Undertaking a long meditation retreat is a test of the proposition that genuine happiness is a process of subtraction.
Doug Veenhof has been leading meditation retreats of a week to two months for fifteen years in Asia, North America, and Europe. He is a resident teacher at the Center for Contemplative Research in Crestone, Colorado where he recently completed a one-year solitary shamatha retreat in the Mahamudra and Dzogchen traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.
An award winning journalist and former mountain guide, Doug’s teachings are known for their authentic grounding in the lineages of his esteemed Buddhist teachers, their clarity of presentation, and practical advice for realizing the natural wisdom that reveals the potential of this human life.
This site is an expanding archive of audio and video teachings from some of the retreats Doug has led. The teachings are free to download and share and are an excellent guide with full instructions for your own retreats of any length on a progression of topics for developing mental stability and clarity and their application in developing wisdom. If you would like to support Doug’s personal retreats and teaching, your donation is greatly appreciated.
Coming Soon
The Six Bardos
Beginning July 9 at 7:00 pm at the historic Annisquam Village Church in Gloucester, MA, this six-week series will explore Padmasambhava’s eighth century teachings on the experiences of the entire cycle of existence from birth to death and what happens after death. Each of the six transitions in the cycle present a unique opportunity to experience reality as it is, and knowing what to expect can prepare you for the states of mind that follow death and provide a sense of ultimate meaning to life that many people feel are absent in the modern world..
Video of the teachings will be posted here for free viewing within about a week after the live teaching