Living from the Ground of Presence
How to be grounded in the depth of timeless presence, in daily life, amidst the changing sands of experience?
In cultivating a quality of restful wakefulness, that embraces each moment of our life with acceptance and wisdom, we can make intimate contact with the natural world, and the very nature of things. We will inquire how to live a life of deep ground, being yourself in peace with others, and yet doing what needs to be done.
With a spirit of kindness, we will engage in meditative practices that support realignment, embodiment and heart awakening.
The meditation techniques we practice are over 2,500 years old and are mostly based on the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Taking part in this online offering does not, however, require an adherence to Buddhism or any adaptation of personal faith.
Why take part in an online retreat? What happens on a retreat?
A home based retreat offers a chance to nourish our practice through support from teachers as well as the community of other practitioners. Each retreat day includes meditation and silence, movement practice, dharma teaching, guided meditations and time for questions and sharing.
We are aware that the conditions vary between us in terms of how much available time we have, whether we can immerse in silence or are living with others, and our responsibility towards those around us. We would like this retreat to support the whole range of conditions that participants find themselves in.
We will offer a full schedule, so that those who wish and are able to can engage in continuity of practice. This is balanced with flexibility, so that those who have responsibilities to others are able to do less. There are certain periods in the day which we ask that you attend, when the teacher is present. These will be marked in bold in the schedule.
The schedule is as follows; times are given in Finnish time (CET in parenthesis). In addition, if that is possible for you, you can do self-guided practice in the early mornings and in the evenings.
Friday October 11th
19:00-21:00 Opening session (18:00-20:00 CET)
Saturday and Sunday (October 12th-13th)
9:30 Guided meditation (8:30 CET)
10:15 Silent pause (9:15 CET)
10:30 Teaching (9:30 CET)
11:00 Walking & movement meditation (10:00 CET)
11:30 Q&C: shared reflections, questions, inquiry (10:30 CET)
12:00 Lunch & rest (11:00 CET)
14:00 Meditation (13:00 CET)
14:45 Silent pause (13:45 CET)
15:00 Teaching (14:00 CET)
15:30 Walking & movement meditation (14:30 CET)
16:15 Q&C: shared reflections, questions, inquiry (15:15 CET)
16:45-17:00 Heart practice (15:45-16:00 CET)
Here are some ideas how to prepare for a home based online retreat.
Who are the teachers?
Leela Sarti has been a student of the Buddha’s teachings and practices for more than 30 years. She lives with her family in Sweden, in the Stockholm archipelago, and in addition to teaching Insight Meditation retreats internationally, works individually with students in her practice in Stockholm, and these days over zoom. Leela has a masters degree in psychology and is a long term student and teacher trainee in the Diamond Approach Path. In her free time, Leela enjoys being out in nature; hiking, kayaking, riding and gardening.
Price and donations
The base price for the online retreat is 30 euros. This covers the practical expenses of the retreat. We feel that financial situation should not prevent anybody from participating, so we are willing to offer the retreat for a reduced price, if needed. If the base price is too high for you, please contact us at retriitit2@nirodha.fi and let us know how much you are able to pay.
Please note, that due to rising costs the requests for reduced prices have increased, and at the moment we may not be able fulfill them all. We are very sorry about this and hope to find a solution soon. If you are in a good financial situation, please consider supporting those in need of a discount by paying more than the base price for this retreat.
The teachers and organizers do not receive any payment for their services but offer them freely so that as many as possible have the chance to benefit from the teachings regardless of financial situation. This principle of generosity is very central to the teachings of the Buddha and has made it possible to continue the practice of meditation still 2,500 years after his life. The teachers live primarily off of donations. Retreat participants may support the teachers and organizers by donations at the end of the retreat.
Registration and cancellation policy
You can sign up for the retreat by filling in the registration form and paying the retreat fee. Once you have registered, you will receive an invoice. Please pay the invoice using the reference number.
In case of cancellation, please inform us as soon as possible, so we know who to expect.
If you have anything to ask, please contact us at retriitit2@nirodha.fi. We wish everyone a rewarding and meaningful online retreat!
Warmly,
Marianne (Nella) Woodbury, registration, retriitit2@nirodha.fi
Phone (Whatsapp, iMessage or Telegram only): +1 470 641 7056
Anna Backholm, manager, +358 40 5362 946