Stages of Tranquility and Insight

There is an old teaching in Tibetan Buddhism that compares the untrained mind to a wild elephant, and the path of meditation to the slow, patient work of taming it. This weekend meditation retreat at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, invites you into that path with Dustin DiPerna, a Harvard-trained scholar of world religions and a senior teacher of Tibetan meditation.

Stages of Tranquility and Insight draws on Asanga's Nine Stages of Staying, often called the Elephant Path. It is one of the oldest and most comprehensive systems of concentration in the Buddhist tradition, and it is now the main method of training the mind in the Tibetan tradition. For anyone who has wanted a clear map of how concentration deepens, and how to keep a practice alive beyond the retreat, this is a rare chance to learn it in a setting known for openness and exploration.

No experience with meditation is required. Whether you are just beginning or returning to practice with fresh curiosity, the teaching is built to meet you where you are.

What to Expect

Over the course of the weekend, you will learn the stages of the Elephant Path using the body as the primary object of concentration. As attention steadies, you will begin to recognize the mind's natural tendencies and learn how to work with them rather than against them.

The retreat also offers an introduction to the basic stages of ordinary insight, so that tranquility and insight are understood as partners in one path.

Beyond technique, this style of training can lead to a direct experience of equanimity. It can also bring a student into a range of practice in which pointing out the real nature of the awakened mind becomes possible.

By the end of your time together, you will have all the instructions needed to bring a robust meditation practice into everyday life.

About Dustin DiPerna

Dustin DiPerna is a visionary leader, entrepreneur, and recognized expert in world religions. He is the author of Streams of Wisdom, Evolution's Ally, and Earth is Eden. He holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a graduate degree in Religion from Harvard University. Dustin practices in the lineages of Mahamudra and Dzogchen with Daniel P. Brown, and he teaches courses on human flourishing and meditation at Stanford University.

Venue & Logistics

The retreat takes place at Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA. If you have a preferred meditation pillow and mat, please bring them. Registration options include a workshop with an on-site stay, a workshop with an off-site stay, and an individual day pass. The on-site workshop experience includes housing, three meals a day, coffee, tea and snacks, and access to the hot springs and other campus features. Healing arts sessions, specialty drinks from the bar, and bookstore purchases are extra.

Highway 1 access around Big Sur can be affected by road conditions, so please review Esalen's current travel advisory before you plan your journey.