Overview
The practice of meditation uncovers our fundamental wisdom, the intimate understanding of vastness at the heart of experience sometimes called the “feminine principle”. In the experience of men and women, this vastness arises as fearless nonconceptual wisdom symbolized by the dakini, the sky-dancing goddess of Tibetan Buddhism. Through an exploration of the lore of the dakini, we may access our own vast wisdom beyond gender–and yet discover new meaning in our embodied, passionate lives as women and men. This retreat explores the dakini’s wisdom lessons through iconography and lore, and through guided meditations and discussion.
All sessions will be recorded; recordings will be available until June 30, 2026.
About the Teacher
Judith Simmer-Brown
Judith Simmer-Brown, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor of Contemplative and Religious Studies Emerita at Naropa University, where she is a Founding Faculty who introduced dharma to generations of Naropa students. An early student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche and longtime senior dharma teacher in Shambhala International, she has also been a student of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtsho Rinpoche and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche since the 1980’s. She is a Nalandabodhi member in Boulder, Colorado. She is author of Dakini’s Warm Breath: The Feminine Principle in Tibetan Buddhism (Shambhala) and editor, with Fran Grace, of Meditation and the Classroom: Contemplative Pedagogy for Religious Studies (SUNY).
Schedule (Eastern Time)
The program will be ONLINE ONLY, though local sanghas are encouraged to join as a group. Local sanghas can mail toronto@nalandabodhi.ca for support. If you wish to join the local Toronto sangha in person at our centre, please check the box below.
Saturday morning–Talk One:
10:00am-12:00pm “Dakini Wisdom of Emptiness”
Saturday afternoon–Talk Two:
2:00pm-4:00pm “Dakini Wisdom of Devastation”
Sunday morning–Talk Three:
10:00am-12:00pm “Dakini Wisdom of Embodiment”
Sunday afternoon–Talk Four:
2:00pm-4:00pm “Dakini Wisdom of Gender”
Monastics are encouraged to join us as our guests.
All amounts are in Canadian Dollars.
** Money should not be a barrier to practice; if finances are a barrier,
please email toronto@nalandabodhi.ca to arrange a fee you can afford. **
We look forward to seeing you onsite or online!
Date/Time
Date(s) - Sat, April 18, 2026 - Sun, April 19, 2026
All Day
Location Nalandabodhi Toronto & Online (Hybrid)
