MINDFULNESS RETREAT
4 days of Mindfulness Retreat with Monastics from Plum Village
April 30 - May 4
"Solid as a mountain, free as a cloud"
During this week, we will live as a large spiritual family, cultivating our presence to ourselves and to one another through the practice of mindfulness. Together, we will learn to cultivate joy and to take care of our suffering, to nourish and heal ourselves, and to awaken to the deeper dimension of ourselves and of life.In the face of the challenges our society is confronting and the global issues of today’s world, which path should we take, and how can we respond to the cries of pain that reach us without being overwhelmed? How can we nourish our shared humanity and root ourselves in the spiritual dimension at the heart of our daily lives, so that we may act with freedom?How can we stay in touch with the joys of the simplest things and cultivate our bonds of fraternity, sorority, and adelphity, so as to remain calm at the heart of the storm?
For those who don’t know it, Plum Village is a monastery in France, famous for its practice of applied buddhism. Applied buddhism is an updated, dogma free version of buddhism, which can apply to everyday life and is aimed at the development of healthy persons and societies. It is practiced by buddhists just as much as by non-buddhists, by people from diverse religious backgrounds just as much as by atheists.
Plum Village has been founded by the much revered zen master and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh, who is considered the father of modern mindfulness.
A few words by Monastics about their practice:
Our practice is primarily based on the Five Mindfulness Trainings, which are ethical guidelines that offer concrete practices of true love and compassion, and a path towards a life in harmony with each other and the Earth. These guidelines are the foundation of our lives and represent our ideal of service. Our practice is based on cultivating awareness of the breath and living deeply in the present moment, aware of what is happening within us and around us. This practice helps us to release the tension in our bodies and feelings, to live life profoundly and more happily, and to use compassionate listening and loving speech to help restore communication and reconcile with others. We aim to be a place of refuge, nourishment and support for all those who aspire to transform their own suffering and contribute to a healthy and compassionate society.
INDICATIVE SCHEDULE
April 30
Arrive in the afternoon
18:00 Dinner
19:30 Total relaxation & Short Orientation
May 1
06:30 Guided sitting meditation
07:00 Exercise
07:30 Breakfast
09:30 Singing meditation
09:45 Opening Talk
11:30 Walking meditation
12:30 Lunch
14:00 Total relaxation
15:30 Dharma Sharing
18:00 Dinner
20:00 Sitting meditation/sutra reading
May 2
06:30 Guided sitting meditation
07:00 Exercise
07:30 Breakfast
09:30 Singing meditation
09:45 Dharma Talk
11:30 Walking meditation
12:30 Lunch
14:00 Total relaxation
15:30 Dharma Sharing
18:00 Dinner
20:00 5 Mindfulness Trainings Presentation
May 3
06:30 Silent sitting meditation
07:00 Exercise
07:30 Breakfast
09:30 Singing meditation
09:50 Dharma Talk Beginning Anew
11:30 Walking meditation
12:30 Lunch
14:00 Self-Resting
15:30 Beginning Anew Practice by DS Groups
18:00 Dinner
20:00 Be-In
May 4
06:30 5 Mindfulness Trainings Transmission Ceremony
07:30 Breakfast
09:30 Singing meditation
09:50 Q&A Session
11:30 Walking meditation
12:30 Lunch
14:00 Total relaxation
15:30 Dharma Sharing
Cost:
This retreat is an offering from Plum Village and from Oikia.
Following the buddhist tradition according to which no financial profit should be involved in the sharing of the Dharma, we at Oikia are happily offering our work and venues for this retreat to be accessible to anyone who feels called, regardless of their economic situation.
A very low fee will be set to cover the food and the monastics’ air fares, and the participants will be asked to offer “dana,” a free contribution according to their own means and heart. No one will be excluded for lack of funds.
Registrations:
To register for the retreat, please complete the Google Form at the link below: