The Live Virtual Meditation Retreats

Our live virtual meditation retreats are focused on providing an online container for the transmission of insight led by Lama Surya Das.  They offer an ideal opportunity to engage with powerful instructions, teachings, and practices of the Dzogchen tradition in the comfort and convenience of your own sacred space.

Lama Surya Das is one of the most highly regarded meditation masters in the West, and an authorized and empowered teacher in the Dzogchen Tibetan Meditation Tradition and the NonSectarian Practicing Lineage. Lama has spent over twenty years in retreat, studying with many of the most profound and honored Tibetan masters of his time. He is the author of 16 books– including the international bestseller Awakening the Buddha Within— and has an extensive corpus of teaching and practices, experience and realization from which he draws. The instructions and practices offered in the retreat come directly from decades of teaching experience leading retreats and workshops worldwide. Lama is known for his innovative adaptations of these invaluable wisdom teachings and making them accessible and applicable to daily life. Our live retreats are open to new and seasoned practitioners in any spiritual tradition.

Remaining Schedule for 2021

A link will be provided below when the registration for a program is open.

Live Virtual Day-Long  Meditation Retreats (All retreats take place in US East Coast Time)

Live Virtual Weekend Meditation Retreats

Cost and Financial Policy

  • Day-Long live virtual retreats are $99 for members / $120 for non-members
  • Weekend live virtual retreats $199 for members / $240 for non-members
    If you have financial challenges, please contact Kathleen Albanese at  kathleen@surya.org.
    Registration does not include compensation for Lama- 100% of the fee goes directly to support the Dzogchen Foundation’s staff, free offerings, and scholarship program.
    All live virtual retreats are recorded and available for viewing by registrants after each class.

Testimonials

Don’t take our word for it.  Check-in with people that have already taken a live virtual retreat.

  • I like the informality of the retreat combined with Lama’s extensive experience and knowledge.
  • They are well-run and offer us the opportunity to meditate and study with Lama
  • Valuable and authentic teachings
  • I thank the foundation and the Lama on the ability to migrate to virtual retreats in Covid. It has opened up and made accessible access to a teacher that otherwise would have been limited by physical location. Thank you and great work.
  • One-day retreats are a great idea! I hope they will continue post-pandemic.
  • This was a wonderful way to begin 2021. I am grateful to all of you who made it happen. Thank you!
  • The Lama’s teachings are incredible and a source great optimism for me during difficult times.
  • I do wish the virtual retreats were longer.
  • Thanks to everyone who made this retreat happen. Very much appreciated in these intense times. So much care and attention in making it a meaningful retreat.
  • Gratitude to everyone for making this possible.
  • The retreat allows for movement to higher level of understanding of light and joining/union that cause a shift in your vibration level.

Preparing Your Home

In order to prepare to do a home retreat, please try to set up a solitary space for the duration of the retreat time. Having a dedicated distraction-free space is important to support focus during the guided sitting periods and teachings. It is also advised that you set up a shrine, with a couple of meaningful objects, candles, and incense.

Sitting for intensive meditation practice takes training and getting used to. The most important thing is that your body is comfortable and supported. Sitting up on your couch is fine but you should be sitting upright and with good supports for your back. Minimizing pain and discomfort is essential.

Here are some examples of home spaces for meditation.

Virtual Retreat Formats

We offer virtual day and weekend retreats via Zoom.  The formats model our tried and true residential retreats, which over three decades, have been finely tuned.

Each day in the live virtual retreat is composed of two sessions – a morning session and an afternoon session.  Each session includes live teaching, group meditation,
and appropriate breaks to get up and stretch, which reduces computer screen fatigue.

Sample Day-long  live virtual retreat:

Morning Session
9:00 AM – 9:45 AM Welcome followed by Guided Group Meditation (45 min)
9:45 AM – 10:00 AM Break (15 min)
10:00 AM  – 10:45 Refuge Session (45 min)
10:45 AM – 11:00 AM Break (15 min)
11:00 AM – 12:30 PM Lama Surya teaching with Q & A (90 min)

12:30 PM – 1:45 PM Break (1.25 hr)

Afternoon Session
1:45 PM – 2:15 PM Group Meditation  (30 min)
2:15 PM – 2:30 PM Break  (15 min)
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM Lama Surya teaching with Q & A (90 min)

Sample Weekend live virtual retreat (Friday evening through Sunday afternoon):

Friday Evening Session – meditation, chanting, instruction, and interactive
7:15 to 8:00 PM Meditation and chanting with Lama Surya Das (45 min)

Saturday/Sunday Morning Session  
9:00 AM to 9:45 AM Tibetan energy yoga (45 min)
9:45 AM to 10:00 AM Break (15 min)
10:00 AM to 10:45 AM Refuge led by a  senior teacher
10:45 AM to 11:00 AM Break (15 min)
11:00 AM to 12:15 PM Lama Surya Das live teaching with Q & A (75 min)

12:15 PM to 1:45 PM Break (1.5 hr)

Saturday/Sunday Afternoon Session 
1:45 PM  to 3:00 PM Dharma Talk led by a senior teacher (75 min)
3:00 PM to 3:15 PM Break (15 min)
3:15 PM to 4:00 PM Meditation led by a senior teacher (45 min)
4:00 Pm to 4:15 PM Break (15 min)
4:15 PM to 5:15 PM Break-out rooms each led by senior students (60 min)