Schedule
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May 1, 8, 15, 22 (Wednesday morning class), Spirit Rock. 9 to 11 a.m. (class description at end of listings). Movement on May 22 with Heather Munro-Pierce (see July 8-9 for her bio).
May 2 (Thursday evening), Berkeley, 7.30 to 9.30 p.m.: Meditation, talk, discussion with Berkeley Insight Community (James Baraz’s group): Location: the Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, 2304 McKinley Avenue (at Bancroft). Movement with Heather Munro-Pierce (see July 8-9 for her bio).
May 10, 17 (Friday evenings), Oakland: East Bay Meditation Center, 6.30 to 8.30 p.m.: Movement, meditation, and talk. 285 17th St., Oakland (near 19th St. Oakland BART), 510-268-0696, http://www.eastbaymeditation.org/, no fee, support for center and teachers all on a dana (generosity or donation) basis. Movement on May 17 with Heather Munro-Pierce (see July 8-9 for her bio).
May 23 – 29 (Thursday to Wednesday), Berkeley: Mindful Communication: A Wise Speech Retreat (with Nyaniko Oren Sofer), non-residential 7-day retreat, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Integrating our meditation practice with our speech and communication is one of the main ways to bring deeply-held values into our daily lives and actions in the world. In this retreat, we will connect mindfulness and lovingkindness practice, the Buddha's teachings on wise speech, and the contemporary discipline of Nonviolent Communication (NVC). Collectively, these practices form a powerful foundation for cultivating awareness and empathy, strengthen our ability to stay present in challenging situations, and develop our capacity to listen and speak from the heart. The retreat will include periods of silent meditation, guidance in relational awareness practice, and interactive speech exercises. This retreat is designed both for those who want to bring more attention to speech as a spiritual practice, and for those who have emphasized communication and want further grounding in meditation. Participants will have the option of continuing with follow-up sessions after the retreat. Tentative Location: Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, Connie Barbour Room, 1924 Cedar St., Berkeley, CA 94709. Cost: $250 + Dana (some scholarships available). Info/Registration: www.orenjaysofer.com, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
June 15-19 (Saturday to Wednesday), Spirit Rock: Lovingkindness (with Spring Washam), 4-day retreat. Lovingkindness, or metta, is the practice of cultivating a warm, open heart towards ourselves and others, as a basic way of being in the world. It is also a path to wisdom. We cultivate metta as a meditation practice in order for it to manifest in an ongoing way in our daily lives. We grow in self-acceptance and compassion, work through our harsh judgments of self and others, and become better able to act from our hearts in daily life. In this retreat, we will learn the formal practice of metta, developing greater steadiness of mind and heart, and revealing more and more our fundamental kindness. It is our wish to support the practice needs of meditators in early adulthood. To this end, Spirit Rock extends a special invitation to young adults (age 18-26) who wish to attend this retreat at a special rate of $25 per night, on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of special rates are available, please apply early.
June 26 (Wednesday morning class), Spirit Rock. 9 to 11 a.m. (class description at end of listings).
July 7 (Sunday), Spirit Rock: The Buddha's Path to Freedom: The First Foundation of Mindfulness: Mindfulness of the Body, 9.30 to 5 p.m.. Prerequisite: Beginning meditation class or the equivalent.
The Buddha taught that there is a direct way for alleviating suffering and discovering peace, wisdom, and happiness—and that is through cultivating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. In this course, three Spirit Rock teachers explore this liberating teaching that forms the basis for Insight meditation practice.
The sutta on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness offers guidance on how to practice meditation by connecting with our direct experience. In the First Foundation of Mindfulness, these practices begin with awareness of the body, grounding our attention in the breath and an intimate awareness of the nature of the body, using a number of different techniques.
In this daylong, we will explore the different ways to practice mindfulness of the body described in the sutta. This practice offers profound insight into the nature of the body and reality. It is through an intimate observation of the body that we develop a visceral awareness of change, and how to meet the transient, challenging, and often painful nature of life with presence, acceptance, and letting go.
