What is Awakening? A Weekend Retreat with Tina Rasmussen

In this weekend retreat you will learn four meditation practices rooted in tradition and informed by neuroscience. One half-day is spent on each practice. This allows you to experience the meditation’s purpose, what it does to your consciousness, and how it supports awakening in unique and important ways. This helps you to make wise use of precious time spent in daily practice and retreat, and to better understand the overall trajectory of your spiritual unfoldment.

We will also explore the question: “What is awakening?” Awakening is the inspiration for many on the spiritual journey, but we may be unclear about what it is, how it happens, and what we can commonly encounter. Tina will provide an overview of how awakening is understood across wisdom traditions, clarify misconceptions (as well as why teacher scandals happen), and share more about how to integrate spiritual experience into everyday life. She will also guide participants in tuning in to their own “flame for awakening.” For a seven-minute video of Tina describing the program, visit Tina's YouTube site at

Please note that this retreat is non-residential.
Tina Rasmussen, Ph.D., began meditating at age thirteen, and has practiced in the Theravada and Tibetan Buddhist traditions for over 30 years. In 2003, after many years of Buddhist practice, she was drawn to undertake an intensive year-long solo retreat in which profound experiences occurred. In 2004, Tina took refuge with Tibetan Buddhist teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and was initiated into the Nyingma lineage. In 2005, Tina attended a two month retreat with Burmese meditation master Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, who ordained her as a Theravadan Buddhist nun and gave her the dharma name “Ayya Pesala.” During the retreat, Tina became the first Western woman to complete the entire detailed Samatha path in this lineage. Since 2006, Tina has also been involved in the Diamond Approach to realization.

Tina has been studied by the Yale Neuroscience Lab for research on the effects of meditation on consciousness and the brain, and is the co-author of Practicing the Jhanas (Shambhala), as well as several books on human potential. She has been featured in Time Magazine, on Buddha at the Gas Pump, Deconstructing Yourself, Buddhist Geeks, GuruViking, After Awakening, the Imperfect Buddha, Rick Hanson’s Wednesday Meditation, Awakening Women, Non-duality Magazine, Conscious TV, and others. Dr. Rasmussen now leads retreats and offers spiritual guidance and mentoring to practitioners worldwide. She has a Ph.D. in human and organizational development, and worked as an executive coach and consultant in the business world for more than 30 years.

Learn more about Tina's work here: https://luminousmindsangha.com/

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Berkeley Alembic, 2820 Seventh Street, Berkeley, United States