Qapel Through his Students' Eyes | 'Stories About My Precious Teacher'
It’s been six months since Qapel‘s passing, and we wanted to mark the occasion by sharing some stories from his students about how they experienced him and the impact he had on their lives.
In the days immediately after his death, Qapel’s students recorded stories about their most powerful, transformative times with their teacher.
Today’s episode includes just a selection from those recordings. Some of the stories are about how they met Qapel, some are about teachings they were given that had a profound impact, and some are remembrances of fun, silly, or touching times that provide a sense of the remarkably dynamic, skillful, and compassionate human that we call our root teacher.
You can learn more about Qapel's legacy by visiting planetdharma.com/podcast
Episode photo of Qapel with Sensei and students courtesy of Clear Sky Center
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Qapel's Last Teaching - The Future of Dharma
You may have already heard the recent sad news that Doug Qapel Duncan passed away suddenly on October 5th. Today we are sharing the last public teaching that Qapel gave, exactly two weeks before he passed away. The occasion was the 20th anniversary celebration for Clear Sky, the retreat center he co-founded in 2004. Qapel spoke about the next stage of evolution of the dharma as he saw it, referring to it as ‘The Fifth Turning of the Wheel’.
If Qapel's vision is of interest to you and you haven’t yet checked out what Planet Dharma is doing, I encourage you to go to planetdharma.com and look at what is happening there. For example, you’ll see that Sensei will be going ahead with the planned online course on Integral Spirituality in January 2025 that she and Qapel were set to co-teach.
We hope you found Qapel’s words illuminating and will join us next season, online or in person. May all our efforts benefit all beings!
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Uncover the Light: Awakening Through Shadow Integration
In this final regular episode of Season 4, we finish up our series on the 4 pillars of Planet Dharma’s approach to working with students with a look at Shadow Integration. In this excerpt from their online course, Beyond the Cushion, Doug Qapel Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei explain what the shadow is, how it shows up, how it can be reintegrated, and the tremendous benefits this work offers those who undertake it.
We hope you enjoyed this Season! Please take a moment to rate and review Dharma if you Dare on your favourite podcast app. It really helps people discover what we’re doing. And don’t forget to subscribe to notifications when the new season starts, along with any bonus content that may be shared this summer.
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BONUS Why Red Hats?
We hope you enjoy today’s soundbite in which Doug Qapel Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei answer a question about why they wear red hats when they teach.
Theoretical understanding and food for thought are helpful inputs as we go about our daily life, but for deep spiritual change and liberation from suffering we need to engage in depth work. In this tradition - as you hear in this recording - along with retreat work, this manifests as personal engagement with qualified spiritual guides. As engaging, practical and empowering as these podcast recordings are, working with Qapel and Sensei in person is where the transformation really happens. If you are looking to actually transform your life and awaken in this lifetime, check out planetdharma.com to find your best way to connect and move that dream closer to reality.
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The Path of Service: Awakening Through Karma Yoga
In this third episode in our series on the 4 pillars of Planet Dharma’s approach to working with students, we will hear about Karma Yoga, also known as ‘the path of service’, or ‘meditation in action’. In this excerpt from their online course, Beyond the Cushion, Doug Qapel Duncan and Catherine Pawasarat Sensei explore the many facets of karma yoga, and explain why it is such a good fit for many modern practitioners.
The path of karma yoga is a powerful approach that readily lends itself to supporting a 21st-century awakening. If this path of meditation-in-action appeals to you, we think your best bet is the 3-Month Intensive Karma Yoga program at Clear Sky Center. The program brings spiritual awakening into the modern context – by integrating karma yoga, meditation, psychology, environment, career, and community. To learn more, visit planetdharma.com/kyprogram.
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