We are so happy to announce that Triple Gem of the North is offering a Meditation/Mindfulness teaching certification. This certification attests to an acceptable level of knowledge and teaching skills required for mindful meditation teaching.

Registration for this program is closed. View our 2024 program here.

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The history of mindfulness goes back hundreds of years, originating from Buddhist concepts. It did not become popular in the west until the late 1970s. Over the years, mindfulness has evolved to become an integrated part of schools, workplaces, and everyday life. In this training program, we will be diving into the original Buddhist teachings on mindfulness and how to become a successful teacher in this field.

The training will prepare you as a meditation and mindfulness teacher by educating our students on the following topics:

• Understanding, practicing, and mastering mindfulness.
• Historical evolution of mindfulness.
• Several different Eastern mindfulness pathways.
• How to become a teacher based on the Buddhist Suttas (scriptures).
• Understand the Bodhisatwa mind and become a Bodhisatwa (a person on the path to Buddhahood).
• Understanding the Buddhist way of life by studying key Suttas.
• The Triple Gem, The Buddha, The Dhamma, The Sangha.
• Being a community member and creating a mindful community.
• Becoming a life-long teacher using Insight Meditation and Mind Culture.

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The certification program content

• Completion of assignments, including 40 hours of Zoom training between in-person workshops.
• Around 120 hours between 6 weekends of in-person workshops.
• Understanding of key principles of historical meditation methods (Buddhist, hindu).

To earn certificate 

• Attending at least 5 workshops out of 6. All 6 workshops are recommended.
• Participants will complete one or more hands-on training sessions while a monk observes. For example, a guided meditation class.

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Payment Options
Option 1 - Total Cost: $2700 ( $2500 if paid in full by Feb 15th 2023)
Option 2 - Installment Payment

• Program Entry Fee (Due by Feb 15,2023): $1000
• 6 Payments of $290

Fees will cover lodging and food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) expenses, and guest teacher travel expenses. The meals will be Vegan. Please let us know if you have any additional food restrictions, and we will do our best to accommodate you. You may also provide your own meals if needed.

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Training Schedule
All training will be held at the Metta Meditation Retreat Center in Janesville, MN. Each retreat will begin at 6:00 pm Friday and will end at 3:00 pm on Sunday. Participants may stay at the Center Sunday night, checking out before 10:00 am Monday morning.

April 14-16 - Overview of the program and a historical context
We will be focusing on “Understanding, practicing and mastering Mindfulness Meditation”
Historical evolution of Mindfulness. We will be studying all kinds of eastern mindful pathways.

May 19-21 - Being a good student is the teacher
How to be a student and how to be a teacher. We will be studying various Buddhist teaching methods by studying several suttas.

July 7-9 - On becoming a Bodhisatva
Understanding Bodhisatva mind and becoming a Bodhisatva (One who is working toward becoming enlightened.) We will be studying Buddhist Sutras to understand the Buddhist way of life.

Sep 1-3- The Triple Gem
Understanding and utilizing the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.

Oct 27-29 - Creating a Mindful Community
Understanding the different ways a Mindful Community can be developed, and what are the guiding principles for it.

December 1-3 - Insight Meditation and Mind Culture
Being a life-long teacher using mindfulness. Utilizing Bhavana (Insight Meditation) and culturing the mind.

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Example Schedule

Friday

5:30 PM - Supper

6:00 PM - Teachings

7:00 PM - Guided Meditation and Guided Discussion

9:30 PM - End of Day

Saturday

6:00 AM - Meditation

7:00 AM - Breakfast

8:00 AM - Teachings

9:00 AM - Meditation

10:00AM - Mindful Movements 

11:00 AM - Teachings

12:00 PM - Lunch

1:00 PM - Independent Practice

2:00 PM - Q&A

4:00 PM - Teachings

5:00 PM - Meditation

6:00 PM - Supper

7:00 PM - Guided Meditation and Guided Discussion 

9:30 PM - End of Day

Sunday

6:00 AM - Meditation

7:00 AM - Breakfast

8:00 AM - Teachings

9:00 AM - Meditation

10:00 AM - Mindful Movements 

11:00 AM - Teachings

12:00 PM - Lunch

1:00 PM - Independent Practice

2:00 PM - Q&A

3:00 PM - End of Weekend Workshop 

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Requirements
Minimum 1-year weekly meditation or more than 3 residential retreats under a qualified teacher.

You will have to submit a recommendation letter from your teacher if you are not part of Triple Gem community. If you are unable to provide a letter, please email us about your situation.

Submit your application before January 31st, 2023

To sign up for the program, use this link

May 25th to 28th, 2023 (Thursday 5:00 PM to Sunday 3:00 PM)

Registration Due Date: Friday, April 21st, 2022

Click here to register

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The Seven Factors of Awakening are qualities cultivated on the path to liberating of the mind. These seven factors refer to both psychological qualities we can develop as well as practices to be undertaken. When fully developed, they are know as the seven jewels of Buddhist practice.

