What is Chöd?

Chöd is an ancient Buddhist practice that creates a sacred container for deep healing and awakening. Rooted in the fierce and nurturing wisdom of the feminine, it invites us to find true refuge within ourselves. Through ritual, meditation, and visualization, practitioners learn to turn toward—rather than away from—fear, grief, and other unwanted experiences. This radical act of compassion transforms pain at its roots, allowing the energies of suffering to become the fertile ground for love, clarity, and liberation.

Often described as one of the crown jewels of Vajrayana Buddhism, Chöd has been revered across all four Tibetan lineages for centuries. Traditionally transmitted only after years of practice, Chöd is now being offered more publicly as a medicine for our collective time of instability and fragmentation. The practice calls on the great mother archetype of Tibetan Buddhism—the embodiment of fearless wisdom and unconditional care—to guide practitioners in cutting through the roots of ego-clinging and restoring wholeness. In this retreat, Sunisa and Sue will skillfully guide participants through Chöd practice and ceremony, providing both traditional context and embodied instruction.

Who is this for?

This retreat is open to experienced meditators and spiritual practitioners who feel called to work at the intersection of healing and awakening. It may be especially supportive for those who feel stagnant in their practice, survivors of trauma seeking embodied release, and anyone drawn to ceremonies that transform personal and collective pain into wisdom and compassion. While there are no formal prerequisites, participants should have some familiarity with silent sitting and mindfulness practice, as the retreat includes sustained periods of meditation and visualization.

What is the haunted ground?

The “Haunted Ground” of the retreat’s title refers to the personal and collective spaces where we get stuck in fear, rage, shame, and grief. In Tibet, Chöd was often practiced in charnel grounds—places associated with death and decay—so that practitioners could meet their deepest aversions with presence and love. In this same spirit, our retreat invites participants to enter the haunted ground of their own hearts with courage and tenderness. For those wishing to prepare, we recommend Anam Thubten’s Into the Haunted Ground: A Guide to Cutting the Root of Suffering, a beautifully accessible introduction to the essence of Chöd.