Reclaim Your Mind

In this seven-day retreat, we will explore the Buddha’s Mahayana teachings on wisdom and compassion. Drawing on a variety of sources—from The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying to the Zindri* and the Seven Points of Mind Training—we will engage with the teachings on bodhicitta as the very heart of our spiritual path.

In a world that feels increasingly fragmented and fraught with challenges, we may feel there is no space left for the simplicity, peace, and meaningful connection we so deeply long for.

Yet, as the teachings on bodhicitta show, we all carry within ourselves a limitless source of peace, space and clarity, pervaded by the warmth of love and compassion. This innate wakefulness lies at the heart of what it means to be human. When we connect with this ground of our essential nature—recognizing the potential of our human life to fully experience it and give expression to it in all our relationships—our lives become meaningful and precious, regardless of external circumstances.

Alongside our devotion to Sogyal Rinpoche and our precious lineage, these teachings on bodhicitta lie at the heart of who we are as a sangha; a connection forged over decades of gathering each January to receive teachings and practice together. This retreat offers a beautiful opportunity to reconnect: with the precious legacy Rinpoche left for us, with one another, and with the joyful spirit of our National Sangha retreats.

* Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang’s A Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher .

We strongly encourage you to join us in person to get the most out of your retreat time, but an online option is available if you cannot get to Sydney.

This retreat will be led by Senior Teacher, Jan van der Breggen, along with a team of Rigpa Australia teachers and instructors.

About Jan van der Breggen

Jan is a teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and a scholar of Buddhist philosophy. He began the path of meditation at 17 years old, touched by the tenderness of the human experience and filled with questions about what reality was all about. He soon encountered the writings of great masters from various traditions such as J Krishnamurti, Suzuki Roshi, Thich Nhat Hang and Sogyal Rinpoche. Thirty years later, Jan continues to be moved by the vast profundity of the Buddhist path and its vision of the inherent wisdom, loving kindness and strength that lies in the minds of each and everyone of us.

Jan was honoured to be entrusted by Khenchen Namdrol Rinpoche and Mindroling Jetsun Khandro Rinpoche as one of the twenty-five worldwide Rigpa Senior teachers. In 2017, he was selected to be a participant in the Milinda program, a 10-year, international Buddhist teacher training program under the guidance of Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche.

Jan grew up in the Netherlands where he earned a Masters Degree in Historical Anthropology. He is fluent in English and Dutch. He lives in Brisbane where he works as a data analytics professional. Jan was instrumental in founding Rigpa Brisbane in 1999, where he has served as a Dharma instructor for over 20 years.

Details

Date: Full retreat  20 Jan - 26 Jan

Time: 8:00am - 7:15pm - exact schedule to be confirmed
Thursday start: 10:00am
Monday end: 3:30pm

Where:

📍Rigpa Melbourne, 803 Nicholson St, Carlton North

(If you'd like to join the retreat at our Melbourne centre, please select the online option in the pricing options below. Based on your postcode, our Melbourne team will be in touch with you directly about further arrangements.)

📍Rigpa Sydney, 158 Australia St, Newtown, NSW

📍and Online via Zoom

Please note that this urban retreat is non-residential. If you are travelling from outside of Sydney we recommend that you book your accommodation early.

To make the most of your precious retreat time, we strongly recommend that you attend this retreat in person in Sydney.
If you are in Adelaide or Brisbane  and are not able to travel to Sydney, we are working with our centre teams to have the retreat broadcast to our centres in those cities and warmly invite you to follow the retreat there. You'll be emailed before the retreat begins to confirm arrangements.