Winter Retreat Uposatha Program 2023

“Where the Whole Path Comes Together: Returning Home to the Satipatthanas”

For our 2023 winter retreat, our Dhammadharini community will be focusing our practice and teachings on returning "home" to and deepening our study and practice of the Four Satipaṭṭhānas - the four fundamental foundations for the establishment of Mindfulness.

~~~

As we begin the new year, the Dhammadharini Community is preparing to enter Winter Retreat —  a three month time for silence and deeper practice. We warmly welcome you to join along with the monastic community, and experience the benefits of this practice opportunity. The Dhammadharini community will be in winter retreat until April 1st.

Since the Buddha’s time, on the Full Moon and New Moon days, monastics and householders have gathered on the Uposatha. The monastics recite their precepts and listen to Dhamma talks, and dedicated lay practitioners undertake the Refuges and Eight Uposatha Precepts for one day, including evening fasting, celibacy and abstaining from adornment and entertainment. They have a daylong retreat, spending the day in sustained mindfulness and meditation, and listening to Dhamma teachings.

Dhammadharini’s founding teacher, Ven. Ayya Tathaloka Theri, wishes to encourage everyone who can to join in undertaking a practice commitment together during this year's winter retreat, from near and far, wherever you are. In support of this, she will offer fortnightly Uposatha moon day teachings throughout the winter retreat to those who join in the practice commitment together. We invite you to commit to a practice for this time - this could be as small or as large as you wish. If your life circumstances allow, you are invited to follow along with the Dhammadharini community for the full retreat, joining our online teachings together.

On each Uposatha day, there will be two offerings. We encourage you to join for both live or on YouTube, or as much and as often as you can:

• 8:30am: Uposatha Morning Refuges and Eight Uposatha Precepts   - offered by Ven. Bhikkhunī Ācarinī (Ayya) Brahmavarā
• 7:00 - 9:00pm: Moon Night Meditation, Dhamma Reflection, and Dhamma Discussion   - offered by Ven. Bhikkhunī Ācarinī (Ayya) Tathālokā Therī*    *except one Uposatha on the March 7th Full Moon during Ayyā Tathālokā's personal secluded retreat time

The very last program, at 7 pm PST on April 5th, will be a Gratitude Program, sharing insights and blessings from all of Dhammadharini's resident community and the retreat participants, out to our whole community.

The times above are given in Pacific Standard Time for California, USA. Please see below for more time zones, or use a time zone converter for your local times. All of the events will be live on Zoom, and also streamed on YouTube.com | Dhammadharini Monastery, so you can watch at your suitable time.

Refuges & Precepts:

• Pacific/California: 8:30am
• Eastern: 11:30am
• UK: 4:30pm
• India/Sri Lanka: 10:00pm
• Thailand: 11:30pm

Meditation, Dhamma Reflection & Discussion:

• Pacific/California: 7:00pm
• Eastern: 10:00pm
• UK: 3:00am (following day)
• India/Sri Lanka: 8:30am (following day)
• Thailand: 10:00am (following day)

In between these online sessions, you will be invited to continue your meditation and mindfulness throughout the day.

These are the Uposatha observance days:

• Saturday January 21, New Moon/Lunar New Year: Welcome & Intro to 2023 Winter Retreat Uposatha Program
• Sunday February 5, Full Moon: Kayanupassana (contemplation of the body)
• Monday February 20, New Moon: Vedananupassana (contemplation of feeling)
• Tuesday March 7, Full Moon: Cittanupassana (contemplation of the mind) (A different monastic will offer this teaching while Ven Tathaloka is in her secluded retreat time)
• Tuesday March 21, New Moon: Dhammanupassana (contemplation of Dhamma(s))
• Wednesday April 5th, Full Moon: Conclusion, Gratitude, Dedication of Merit

Please register below to receive the Zoom link and more information  - we look forward to having you join us!

Note that, during the winter retreat,  Ayya Brahmavara will also be continuing to offer the regular Sunday and Tuesday programs. Her expression of our Winter Retreat Satipatthana and practice theme comes from the preamble to the Satipatthana Sutta, which characterized Satipatthana in Pāli as "Ekāyano maggo." Ayya's Winter Retreat teaching jingle is "Ekāyano maggo: Way to go!”

You may register for these programs here:

• Sunday morning guided meditation and Q&A
• Sunday afternoon Sutta Study
• Tuesday evening meditation and Dhamma talk

Note; On Tuesday March 7 and Tuesday March 21, the Uposatha program will replace the usual Tuesday evening program.

We hope that you will be able to join us in our three month long winter retreat practice, by following our schedule of teachings and practicing from your monastery, home, or wherever you may be.

For information on offering Dāna of requisites to the Bhikkhunīs and/or supporting our Dhammadharini teachers and monastic  community, welcome to see the Dhammadharini Support Foundation page on dhammadharini.net