There’s so much beauty in suffering. When you go through the suffering that a lot of us have, you go through such a darkness that you learn to have gratitude for the smallest thing. There were times I didn’t think that I was going to make it out of that space. But when you’ve hit a certain level of suffering and you think there is nothing else, you can look back at these times in that darkness and be like, man, if I didn’t know the depths and the levels of darkness, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this moment right now. When I was literally crawling on the bottom, like “I don’t know if I can make it,” Zen was like “Yes, you can.”
Hakim Tafari
Movement Teacher
Hakim has studied the martial arts since 96, starting off with Southern style Praying mantis Kung fu, then after a major knee injury turning to the internal martial arts, after studying and doing a lot of research decided to start studying Tai Chi Chuan.
From 98 until present he has have studied, taught, researched and spent many of hours practicing the art, in this time he spiritually embarked on Taoism which went hand in and with this mystic art of Tai Chi.
For many years he delved very deep in to the life, philosophy and mystic art of Tai chi, Wu ji and Qi Gong. Hakim has had an opportunity to study with some of the best in Kung Fu and the Internal arts of Tai Chi, Baqua Zhang, also Aikido as well as the powerful art of stick fighting known as Arnis. "Through this lifestyle of Veganism and Martial arts, it has led him to the world of spirituality, especially the beautiful practice of Buddhism and through studying the lessons of Dharma, The Four noble truths, the Eightfold path it has brought myself to a state of calmness and serenity, using mindfulness to orchestrate right actions and right thoughts in putting them in to practice and knowing when the ego needs to be dissolved."
Hakim Tafari's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
September 14 - September 18, 2024 | Saturday - Wednesday | 4 nights
Aging, Dying, & Awakening
Open to all ages. No prerequisite.
Spaces Still Available! In this retreat, we’ll explore aging and dying from the Buddhist perspective of meditative practice and awakening. Together, we'll examine aging and death in our conventional lives and see what happens as we normalize these processes as part of the great letting go. How might this “letting go” reveal the awakened heart? This retreat will include meditation instructions, Dharma talks, meetings with teachers, and a daily period of contemplative inquiry during which we will investigate our own relationship to death. Otherwise, this retreat is silent outside of the mentioned above periods.
Retreat | On-Land
October 10 - October 19, 2024 | Thursday - Saturday | 9 nights
Fall Insight Meditation Retreat
Full - short waitlist. This is a Vipassanā retreat in the Thai Forest Tradition, which will emphasize quieting the mind, opening the heart, and developing clarity and depth of practice. Traditional meditation instruction will be combined with a spirit of lovingkindness, and the retreat will include silent stillness and moving meditation, Dharma talks, and practice meetings with the teachers.
Retreat | On-Land
December 27 - January 3, 2025 | Friday - Friday | 7 nights
New Year's Insight Meditation Retreat
Applications Open - July 31st.This is a traditional Insight Meditation (vipassanā) retreat with stillness and moving in silence, as well as regular meetings with teachers. Each day there will be systematic meditation instructions, Dharma talks, and movement practice. We will mark the turning of the year with a late evening meditation and simple ceremony on New Year’s Eve. In celebration of the New Year, our focus will be on cultivating loving awareness and embracing each moment as fresh and new. All are welcome.
