What if wisdom arises from being honest about all that is unresolved in our heart and mind, from our ability to be open, unguarded, and fearless in the face of confusion, uncertainty, loss, grief, sadness, and anger? What if vulnerability itself, when met with the presence of mindfulness and the heart qualities of kindness and compassion, reveals a self that is subject to distress and simultaneously ephemeral and resilient when faced with life’s changing and sometimes painful experiences.
Siddhartha Gautama, despite his spiritual achievements, endured human predicaments and difficulties. Together, we will explore the reality of day-to-day living, balancing the Buddha’s radical optimism with the practical concerns of our human lives: past regrets and future desires, relational challenges, social inequities, environmental degradation, existential questions related to finding and sustaining purpose in our lives, and the inevitable ways impermanence confronts us through aging, sickness, and end-of-life.
This retreat explores how mindfulness, compassion, and loving-kindness meditation can be mutually beneficial and practiced together. Practicing and living in this way can help us to see more clearly that we don’t need to turn away from anything in our life. Rather, it is the truth of our lives that can wake us up. We will investigate this theme in formal practice in the Dharma Hall and in mindful communication. We will also explore teachings on Buddhist wisdom, compassion, and loving-kindness in the classroom, alongside an exploration of how supportive qualities–such as vulnerability, self-honesty, and humility–can be discovered as virtuous allies on the spiritual path.
Program Format: This retreat will include silent and guided meditation, time for personal reflection, and mindful communication with peers as well as classroom sessions with presentation and discussion.