Diamond Mountain Retreat Center

Chaotic World Quiet Mind (ONLINE ANYTIME)
2020-12-31 - 2027-12-31 | Diamond Mountain, 3209 S Old Fort Bowie Rd., Bowie, AZ, AZ, 85605, United States
Would you like to go through life in a focused and calm way no matter what happens around you?
With a mind trained in meditation, you will be able to focus on what matters, to turn off the noise and concentrate on exactly one thing for as long and as intensely as we want. By practicing to keep your mind calm and clear, you will more calmly and deeply consider all aspects of a problem and find creative, successful solutions to your problems.
Experience how you can extinguish negative emotions such as anger, envy and uncontrollable desires. This will make your mind clear and strong and so you are naturally much more successful than other people who are at the mercy of their emotions. Learning to dive deep into your mind to remain peaceful and calm brings more joy in everything in your life. Imagine being able to live in greater harmony with everyone around you!
A very good meditator can see what his life will be like making daily challenges much easier. A very regular meditator slowly begins to anticipate the future and all your decisions and actions will be driven by love and compassion. Your “instincts” and “feeling” for action will be sharpened making you much more successful in everything you do! This means making progress on your spiritual path.
In order to be able to do these things, we must learn to meditate properly. Without that the doors are closed to us and we will be unable to read the signs.
Come with us on a journey and learn to quiet your mind in a chaotic world.

Is this for me?
If you are new to meditation or hope to experience the benefits of being a better meditator, this program is for you.
Do I need anything special to start?
A computer and a good internet connection is all you will need
Make sure you download Zoom before the program starts
What does it cost?
The program is free of charge and we encourage you to pay it forward or explore our donation programs. You can also sign up for your newsletter or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
How much time will it take?
One 45 min session, once a week for 8 weeks. The sessions will be recorded so that you can watch them again, or share them, whenever you would like.
When will it take place?
When you have time 😉
Language: English
What topics will be covered?

What is meditation & what it‘s not.
Benefits of meditation
Meditation as a practice
The Stages of Meditation
External & internal conditions
Correct posture
5 problems and 8 remedies
Meditation types & objects
Frequency & duration?

Which meditations will you learn?

Preparing for meditation – The perfect ten
Watch your thoughts – Don’t get involved
Two life-long basic traditional Buddhist meditations for any meditator:

Tong-Len – Taking and Giving
“Preliminaries” – Taking care of your karma (a guided meditation)

Youtube Playlist: Classes

Youtube Playlist: Meditations

Who are my teachers?
Hanlie van Wyk
“For me, the value lies in applying the principles to every encounter, situation, and interaction. As a closet nerd, I strive at all times to bridge the gap between theory and real world practice. The result is equanimity, perpetual learning, and loads of fun!”
An adventure seeker and serial entrepreneur she started her first of several businesses at the age of 23 followed by a career that spans three decades and four continents. As a social scientist she was inspired by Nelson Mandela who said: “People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love”.
She started meditating and doing spiritual retreats in the early 2000’s. A friend introduced her to Asian Classics Institute courses where she received teachings from Geshe Michael Roach, Lama David Stumpf, and Lama Marut. She taught herself yoga from The Tibetan Book of Yoga, expanded her repertoire to Ashtanga, Inyengar, and Bikram only to find her way back to the yoga of Lady Niguma. A trip to the temples of Thailand forever changed her life.
Hanlie’s unique quality is to present complex concepts in a simple and structured way so that you can apply the principles consistently and reap the positive effects in your daily life.
Venerable Sunam
Venerable Sunam is passionate and joyful in everything she does and mixes “rock ’n’ roll” with a touch of German efficiency. She is a licensed veterinarian, successful IT project/program manager, and is working as a database specialist for multi-million dollar international projects. After decades of chasing her own happiness with egoism, hazardous sports, lots of work and not getting anywhere, Ven. Sunam discovered Dharma in 2005 by reading the Diamond Cutter by Geshe Michael Roach. Ever since she has been studying, teaching, and translating ancient texts with joy and happiness, transforming herself into a kinder person.
Ven. Sunam has studied all 18 ACI Courses and 11 DCI Seminars, has attended nearly all LAM RIM Retreats and several Translator Terms. She is also a certified Sivananda yoga teacher since 2004. Ven. Sunam has done many retreats and has a wealth of experience in meditation and teaching. She successfully practiced the “Circle Day” for more than 10 years and has done lots of short retreats and a 3-month-retreat in our lineage.
She teaches with humor and lots of tips on how to apply the teachings in everyday life.

