Mahāmudrā retreat - Lama Tilmann Lhündrup and Lila Kimhi - For experienced practitioners

The retreat will be held in the beautiful retreat place of the “Tovana Insight Meditation Society” in Kibbutz Ein-Dor, in Israel. 

We will practice in silence in the style of the Buddhist Mahāmudrā tradition. The course is suitable for those with a good understanding of meditation, wishing to be introduced to Mahāmudrā – which is an insight-based approach to natural being. 

Lama Tilmann Lhündrup explains the particular Mahāmudrā style of developing mental calm, insight and activity. His teachings will be based on the famous meditation manual “Moonbeams of Mahamudra” by the Tibetan Master Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (1512-1587). You will be presented summaries of this wonderful book, so you do not need to bring it yourself. To make Mahāmudrā tangible, Lhündrup will not only teach but also guide meditations. 

Mahāmudrā is merging our heart-mind with its fundamental nature. The letting go necessary for this comes from insightful trust in the inherently liberated, intangible nature of our mind. Whether at rest or in movement, we take all experiences as doors into timeless being. We explore their self-liberating nature and the forces that shape this process. 

Just as in the Eightfold Path taught by the Buddha, Mahāmudrā practice involves three aspects – view, meditation and activity – which reinforce each other. 

1. View is our constantly refining understanding of just being, deepened through instruction, study and contemplative reflection. An open, mature view serves as the basis for exploring mind in meditation and discovering new freedom within a dynamic, active mind. 

2. Meditation is applying the view with increasing awareness. We experience ourselves as an interconnected “nobody”, influenced by many forces, with many opportunities to influence our world. Freedom within interdependence. This fundamental insight creates the heartfelt wish to make it accessible to others. 

3. Activity is implementing spiritual practice in relationships, work, nature, and society at large. Being active in this world needs continued practice to keep the balance in the middle of great challenges; we see what people truly need and why we meditate. 

Mahāmudrā meditation, which is living the view, the insight, always serves activity – it is an expression of the bodhisattva path, which takes the relaxed, open-hearted work of the Buddhist masters of old as a model – above all the Buddha himself, who was tirelessly active for 45 years after his awakening and also faced great challenges. 

Although no prior knowledge of Mahāmudrā is needed, here are some materials for those interested:

- English instructions on “Mahāmudrā”:
https://ekayana-institut.de/en/media/search-und-filter/?_sprache=english&_suche=Mahamudra

- Series of Moonbeams of Mahamudra Summary: An Essential Guide to Understanding and Practicing Buddhism’s Mahamudra Tradition:
https://ekayana-institut.de/en/mediathek/moonbeams-of-mahamudra-summary-an-essential-guide-to-understanding-and-practicing-buddhisms-mahamudra-tradition/