Connecting Mind and Heart
The Mind and the Heart are not separate. We’ll take this week of silence to explore and put into practice various skillful means to let go of unproductive habits of mind. We can then experience insights that heal, uplift and ultimately free us. This results in a clear, quiet mind and a relaxed open heart.
The retreat will consist of silent sitting and walking practice, meditation instructions, interviews with the teachers and dharma talks.
The meditation techniques we practice are over 2,500 years old and are mostly based on the Theravada Buddhist tradition. Taking part in the retreat does not, however, require an adherence to Buddhism or any adaptation of personal faith.
Why take part in the retreat? What happens on a retreat?
The current conditions we are living in open up challenges as well as possibilities. We can turn to practice as an immediate resource, and as an opportunity to deepen our practice and understanding.
A home based retreat offers a chance to nourish our practice through support from teachers as well as the community of other practitioners. We will offer a daily structure of teachings, meditations and opportunities to connect in small groups and one to ones with the teachers.
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.
James greeting video for this retreat.
Who are the teachers?
James Baraz has been a meditation teacher since 1978. He leads retreats, workshops, and classes in the U.S and abroad. He is a co-founder of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California and the co-author of the book Awakening Joy: Ten Steps to Happiness as well as Awakening Joy for Kids and has led a popular online course by that name since 2003 (www.awakeningjoy.info). James is also an advisor to One Earth Sangha, a website devoted to Buddhist responses to Climate Change. You can listen to dharma talks by James here.
Jane Baraz, MA in Psychology, has been a mindfulness practitioner since 1976 when she began sitting vipassana retreats. In California, Jane teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at University of California San Francisco and Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She enjoys teaching Awakening Joy workshops with James in California and internationally.
The teachers will be assisted by a Finnish speaking instructor.
How much does it cost? How can I sign up?
The base price is 30 euros.
More information about the price, registration and other details here.
Warmly,
Patrick Vena (+358 50 5309786)
Marianne Kautiala (+358 50 531 8228) registrations