Awakening Wisdom
A Path Back to your Natural State
A 10 hour retreat to cultivate Insight
MEDITATION ✺ YOGA ✺ BREATH-WORK ✺ THE SUBTLE BODY✺ BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY
July 26-27
9am to 2pm PST / 6pm to 11pm CET
A weekend immersion into the natural state, grounded in the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism and the embodied practices of Hatha Yoga.
A two-day immersion into settling body, speech, and mind into their natural state, grounded in the direct experience of wisdom.
• Settle body, speech, and mind into their natural state through meditation and somatic movement.
• Discover how letting go reveals the innate luminosity and wisdom of the mind.
• Calm the nervous system and deepen embodied awareness through classical pranayama and breathwork.
• Explore the true nature of consciousness and learn how non-clinging transforms experience.
• Practice awareness of awareness to access clarity beyond conceptual thinking.
• Integrate foundational Buddhist teachings on emptiness into daily life for lasting freedom.
• Experience the seamless union of insight, presence, and natural joy.
What You’ll Experience
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Opening the Retreat: Intention and Grounding into Presence
We begin by connecting to stillness, cultivating intentions, and setting the foundation for allowing body, speech, and mind to return to their natural state.
Breath and Body Practice: Pranayama and Somatic Movement
A gentle somatic movement session paired with classical Hatha Yoga pranayama practices like Nadi Shodhana and Kapalabhati, designed to calm the nervous system and deepen embodied awareness.
The Wisdom of Letting Go: An Experiential Talk on Emptiness
A living discourse exploring the essence of the Buddha’s teachings — emptiness, non-clinging, and the natural luminosity of mind — taught through personal reflection and practical daily life integration.
Practicing Awareness of Awareness
Meditative guidance into settling body, speech, and mind, and glimpsing the nature of awareness itself through experiential methods.
Meditation: Natural State and Non-Clinging
A guided meditation session focused on resting the mind in its natural clarity and learning to recognize moments of non-grasping.
Group Dialogue and Integration
End the day with a shared reflection, group inquiry, and an integrative exercise, planting seeds of wisdom for experiential realization.
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Morning Meditation: Awakening the Inner Landscape
Begin the day by re-grounding through awareness meditation, tuning into the natural unfolding of mind without interference.
Embodying Stillness: Asana and Breathwork
A revitalizing morning session combining yoga and breath-work harmonizing breath, body, and energy.
The Nature of Mind: A Deeper Philosophical Transmission
Exploring consciousness: Is the mind physical or nonphysical? What happens to the natural state when we grasp at objects? This discourse draws directly from lineage teachings and personal insights, grounding philosophy in real practice.
Vipashyana Practice: Seeing Through the Illusion
A long-form guided meditation session focused on direct insight into the emptiness of mind and phenomena, supported by walking and seated formats.
Reflections and Journaling: Experiencing Wisdom
An open space for journaling insights, sharing experiences, and capturing the transformations that have emerged over the course of the weekend.
Closing Ceremony: Return to the Natural State
A heartfelt closing session of gratitude, dedication of merit, and final reminders for weaving the experience into daily life.
Please note that participants will need a yoga mat, cushion for meditation, bolster/pillow, two yoga blocks, and a journal.
Tier 1: $555
Tier 2: $444
Tier 3: $333
As a dharma offering, all are welcome. No one will be turned away for lack of funds as space allows. For more information, please email us.
Meet Your Guides
Edward Sczudlo
Edward is an experienced yoga teacher and dedicated Buddhist practitioner with over 15 years of teaching experience and two decades of study. He has dedicated his Buddhist studies to learning under the guidance of esteemed Tibetan masters. He has received teachings and tantric empowerments from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. For over 12 years, Edward has been a close student of Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche Lobsang Jampa, the former Abbot of Gyume Tantric College. His studies with Gyumed Khensur Rinpoche are ongoing, reflecting his commitment to continued learning and practice.
