Dana / Generosity
At the end of each retreat people are given the opportunity to offer a donation to the teachers.
It is an invitation to participate in the spirit of generosity (dana) that has sustained this tradition and teaching for more than 2,500 years. Over the centuries it is this generosity that has enabled the creation of retreat centres, the support of monasteries and a whole range of social and peace practices and projects. It enables teachers to continue teaching and supports the very life and sustainability of the teaching. When you come to Gaia House you are staying in a centre that has been created and is supported by the generosity of those who have practised here before you. Gaia House was purchased through the donations of countless students, it is run through the generosity of our volunteer staff, and the teachers share in their firm commitment to the principle of dana rather than adopting a more conventional fee-paying structure. This is true of all Insight Meditation centres in the West. The fee you pay to participate in a retreat at Gaia House is solely to enable us to provide food and accommodation and to cover the running costs of the centre.
The teaching is offered, as it has been over the last centuries, freely. None of your retreat fee goes to the support of the teachers leading the retreats. The tradition of dana is a beautiful and precious one, inviting all of us to cultivate a great generosity of heart and to participate in sustaining a priceless and joyful teaching of freedom and compassion. It is an acknowledgement of our interconnectedness and interdependence. In Asia this is apparent, as the monasteries are generously supported by the lay community and in turn offer a place of refuge and teaching as well as a whole range of projects dedicated to peace and the relief of anguish. The challenge of all centres and teachers who have made their home in the west is to translate this spirit of dana into our culture. Lay teachers carry exactly the same responsibilities as those who participate in retreats – families, bills, mortgages, and the whole range of commitments we all share. Their time outside of formal retreats is given to pastoral care, participating in the work of running a range of centres and teaching days. Their capacity to do this relies upon the generosity of those who benefit from the teaching. At the end of each retreat a dana talk is given that is part of our commitment to the tradition of generosity. As you come on retreat, it is an invitation not only to participate in the practice of meditation but equally to participate in this ancient and rich tradition of dana. Your generosity to the teachers is greatly appreciated, it is truly what enables the continuation of the teaching.
