Retreats Archives - Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies

Retreats

2023 Retreats (3)
2024 Retreats (3)
2025 Retreats (2)
2021 Retreats (3)
2022 Retreats (7)
8-Week Retreats (19)
2008 - 2016 Retreats (35)
2017 - 2020 Retreats (18)
Week Long Retreats (28)
Weekend Retreats (11)
2020 8-Week Retreat – Audio Stream & Supporting Media

Price range: $225.00 through $550.00

Phase 1: “Taking the Impure Mind as the Path” and Phase 2: “Revealing Your Own Face as the Sharp Vajra of Vipaśyanā” in The Vajra Essence: From the Matrix of Pure Appearances and Primordial Consciousness, a Tantra Self-Emergent from the Nature of Existence with B. Alan Wallace.

Retreat Dates: April 1- May 26, 2020

Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program
To subscribe to this program, you should be familiar with the foundational teachings and practices of shamatha, the four applications of mindfulness, and the four immeasurables. See below for list of teachings. One must have genuine interest in practicing the dharma and must have read the text, The Fine Path to Liberation. If you need a scholarship, you can apply here.
Please read full details below in description.
2021 8-Week Retreat Audio Stream Registration

Price range: $225.00 through $550.00

The Vajra Essence – Part 2
Phase 3: “Revealing the Ground Dharmakāya” and Phase 4: “Determining the Characteristics and Qualities of the Ground” in The Vajra Essence: From the Matrix of Pure Appearances and Primordial Consciousness, a Tantra Self-Emergent from the Nature of Existence. April 1 – May 26, 2021
Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program
To subscribe to this program, you should be familiar with the foundational teachings and practices of shamatha, the four applications of mindfulness, and the four immeasurables. (See below for list of teachings) By purchasing you acknowledge that you have satisfied the retreat prerequisites of listening to the 2020 8-week retreat and will listen to Lama Alan’s oral commentary to the Vajra Essence in its entirety and have had an empowerment or will receive the recommended empowerment. If you need a scholarship, you can apply here.
Please read full details below in description.
2022 8-Week Retreat The Vajra Essence Part III – Audio Stream/Download Registration

Price range: $225.00 through $550.00

A virtual retreat from Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, Colorado

Sponsored by Santa Barbara Institute and the Center for Contemplative Research

The Vajra Essence – Part III March 31 - May 30, 2022

Audio Stream/Download Registration
This online, 8-week retreat will focus on completing Phase 4: “Determining the Characteristics and Qualities of the Ground,” Phase 5: "Determining Secret Dualistic Grasping and Revealing the Way of Natural Liberation" and Phase 6: "Teaching on the Essential Points of Practice and Their Key Distinctions" from The Vajra Essence: From the Matrix of Pure Appearances and Primordial Consciousness, a Tantra Self-Emergent from the Nature of Existence. Prerequisite Requirements to Purchase Program To subscribe to this program, you should be familiar with the foundational teachings and practices of shamatha, the four applications of mindfulness, and the four immeasurables. See below for list of teachings. By purchasing you acknowledge that you have satisfied the retreat prerequisites of listening to both the 2020 and 2021 8-week retreats on The Vajra Essence and will listen to Lama Alan’s oral commentary to The Vajra Essence in its entirety and have had an empowerment or will receive the recommended empowerment. If you have not received the Lake-Born Vajra empowerment from Lama Alan, then you should not listen to Yangchen's teachings on the sadhana (which began after the empowerment was granted during the 2022 8-week retreat on May 11, 2022). We do hope that at a future date the empowerment will be available again. This year we are offering multiple pricing options as you will see below when you select Choose An Option. If you need a scholarship, you can apply here. Please read all of the details below under description.
Protected: 2022 8-Week Retreat The Vajra Essence Part III: In-Person Registration

Price range: $2,400.00 through $2,900.00

An in-person retreat at Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, CO sponsored by SBI

The Vajra Essence – Part III March 31 - May 30, 2022
In-person registration is now open for The Vajra Essence - Part III. This 8-week retreat will focus on completing Phase 4: “Determining the Characteristics and Qualities of the Ground”, Phase 5: "Determining Secret Dualistic Grasping and Revealing the Way of Natural Liberation", and Phase 6: "Teaching on the Essential Points of Practice and Their Key Distinctions" from The Vajra Essence: From the Matrix of Pure Appearances and Primordial Consciousness, a Tantra Self-Emergent from the Nature of Existence.
Please be aware that in order to maintain moderate social distancing (in addition to a required vaccination against COVID-19), we have very limited capacity for in-person attendance. Only those who have been accepted to attend should register here.

Please do not share this registration link.

See below for more information on the teachings and additional details about the retreat.
2023 8-Week Retreat The Vajra Essence – Part IV: Virtual Registration

Price range: $225.00 through $550.00

An in-person and virtual retreat from Crestone, CO The Vajra Essence - Part IV March 31 – May 27, 2023 Co-sponsored by the Center for Contemplative Research
This registration is for the virtual, online retreat.
During this 8-week retreat, Lama Alan will grant an oral transmission and commentary to Düdjom Lingpa’s revealed treatise, The Vajra Essence, picking up where we left off last May. Please read all of the details below for more information on the teachings and additional details about the retreat. The most important prerequisite for participating in this retreat is that all applicants must have already listened to the oral transmission and commentary on the opening phases of The Vajra Essence by Lama Alan given during the first retreat in this series, offered during April – May, 2020 via either the SBI audio-stream or the Wisdom online retreat. You must have completed this before this retreat begins. To request a scholarship please complete this scholarship application. This year we are offering multiple pricing options as you will see below when you select Choose An Option.
Protected: 2023 8-Week Retreat The Vajra Essence Part IV: In-Person Registration

Price range: $2,400.00 through $2,900.00

An in-person and virtual retreat in Crestone, CO

The Vajra Essence – Part IV March 31 - May 27, 2023

This is for in-person registration.

