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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251009
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UID:5281-1759968000-1760313599@ameaningfullife.us
SUMMARY:Fall Living Mindfully Retreat
DESCRIPTION:Fall Living Mindfully Retreat with John Bruna\nOctober 9th-12th\, 2025\nEarly Bird Rate Until June 15!\nThe Fall retreat will focus on reducing the cognitive distortions\, as well as unhealthy mental habits and patterns that create emotional and physical distress. The skills of living mindfully empower you to engage in your lives in ways that reduce stress\, develop resiliency\, attain greater degrees of self-worth\, and cultivate more joy. Though based on Buddhist teachings\, these practices are taught in a universal language\, honoring and enhancing each person’s spiritual tradition and/or philosophy. Essentially\, these are skills to help one live a life they find meaningful and fulfilling. \nHosted by the Way of Compassion Dharma Center. To learn more and register\, click here.
URL:https://ameaningfullife.us/event/fall-living-mindfully-retreat/
LOCATION:Blazing Mountain Retreat Center\, 2541 W Carefree Wy\, Crestone\, CO\, 81131\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260101
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260105
DTSTAMP:20251014T195905Z
CREATED:20251014T194305Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251014T195905Z
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SUMMARY:New Year's Meditation Retreat
DESCRIPTION:Begin 2026 at the annual New Year’s meditation retreat with John and Laura at the Mercy Center in Auburn\, CA. This is a rare opportunity to be guided in practice by both John Bruna and Laura Bartels! \nJohn and Laura\nThe retreat is beginner friendly and will also allow for seasoned meditators to deepen their practice. We will focus on developing the foundational methods and practices to sustain a meditation practice that is right for you. The days will include multiple short meditation sessions\, quiet reflection time\, guidance\, and discussion in the group teachings. \nThe primary meditation will be the foundational practice of shamatha (calm abiding) meditation. Shamatha is a universal practice\, applicable to everyone\, and is the antidote to an obsessive\, compulsive\, busy mind. It enhances any other meditation practice and provides the foundation for mental and emotional balance. \nThere will be ample time for journaling\, walks\, and spaciousness to gain clarity regarding your life and the way you choose to engage in the year that awaits you. \nRegister directly with the Mercy Center. Here is a direct link – Mercy Center Retreats.
URL:https://ameaningfullife.us/event/new-years-meditation-retreat/
LOCATION:Mercy Retreat Center\, 535 Sacramento St\, Auburn\, CA\, 95603\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ameaningfullife.us/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Mercy.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260329T093000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260329T153000
DTSTAMP:20260211T225245Z
CREATED:20260211T225245Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T225245Z
UID:5766-1774776600-1774798200@ameaningfullife.us
SUMMARY:Daylong Retreat: 3 Principal Aspects of the Path - Online and In Person
DESCRIPTION:The Three Principal Aspects of the Path: A Daylong Retreat with John Bruna\n\nHosted by the Durango Dharma Center\nSunday\, March 29th from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. IN PERSON & ON ZOOM \nIn this daylong retreat\, John Bruna will explore the timeless wisdom of The Three Principal Aspects of the Path\, a short yet profound teaching by Je Tsongkhapa that distills the essence of the entire Buddhist path into just fourteen verses. Together\, we will unpack these pith instructions and explore how they speak directly to the challenges\, aspirations and inner struggles of modern life. \nDrawing from classical Buddhist philosophy while making clear connections to contemporary Western psychology and therapeutic models\, this retreat offers both depth and accessibility. It is well-suited for those new to Buddhist thought as well as seasoned practitioners seeking to deepen and integrate their practice. \nAt the heart of this teaching are three essential qualities that support genuine well-being\, inner freedom and compassionate engagement with the world: \nRenunciation\nLearning to recognize how misperceptions and habitual patterns of mind give rise to unnecessary suffering—for ourselves and others. Renunciation in this context is not withdrawal from life\, but a clear-eyed understanding of what truly leads to happiness\, freedom and meaning\, and how to cultivate those conditions in daily life. \nBodhicitta (Great Compassion)\nDiscovering the profound strength\, resilience and healing that emerge when we cultivate connection and an altruistic motivation to benefit others. Bodhicitta transforms personal practice into a source of purpose\, belonging and service. \nWisdom\nDeveloping the capacity to understand ourselves and our experience of the world more accurately. Through this clarity\, we begin to loosen deeply ingrained misperceptions that fuel emotional reactivity\, distress and confusion—opening the door to greater balance\, insight and freedom. \nThroughout the retreat\, participants will be guided through reflection\, contemplation and practice aimed at integrating these teachings into real life—not merely as philosophical ideas\, but as living principles that support healing\, ethical living and genuine happiness. \nRegister at the Durango Dharma Center.
