For residential participants:
In the last 45 years, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and other Mindfulness-Based Approaches (MBA) have spread across the USA and throughout the world. Mindfulness has become very popular in medicine, neuroscience, psychology, education, and business. At the same time, despite its popularity, its origins are not always understood. This weeklong residential retreat will explore and emphasize how the Insight (Vipassana) Meditation Tradition influences MBSR and emerging MBAs.
Through the practice of the four foundations of mindfulness you will learn how the core wisdom teachings (Dharma) – the four noble truths and the three characteristics of existence – inform and inspire MBAs.
This Insight meditation retreat will offer silent periods of sitting meditation, walking meditation, and mindful yoga, as well as practice discussions. The teachers will also offer daily talks and systematic meditation instructions that are infused with the spirit of lovingkindness. These teachings and practices will emphasize quieting the mind, opening the heart, and developing clarity and depth of practice.
Additionally, this retreat fulfills a prerequisite for many MBSR/MBCT/MBA teacher trainees. Please check with your particular training program or school to ensure it fits their requirements.
For remote participants:
In the last 45 years, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and other Mindfulness-Based Approaches (MBA) have spread across the USA and throughout the world. Mindfulness has become very popular in medicine, neuroscience, psychology, education, and business. At the same time, despite its popularity, its origins are not always understood. This weeklong hybrid retreat will explore and emphasize how the Insight (Vipassana) Meditation Tradition influences MBSR and emerging MBAs.
Through the practice of the four foundations of mindfulness you will learn how the core wisdom teachings (Dharma) – the four noble truths and the three characteristics of existence – inform and inspire all MBAs.
This Insight meditation retreat will offer silent periods of sitting meditation, walking meditation, and mindful yoga, as well as practice discussions. The teachers will also offer daily talks and systematic meditation instructions that are infused with the spirit of lovingkindness. These teachings and practices will emphasize quieting the mind, opening the heart, and developing clarity and depth of practice.
Additionally, this retreat fulfills a prerequisite for many MBSR/MBCT/MBA teacher trainees. Please check with your particular training program or school to ensure it fits their requirements.
Program Format: This is a silent mindfulness meditation retreat that includes both guided and silent sitting meditations, walking meditations, mindful yoga and/or qi gong practices, dharma talks, and practice discussions.
Remote Attendance and Participation: Please consider taking time off from work and other responsibilities in order to immerse yourself in the retreat. For inspiration, support, and to help hold the intensive retreat experience, we will encourage everyone to keep their videos on as much as possible throughout the retreat. Please let us know in the retreat questionnaire (to be sent out prior to the retreat) if you feel you cannot keep your camera on during meditation sessions.
Online Meditation Hall Etiquette: We wanted you to know in advance that in this retreat, the online meeting room serves as our meditation hall. Thus, we typically keep our cameras on to indicate both presence and support of the sangha gathering. That said, retreat participants often set up their meditation bench/cushion/seat some distance from the camera, or turn profile view to the camera, as there is no need to use the keyboard or interact via the technology during guided practices, except by listening to the instructions. Folks are also encouraged to use a standing or lying down posture as needed during the practice periods, just as they might in person.
Mindfulness-Based Program Prerequisite: If you are registered for this retreat as a prerequisite for teacher training in a Mindfulness-Based Program (MBP) such as MBSR or MBCT, you must fully attend the retreat. For any questions about this requirement, please contact one of the teachers: Abraham Dejene (abraham_dejene@brown.edu) or Bob Stahl (bob@mindfulnessprograms.com).
Recordings: Dharma talks will be recorded and posted 48 hours later for participants to access.