We'll Guide You Through a Meditation Retreat at Home (ONLINE ANYTIME)
2020-12-31 - 2026-12-31 | Diamond Mountain, 3209 S Old Fort Bowie Rd., Bowie, AZ, AZ, 85605, United States
YouTube Playlist

Do you have extra time on your hands, have you always wanted to do a retreat? Grab the bull by the horns, retreat at home! We are offering a series of videos walking you through the steps on how to set up and do a retreat in your own home while you have the chance.
Now is the time. Stop putting it off.
Need to catch up with your studies? Give yourself the time to let the teachings sink into your heart, and wisdom will spread into your daily life and practice.
Have you always wanted to do a solo retreat, but haven’t had the time or courage to do your first one? We will guide you through your first home retreat. You will receive all the advice and instructions you need to do your first retreat at home. We will pass on the knowledge of the lineage and our own personal experience on how to do a retreat.
We know the ups and downs and can guide you through any difficulties. And you will be surprised by the many moments of bliss.
Content:

How to set your motivation
How to prepare for retreat
How to do retreat
Retreat schedule
How to eat during a retreat
What to do and not to do during the retreat
How to stay balanced
How to retreat if you share your home with others
Advise on content and meditations
How to deal with lung*
Special guest classes with Diamond Mountain Three Year Retreaters
Q&A sessions
Option to ask personal questions by email personalretreat@diamondmountain.org

Open to everybody who wants to learn how to do retreat.
Offered by Diamond Mountain as a gift to you
Language: English (If you need translation, please let us know.)
Teachers:
Ven. Gyelse: Practicing Buddhism for more than 20 years. She is Director of Diamond Mountain Retreat Center and has done countless retreats in our lineage, including a 3-year-retreat at Diamond Mountain. She teaches with lots of compassion and is always willing to share her personal experience.
Ven. Sunam: Practicing Buddhism for 10 years. Successfully practiced the “Circle Day” for more than 10 years and has done lots of short retreats and a 3-month-retreat in our lineage. She teaches with humor and lots of tips on how to apply the teachings in everyday life.
YouTube Playlist

Reshaping the Earth Summit
2023-08-14 - 2027-12-31 | Online Zoom
Summit @ Online

A series of talks with experts on how to reshape the earth and restore healthy habitat for all the animals has taken place in August 2023.
Come learn about this amazing ecosystem and how to restore arid lands. Ecological restoration experts gave 45 minute lectures during the week long event on subjects such as water retention techniques, soil regeneration, green corridors and food forests. Check for recordings below
Program
Dr. Elise Gornish, Cooperative Extension Specialist in Ecological Restoration at the University of Arizona.
Let’s not reinvent the wheel: Using VERY old school strategies for cheap and easy restoration success!
Recordings: English, Pусский, Español, 中文, Slides
David Seibert, PhD, of Seibert Ecological Restoration LLC, on
The approach to restoring Bear Gulch.
Recordings: English, Pусский, Español, 中文, Slides
Rudy Poe, MLA Masters in landscape architecture, PDC Permaculture designer with Geoff Lawton and the Sonoran Permaculture Guild on humans and nature working together.
Recordings: English, Pусский, Español, Slides
Perin McNelis – the Native Plant Program Manager for Borderlands Restoration Network will present on
stewarding native seeds in the Southwestern US.
Recordings: English, Pусский, Español, 中文, Slides
Francesca Claverie, Native Plant Program Director at Borderlands Restoration Network, on
nurturing native plant biodiversity in the Southwestern US.
‍Recordings: English, Pусский, Español, 中文,Slides
Charlie McIntosh, Product Manager for Pacific Biochar Benefit Corp on
an introduction to biochar; what it is, how it is made, and how it can be used as a tool for ecological restoration.
Recordings: English, Pусский, Español, Slides
Caleb Weaver, Community RestorationProgram Manager at Borderlands Restoration Network, on
how humans can support wildlife at home.
Recordings: English, Pусский, Español, 中文, Slides
Joaquin Murrieta-Saldivar, Conservation Director at Borderlands Restoration Network, on
cultural and spiritual relationships with water across the borderlands
Recordings: English, Pусский, Español, Slides

Results of the SUMMIT by Caleb Weaver
Recordings: English, Pусский, Español, Slides

New Year Retreat 2025
2024-12-29 - 2025-01-03 | Diamond Mountain, 3209 S Old Fort Bowie Rd., Bowie, AZ, AZ, 85605, United States
Remember the Three Principle Paths? Maybe you do and maybe you don’t. Come join us in a meditation retreat to go deeper into the very foundations of the Buddhist path. We will explore how to integrate and bring alive ideas like the Eight Worldly Thoughts, the four principles of karma/seeds, the benefits of the Wish and how to develop it into our daily lives.
