A Nine-Month Transformational Journey into the Nature of Mind, Meditation, and Compassionate Living

Skymind is an invitation to rest into our true nature. In the Buddhist tradition, this nature is inseparable from the ground of being – vast, luminous, and compassionate – embracing all things like a Great Mother. But how do we recognize the innate wakefulness and primordial wholeness of our true nature? How do we access the ground? “Rest,” say the teachings, “rest in the natural state.”

To embody and live this deceivingly simple and potent instruction is the journey of a lifetime, one that reveals our immense capacity for compassion and our courageous strength to encounter even the greatest challenges with insight and clarity. We step into our inherent dignity and embrace the great joy of existence itself.

Our 9-month immersive journey is guided by the wisdom of the great 11th-century Tibetan yogini, Machig Labdrön, whose teachings are held in the non-dual Mahamudra lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Her direct and piercing instructions point us to the nature of mind, which is our true nature, and call us to meet our lives and the world with vast awareness and a fiercely loving heart. We’ll be joined by guest teachers including Lama Tsultrim Allione, Lama Sarah Harding, and Elena Brower.

Beginning at the spring equinox and unfolding through the winter solstice, Skymind: The Radical Path of Open Awareness is a transformational program of focused study, committed practice, and everyday integration. The program offers a deep-dive, experiential journey into the profound view of the nature of mind and its direct relevance to modern life, so that these ever-green teachings are not merely understood intellectually but become lived experience.

Skymind unfolds along the time-tested Buddhist structure of Ground, Path, and Fruition, guiding you from an introduction to the fundamental nature of awareness, through methods of practice that stabilize that recognition, toward the lived expression of awakened compassion in everyday life.

As Machig Labdrön teaches, the nature of mind is vast and inclusive – “the realization of the nature of mind includes all phenomena without exception.”  Come and join us to discover together what this means in the immediacy of your own life.

THREE INTERWOVEN STREAMS

Throughout the nine months, the course weaves together three complementary streams of study, practice, and integration:

STUDY: The Teachings of Machig Labdrön
At the heart of the program are the extraordinary nature of mind teachings of Machig Labdrön, founder of the Severance (Chöd) lineage. Her direct, luminous instructions point to the fundamental nature of awareness itself and to the radical freedom that arises when fixation on a separate self begins to loosen. We’ll explore in depth Machig’s repeated instruction to “rest in your nature.” What is this nature and how do we truly rest?

Drawing on the limited number of extant texts attributed directly to Machig, we’ll study her core teachings as missives from the awakened state. These include “The Great Bundle of Precepts,” “The Essential Bundle,” “Another Bundle,” “A Hair Tip’s of Wisdom,” and a few others. In addition, we’ll become familiar with pith verses drawn from Machig’s work that we can use as reminders as we move through everyday life. We will draw on other texts from the tradition on occasion to supplement our study.

PRACTICE: Attention, Awareness, and Open Awareness Meditation
What we experience as our own cognition, our own awareness, is no other than primordial awareness, the essence at the heart of reality and existence itself…Skillfully working with our own awareness becomes the relative doorway through which we can consciously experience the vast and luminous nature of all phe­nomena. And, at least initially, meditation is a prime technology for accomplishing this.

A central thread of the program is the cultivation of meditation practice as a doorway into a direct experience of the nature of mind. We familiarize ourselves with primordial awareness, the “natural state” and develop ways of accessing and sustaining awareness throughout the day. You will train in focusing and stabilizing attention, recognizing awareness itself, attuning to loving radiance & resting into open awareness through the Skymind meditation practice.

This progression allows us to move gradually from training the mind toward resting in its natural openness. We’ll work with a number of mind-training techniques, many drawn from Machig’s time, such as:

• Live guided meditation sessions
• Instruction in working skillfully with thoughts, emotions, and sensations
• Support in developing a personal daily practice that aligns with your commitments
• Ongoing practice refinement and discussion

Through meditation practice, we befriend our own mind. We attune to natural loving radiance, the warmth of bodhicitta, the awakened heart-mind. Training to recognize and rest into vaster awareness, we develop greater spaciousness and less reactivity. We come home in our own lives.

