RETREAT
The Four Immeasurables:
Warm Heart Fitness
with Marina Vinyals & Hans Burghardt

Sat Sep 12, 2–5pm EDT

Sun Sep 13, 10:30am–4:30pm EDT

 IN-PERSON & ONLINE

Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Marina Brucet and Hans Burghardt. Photo courtesy of Vajrapani Institute.

We all aspire to happiness and well-being. Recognizing this shared wish in ourselves and in others is the beginning of a journey that can transform the way we relate to ourselves, the people around us, and the world. According to the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, lasting happiness grows as we learn to care for the well-being of others as much as our own. This path invites us to look honestly at the habits and attitudes that keep us stuck—such as self-centeredness, fear, or misunderstanding—and to replace them with wisdom, kindness, and compassion.

At the heart of this practice are the Four Immeasurables, four qualities that can be developed by anyone, regardless of background or beliefs. They are called “immeasurable” because they are meant to be extended without limits—to ourselves, to those we love, to people we find difficult, and ultimately to all living beings.

Throughout this course, we will explore these four qualities:

  • Loving-kindness: the genuine wish for ourselves and others to experience lasting happiness
  • Compassion: the heartfelt desire for ourselves and others to be free from suffering
  • Sympathetic joy: the ability to delight in the happiness, success, and good fortune of others, rather than comparing ourselves or feeling envy
  • Equanimity: a balanced and open-hearted attitude that helps us respond to life’s challenges without being overwhelmed by attachment, aversion, or indifference

These qualities support and strengthen one another, creating a foundation for greater inner peace, emotional resilience, and healthier relationships. Combining reflection, guided meditation, and practical exercises, this course offers simple yet profound tools for bringing these timeless teachings into everyday life. Whether you are curious about Buddhist philosophy, interested in meditation, or simply looking for practical ways to cultivate more kindness, compassion, and balance, you will find a welcoming space to explore and grow.

Marina & Hans North America Tour Aug 14-Sep 14: Tour 2026

FPMT Article: Buddhist Mind Science Retreat: An Invitation to Share the Dharma in a Universal Language “In the words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, “science and spirituality may develop to better serve the needs and well-being of humanity,” … This vision — of Buddhist wisdom and modern science in dialogue, for the benefit of all — has found new expression in Buddhist Mind Science: Activating Your Potential, the FPMT curriculum that Lama Zopa Rinpoche felt fulfilled exactly that wish.

About Buddhist Mind Science, creators Marina Brucet and Hans Burghardt. Available as a self-paced self-study online course for those who cannot participate in-person at an FPMT center.

Short Video

Hans Burghardt & Marina Vinyals introduce their upcoming retreat: The Four Immeasurables: Warm Heart Fitness.

Important Note

This is an in-person and online event. For online, the events will be administered using Zoom.

After registering, the system automatically sends a confirmation email (if opted in) and/or a receipt email that contains the Zoom meeting link and/or other instructions. Some email domains like Yahoo, AOL are rejecting the auto emails. If you don’t immediately receive the system email(s) or you have any other questions, please contact us at registration@shantidevanyc.org.

Registration/Schedule

Suggested: $54 for the weekend, or $20 per session
Other offering options: free, $5, $10, $30

Schedule: 

Saturday:
2-5m Teaching

Sunday:
10:30am-12:30pm Teaching
12:30-2:30pm Lunch
2:30-4:30pm Teaching

The suggested amount supports teacher offerings, rent, and other center expenses -and most importantly, it keeps teachings freely available to everyone, with session recordings shared on the center’s Recorded Teachings page and YouTube channel. Shantideva member benefits will apply automatically if you have a membership in MindBody.
 

Shantideva Center may publish recorded sessions in the public domain (e.g., on YouTube). By registering for this event, you are agreeing to give your consent to this process. Please be conscious of any personal information you share. Recordings are typically made to spotlight only on the teacher or facilitator so participants are usually not visible.

Register

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

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

Recordings

Available soon.

Dana for the Teachers

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 Teachers

Marina Brucet Vinyals holds a BA and a MA in Biochemistry and a PhD in Molecular Biology in Immunology from the University of Barcelona, where she also performed postdoctoral studies. After this, she decided to change research in the laboratory for research of the mind and its possibilities. To this aim, she completed a six-year full-time study program Masters Program of Advanced Buddhist Studies of Sutra and Tantra at Lama Tzong Khapa Institute, Italy. She studied with great Tibetan lamas such as His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Lama Jampa Monlam and Khensur Jampa Tegchok, amongst others, and has completed a one-year individual meditation retreat, among others. Presently, she combines continual development and meditation retreats with teaching meditation and Buddhist philosophy, at both general and specialized levels, with an approach that always takes into account the context and circumstances of Western life. She mainly teaches at Tushita Meditation Center Spain and other FPMT centers, and collaborates with SEE Learning (Emory University) in Spain.

Hans Burghardt holds a BA and a MA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a PhD from the University of Barcelona, where he spent seven years doing research. Since 2002, he meditates and is a student of great Buddhist masters including His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Kirti Tsenshab Rinpoche, Lama Jampa Monlam, Khensur Jampa Tegchok amongst others. He has completed the Masters Program of Advanced Buddhist Studies of Sutra and Tantra at Istituto Lama Tzong Khapa (Italy) and has completed a one-year individual meditation retreat. He currently teaches meditation and Buddhism at Tushita Meditation Center Spain and other FPMT centers, and is co-founder and coordinator of the Initiative for an Emotional, Ethical, and Social Education, that promotes the establishment of Emory University’s SEE Learning in Spain.