The Buddha had to face the armies of Mara on the night of his awakening. Milarepa, the Tibetan wise man, came home one day to find his cave filled with demons. Most of us deal with difficulties, so-called demons, regularly but often they’re hard to recognize or we choose not to look. Fear, judgement, shame, anger, distractions and other hindrances can all show up in many ways. Often we try to find a way around them or ignore them altogether but the Buddha invites us to turn towards our difficulties and sit with them. Only through facing and naming our demons do we find freedom. Easier said than done.

In this daylong you will have the opportunity to identify what is most uncomfortable and turn towards the discomfort to develop a different relationship with the experience. Come spend a day facing your demons and yourself with kindness and compassion, Maybe invite them in for tea. There will be dharma talks, sitting and walking meditation and conversation. Suitable for everyone.

Cost: The registration fee for this event is $45. A portion of this fee is shared with the teacher, however this does not mean the costs of the event or teachings are fully covered.  Dana (voluntary donations) may be offered on the day of the event, and we encourage you to offer as much support of generosity as you are able. Please know that our policy is that no one is ever turned away for lack of funds. When people are able to extend as much generosity as possible, financial accessibility to our events comes with greater ease for the whole community.

Teacher:  Mary Stancavage has practiced meditation, yoga, and cultivated a spiritual practice for over 30 years and in 2009 was empowered to teach Buddhadharma. Mary is based in the Los Angeles area and teaches classes, retreats and does individual mentoring. She has taught at mindfulness at recovery centers, has co-facilitated Year-to-Live groups since 2008, and has had a weekly dharma class for over a decade. She also was a director at Against the Stream for ten years. Mary completed the Buddhist Chaplaincy Program at the Sati Center and served as volunteer chaplain at Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. She also served as Executive Director of the Mind Body Awareness Project from 2016 to 2018. In taking the practice off the cushion, Mary is honored to serve on the board of CLUE: Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice. Along with teaching she continues to investigate what it means to live with an undefended heart. Fun fact: Mary has a Masters Degree from UCLA and worked as an archaeologist in the Middle East. More info can be found at her website, marystancavage.org