Experiential Retreat based on Revelations of Mind and The Joy of Being
with Abbe Blum, Caroline van Tuyll and Elske van de Hulst
on February 22-29, 2020
at Nyingma Centrum Nederland, in Amsterdam
In this special retreat, we will combine in-depth exercises and explorations from The Joy of Being with reflections, readings and meditative exercises based on Revelations of Mind.
Both books explore the architecture of our daily awareness in their own specific way, inviting us to open up to a wider range of being.
Our teacher, Tarthang Tulku, has presented to us many ways to cut through the limiting patterns that tend to govern so much of our daily lives, thoughts and feelings. These approaches may initially seem very different, but when practiced and embraced, each in its own way points toward freedom from the habitual patterns that cause dissatisfaction and perpetuate suffering.
We will explore the workings of our mind, body and senses in very basic, experiential ways.
We will look beyond the positions mind generally takes, looking closely at what is really going on in our hearts, minds and bodies. In doing so, we will challenge the necessity of that ongoing, subtle undertone of anxiety that accompanies so many of us day and night.
Do we actually see our everyday surroundings? What happens when we relax and soften our gaze?
Are our problems really problematic? What happens when we drop labeling them as problems?
In what way do thoughts, concepts and labels frame our perception of ‘reality’? How real is that reality?
We invite you to leave behind your habitual fears and embark on a journey towards ease, richness and openness. What’s there to lose?
Inviting Ease – Experiential Retreat
For who?
We welcome students who have been studying Kum Nye, next to students based in investigation like Revelations of Mind or Time Space Knowledge Vision.
Both will be invited to expand their experiential knowing beyond pre-set parameters, so some background in these or related disciplines is recommended. Familiarity with a fundamental openness to investigate processes of body, senses, mind and language from different angles, without fixating on answers, would be helpful.
It is not necessary to have a vast background in both Kum Nye and Revelations of Mind.
“When we cultivate our capacity for experiencing rich depths of feeling, life becomes an ongoing symphony of feelings that blend and harmonize throughout the day, sustaining us with interest, creativity, and positive thoughts.“
– Tarthang Tulku in The Joy of Being
Retreat staff
Inviting Ease will be led by three long term students of Tarthang Tulku, who previously worked together in different ways. Caroline and Abbe worked together closely on the Joy of Being Companion Guide. Elske and Caroline teach Revelations of Mind and Lotus Trilogy together, in Amsterdam. In 2018 and 2019, all three worked together in teaching the first two Lotus Trilogy retreats at Ratna Ling in California, USA.
Abbe Blum is a long time student of Tarthang Tulku and a seasoned teacher, presenting Kum Nye, Joy of Being, Lotus Trilogy and Nyingma Psychology at Nyingma Institute and Dharma College, both in Berkeley. She worked as one of the editors on several of Rinpoche’s latest books.
She holds a B.A. from UC Berkeley, an M.A. from Cambridge University, England, where she was a Marshall scholar, and a Ph.D. in English Literature from Yale University. As an Associate Professor at Swarthmore College, she taught Shakespeare and intensive writing seminars, and she currently teaches in the School of Psychology and Interdisciplinary Inquiry at Saybook University.
Caroline van Tuyll studied French at Universiteit van Groningen and Translation Studies (Vertaalkunde) at the Universiteit van Amsterdam. She has worked as a literary editor with many well known authors and has been a student of Tarthang Tulku since 1995. As a translator she worked on several of Rinpoche’s books; also she co-authored two books of Arnaud Maitland. Caroline was co-director of Dharma Publishing in California from 2004-2014. On Tarthang Tulku’s invitation, she participated in the initial training groups of Revelations of Mind and Lotus Trilogy. She now teaches Revelations of Mind and Lotus Trilogy in Amsterdam.
Elske van de Hulst worked in the theatre as an actress, director and author, between 1969 and 1995. She taught at the Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten and for many years was a member of the Dutch Arts Council. In 1998 she started studying the theatre of the mind, guided by Tarthang Tulku’s books, and has not stopped since. She is now a co-dean at the Amsterdam Nyingma Centrum and teaches Meditation, Knowledge of Freedom, Revelations of Mind and Lotus Trilogy teachings in Amsterdam and elsewhere.
“Even a glimpse of understanding can bring more light to mind and allow us to see what we had previously overlooked. Relying on understanding, we may have the chance to transform our way of being on a very fundamental level.“
– Tarthang Tulku in Revelations of Mind, p 223
Literature
The books Revelations of Mind and The Joy of Being, by Tarthang Tulku, are available:
- in the Lotus Design Shop in Amsterdam;
- by ordering with info[at]lotusdesignshop.nl. The shop will let you know the shipping costs and send the book to you; or
- at Dharmapublishing.com for USA residents.
Joy of Being Companion Guide
The Joy of Being Companion Guide is available courtesy of Dharma Publishing. To download it:
- open the link to the Companion on dharmapublishing.com;
- click the red Add to cart button, which is positioned after the reviews; and
- complete the check-out procedure.
- You will receive a download link by e-mail.
Inviting Ease Retreat at Nyingma Centrum Nederland, Amsterdam
Saturday, February 22nd, 2020, 14:00 hrs
until Saturday, February 29th, 2020 at 16:00 hrs
A lot of what we do in sessions will be experiential guided exercises. We will also do some collective reading, exchange and reflection.
In between sessions participants will be asked to take turns in meal clean-up and some other small chores.
In the middle of the retreat, there may be one afternoon entirely unscheduled (not planned yet).
The maximum number of participants for this retreat is 30. We will be happy to welcome you as one of them!
Please register timely, especially if you want to stay overnight at the center (limited number of beds)
Costs and Registration
Costs: € 790,-, all meals included. Students enrolled at Nyingma pay € 675,-.
Lodging: Limited availability in modest, shared rooms at the Nyingma Center, at € 30,- per night.
It is possible to stay at the center one-two days in advance, afterwards, or both.
We understand that retreat participants might also like to see a bit of Amsterdam while here. It is a good idea to plan your sightseeing before or after the retreat, because during the retreat itself the schedule will be rather intense.
To register, please send an e-mail to nyingmacentrum[at]nyingma.nl.
Practicalities
Language: The retreat is English-spoken. Translation into Dutch will be provided on the spot, as needed.
Location:
Nyingma Centrum Nederland
Reguliersgracht 25
1017 LJ Amsterdam
Website: www.nyingma.nl
Phone: +31 (0)20-6205207
Retreat schedule
07.00-08.00: Early moring Kum Nye practice
08.00-10.00: Breakfast and clean-up
10.00-11.30: Retreat session: Joy of Being investigation
11.30-12.00: Coffee and tea-break
12.00-13.00: Retreat session: Revelations of Mind investigation
13.00-14.30: Lunch and clean-up
14.30-16.00: Private practice/study/rest
16.00-17.30: Retreat session: investigation and integration
17.30-19.00: Dinner and clean-up
19.00-21.00: Retreat session: integration and meditation
De retraite is Engelstalig. Voor vertaling naar het Nederlands wordt indien nodig gezorgd.