Developing The Seven Factors of Awakening will help us to have peace of mind. Guidance and practice in this retreat will be focused on these factors.    

Seven Factors of Awakening (Saptha Bojjangha)

• Mindfulness (Sati), to maintain awareness of reality, in particular the teachings.
• Investigation of the nature of reality (Damma Vichaya).
• Energy (Virya), determination, effort.
• Joy or rapture (Piti).
• Relaxation or tranquility (Passaddi) of both body and mind.
• Concentration, (Samashi) a calm, one-pointed state of mind, or clear awareness
• Equanimity (Upekha). To accept reality as-it-is (yathā-bhuta) without craving or aversion.

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Teacher: Bhante Sathi

Retreat Format: In-person only

Fee: $420 include food and Lodging, ($370 for monthly contributors)

Dāna (Pali, Generosity): Please note that the retreat fee covers the Center’s expenses of hosting participants. It is customary to make additional donations for the teacher and meals.

Click here to register

Make your payment here

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Retreat Itinerary

Thursday Night Schedule

• 05:00 PM – 06:00 PM: Check-in (for those attending in person)
• 06:00 PM – 07:00 PM: Opening night - Welcome & Introduction
• 08:00 PM – 09:00 PM: Group discussion 

Friday & Saturday Schedule

• 06:00 AM – 07:15 AM: Mindful movements
• 07:15 AM – 08:15 AM: Meal and independent practice
• 08:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Morning teachings
• 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM: Walking and sitting practice
• 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM: Mindful moments
• 12:00 PM – 02:00 PM: Lunch and independent practice 
• 02:00 PM – 03:00 PM: Q&A
• 03:15 PM – 04:00 PM: Group sitting
• 04:30 PM – 05:30 PM: Mindful motion with Yoga or Qigong
• 06:00 PM – 07:00 PM: Snack or dinner
• 07:00 PM – 09:00 PM: Teaching & talk

Sunday Closing Day

• 06:00 AM – 07:15 AM: Mindful movements
• 07:15 AM – 08:15 AM: Meal and independent practice
• 08:30 AM – 10:00 AM: Morning teachings
• 10:00 AM – 11:15 AM: Walking and sitting practice
• 11:15 AM – 12:00 PM: Mindful moments
• 12:00 PM – 01:00 PM: Lunch and independent practice 
• 01:00 PM – 03:00 PM: Closing practice

Click here to register

Note: Day one and two, Samatha (Mindfulness) Meditation; From day three Vipassana meditations methods (Satipattana Sutta, elements, four foundations of mindfulness, Sapta Bojjanga).

Click here to register

Make your payment here

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Logistics

If attending the retreat in person:

• Location: Google Maps has been known to take our guests to the main house rather than the center. When you arrive, you’ll pull into a gravel road on the highway, simply keep driving until you see a large yellow building on your left-hand side next to a large white cross. That is where the Center is.
• Accommodations: The registration fee is inclusive of a room and meals. Rooms are dorm-style with shared bathrooms.
• Clothing: Try to bring comfortable clothing as you will be spending a lot of time conducting various types of meditation and mindfulness practices.
• Toiletries: Try to avoid bringing heavily scented items and some individuals are sensitive to such products.
• Food: We provide food for you. If you need to bring your own food for whatever reason, we encourage you to put your name on the food and place it in the fridge located on the main floor. We can show you where that is when you check-in.
• Towels and sheets: Please keep in mind that we do not provide linens for your stay as we only have a few extra. We recommend bringing a set of twin sheets and some towels. If you forget these items, we can help you out by letting you borrow some of our extras.

If attending the retreat online, here are a few tips:

• Try to find a quiet room away from people and pets.
• Try to eat home-cooked food. This will be elaborated more later on.
• Try to wear comfortable clothes
• Try to arrive at the call about 5-10 minutes before meditation and discussion. If your computer decides it wants to update or gives you trouble just email the retreat coordinator.
• Try to get a good night’s rest.
• Be mindful and relax!

Click here to register

Make your payment here

Logistics

If attending the retreat in person:

• Location: Google Maps has been known to take our guests to the main house rather than the center. When you arrive, you’ll pull into a gravel road on the highway, simply keep driving until you see a large yellow building on your left-hand side next to a large white cross. That is where the Center is.
• Accommodations: The registration fee is inclusive of a room and meals. Rooms are dorm-style with shared bathrooms.
• Clothing: Try to bring comfortable clothing as you will be spending a lot of time conducting various types of meditation and mindfulness practices.
• Toiletries: Try to avoid bringing heavily scented items and some individuals are sensitive to such products.
• Food: We provide food for you. If you need to bring your own food for whatever reason, we encourage you to put your name on the food and place it in the fridge located on the main floor. We can show you where that is when you check-in.
• Towels and sheets: Please keep in mind that we do not provide linens for your stay as we only have a few extra. We recommend bringing a set of twin sheets and some towels. If you forget these items, we can help you out by letting you borrow some of our extras.