The virtual retreat registration will open in January or early February.
During this 8-week retreat, Lama Alan will grant an oral transmission and commentary to Düdjom Lingpa’s revealed treatise, The Vajra Essence, picking up where we left off last May. Please be aware that in order to maintain moderate social distancing we have very limited capacity for in-person attendance. Only those who have been accepted to attend should register here. Please do not share this registration link and/or password. Please read all of the details below for more information on the teachings and additional details about the retreat. The most important prerequisite for participating in this retreat is that all applicants must have already listened to the oral transmission and commentary on the opening phases of The Vajra Essence by Lama Alan given during the first retreat in this series, offered during April – May, 2020 via either the SBI audio-stream or the Wisdom online retreat. You must have completed this before this retreat begins. This year we are offering multiple pricing options as you will see below when you select Choose An Option.
26 Meditations Selected from 2009 Retreats

$26.00

This audio stream and download contains 26 meditations from retreats with Alan Wallace in Santa Barbara, CA in 2009 . You will receive a Dropbox link to listen to these guided meditations.
A Contemplative Science of Consciousness – November 2014

Price range: $108.00 through $640.00

A Contemplative Science of Consciousness - November 2014 - Recorded November 9-16, 2014 in Santa Barbara, CA Modern science has discovered many important facts about the mind by studying it indirectly through the examination of the neural correlates and behavioral expressions of mental processes. The retreat is available via audio recording, video recording and DVD.
A Contemplative Science of Mental Balance – February 2014

Price range: $108.00 through $640.00

A Contemplative Science of Mental Balance Recorded February 2-9, 2014 in Santa Barbara, CA
On the basis of an ethical way of life, mental balance is the key to achieving genuine happiness and to following the path to spiritual liberation and awakening. Genuine happiness, in contrast to hedonic pleasure, is a sense of well-being that arises from within, without dependence upon pleasant stimuli. The retreat is available via audio recording, video recording and DVD.
Protected: An Ornament of the Enlightened View of Samanthabhadra and Summary of the View, Meditation, and Conduct – A One-Week Retreat – January 2019

Price range: $108.00 through $480.00

Dzogchen, or the "Great Perfection," is regarded by many as the pinnacle of Buddhist teachings, for it presents the most direct path to realizing our true nature and to unveiling the deepest dimensions of consciousness. This retreat consists of lectures, guided meditations and discussions, and is intended for participants with a sound understanding and practice of the foundational Buddhist teachings of the Four Noble Truths, Bodhicitta, and the Six Perfections. Guest teacher, Eva Natanya This retreat was recorded at El Capitan in Goleta, CA January 2019. This is offered via audio stream/download.
Protected: Catering Options for “Fathom the Mind. Heal the World.” Retreat Oct 1-7, 2022

Price range: $175.00 through $300.00
This is to order your meals while attending the "Fathom the Mind. Heal the World." Retreat to be held at Blazing Mountain Retreat Center in Crestone, CO October 1-7. There are two options:

You will receive one meal every day - dinner on the first night, lunch on all remaining days. $175

You will receive dinner on the first day, lunch only on the final day and two meals on the remaining five days, both meals will be delivered at lunchtime. $300

We are very sorry but once you place your order, we are unable to cancel it, or offer a refund, after September 25th.
Protected: Catering Options for 2023 8-Week Retreat

Price range: $325.00 through $650.00

This is to order catered lunches for the month of April, at the 2023 8-week retreat. You will be able to order lunches for the month of May in April. There are two options: You will receive one meal every day, six days a week - Monday - Saturday. This will be a total of 26 days from when the retreat begins until April 30th. You will receive one meal every other day, for three days a week - it will be a total of 13 days from when the retreat begins until April 30th. Please see below for additional information. We are very sorry but once you place your order, we are unable to cancel it, or offer a refund, after March 26th. You will see that there are four options for your meals: vegetarian, vegan, non-vegetarian and gluten-free. COST: Six Meals per week (any variation) $650 Three Meals per week (any variation) $325
Protected: Catering Options for May 2023 8-Week Retreat

Price range: $300.00 through $600.00
This is to order catered lunches for the month of May, at the 2023 8-week retreat. There are two options:

You will receive one meal every day, six days a week, Monday - Saturday. This will be a total of 24 days from May 1st.

You will receive one meal every other day, for three days a week. This will be a total of 12 days from May 1st.

Please see below for additional information. If you did not order meals in April you will be sent a food allergy form to complete. We are very sorry but once you place your order, we are unable to cancel it, or offer a refund, after April 25th. You will see that there are now five options for your meals: vegetarian, pescatarian (basically vegetarian but also with fish on occasion) vegan, non-vegetarian and gluten-free. COST: Six Meals per week (any variation) $600 Three Meals per week (any variation) $300
Commentary from Lama Alan on Drubpön Lama Karma’s Shamatha Teachings – Nov 18, 2020 – Video stream & Audio stream/download

Free!

On November 18th, 2020 Lama Alan offered five hours of oral commentary to Drubpön Lama Karma’s experiential account of his own practice of shamatha and subsequent contemplative training. This is Lama Alan’s first teaching at The Center for Contemplative Research at Miyo Samten Ling in Crestone, CO. We are delighted to share with you these inspired teachings, in both audio and video form, and with a Spanish translation also available. Traducción al español disponible. The transcript that Lama Alan was reading from for this commentary has now been revised and is available in the book, Śamatha and Vipaśyanā: An Anthology of Pith Instructions. The content of the teaching is not impacted with the revised translations. Please see below for additional information.