About this Retreat
John McQuade is the founder of Nalanda Miksang Photography, and has established Nalanda Miksang teachers in North America, Europe and Australia. He is also co-author of two books in his field: Looking and Seeing, and Heart of Photography. He is currently on the faculty of the Halliburton School of Art and Design and is completing a PhD on the classic photographer, Edward Weston.
John is also a practising Buddhist, having studied with Chogyam Trungpa from 1979 until Rinpoche's death in 1987. Besides being an accomplished meditation master, Trungpa Rinpoche was also an artist, a poet and a photographer. Nalanda Miksang contemplative photography is based on the Dharma Art teachings of Chogyam Trungpa.
After Trungpa Rinpoche's death, John continued his Buddhist and Shambhala studies with Sakyong Mipham, Rinpoche. As an active member of the Shambhala community, John served on the Toronto Shambhala Executive Committee for 20 years, including two terms as Director. He is a Shambhala Training teacher, a certified meditation instructor, and a Buddha Families - Maitri Space Awareness Teacher. John also studies and practices Qigong with Eva Wong -- a lineage holder in Traditional Chinese Qigong and long-time Feng Shui consultant to the Shambhala community.
Details of this retreat
Child of Illusion
Contemplative Art, Yogachara Mahayana Buddhism
and Liberation
“In post meditation become a child of illusion”
~Lojong slogan
“ Yogachara is the school of Buddhism that produces art and appreciates aesthetic consciousness. It includes archery, flower arrangement and similar approaches to the world of art. The Yogachara world of art is basically to pay respect or tribute to the existence of consciousness - which in turn, appreciates the spaciousness of shunyata…Touch here, touch there, delight”
~Chogyam Trungpa, The Tea Cup and the Skull Cup
“ If there is nothing to grasp, there is no grasping”
~Vasubandhu’s Three Natures
This course is a deep engagement of the dynamic liberation ways of the contemplative arts and the view and meditation practices of the Yogachara school of Mahayana Buddhism.
These two ways converge at certain “pressure points”. One is the issue of dualism/non-dualism at the actual register of experience and perception. (Our everyday life experience). In these Dharma ways the dissolve and release of dualism is a way of liberation.
A unique feature and skillful means of both the Yogacara and the contemplative arts is to use dualism – everyday experience – as a way to realize non-dualism: free flowing liberation. This course will focus, in various practical ways, on this experienced perception way of liberation and subtle aesthetic appreciation.
In particular it will focus on enhancing what is sometimes called “ post meditation” practice as a decisive vehicle for everyday liberation. The various contemplative art and Yogacara meditation practices show how to empower the phenomenal world to “wake you up”.
Who is this class for?
This course is a challenging deep dive into both Mahayana Buddhism and contemplative practice.
The basic requirement is a commitment to a path. Some examples: Refuge Vow, Shambhala Levels, First Shot Kyudo, Qigong Levels 1/2, or an equivalent in other disciplines — Please reach out to programs@dorjedenmaling.org if you want to attend and don’t know if you qualify.
This course could be of interest to a range of interests:
If you have a sense of adventure it can be an introduction to both the Buddhadharma and Contemplative Art practice.
If you are a seasoned Dharma practitioner you can deepen your understanding and engagement of the Mahayana, and also has some fun with Dharma Art.
If you are a contemplative artist you can deepen your expressive practice as a deep liberation practice.
Course Information
We will contemplate Vasubandhu’s classic treatise: ”Three Natures”. Vasubandhu is a major figure in manifestation of the Yogachara View. This is a classic root text so not necessarily an “easy text”. However, we will contemplate it within the context of Ben Conelly’s commentary on ”Vasubandhu’s Three Natures” which provides skillful ways to engage the text.
Also we consider other texts such as Traleg Kayabgon Rinpoche’s: “ The Influence of Yogacara on Mahamudra” and of course Chogyam Trungpa’s “ The Tea Cup and the Skullcup”.
Don’t be intimidated by this text engagement. We will be contemplating these texts together and will work through gathering our collective wisdom. Also, in terms of engaging these texts, it needs to be clear that John will not be functioning as a Teacher. He will be another student who may function as a discussion group leader.
Along with the Yogachara view we will practice Yogachara meditations. In particular we engage the absolute and relative Lojong practices: “ Regard all Dharmas as Dreams” and “ In post meditation become a Child of Illusion”.
There will be contemplative art perception practices. These are experience ways which engage the issues of the perceiver and the perceived and the ordinary magic of the phenomenal world.
One of the ways is contemplative photography so you will need a digital camera. (a smart phone camera is fine) There will be other perception based explorations that open the way of perception.
Schedule:
The course is structured in alternate two week segments. One week will give focus to the contemplation of the texts and the next week will focus on the contemplative art practices.
Sundays: October 5 | October 19 | November 2 | November 16 | November 30 | December 14
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 pm Eastern | 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Atlantic
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Cost
All prices are in $CAD. Please consider paying by e-transfer, cheque, or cash. Saving credit card transaction fees helps us keep the Centre going.
Suggested Tuition: CA$165
Generosity Policy applies. You will the have the option of pay what you can and applying a discount on the Registration Page should you need financial assistance. The remainder of our costs are covered by donations, creating a generosity circle.
References
Contemplative Art and Liberation, by John McQuade
https://www.dralaimage.com/post/contemplative-art-and-liberation-how-it-works-1
John McQuade's Website: www.dralaimage.com
Contact John: dralaimage@gmail.com
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