Awakened awareness is a nondual awareness beyond the structure of knower and known—beyond the ordinary self. It is also beyond the kinds of meditative selves that we set up. Have you noticed that we set up a kind of a self in meditation: the one who tracks things, the one who knows things? This is very important and helpful, but it’s still a kind of construction. Awakened awareness goes beyond that, and beyond many of the structures of ordinary experience: time, space, the sense of self, ordinary objects, and so forth. Samādhi and insight practices really build toward and lead to this kind of awareness.
Donald Rothberg, PhD
Residential Retreat Teacher
Donald Rothberg, PhD, has practiced Insight Meditation since 1976, and has also received training in Tibetan Dzogchen, Mahamudra practice and the Hakomi approach to body-based psychotherapy. Formerly on the faculties of the University of Kentucky, Kenyon College, and Saybrook Graduate School, he currently writes and teaches classes, groups and retreats on meditation, daily life practice, spirituality and psychology, and socially engaged Buddhism. An organizer, teacher, and former board member for the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Donald has helped to guide six-month to two-year training programs in socially engaged spirituality through Buddhist Peace Fellowship (the BASE Program), Saybrook (the Socially Engaged Spirituality Program), and Spirit Rock (the Path of Engagement Program). He is the author of The Engaged Spiritual Life: A Buddhist Approach to Transforming Ourselves and the World and the co-editor of Ken Wilber in Dialogue: Conversations with Leading Transpersonal Thinkers.
Donald Rothberg's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | Online Non-Residential
November 23 - November 24, 2024 | Saturday - Sunday | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Hidden in Full View: The Shared Heart of Spiritual Teachings and Practices
In stating “My religion is kindness,” the Dalai Lama highlighted universal principles of ethics, wisdom, and goodness that transcend any particular religion. Throughout this retreat, we’ll combine Buddhist teachings and practices to develop wisdom, ethics, and the awakened heart with various perspectives from other spiritual traditions. In doing so, we’ll connect with universal principles that can be expressed in ordinary, everyday language. Our time together will include meditation, talks and dialogue between Donald and Sylvia, and small- and large-group discussions.
Retreat | On-Land
January 10 - January 17, 2025 | Friday - Friday | 7 nights
Mettā Retreat: Teachings and Practices to Cultivate a Wise, Awakened, and Responsive Heart
Registration Open - September 10. Mettā, or lovingkindness, practice is the cultivation of the intention of benevolence as the orientation of our heart and mind. It is also a path to wisdom. We develop our capacity for mettā through meditation in order for it to manifest in our daily lives. Mettā practice strengthens self-confidence, self-acceptance, and steadiness of mind and heart, revealing our fundamental disposition toward kindness. We’ll be joined on one day of the retreat by Sylvia Boorstein, a beloved long-time teacher of mettā.
Donald Rothberg
Gullu Singh
Beth Sternlieb
Diana Winston
Sylvia Boorstein
Jonathan Relucio
Upcoming Drop-Ins
Drop-in | Online
Wednesday, October 23 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk
Our Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk is led by Sylvia Boorstein, Donald Rothberg, Heidi Bourne, or other guest teachers. This group welcomes beginners and experienced practitioners to explore the Dharma.
Donald Rothberg
Drop-in | Online
Wednesday, October 30 | 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk
Our Wednesday Morning Meditation & Talk is led by Sylvia Boorstein, Donald Rothberg, Heidi Bourne, or other guest teachers. This group welcomes beginners and experienced practitioners to explore the Dharma.
Donald Rothberg