Nissaya Retreat: Friendship as a tantric rite

“The Enlightenment experience is not self-contained in a one-sided way. It contains an element of communication and therefore an element of spiritual friendship, even transcendental friendship – friendship on the highest conceivable level.’ Stream of Stars

For Dharmacharinis in their first five years of ordination, this retreat looks at the most critical, rewarding, demanding, inspiring aspect of Ordination: spiritual friendship.  Through the tantric rites: purification, maturation, fascination and destruction (and maybe a few more), we learn how to be creative in our friendships.  How can we be a better friend?  How can we work through difficulties in friendship?  How do we navigate friendship as Dharmacharinis?