Frequently Asked (Retreat) Questions
Dance
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This retreat may provide a different type of dance experience than you have had in the past. This isn’t about what you look like, who is watching you, or any other expectations that may occur on a dance floor. We set the environment that enables intuitive movment and stillness so that you can tune into your body, the music, and the environment and you can choose to move or be still, dance or lie on the ground, interact with others (with consent) or dance far from others. It is up to you.
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Dancing, movement, and stillness allow for self expression to occur at the most basic level. In the most genuine sense, you are your own gesture arising in each moment. What does it feel like to be embodied in that moment, and to play in space with the tool of your body? In addition to connecting us to our intuition, our embodied experience, and the present moment, unscripted movement and stillness allow for relaxation and nervous system regulation. Dancing in this way within a safe and held environment can help you return home to your body.
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Yes. This retreat asks participants to slow down and be present. It all works because creating a safe environment allows participants to relax and unwind. While dancing, this means that you have the ability to move, or not, without unwelcome contact from others. We will discuss consent, whether requesting connection or space to just be by yourself.
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Mudra Space Awareness includes specific activities that Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche developed, drawing from the tradition of Tibetan Buddhist monastic dance as well as aspects of Vajrayana Buddhism and the idea of meditation in action.
This very special set of exercises cultivate direct experiences of space and energy that are not ordinarily accessed through other movement methods.
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No, this is not a religious retreat and it is open to all spiritual and religious beliefs. Mudra Space Awareness is rooted in Buddhist practice and comes from a Buddhist lineage. It teaches mindfulness, presence, embodiment, working with duality, impermanence, slowing down, just being, working with habit, and many other principles and teachings that come from Buddhism. The practice is taught in a way that is accessible to all and requires no knowledge or even interest in studying Buddhism.
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Intensifications are intense. They are designed to challenge Mudra practitioners both physically and emotionally, and ultimately allow for a felt experience of the unimpeded present moment. Participants are always in charge, and can choose how far to lean into the exercises.
Intensification exercises are about learning to push ourselves beyond our habitual limits. Some people love the intensity and find that it helps bring them into their bodies and into the present moment, and others find the practice more challenging. Either way, they are a powerful method for working with body and mind, pushing beyond habitual hesitation, and engaging completely with the moment.
We have been guiding these exercises for years, and know how to introduce them carefully and safely. We also create a safe space to process surprising realizations, reactions, or emotions that may arise.
Mudra Space Awareness
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Retreats are different for each person, and each time you attend a retreat. Ideally, it will feel like a comfortable and safe place where you can unplug from your daily life. The schedule is packed, but with activities and methods that are meant to allow for deeper connection and relaxation. You will be around other people, and you can choose the ways in which you which to connect with other people who are on retreat.
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Retreats are different for each person, and each time you attend a retreat. They are meant to provide an opportunity to set an intension for yourself (if you wish), and to give you a chance to slow down and be with yourself in a different way than your daily life, family, habits, responsibilities, etc. may allow.
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You just need to show up, we will take care of the rest. You will meet the other folks who signed up for the retreat, you will be introduced to the schedule and activities, you will be served good food, and be assigned a comfortable room.
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Please reach out to us, and we will see how we can accommodate your needs. While this retreat relies on physical movement and ability, there are many ways in which we can accommodate needs, whether physical, schedule accomodations , dietary, or other.