RETREAT
There’s No Karma We Can’t Purify
with Venerable Robina Courtin

Thu May 28 -Sun May 31

IN-PERSON & ONLINE

At Garrison Institute, NY

* Thu May 28 (Check-in will be from 3-6pm EDT) – Sun May 31 (Ends around 1:30pm)

The natural law of karma is such that everything we think and do and say programs us, basically turns us into the person we become. As His Holiness the Dalai Lama, karma is like “self-creation.” 

Much of our suffering comes from feeling we’re set in stone, that we can’t change. But there’s nothing in our mind, in our habits, that we can’t gradually transform: as Lama Zopa Rinpoche says, “We can mold our mind into any shape we like” — this is very encouraging.

Understanding this natural law is fundamental to understanding the entire Buddhist path. During the three days together, Ven. Robina will discuss how to take responsibility for our actions and thoughts, learning to interpret our lives and the world around us without fear, and growing the confidence that we can determine our own reality, rather than feeling that life is a series of random events, all just good and back luck.

In each session we will combine teachings and meditation, using the powerful purification practice of Buddha Vajrasattva. 

Important Note

This is an offsite retreat at Garrison Institute, and can be attended online via Zoom.

After registering, our system automatically sends a confirmation email (if you opted in) and a receipt email. Successful registration is based on the registration confirmation email, not the receipt email. If you don’t immediately receive the system email(s) or you have any other questions, please contact us at registration@shantidevanyc.org.

Check-in will be from 3-6pm on Thu May 28, followed by 6pm dinner and an evening session. The retreat will end around 1:30pm (after lunch) on Sun May 31.

Fee & Registration

For in-person attendance at Garrison Institute:

The fees per person for the entire retreat are:

  • Single room rate: $715 
  • Double room rate: $625
  • Commuter rate: $535

The cost includes 3 meals per day (vegetarian or non-vegetarian options), use of facilities, and support for teacher offerings and expenses. 

We have tried to keep the fees as low as possible. Shantideva member benefits do not apply due to facility expenses.

Please register as soon as possible to secure your spot and room preference. Registration closes end of day on Mon May 25. Please see our cancellation policy below.

To arrange a payment plan, please contact registration@shantidevanyc.org with details.

For online attendance via Zoom:

Suggested for the retreat: $300
Other offering options: free, $30, $75, $150, $450

You are welcome to participate online for only part of the retreat. Please use the same registration regardless of the number of sessions you wish to attend.

For donation of a different amount, please register first to get the zoom link and then donate via PayPal here (accepts PayPal or any card). Please label the donation for the retreat by selecting it from the dropdown option on the PayPal page. Please note that donating via PayPal alone is not a registration and does not get you the Zoom meeting details.

The suggested amount helps support teacher offerings and expenses, direct costs and rent. Shantideva member benefits will apply automatically if you have a membership in MindBody. 

Register

Time zone: US Eastern Daylight Time (GMT/UTC-4)

For questions regarding registration, please email registration@shantidevanyc.org for assistance.

Cancellation Policy

For in-person attendance at Garrison Institute:

You may cancel at any time without penalty on or before Wed May 20. Please self-cancel or contact registration@shantidevanyc.org before then. Please note that refunds are manually processed, so please contact us if you don’t hear back after some time.

After Wed May 20, no refunds will be possible unless:

  • there is a serious medical injury or illness such as being hospitalized and with a doctor’s note
  • or you have a positive Covid-19 case with a PCR lab test confirming this 
  • or Shantideva Center can find someone to take your place

After that date, please contact sheila@shantidevanyc.org to discuss cancellation possibilities.

Location and Directions

Garrison Institute: 14 Mary’s Way, Route 9D, Garrison, NY 10524

Click here for more detailed directions.

Note: Garrison Institute offers free, no-reservation-required shuttle service from the Garrison Metro North train station during registration check-in hours, between 3-6pm.

COVID Policy

To help ensure the safety of all retreat participants, and in accordance with the Garrison Institute’s policy, we encourage guests to monitor their health and take a COVID test on the morning of the retreat (Thursday, May 28). Results will not be collected.

What to Bring

Click here for more information. 

Garrison Institute will provide:

  • Meditation cushions and chairs 
  • Sheets, a pillow, blanket, bedspread and bath towel for each non-commuting guest

Accommodations

Accommodations are simple but comfortable. Click here for more information. 

To request sharing a double room with a specific person, please email registration@shantidevanyc.org with the name of the person by Mon May 25.

Meals

Garrison Institute is known for its delicious meals, offering local/organic foods. The meals will be vegetarian. Coffee and tea will be served throughout meal times. 

Individual dietary restrictions cannot be accommodated for the group, but guests can bring their own food (for which Garrison Institute provides storage and refrigeration). Please make sure food is stored in fully zippered, labeled bags. Garrison recommends using disposable gloves (provided by the Institute) for retrieval if using their common space for storage.  

Recordings

Will be posted here, Archive page, and on our YouTube channel afterwards.

Dana for the Teacher

Shantideva Center makes offerings to our teachers and facilitators using the funds collected through registration. You can give additional support to the teacher or facilitator and create a stronger karmic connection by offering dana. Please make sure to select the teacher’s or facilitator’s name in the dropdown menu. Dana offered is passed entirely to them, but please note that it is not tax-deductible.

About the Teacher

Venerable Robina Courtin has worked full-time for Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s organization, the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition, since her ordination in the late 1970s. Over the years she has served as editorial director of Wisdom Publications, editor of Mandala Magazine, executive director of Liberation Prison Project, and as a touring teacher of Buddhism. Her life and work with prisoners have been featured in the documentary films Chasing Buddha and Key to Freedom. Venerable Robina is known for her straightforward and energetic teaching style, helping people discover the potential of their own minds with clear explanations about Tibetan Buddhism and how to apply it to their lives.

Visit her website at https://www.robinacourtin.com.