The Heart of Awareness: Mindfulness and Yoga Summer Retreat

Welcome to this summer meditation and yoga retreat, to settle back into your authentic self in the natural beauty of the forested mountains! With the ancient wisdom traditions of Buddhism and Yoga, along with the discoveries of modern research into well-being, Jonathan will skillfully guide us into a space of deep rest, contemplation, transformation, and joyful ease.

We all need to reconnect with our center and find balance, especially in the hectic everyday of modern life. Retreat is a time-honored method to re-establish that balance and get back to what is essential. In this retreat, we will explore how to develop a calm mind and open heart, balancing Mindfulness with Heartfulness, supported by a gentle and therapeutic yoga practice. And we will explore methods for finding our balance even during challenging or difficult times.

Retreat is also an opportunity to come together in a supportive community to practice with a competent teacher. Jonathan is a respected mindfulness and yoga teacher that has been successfully guiding retreats for over a decade, and his lifelong practice and professional training gives him a wealth of experience to share from. With his natural warmth and wisdom, Jonathan is renowned for creating an inclusive and safe environment for personal development, insight, and deep healing.  

The Heart of Awareness

“With the pincers of truth, I have plucked
from the dark corners of my heart
the thorn of many judgments.
I sit in my own splendor, and I have no fear.”

–the Ashtavakra Gita, “The Heart of Awareness”

The ‘Heart of Awareness’ refers to the opened heart of awakening, which is recognizing the essential nature of our being. It is a direct path of recognizing our true Self, which is already awake, radiant, loving, and whole. Resting in this open heart of awareness, we are naturally peaceful and fearless. We only need to re-discover it, hidden like a gem under our muddled, over-active, and confused minds. The teachings from the non-dual wisdom traditions will be our guide this week to realize the heart of awareness as our authentic nature and develop a fearless heart.

Effortless Mindfulness

Most mindfulness practices are about cultivating attentional skills through effort and discipline. But equally important is the need to open and let go. This is called ‘effortless mindfulness’ in the Mahamudra/Dzogchen traditions of Tibetan Buddhist yoga. In this way of practicing, we relax into our experience and release expectations and striving. Learning to accept more deeply with open-hearted awareness, we can learn to embrace what is, and allow it to be. Effortless Mindfulness is the way of ease and flow and will be introduced this week through our meditations.

Heart Yoga and Mindful yoga

The Brahmaviharas, or the Four Immeasurables, are an ancient Vedic practice dating back before Buddhism and yoga and carried into both. They are the practices of altruistic or unconditional love, learning to open the heart and discover lasting inner peace. These methods are still alive today, thousands of years later, and we will be practicing them in our yoga this week, using Metta, Tonglen, and Bhakti yoga (the yoga of selfless Love).

We will also explore the modern discoveries in science around the intelligence of the heart and the power of compassion, and practice breathing techniques that facilitate coherence and optimal well-being. These open-hearted and healing techniques will all be supported by a Mindful yoga practice, a gentle and therapeutic approach to asana. The yoga sessions are accessible for everyone, even with little or no prior experience in yoga practice.

Structure of retreat

The mornings will begin in silence and remain in silence until lunch. Each day starts with morning meditation and some Mindful yoga. The morning session and afternoon sessions will differ from day to day and offer a variety of different meditation and yoga practices designed to develop more mindfulness and heartfulness. There will be personal time after lunch to hike, swim in the river, canoe on the lake, get a massage, sauna, write in your journal, connect with others, or do absolutely nothing. And in the evening, there may be a combination of Dharma talk, chanting/Bhakti yoga, or deeper Yin/Restorative yoga and dialogue.

Dharma Mountain

The center has been used as a space for meditation for many years and is ideal for contemplative practice and retreat. Next to a lake and surrounded by peaceful forests with a view of the mountains, it is a serene location in nature, not far from Oslo. There is also a river nearby with a waterfall, and trails for walking in nature. The meditation hall is spacious with heated floors and a majestic view of the mountains. The cabins are cozy, and give the feel of natural simplicity, without lacking comfort. And the three vegetarian meals served daily are nourishing, healthy, and delicious. There is also friendly staff that offer massage and other healing services.  Altogether, it is a perfect space for renewal and a supportive environment for healing and inner work.

Jonathan Weber
Jonathan is a senior teacher of mindfulness and yoga, with over 30 years of experience. Jonathan is a certified Mindful yoga trainer (E-RYT500) and Mindfulness instructor (MBSR/MBCT) and has been guiding retreats for over a decade. He is an international teacher that blends modern, science-based research on well-being with the ancient traditions of Buddhism and yoga. He has practiced in authentic lineages with masters in the Tibetan Buddhist traditions of Vajrayana and Dzogchen since 1991. And his first teacher, the celebrated Ram Dass, introduced him to Vipassana and Bhakti yoga in 1987. With a natural warmth, humor, and grounded presence, Jonathan teaches a non-dogmatic, contemporary, and open-hearted approach to awakened well-being.

General Schedule:

Tuesday 2nd
16:00 – 17:00 Arrive/ Registration
17:30 – 18:30 Introduction & Orientation
18:30 – 19:30 Dinner
20:00 – 21:30  Evening session

Wednesday 3rd – Saturday 5th
07:30 – 08:30 Meditation
08:30 – 09:30 Breakfast (silent)
10:00 – 12:30 Mindful yoga
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 – 16:30 Personal time
16:30 – 18:30 Afternoon practice
18:30 – 19:30 Dinner
20:00 – 21:45 Evening session

Sunday 6^th
07:30 – 08:30 Meditation
08:30 – 09:30 Breakfast (silent/end silence)
10:00 – 12:30 Closing session
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
14:00 –            Depart after lunch

Prices

NOK 7.375 for single room
NOK 6.335 for shared room or loft
NOK 5.415 for tent / caravan space
NOK 4.915 for living at home

All prices includes dinner on arrival day, 3 meals other days, except last day which ends with lunch.
Dharma Mountain serves tasty vegetarian food. You can choose gluten free, lactose free or vegan food when you book.
Bedlinen/towels can be rented for 200 NOK or you can bring your own.