About this IMS Online Program

Thursdays, March 6 - 27, 2025

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When we are deeply responsible for the well-being of another, it may be easy to feel as though practice is less accessible, or that these roles and responsibilities are somehow outside of our ‘real’ practice. We may also find ourselves stretched thin, often exhausted with a sense of not enough time. And yet, many people who have the experience of caregiving or parenting often find that their practice deepens in many ways. We grow in patience, compassion, morality, and we become more flexible and loving people. As well, practice can be a refuge we can turn to for resourcing, rest and finding ground again. Can we give ourselves permission to expand our understanding of what it means to be a deep practitioner, and fully embrace a path of liberation through caregiving - a path that includes refuge and deep care and compassion for oneself.

In this 4-part series, we will explore the theoretical and practical ways that the Dharma reveals caregiving as both a liberative and nourishing path of practice. We'll find practical ways to apply the teachings to the realities of caregiving life, and we will connect on the struggles and blessings of the life of a caregiver; making space for grief, joy, and love.


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Meet Your Teaching Team

Yong Oh

Yong is a Dharma Council teacher at the Durango Dharma Center and a core teacher for Sacred Mountain Sangha, and is also a visiting teacher for other community centers across North America. He teaches retreats at the Insight Meditation Society, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Big Bear Retreat Center, and Vallecitos Mountain Retreat Center. He is a graduate of the 4-year Insight Meditation Society Retreat Teacher Training program, Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s 2-year Community Dharma Leaders program, and the Sacred Mountain Sangha 2-year Dharmapala training, taught by his primary teachers Kittisaro and Thanissara. Yong is also a retired acupuncturist, is passionate about Nature and Dharma, and has particular interests in devotional expression, supporting caregivers, and offering teachings to communities of color in the Dharma.

Cara Lai

Cara Lai has spent most of her life in pursuit of meaning and happiness, which landed her on a cushion for much of her adult life. Throughout many mind-body adventures including many long-term retreats, she has explored the concentrated mind, chronic illness, the value of pleasure, the power of maternal energy, and connection to the earth. In the past, Cara has worked as an artist, wilderness guide, social worker and psychotherapist. Now she finds herself intently focused on the dharma path, practicing both on and off the cushion in unconventional ways, and using intuition as her guide. She tries her best to teach from the most authentic and vulnerable place she can muster, and is still learning about the contentment of simply existing.

More Information

  • Equity Pricing Model

    As one part of our ongoing effort to expand access to the teachings of the Buddha, all IMS Online programs feature equity-based registration fees, including the opportunity to self-select a low-cost scholarship rate. No-fee enrollment is available for those who request a fee-waiver at [email protected], no questions asked. Our system supports the cultivation of a dynamic and inclusive community and is made possible by our generous donors and those who choose to support other students by contributing at the “Benefactor” level.

  • Registration Deadline

    Registration for this program closes on March 13, 2025.

  • Program Recordings

    This program will be recorded and made available for on-demand viewing after the live sessions. On-demand videos will be available to registered participants only for 90 days.

  • Refunds

    IMS Online offers full refunds through the last day of a live program. Refunds for this program can be processed until March 27, 2025. Refunds can only be applied to the card that was used for the purchase. Please reach out to [email protected] with any refund requests. 

  • Additional Questions

    If you have additional questions please contact us at [email protected].