The Bramaviharas: Divine Abodes of the Heart Weekend Retreat with Tina Rasmussen
Schedule
Sat, 28 Mar, 2026 at 10:00 am to Sun, 29 Mar, 2026 at 04:00 pm
UTC-07:00Location
The Alembic | Berkeley, CA
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In this retreat, Tina offers an accessible overview of the Heart Practices, a core category of meditation drawn from both Theravadan and Tibetan Buddhism. The Brahmaviharas are known as the “divine abodes of the heart” and include metta (loving kindness), karuna (compassion), mudita (empathetic joy), and upekkha (equanimity).Tina will teach the four Brahmaviharas as an integrated set of practices. While they are often taught individually, their full power is revealed when they are explored together. As a constellation, they offer a profound way of orienting to the human condition, allowing us to meet almost any situation with an open and unhindered heart. Tina will also offer the Forgiveness practice — what she calls the “fifth Brahmavihara” — and will touch on Divine Love, the nondual essence these practices ultimately point toward.
Though sometimes overlooked or reduced to simple phrases we repeat for others, the Brahmaviharas are actually central to deep inner work. They are as rigorous and transformative as the other major meditation categories: Focused Attention (Samatha), Open Monitoring (Vipassana), and Self-Transcending (Dzogchen). These “purifications of the heart” help us metabolize universal human material that otherwise obstructs our spiritual unfolding. They are also a balm for the challenging times we face, both individually and collectively. Let them steady, soften, and clarify the heart.
Find the online version here: https://momence.com/l/nmhGJO2g
Tina Rasmussen, Ph.D., began meditating at age 13, and has practiced in the Theravada and Tibetan Buddhist traditions for 30+ years. In 2003, after many years of Buddhist practice, she was drawn to undertake an intensive year-long solo retreat in which profound experiences occurred. In 2004, Tina took refuge with Tibetan Buddhist teacher Tsoknyi Rinpoche, and was initiated into the Nyingma lineage. In 2005, Tina attended a 2-month retreat with Burmese meditation master Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, who ordained her as a Theravadan Buddhist. During the retreat, Tina became the first Western woman to complete the entire detailed Samatha path in this lineage. Since 2006, Tina has also been involved in the Diamond Approach to realization. Tina has been studied by Yale Neuroscience Lab for research on the effects of meditation on consciousness and the brain, and is the co-author of Practicing the Jhanas (Shambhala), as well as several books on human potential. She has been featured on Buddha at the Gas Pump, Deconstructing Yourself, Buddhist Geeks, GuruViking, After Awakening, the Imperfect Buddha, Rick Hanson’s Wednesday Meditation, Awakening Women, Non-duality Magazine, Conscious TV, TIME Magazine and others. Dr. Rasmussen now leads retreats and offers spiritual guidance and mentoring to practitioners worldwide. She has a Ph.D. in human and organizational development, and worked as an executive coach and consultant in the business world for more than 30 years.
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Where is it happening?
The Alembic, 815 Heinz Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710-2754, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
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