INTEGRATION: Bringing the Teachings Into Life
The third stream of the course focuses on application. How do these teachings actually transform the way we live? How do we recognize and live from our profound interconnectedness with all beings? How do we best serve others? How do we work with challenges? We’ll walk the Skymind path: entering into the totality of experience, including everything we encounter. We cultivate radical acceptance and practice the art of letting go. We develop kindness as well as fierce compassion towards ourselves and others. Along the way, we explore what it means to “go to the places that scare you” – with an open mind and loving heart. “No matter what sickness occurs…know that each one is a training exercise,” says Machig. Her path of “severance” invites us to turn towards our obstacles and challenges with awareness, curiosity, and compassion so that we can uncover the courageous awakened heart (bodhicitta) that lies even within our difficulties. We’ll draw on ancient practices as well as psychological methods to skillfully meet and transform some of our habitual patterns, moving from fear, constriction, and confusion into clarity and insight.

Weaving together our practice and our lived experience, we step into our inherent dignity and gain confidence in our ability to show up and engage with radiant, loving presence.

You will have the opportunity to apply these teachings to key areas of your life, or Five Life Dimensions:

• Relationships, community, and service
• Work and livelihood
• Body, health, and environment
• Intellect, learning and creativity
• Spirituality

Ultimately, Machig’s teachings and the Skymind path are a journey of reclaiming our inner joy, awakening to the beauty of this precious life, and partaking in the inextricably interconnected play of existence itself.

Our journey takes place within the supportive context of Community: we meet and engage with diverse individuals through inquiry, discussion, group practice, and the shared motivation to awaken heart and mind. We develop and cultivate spiritual friendships, and enjoy precious connections, or sangha, as one of the cornerstones of the path.

At the end of the program, you’ll be invited to write a personal vision or reflection statement, a Skymind Manifesto (length and format of your choice), that documents and articulates your transformation and key insights you’ve gained along the path, as well as intentions you carry with you.

PROGRAM STRUCTURE
Each month, the program includes two live teaching sessions and two live practice sessions. The practice sessions will focus on guided meditation and group discussion. Participants will also engage in:

• Lopön Charlotte and Lopön Pieter will lead the teaching and practice sessions, with guest sessions featuring Lama Tsultrim Allione, Lama Sarah Harding, and Elena Brower.
• Breakout group discussions during sessions to develop a strong sense of community and shared inquiry
• Optional small peer pods for shared reflection and support outside of our scheduled meeting times
• Personal meditation practice between sessions
• Lopön Charlotte and Lopön Pieter will be available for brief personal meetings scheduled regularly during the program.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Skymind Yearlong: The Radical Path of Open Awareness offers significant benefits to both experienced practitioners and those with little or no prior experience.

This program is particularly suited for those who:

• Are interested in the nature of mind and nondual teachings through the lens of Tibetan Buddhism
• Wish to cultivate and deepen their meditation practice in a structured and supported way
• Are seeking a path that integrates deep contemplative insight with everyday life
• Want to cultivate greater compassion, resilience, and clarity in the face of life’s challenges
• Would like to become part of a supportive community of learning and practice

The program is included as a recommended but not required retreat within Tara Mandala’s Magyu Program.

WHY NINE MONTHS?
The nine-month arc of this program provides the time and container for real transformation to take place, allowing teachings, meditation, and integration to deepen, stabilize, and mature together. Over time, view and practice infuse and condition everyday life. The extended timeframe also creates a committed community of practitioners traveling the path together. Through regular meetings, small-group dialogue, and shared practice, participants build a supportive environment that strengthens both individual practice and collective learning.

You are welcome to join Skymind: The Radical Path of Open Awareness at any time during the year. You will receive access to recordings of all previous sessions, allowing you to catch up and study at your own pace.

RETREAT OPPORTUNITIES
For a more complete Skymind experience, we invite you to attend at least one in-person retreat – offered in the US and in Europe – over the course of the program. These retreats will be complementary to the coursework but are optional and require separate registration.

