Awakened Heart: Shambhala Level IV

with Barbara Hirschfeld & Susan Gluck

April 20th—April 21st

Date details +
    Price:
  • $150 Program Price
  • $200 Patron Price
  • $75 Limited Income Price
  • $50 Repeater Price
  • Or pay what is possible; type-in the amount:
Room: Meditation Hall

In-Person only Weekend Meditation Retreat Presented by Berkeley Shambhala
PrerequisiteS: Shambhala Training Level III: Warrior in the world

Awakened heart comes from being willing to face your state of mind. Deepen your meditation practice, and continue along the path of the Shambhala teachings on warriorship, in this weekend retreat. 

Please join us for Awakened Heart: Shambhala Training Weekend IV

Awakened Heart: Shambhala Training Level IV builds on the presentation of basic goodness in Shambhala Level I,  the teachings on “cocoon” in Shambhala Level II, and the exploration of fearlessness in Level III.

With trust in basic goodness and daring to experience the sharp edge of reality, we move forward with gentleness, increased awareness, and inquisitiveness about the world, as it is. We can extend ourselves to others fully and with kindness.

We will expand our meditation practice further, building on the mindfulness-awareness techniques learned in Shambhala Training Levels I, II, and III, and exploring real techniques for how to be even more present for both ourselves and others with more care and curiosity.

Repeaters welcome — each time we experience these teachings, we step freshly into the river.

Shambhala Training Level IV includes

  • Guided meditation practice
  • Sitting and walking meditation
  • Talks by experienced teachers
  • Mindfulness meditation — on and off the cushion
  • Question & answer periods
  • Group discussions 
  • Individual meetings with a trained meditation instructor
  • Connecting with people interested in meditation and discovering the brilliance of the world around them!
  • Concluding festive reception

 

Our Teachers

photo of Basha HirschfeldBasha Hirschfeld has been a spiritual seeker all her life. She has been a student of Ani Pema Chödrön and of Shambhala since 2001, and has had the great honor of leading classes and teaching meditation in the Shambhala tradition. Born in the Bronx, daughter of German Jewish refugees, Basha grew up in the beatnik era, later became a hippie, and then a radical feminist, leading protests and making films about change. Aside from the mundane miracles of motherhood and marriage, and now grand-motherhood, she enjoys running a small meditation retreat center Open Sky Retreat Space out of her home in Sebastopol.

photo of Susan GluckAssistant Director, Susan Gluck When Susan heard the voice of Pema Chödrön 20+ years ago, she knew immediately that this was her teacher. Later at a retreat, Pema said she comes from a tradition called Shambhala. Susan visited Berkeley Shambhala Center and knew right away, again, that she had found a home in which she could practice, work with her inspiration, confusion, doubt, and share her love for the dharma. She works as a graphic designer with her partner and dharma mate Lory, and loves to study jazz piano improvisation and composition.

Awakened Heart: Shambhala Training Level IV

Sat-Sun, April 20 & 21 • 8:30 am to 5:00 pm
In-person only at the Berkeley Shambhala Center

Repeaters welcome!

Please be vaccinated and boosted; masks optional. Arrive at 8:30 am for coffee/tea and community time. The program begins promptly at 9:00 am.

Prerequisite: Shambhala Training Level III: Warrior in the World

If you have questions, please contact the coordinator Karen Walls at kjenwalls [at] gmail [dot] com

  • $150 Program price
  • $200 Patron price (paying the Patron price helps support those needing to pay the Limited Income price)
  • $  75 Limited Income price
  • $  50 Repeaters price
  • Pay what is possible: type in dollar amount in space. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Register now

Program Policy

Online Program Attendance  Zoom is available for computers, smart phones, and tablets. You need to download the free app on your device before joining the session. Once it’s loaded, click the link and follow the prompts to join the session. Please join at least 5-10 minutes in advance so that you’re ready when the program begins. Note that the Zoom experience seems to be most predictable when you are signed into your Zoom account and have the most current version installed on your computer. Learn more about Zoom • read Zoom FAQs.
Programs with in-person attendance  Please be vaccinated and boosted for the safety of yourselves and others. The meditation hall is large, well-ventilated and served by two very high quality air filters. Seating will be well-spaced. Masks are optional and available. If you are feeling unwell on the day of the program, out of consideration for others please stay home.
Registration  Please register and pay online in advance of all programs that require payment / registration in order to make certain you receive all communications including the link for the program. Our online payment system is set up to accept payment through PayPal. You do not need a PayPal account to pay via your credit or debit card for a program. Disregard if a program is listed as free.
Visitor Information  Visit this link for information for directions and parking.
Generosity Policy  The Berkeley Shambhala Center is funded solely by your membership and program donations. Thank you for your generosity as you consider what you can pay for each program at our Center. We strive to price our programs in a way that accurately reflects the financial need of our Center and the cost to us of producing the program. We are committed to offering our programs to everyone, regardless of their financial situation. Most programs include a base program price as well as a sliding scale. If you need to reach a member of the Shambhala Center Staff, email shambhalaberkeley [at] gmail [dot] org with your inquiry.
What is the Patron Price?  The other aspect of our Generosity Policy is our Patron Price. Those who are able to offer more than the regular program price can select the Patron Price option. By selecting this option, your generosity is helping to cover the costs of those who may not be able to pay the full price of the program. Thank you for your consideration, and for helping all to receive the treasure of the Shambhala Dharma. We appreciate you registering and paying online. This helps us not only to plan for the program, but speeds up the registration line on the day of the program.
Work Study  We depend on volunteers to make all of our programs happen. If you are interested in offering your support in this way, please contact shambhalaberkeley [at] gmail [dot] org. We would be very grateful. Please note that we have limited work-study options for online programs.
Refund Policy  If you are unable to attend a program for which you have pre-registered and paid, and contact us to cancel participation at least one week (seven calendar days) prior to the start of the program, you are entitled to either receive a refund less the cost of processing the payment, or you can apply the full payment amount to the cost of an upcoming program of your choice. If you cancel your participation within the week prior to the program, you can apply those funds to another upcoming program of your choice. No refunds will be given for cancellations after a program has begun.
Non-Discrimination  The Berkeley Shambhala Center is open to everyone, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, faith, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, height, weight, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, or marital status.
Membership  For information about becoming a Berkeley Shambhala Member, please visit our Membership page.