IMS Online Learning Center

The spiritual path is directed toward the discovery of and abidance within the fundamental essence of reality, but what are the qualities of this irreducible nature?  It is still, motionless, inclusive, and limitless -  a universe devoid of time.  However, when we look around, we see everything in motion and time-bound, and we see ourselves moving inexorably toward aging and death. How do those two opposite perspectives reconcile? If the destination of the spiritual journey is to abide in the timeless, but we find ourselves bound within time, what is our way forward? The path is to explore what time is, how it is conceptually conceived, and how time and the sense-of-self co-dependently arise. Through those and other forms of inquiry, we discover the stillness that holds all time and motion, yet is beyond both. We then live within the paradox of motion while abiding within that stillness.   

Since this retreat is intended to call into question the conventual way we assume reality to be, we are requesting the prerequisites for this course be 10 years of practice in Insight, Zen, or Chan Meditation including extensive retreat experience.  

The important questions we would ask perspective retreatants are, does this topic invite your curiosity? Are you pulled to uncover the timeless and release the conceptual myths of time? A healthy curiosity grounded in mental stability is indispensable for dismantling consensus reality.  We encourage the participant to fully engage the entire retreat.