About this Event
We live in a world that feeds on feelings of fear, anxiety, and distraction. Our devices fill our minds with a barrage of information from the moment we wake up in the morning, putting our nervous system on high alert and triggering a flood of thoughts and emotions that never seems to slow down. The Buddhist tradition refers to this restless mental energy as the “monkey mind.” When the monkey mind rules our life, it often feels like we race from one thing to another, with no idea where we are going or how to feel truly at home in the world.
Buddhism offers a different way to live.
Instead of losing ourselves in distraction and feeding our restless minds, we can use the practice of meditation to befriend the monkey mind. We open up and explore the landscape of our thoughts and emotions, tapping into the creative potential of the mind without being ruled by old habits and emotional reactions. With time, our inner demons can be transformed into our greatest teachers - sources of tremendous insight, creativity, empathy, and a deep and abiding sense of inner freedom.
In this two-day meditation workshop, Dr. Cortland Dahl will share ancient Buddhist wisdom on the art of inner exploration and self-discovery, weaving teachings from his new book A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism together with insights from scientific research. The weekend will focus on an ancient framework that highlights three ways to deal with the chaotic energy of the monkey mind: abandoning difficult thoughts and emotions, transforming them, and gaining insight into their true nature. The retreat will include guided meditations, teachings on important insights from both Buddhism and modern science, and periods of discussion and group reflection.
This event is open to both new and experienced meditators.
Cortland Dahl is a scientist, translator, author, and meditation teacher with a lifelong interest in meditation and the science of flourishing. His journey began in the early 1990s when he first learned to meditate. His passion led him on a journey around the world, from monasteries in Burma to zendos in Japan, as well as eight years living in Tibetan refugee settlements in Nepal and India.
During his travels, Cort became fluent in Tibetan and became a translator and scholar, receiving a master’s degree in Buddhist studies and publishing twelve volumes of translations. He went on to study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was mentored by the renowned neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson and received a Ph.D. in Mind, Brain, and Contemplative Science, the first ever degree of its kind awarded by the university. He has since published numerous scientific articles, including a new scientific framework for the cultivation of well-being, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
As part of his Ph.D. dissertation, Cort created the Healthy Minds Program, now a free mobile app that has been featured by the New York Times, Vogue, Sports Illustrated, and many other publications. More recently, he authored A Meditator’s Guide to Buddhism and the forthcoming Born to Flourish: How to Thrive in a Challenging World, with Dr. Richard Davidson.
Cort currently serves as Executive Director and board member for Tergar International, the organization that oversees the Tergar community in the West, as well as a senior instructor for the Tergar community. He is also a scientist at the Center for Healthy Minds and Chief Contemplative Officer for its affiliated nonprofit, Healthy Minds Innovations.
Cort currently lives with his wife and son in Madison, Wisconsin.
This event is being hosted by Tergar Chicago.
The retreat will take place at the Heart Wood Center in Evanston, IL. We'll be gathering in the Skylight room . If you have any questions about the space, please contact Amy Roth at [email protected].
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster Street, Evanston, United States
USD 95.49 to USD 189.99