Skymind Deep Blue (Advanced Mentorship Track)
We are excited to offer this opportunity for students who would like to engage with Skymind as a committed path at an advanced level of engagement with the teachings and practices, and supported by a more direct, intensive mentorship relationship. Deep Blue participants will explore the curriculum and specific texts in greater detail; engage with Pieter and Charlotte in smaller-group settings; and receive support for solitary retreat, including guidance on preparation and integration. Enrollment for Deep Blue is limited. We ask for a brief application and interview. For more information, please contact Lopön Charlotte Rotterdam at charlotte@skymind.us.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Meetings are held via Zoom, with instant translation into most languages via subtitles. A recording of each session will be available within 24 hours.

• Live Teaching sessions: Sundays from 10 am-12 pm MST & MDT (Mountain Time) on the following dates: March 21, April 4 & 18, May 2 & 16, June 6 & 20, July 4 & 18, August 1 & 15, September 5 & 19, October 3 & 17, November 7 & 21, December 5 & 19, 2027. See how this daily schedule translates to your time zone.
• Live Practice Sessions: Fridays from 12 pm to 1 pm MST & MDT (Mountain Time) on the following dates: March 26, April 9 & 23, May 7 & 21, June 4 & 18, July 2, 16 & 30, August 13 & 27, September 10 & 24, October 8 & 22, November 5 & 19, December 3 & 17, 2027.
• Optional in-person retreats in the USA and Europe (to be announced/separate registration fee)

PROGRAM FEES
$1,765 Standard Tuition
$1,245 Community Supported Tuition

Learn more about available financial assistance options and apply for a scholarship here.

INSTALLMENT PAYMENT PLAN OPTION AT REGISTRATION
Recognizing that everyone’s financial situation is unique, Tara Mandala strives to make its programs as accessible as possible. During registration, participants can either pay the program fee in full or select the Installment Payment Plan. For those choosing the installment plan, a 25% deposit is required at registration, with the remaining balance automatically divided into equal monthly payments. The final payment is due 14 days prior to the program’s start date. If retreat enrollment occurs close to the start date, additional arrangements can be made. For any questions or special requests, the Finance Team is ready to assist at care@taramandala.org.

OFFERING DANA TO THE TEACHER
The practice of offering dana, which means “generosity,” is the traditional offering the student makes to the teacher as a symbol of appreciation, gratitude, and reciprocity for receiving the precious teachings. Information on offering dana to the teacher will be provided during the program. To learn more about dana and suggested dana ranges, please click here.

The suggested dana for this program is $200 to $600

RECORDINGS ACCESS
All sessions are conducted live online and recorded for participants who cannot attend in real time. All participants will have a 1-year access period to the recordings.

TARA MANDALA PRICING GUIDELINES
As we work to become an equitable, diverse, and inclusive community, our pricing guidelines are intended as a map, inviting each of us to take inventory of the resources that shape our access to precious dharma teachings. Tara Mandala programs are offered at two tuition levels: Standard and Community Supported. We invite you to choose the rate that fits your circumstances. Community Supported tuition is made possible by the generosity of our sangha, and is here for those who need it. To learn more about Tara Mandala’s pricing guidelines, please visit this page.

WHAT IS A TARA MANDALA ONLINE PROGRAM?
Tara Mandala offers online programming via live and pre-recorded curricula, providing you with the opportunity to access dharma teachings, engage in guided practice, experience personal retreats and hands-on learning, and connect with other participants through easy-to-use online platforms and an engaged community network. When needed, the program description and schedule will inform you in advance whether a specific online session must be attended live or whether a direct transmission (Tib. lung) may be given. Access to recordings of all sessions will be available for additional viewing for one year.

Program Cancellation and Refund Policy

MENTAL HEALTH DISCLAIMER
While Tara Mandala offers profound Buddhist teachings and a supportive spiritual community, we do not provide mental health services, and our teachers are not operating as mental health professionals. Spiritual guidance provided by a Tara Mandala teacher is not a substitute for professional mental health support. We honor the importance of mental well-being and encourage community members seeking support to connect with licensed professionals in their local area. For immediate assistance with mental health concerns, please contact your local crisis resources or emergency services.