Retreat at Waunita Hot Springs Ranch

The Five Powers 
A Synthesis of Practice 
For One Life

October 26 – 29, 2023

We are grateful to be able to once again return to Waunita Hot Springs Ranch. We have been hosting retreats at Waunita since 2012 and it has always been a special place for us. We have found it to be a very conducive environment to deepen our practice with wisdom, compassion, and nature.

The emphasis of this retreat is to provide an opportunity for participants to deepen their meditation practice and unpack the precious teachings on the synthesis of practice for one life, the five powers. 

Five Powers

“The goal of Dharma practice is to realize a state of genuine well-being that flows from a wellspring of awareness that is pure and unobscured. The ancient Greeks called such a state eudaimonia, a truth-given joy. The ancient Indians called it mahasukha, great bliss that arises not from pleasurable stimuli but from the nature of one’s own pure awareness itself. This is not simply a happy feeling; it is a state of being that underlies and suffuses all emotional states, that embraces all the joys and sorrows that come our way. It is a way of engaging with life without confusion. The ancient Greeks knew about it. The Indians and Tibetans know about it.

One criterion of practicing Dharma is engaging with all events in ways that are realistic and conducive to one’s own and others’ well-being. When things go well, are there ways to experience deeper joy and satisfaction? When things go wrong, is there anything we can do that would still enhance our overall well-being? Ways of bringing forth a sense of fulfillment and meaning during the inevitable ups and downs of life are also considered Dharma.” Wallace, B. Alan. The Art of Transforming the Mind

The five powers are found in the fourth point of the profound teaching, Seven-Point Mind Training, by Geshe Chekawa. They are five practical methods to synthesize the many practices of Dharma into a practice in daily life in a sustainable and meaningful way. During the retreat we will unpack the five powers and explore methods to apply them in your life in ways that are effective for you. 

One does not need to be a Buddhist to benefit from these practices; they are universal to people of all faiths, traditions, and cultures.

The retreat will be facilitated by John Bruna and will include teachings, meditation, discussion, and personal time. The first half of the day will be dedicated to meditation practice. There will be silence and multiple meditation sessions of 24 minutes with breaks. The afternoons and evenings will include discussions and question-and-answer periods.  John has a particular gift for making these valuable teachings accessible and practical for our modern lifestyles. All of his teachings focus on preparing students to properly engage in authentic practice in ways that are effective and meaningful to them.