Skymind The Radical Path of Open Awareness

In the middle of modern life’s constant demands, where do we turn for real refuge, ease, clarity, and a sense of belonging?

This retreat offers an invitation to step out of the cycle of striving and reconnect with the peace and wholeness that have always been present within you.

Join Lopön Charlotte Rotterdam, Lopön Pieter Oosthuizen, and the sangha for an immersive retreat on the powerful land of Tara Mandala. Together, we will engage the revolutionary wisdom of Machig Labdrön while celebrating the launch of their new book, Skymind: The Radical Path of Open Awareness. The book invites us to recognize our boundless nature and meet life’s challenges with a vast mind and a fierce, loving heart.

The program combines daily meditation, deep contemplation, and honest dialogue, all guided by the insight of our two Lopöns. Through their book, we will connect Machig’s original texts with the realities of contemporary life, learning how to bring expansive view into our everyday experience.

"No matter what sickness occurs in the manifesting circumstances, Know that each one is a training exercise".

Set within the wild and sacred landscapes of Tara Mandala, Machig’s verses move beyond ideas and into lived experience. In direct contact with the elements, we are guided toward a liberating understanding:

"When you realize the meaning of not rejecting or accepting, you rest within the great equanimity."

This is an invitation into radical acceptance. Let study become practice, and let practice open your heart to living fully and fearlessly in an ever-changing world.

During this retreat, you will engage in:

• Teachings, contemplation, and discussion of Machig’s source texts, with encouragement to memorize favorite verses as support for life after retreat.
• Open awareness meditation, both ancient and contemporary exercises for training attention, and practices for integration with the elements.
• An optional outdoor overnight practice, including an all-night Chöd practice. Prior experience is not required.

Who Should Attend

This retreat is open to a broad range of practitioners, from complete beginners to experienced meditators.

Newcomers are warmly welcome. No previous experience is needed—only an open mind and a willingness to explore.

Seasoned practitioners will have the opportunity to deepen their understanding of mind and return to daily practice with renewed clarity and inspiration.

If you have attended a previous Skymind summer retreat or one of the online courses, this is a wonderful chance to continue the journey. New verses will be introduced, along with a deeper look into beloved practices.

Join us on Thursday, August 27, 10:00–11:30 am MDT for the Skymind Book Launch & Celebration, a special open-to-all session.

We will celebrate the new book, Skymind: The Radical Path of Open Awareness, in a session offered both online and in person in Tara Mandala’s Tara Temple. Stories will be shared about how the book emerged from the wild land of Tara Mandala, inspired by the sacred lineage of Machig Labdrön. There will also be readings, practice, and time for discussion. All are welcome.

Program Tuition

• $695 Standard Tuition
• $495 Community Supported Tuition

Room and Board

• $75 Commuting
• $85 Camping
• $100 Dorm Yurt
• $165 Prajna Double Twin
• $350 Prajna Single Queen

Financial assistance options and scholarship applications are available.

Installment Payment Plan Option at Registration

To help make the program more accessible, participants may choose to pay in full or select the Installment Payment Plan during registration. A 25% deposit is required at the time of registration, and the remaining balance is divided into equal monthly payments. The final payment is due 14 days before the retreat begins. If registration happens close to the start date, additional arrangements may be possible.

Offering dana to the Teacher

Dana, meaning generosity, is the traditional student offering to the teacher and expresses appreciation, gratitude, and reciprocity for receiving the teachings. Information about dana will be shared during the program. The suggested dana for this retreat is $100–$300.

Tentative Schedule

This outline shows the retreat flow, though timing and sequence may be adjusted before or during the program. All times are Mountain Daylight Time.

• Tuesday, August 25, 2026: 5:00 pm Orientation, 6:00 pm Dinner & Karma Yoga, 8:00 pm Opening Gathering
• Wednesday, August 26 to Saturday, August 29, 2026: 7:00 am Morning Practice, 8:00 am Breakfast & Karma Yoga, 10:00 am Teaching Session, 1:00 pm Lunch & Karma Yoga, 3:30 pm Teaching Session, 6:00 pm Dinner & Karma Yoga, 8:00 pm Evening Practice
• Sunday, August 30, 2026: 8:00 am Breakfast & Karma Yoga, 10:00 am Closing Session and Tsog, 1:00 pm Lunch & Departure

About the Teachers

Dorje Lopön Charlotte Rotterdam

Dorje Lopön Charlotte Z. Rotterdam has studied Tibetan Buddhism since the mid-1990s and was authorized to teach by Lama Tsultrim Allione in 2006. In 2016, she received the title of Magyu Lopön, lead teacher of Magyu: The Mother Lineage at Tara Mandala, from Lama Tsultrim.

Lopön Pieter Oosthuizen

Lopön Pieter Oosthuizen is a Senior Teacher in Lama Tsultrim Allione’s lineage, Director of The Feeding Your Demons Institute, and co-author of Skymind: The Radical Path of Open Awareness. His path stretches from apartheid-era Johannesburg to a life rooted in contemplative practice.