Teachings
The day begins with a guided meditation and teaching session. In addition, there are seven scheduled sessions in which you practice in a self-directed manner. To make best use of your time here, we recommend that you attend as many sessions as you can, but participation in a minimum of four independent sessions as well as the morning guided session is expected. We provide crystal-clear instruction, guide you through how to practice and then allow you space to develop a practice on your own. This is intentional - as to realize the benefits of meditation, you need to develop a regular habit of daily sitting - even if it is only for a brief period (30 minutes or an hour). Your time at Karuna is designed to instill good practice habits and highlight the reasons for doing so. That way you can continue to progress in your meditation when you leave and return to your regular life.You will receive initial instruction (scheduled on arrival or the next day) and have a chance to tune your practice through a meditation interview (or several) during your stay. This is invaluable, as to read about or study meditation is a necessary start in your practice, and being face to face with an experienced retreatant who is dedicated to their practice, and is just like you with struggles and successes, can have a value beyond anything you have thus far experienced. That is one reason for Karuna - the experience of a "Dharma Friends" community and resultant personal benefit.
Functional silence is also expected while on the grounds of Karuna, as this practice gives chance to look more deeply within. We suggest that while this may be uncomfortable or foreign at first, it is well worth the effort to fully experience the richness of our being. After a little practice, it is easier than you might imagine and it's interesting to see how not talking can be fun and certainly different than our normal habit of speech.
Audio teachings are available from the Summit Dharma Center website. Click here for audio teachings (you will need to register first).
The audio teachings are an important aspect of your continued meditation experience because when you leave the center you can continue learning and practicing at your discretion and emailing our meditation instructors for guidance.
Teachers
Most of our teachers have been Buddhist monks or nuns at some point in their lives and have had trainings in Theravadin, Mahayana, and Vajrayana Buddhism. All teaching and communication is in English, and our teachers are from western countries and speak English as their native language.
Phillip Hedrick
Phillip developed a practice in the tradition of Zen Buddism in 1999 while studying at the University of Art and Design in Kyoto Japan. He continued his studies and was introduced to Tibetan Buddhism in 2001 thru the generous and loving teachings of Venerable Chokyi Dhakpa (Michael Gregory). His dedication lead him to do pilgrimages to the holy sites of Tibet, Bhutan, India, and Thailand. He has also completed several 10 day Vipasana retreats and 30 day silent retreats. He is currently at the end of his third year of retreat beginning in Sikkim and continuing in Thailand. He lives in retreat, practicing and studying at Karuna Meditation Center in Kamala Thailand.Phillip enjoys finding ways to apply the Buddha's teachings to everyday life. He has been married to his wife, Jill for over 40 years and has children and grandchildren; lovingly integrating his spiritual life with a householders responsibilities. Phillip is known and well-received for his heartfelt presence and clear Dharma teaching, as well as, a profound dedication to his practice.
Sarah Burrowes
Sarah Burrowes began her spiritual life, as Catholic, which many of us can relate to. She moved with her family to Colorado as a young girl and as her personal life developed through marriage, children, education and the development of career, Sarah’s inner life was always close to her heart. Kindness and devotion to family and friends was a priority as she matured and began to explore her spiritual life. After raising her family, she lived with and cared for her brother who suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis until his passing in 2005.In 2003 she began attending classes and retreats with Michael Gregory (Chokyi Dhakpa) at the Summit Dharma Center. Sarah discovered that Dharma practice was her calling and she became an integral part of the community (through many up's and down's), taking refuge and selflessly giving of her time and skills in any way she could. Eventually, she traveled on pilgrimage to Tibet and India, 30 day retreat in Sikkim, and has been on long term retreat in Thailand for the last two and a half years. In 2005, while in Tibet, she made a deeper commitment to her practice and took vows as a nun in Lhasa with Ringu Tulku Rinpoche.
She has now completed several 30-day retreats and is in the third year of her long term retreat, continuing her study and practice while working at Karuna Meditation Center in Phuket, Thailand.
Sarah has accomplished a major transition since leaving Colorado and she brings the richness of her experiences as a lay person as well as a true transformation into a mature and seasoned practitioner to her teaching. It is her sincere wish to devote the rest of her life to the support of spreading the Dharma.
Christian Strachan
Christian began to study and practice meditation after relocating from university in Oregon to Colorado. His growing interest in Dharma led him to a period of ordination as a monk, spent primarily in silent retreat in Colorado and India.Taking robes facilitated Buddhist pilgrimage, retreat, and study in India, Burma, and Thailand in all three Buddhist schools. He has lived abroad for about five years and enjoys the challenges of adapting to a new culture and learning a new language.
Christian is skilled in relating Buddhist concepts to westerners in a way that is accessible and practical. He is an avid outdoorsman, enjoying the beaches, hiking and swimming in Phuket and assists in training English teachers who move on to work across Thailand and Asia.
Christian is thrilled with the new KMC and the opportunities it affords to serious practitioners. He welcomes everyone who may be interested to join him for a coffee and some quiet, relaxing practice time.