If attending the retreat online, here are a few tips:

• Try to find a quiet room away from people and pets.
• Try to eat home-cooked food. This will be elaborated more later on.
• Try to wear comfortable clothes
• Try to arrive at the call about 5-10 minutes before meditation and discussion. If your computer decides it wants to update or gives you trouble just email the retreat coordinator.
• Try to get a good night’s rest.
• Be mindful and relax!

Click here to register

Make your payment here

Kamala (Kamal)

Bhikkhu Mihintala [Missaka] Kamalasiri is a guided meditation teacher, primarily focusing on Vipassana techniques sourced from the Buddhist Sutras. He believes this path will arm every sentient being against life’s different challenges.

In 1970, Bhikkhu Missaka Kamalasiri was born in Mihintale, Sri Lanka, near the site where the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa inaugurated the presence of Buddhism on this small island nation.
He has held a special interest in meditation since childhood. He started his practice under the guidance of Venerable Ananda Maitriya Maha Nayaka Thero. While there, he also received guidance from the renowned Dhamma teacher, Godwin Samararathne.

When he was only 14-years-old, Bhante received his novice ordination from his teacher, Balangoda Anandamaitrie, a well-known Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, who many considered a Bodhisattva. From there, he continued his training and education at the Vegirikanda Meditation Center and Gnanalankara Bhikkhu training center in Peradeniya. He earned his higher education at the Sangaraja Monks Training School in Kandy and Vidyodaya, Colombo.
For three years,Bhikkhu Kamalasiri lived in the Himalayan Mountains, researching Vajrayana and Hindu meditation techniques. He visited the Shivananda Ashram numerous times. Accounts of those visits were documented in a Sinhala language book titled, Mihidugiren Himagirata.

For a while, he practiced meditation in the caves of the Yelmo Mountains, where the Tibetan saint, Yogi Milarepa, once practiced. Bhante also spent some time at the Tusita Meditation Center.

Positions: From 1986 until 2008 he was the teacher of the Dhamma School in Peradeniya, and taught for a couple of years at the Bhikkhu Training College in Peradeniya. He was the coordination secretary in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the wise secretary of the Kandy District Committee of Buddhist Authority, adviser for The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, and the adviser for the documentary “2550 Years of Buddhism in Sri Lanka”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oorjkuY1e2c

He was also a part of the Apprenticeship Program organized by the State of Department of the United States, a member of the Board of Trustee for the National Environmental Forum and the adviser for the same committee that issued the Bank of Ceylon coin.

Publishings:
He has written 7 books in Sinhala:
1. Minissu -“Humans”
2. Aprakata Bauddha Lokaya- “Unknown Buddhist World“
3. Heladiwata Wasiyathiwarayano, Sikim Mahinda The Sikkim Mahinda – “Monk who from the Himalayas to Sri Lanka”
4. Mihindu Giren Hima Girata – “From Minithale to Himalaya” National Literature Award Winner
5. Baudda Ahillaha Dakma – “The Buddhist World and Vision”
6. Asa Taru Saha Mama – “The Sky, The Stars and Me”
7. “Messiah”

He has had many published articles in newspapers and magazines in Sri Lanka and Australia, and also has spoken for radio and television.

Meditation Teachings out of Sri Lanka:
He has taught in Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, India, Nepal, China, England and Italy and the United States.

Instructor Sathi

Emerging spiritual interests in his early teens led Sathi to be ordained at age 19 in the Theravada tradition in his native country of Sri Lanka.  He also became Bhikku and practiced many years and counseled people from many walks of life using Buddhist teachings.

As a meditation teacher, In 1999 he became a resident at the Great Lakes Vihara in Michigan and traveled around the US and Canada teaching meditation and mindfulness practices, the teachings and philosophy of Buddha (Dhamma), and leading retreats.

In 2003 he made Minnesota his home where, with the support of friends, As A Teacher, he founded Triple Gem of the North in Mankato, which he made his home. He has traveled the state sharing meditation and mindful living. He has shared his wisdom, led retreats and given talks at various Minnesota locations including.

• Visiting teacher at The Marsh, Minnetonka MN
• Meditation Teacher at Carlton College, Northfield, MN
• Meditation Teacher at Gustavus Adolphus College, St Peter MN
• Guiding teacher at Triple Gem of the North, Mankato, MN
• Guiding teacher at Chaska Mindfulness Center
• Guiding teacher at Metta Meditation Center
• Teacher and speaker at several other Twin Cities Area locations
• Sathi has presented meditation techniques to local high schools and colleges.

Responding to invitations, Sathi has planted many seeds of Buddha’s teachings across the United States from which several have blossomed into centers started by Sathi:

• Founder and Guiding Teacher Of Triple Gem Of the North, Mankato, MN
• Founder of Oklahoma Buddhist Vihara, OK
• Founder and Guiding Teacher of Mindfulness Center, Chaska, MN
• Founder and Guiding Teacher of Metta Meditation Center, MN (Click here for the website)

Sathi has a particular interest in what is common to all traditions and all schools of Buddhism, particularly regarding the practice of meditation since establishing himself in Minnesota.