URL:https://ameaningfullife.us/event/daylong-retreat-3-principal-aspects-of-the-path-online-and-in-person/
LOCATION:Durango Dharma Center\, 1800 East 3rd Ave\, Ste 109\, Durango\, CO\, 81301\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20260711T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20260711T233000
DTSTAMP:20260710T143859Z
CREATED:20250509T145248Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260710T143859Z
UID:5251-1783764000-1783812600@ameaningfullife.us
SUMMARY:John at the Center for Contemplative Research: Becoming an Active Participant in Your Own Life
DESCRIPTION:From Equanimity to Agency: Becoming an Active Participant in Your Own Life \nSaturday\, July 11th\, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 am\, Mountain Daylight Time (MDT)\n9 a.m. PDT / 12 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. Central European Time (CET) \nWays to attend: \n\nOnline via Zoom: Click Here.\nIn-person at Miyo Samten Ling Hermitage at 10:00 a.m. MDT (1 Carmelite Way\, Crestone\, CO)\, in the chapel (the building with the bell tower)\n\nMake a donation to CCR – Donate. \nTopic Description: \nIn our previous exploration of equanimity with John Bruna\, we examined how a balanced and impartial mind frees us from being controlled by fear\, attachment\, and reactivity. But understanding this raises another important question: If we already know what leads to greater well-being\, why is it often so difficult to actually live that way? \nMost of us have experienced the gap between knowing and doing. We know meditation supports our well-being\, yet we avoid practicing. We know kindness\, patience\, exercise\, healthy relationships\, and meaningful work enrich our lives\, yet we often find ourselves pulled toward habits that offer immediate comfort while undermining our deeper aspirations. Why? \nThis Saturday\, July 11\, John Bruna will explore the conditioned patterns of mind that continually draw us toward short-term gratification and away from lasting well-being. Drawing from Buddhist psychology\, contemplative science\, and practical experience\, we will examine how our habitual conditioning shapes our choices\, why awareness alone is often not enough to create lasting change\, and how we can gradually retrain the mind to align with our deepest values. \nEquanimity is not the end of the path—it is the foundation that allows us to become conscious participants rather than unconscious passengers in our own lives. Through understanding the nature of conditioning and learning practical methods for cultivating new habits of mind\, we discover that genuine freedom is not found in controlling circumstances but in developing the capacity to choose wisely\, intentionally\, and compassionately\, moment by moment. \nThe invitation is not simply to know what is true\, but to become the kind of person who naturally lives it.
URL:https://ameaningfullife.us/event/john-at-the-center-for-contemplative-research-free-will/
LOCATION:Center for Contemplative Research\, 1 Carmelite Way\, Crestone\, CO\, 81131\, United States
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260910
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260914
DTSTAMP:20260701T200623Z
CREATED:20250116T043200Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T200623Z
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SUMMARY:11th-Step Retreat
DESCRIPTION:11th-Step Retreat Open To All People in Recovery of any Kind\, Family\, and Friends\n\n\n\nMercy Center\, Auburn\, CA – September 10-13\, 2026\n\n\n\n\n\nJohn and Peter are delighted to return to the Mercy Center in Auburn\, CA for their annual 11th Step retreat. The retreat will focus on using the skills of meditation\, mindfulness\, and prayers of one’s own spiritual tradition to deepen their connection with their chosen spiritual path and develop more resiliency\, inner peace\, and joy in your life. There will be instruction\, group discussions\, meditation\, and private reflection time. \n\n\n\nA few quotes on prayer and meditation \n\n\n\n“There is a direct linkage among self-examination\, meditation\, and prayer. Taken separately these practices can bring much relief and benefit. But when they are logically related and interwoven\, the result is an unshakable foundation for life” (Page 98\, 12 &12). \n\n\n\n“Emotional balance is one of the first results of meditation\, and our experience bears this out” (Page 47\, NA Basic Text). \n\n\n\n“Loving-kindness does not mean making sure you’re feeling good all the time – trying to set up your life so that you’re comfortable every moment. Rather\, it means setting up your life so that you have time for meditation and self-reflection\, for kindhearted\, compassionate self-honesty.” Pema Chödrön \n\n\n\nThis retreat is hosted by the Mercy Center in Auburn\, CA. Registration is open. You learn more and register by calling the Mercy Center at 530-887-2019. Here is a direct link to the retreat on their website – 11th Step Retreat.
URL:https://ameaningfullife.us/event/11th-step-retreat/
LOCATION:Mercy Retreat Center\, 535 Sacramento St\, Auburn\, CA\, 95603\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260918
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260921
DTSTAMP:20260701T200159Z
CREATED:20260701T200110Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T200159Z
UID:5989-1789689600-1789948799@ameaningfullife.us
SUMMARY:Steps To Serenity Recovery Retreat
DESCRIPTION:John will be one of the main presenters at the Steps to Serenity Retreat at Camp Ross Relles in Nevada City\, California. This is an 11th step focused weekend program\, open to all 12 Step fellowship members\, the retreat includes a collaborative effort of meetings\, workshops\, practitioners\, and vendors. The primary focus is based on sharing\, learning and developing a strong connection with practicing Step 11. \nLearn more and register at: Steps to Serenity.
URL:https://ameaningfullife.us/event/steps-to-serenity-recovery-retreat/
LOCATION:Camp Ross Relles\, 25001 N. BLOOMFIELD ROAD\, Nevada City\, CA\, 95959\, United States
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20261001
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20261005
DTSTAMP:20260701T203038Z
CREATED:20260701T202242Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260701T203038Z
UID:5997-1790812800-1791158399@ameaningfullife.us
SUMMARY:Fall Living Mindfully Retreat
DESCRIPTION:“Mindfulness is much more than present moment awareness; mindfulness includes and facilitates the cultivation of concentration\, wisdom\, and the ability to make healthy choices that foster genuine happiness and a meaningful life.”— John Bruna \n\nOur Living Mindfully retreats are offered twice a year\, in the spring and fall\, creating a dedicated space to pause\, reflect\, and reconnect with what truly matters. Each retreat is thoughtfully designed to help you recognize and gently shift unhealthy mental habits and patterns that often lead to emotional and physical distress. \nThrough practical\, accessible teachings\, you will develop skills that support greater clarity\, resilience\, and balance in everyday life. Living mindfully is not about escaping life. It is about learning how to fully engage with it. These practices can help reduce stress\, strengthen your sense of self-worth\, and open the door to a deeper\, more sustainable sense of joy. \nAttend in person or online!\nTo learn more and to register\, visit Fall Living Mindfully Retreat.
URL:https://ameaningfullife.us/event/fall-living-mindfully-retreat-2/
LOCATION:Blazing Mountain Retreat Center\, 2541 W Carefree Wy\, Crestone\, CO\, 81131\, United States
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