For the past decade, Edward has supported Buddhist communities through work with the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT). He has also made contributions in helping build retreat centers, supporting three-year retreat practitioners, and preserving ancient scriptures with the Asian Legacy Library. Through The Maitri Project, an NGO focused on preserving Buddhist heritage, he has spent six years building connections between Western supporters and Buddhist monastic traditions.
Edward has completed 10 retreats. He has also spent time living in India and Nepal, engaging in pilgrimage and practice at sacred sites.
In yoga, Edward spent five years studying closely with Shri Dharma Mittra, focusing on Yoga Nidra, advanced breathwork, and the integration of fasting and nutrition with spiritual development. He received the transmission of the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, including the original Sanskrit Lung (direct wind transmission), from a lineage holder of the text. This process required over 120 hours of study and practice, connecting him to yoga’s classical roots. Edward also practiced Ashtanga Yoga for a decade at Jivamukti Yoga and is among the first certified teachers from The Yoga Studies Institute.
Edward’s teachings combine Tibetan Buddhist practices with Hatha Yoga, leading retreats that integrate meditation, somatic healing, and subtle body practices. His approach is grounded in the traditions he has studied while being relevant to modern practitioners.
Before committing to his spiritual path, Edward worked in high fashion with Steven Meisel and Bruce Weber for Italian Vogue, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, and Abercrombie & Fitch.
Yeshe Vazquez
With over 14 years devoted to the study of Tibetan Buddhism and Universal Wisdom teachings, Yeshe is dedicated to guiding individuals through transformative meditation practices. Immersing herself in more than three years of full-time meditation retreat, she brings profound, experiential understanding to her teachings.Yeshe has had the privilege of teaching at esteemed meditation centers in Mexico and offering online sessions to a wider audience in the United States. Through insightful talks and meditation techniques, she shares deep wisdom with both individuals and groups.
Certified in Somatic Activated Healing™ and Holistic Yoga Flow, Yeshe blends ancient wisdom with modern practices to create personalized, healing experiences that are both transformative and practical. In addition to her work in meditation, she empowers individuals through one-on-one Spiritual Life Coaching. By supporting her clients in uncovering their inner strength and clarity, Yeshe helps them discover their own answers.
Her mission is to equip individuals with the tools and guidance necessary for profound and lasting personal transformation. She assists her clients in building their own toolbox, preparing them to handle whatever life presents while fostering independence and a deep connection to life simultaneously.Yeshe believes that separateness breeds suffering and strengthens the ego. By understanding our minds and nourishing the heart, we naturally cultivate greater understanding and connection with others, helping alleviate the burdens and limitations of ego.
“Working with Yeshe has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. In just three months, I was able to reconnect with my self-worth and truly reclaim my self-esteem. I chose Yeshe because of her profound experience with meditation and Dharma—especially after spending four years in retreat—and I could feel the depth of her wisdom from the very beginning.
Yeshe doesn’t just guide you; she sees you. Her presence is so grounded and compassionate that her words go straight to the heart. She helped me uncover my value in a way that was both gentle and powerful, and I’ve experienced lasting, meaningful changes in my life as a result.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Yeshe. I’m so deeply grateful.”
Testimonials
“I met Edward at my lowest point, and through his two-hour therapeutic yoga sessions, I began to heal in a profound way. A single session with Edward did for me what a year of speech therapy could not.
Over the past four years, as I’ve continued working with him, I’ve learned Buddhist concepts and practices that have deeply transformed my approach to life and how I show up. I am deeply grateful to Edward, who is not only my teacher but has also become a dear friend and an integral part of my community.”
“I met with Edward’s teachings while going through a challenging time in life. His teachings and practices brought clarity and inner resource at a time when it was needed most. I’m deeply grateful for his work.”
“It has been a true joy to share retreat time with Yeshe for some years. Her steady dedication to practice is both admirable and deeply inspiring. What shines through most is her enthusiasm, her heartfelt care for others, and her remarkable ability to meet challenges with wisdom by truly living the teachings. She is a wonderful person, a cherished friend, and an exceptional Dharma companion. Anyone learning from her would be drawing from her extensive experience—and would be truly fortunate to do so.”