean
I may not ever complete the last one
But I give myself to it.”
As we give ourselves to the practices of chanting, mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation, our habitual patterns of attachment and separation are seen for what they are: painful and unnecessary. Through these practices we can begin to live in a way that is commensurate with our extraordinary potential– the potential of being truly awake. We ourselves can live with the unbounded heart of the Buddha.
In this weekend retreat, dive into the practices and teachings of the unbounded heart, led by lifelong teachers and friends, Krishna Das and Sharon Salzberg. Sharon and KD draw from their respective traditions of Bhakti Yoga and Buddhism for a complementary exploration of the heart as wide as the world. This immersive retreat includes periods of teaching, discussion, guided meditation, call and response chanting practice, as well as time for question and answers. The weekend also includes group chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa led by Nina Rao, and daily yoga classes led by Lily Cushman. Suitable for new or experienced practitioners.
Schedule
Thursday, November 14th
- 2 – 8pm Arrival and Check-in
- 4 – 6pm Spa Treatments (must be booked in advance)
- 6:15 – 7:15pm Dinner – Lhasa Inn
- 7:30pm Doors Open – Nalanda Conference Center
- 8 – 10pm Opening Welcome with Sharon and KD, Opening Kirtan with KD
Friday, November 15th
- 6:30 – 7am Coffee, Tea, Fruit – Lhasa Inn
- 7 – 8:30am Yoga Asanas with Lily Cushman (Ahimsa Yoga Studio)
- 8:30 – 9:30am Breakfast
- 10am – 12:30pm Program with Sharon (Nalanda Conference Center)
- 12:30 – 2:30pm Free Time for Spa Treatments, Hiking, etc.
- 1 – 2:15pm Lunch
- 2:30 – 5pm Workshop with Sharon & KD (Nalanda Conference Center)
- 5:30 – 6:30pm Yoga Asanas with Lily Cushman (Ahimsa Yoga Studio)
- 6:30 – 7:30pm Dinner
- 7pm Will Call for Public Kirtan Ticket Holders (Nalanda Conference Center)
- 7:30pm Doors Open for Kirtan
- 8 – 10:30pm Kirtan with Krishna Das (open to public)
Saturday, November 16th
- 6:30 – 7am Coffee, Tea, Fruit
- 7 – 8:30am Yoga Asanas with Lily Cushman (Ahimsa Yoga Studio)
- 8:30 – 9:30am Breakfast
- 10am – 11.30am Program with Sharon (Nalanda Conference Center)
- 11.45am – 12.45pm Hanuman Chalisas with Nina (Nalanda Conference Center)
- 1 – 2:15pm Lunch
- 2:30 – 5pm Workshop with KD & Sharon (Nalanda Conference Center)
- 5:30 – 6:30pm Yoga Asanas with Lily Cushman (Ahimsa Yoga Studio)
- 6 – 7:30pm Dinner
- 6:30 – 7:15pm Book/CD Signing with KD and Sharon (Lhasa Inn Gift Shop)
- 7pm Will Call for Public Kirtan Ticket Holders (Nalanda Conference Center)
- 7:30pm Doors Open for Kirtan
- 8 – 10:30pm Kirtan with Krishna Das (open to public)
Sunday, November 17th
- 6:30 – 7am Coffee, Tea, Fruit
- 7 – 11am Check-Out of Rooms
- 7 – 8:30am Yoga Asanas with Lily Cushman (Ahimsa Yoga Studio)
- 8:30 – 9:45am Breakfast
- 10:15am – 12:45pm Closing Program with Sharon and KD (Nalanda Conference Center)
- 1:00 -2:15pm Lunch & Departure
* Please note schedule is subject to change at any time
About the Leaders
Sharon Salzberg
Sharon Salzberg is a pioneer in the field of meditation, a world-renowned teacher and NY Times bestselling author. She has played a crucial role in bringing meditation and mindfulness to the West and into mainstream culture since 1974, when she first began teaching. Sharon is the co-founder of the first western meditation center in the […]
Learn more about Sharon Salzberg
Krishna Das
Krishna Das is a Grammy-nominated chant artist and has sung with people all around the world for over 35 years. His music offers the practice of chanting mantras– mostly in the Indian tradition, with some Buddhist and Gospel infusions. By sharing his life experiences on the path in his book Chants of a Lifetime, and workshops with people […]
Learn more about Krishna Das
Nina Rao
Nina Rao learned traditional chants from her grandfather in a village in south India when she was nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. For many years Nina has been Krishna Das business manager and assistant, and accompanies him musically. In […]
Learn more about Nina Rao
Lily Cushman
Lily Cushman is a teacher, musician, author, and the co-founder of Brooklyn Yoga School, a donation-based yoga center voted "Best of New York" by NY Magazine. Lily has been teaching yoga and offering chanting events in the greater NY area for over a decade, and currently serves as Director of Operations for world-renowned meditation teacher, Sharon Salzberg. Lily offers retreats and workshops around the […]
Learn more about Lily CushmanCategories : Menla Retreat (all retreats), Menla THUS