This retreat day will explore the essentials of mindfulness meditation through working with the breath and body in guided meditations, talks, and discussions. Participants will gain an experiential understanding of how mindfulness works and how it can transform our lives, contributing to a genuine sense of well-being, joy, non-reactivity, and freedom.
This is an excellent program for those with some experience in meditation and for those who wanting to refresh and deepen their understanding of this essential Buddhist practice. You can register for individual days, but we highly recommend attending all four days for a more complete understanding of this teaching (see code FF1D13 to register for the full program).
Other daylongs will be on August 18 (Sharda Rogell, The Second Foundation: Mindfulness of Feeling-Tone), September 29 (Tempel Smith, The Third Foundation: Mindfulness of Thoughts and Emotions), and October 20 (Donald Rothberg, The Fourth Foundation: Mindfulness of Patterns of Experience).
You will be able to register for an individual daylong, but we highly recommend attending all four daylongs for a more complete understanding of this teaching. There will be practices and reflections given during each daylong for continuing this mindful exploration between courses. NOTE: If you register to attend all four daylongs, you will receive a discount on the cost of the daylongs, plus be given a copy of a book that is a wonderful overview of these important practices, Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization" by Analayo. We will refer to this book in the course.
We recommend that participants read the sutta on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness before attending these daylongs, which can be found in the Majjhima Nikaya, Sutta #10 or online at <http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.010.than.html/>;. (There are many different translations of this sutta. You might want to read a few as they sometimes convey different meanings.)
Young Adults (18-26) and Seniors (65+ on fixed and limited income) are invited to attend this event for $25.
Teachings are appropriate for individuals as well as health care professionals. Continuing Education (CE) credit available.
July 8-9 (Monday and Tuesday), Spirit Rock: Embodied Awakening through Meditation and Sacred Dance: A Two Day Non-residential Retreat, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. both days (with Heather Munro-Pierce). Join us for an experientially-based exploration of awakening in and through the body for two days in the summer! Such an embodied awakening is crucial for contemporary Western practitioners, living in a culture in which we are often disembodied, virtual, and disconnected from the earth body. This embodied awakening is also foundational in the teachings of the Buddha: “Which one thing is to be developed? Mindfulness of the body” (Digha Nikaya 34)!
In this two-day non-residential retreat, we will weave together several types of body-oriented meditative practices with spaciously guided free-form dance (with a musical background) led by Heather Munro Pierce, an acclaimed teacher of sacred dance. Through both formal sitting and walking meditation and moving dance meditation, we will awaken and stabilize body awareness in a number of ways, including exploring the four elements of earth, water, fire, and air—in order to invite awakening in our bodies and to nourish a joyful, grounded awareness.
Both beginning and experienced meditators and movers are welcome, including those with limited movement capacities. Attendance for both days is strongly encouraged, but attendance for just Monday is possible. CEU are available. Please bring a lunch!
Heather Munro Pierce is an inspirational leader in the conscious dance movement. She is the creator of a form of movement meditation/ecstatic dance called TransDance which she leads both nationally and internationally at events dedicated to nurturing awakening and igniting joy. As well as producing her own workshops, circles, and retreats, Heather leads events for many groups and organizations. Her passion and commitment springs from her own experience with dance as a path to healing, health, and wholeness. www.TransDance.com (See also October 13-18.)
July 10 (Wednesday morning class), Spirit Rock. 9 to 11 a.m. (class description at end of listings).
July 28 (Sunday), Oakland: East Bay Meditation Center, 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Working with Judgments (with Shahara Godfrey). Judgments of a reactive and compulsive nature are very strong in most of our lives, and in the dominant culture. They can distort our perceptions, make relationships with others difficult and undermine our work in the world. In this daylong, we will examine what judgments are and how to work with them, using mindfulness and lovingkindness practices (and a number of periods of silent practice), inquiry, dyad work, and role play. These will help us to transform the energy of judgments--preserving the intelligence and discernment often found in judgments, while working through the destructive and compulsive aspects of judgments. We will also include exploration of how we may also internalize the prevailing judgments of our society in a number of ways, particularly related to race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, employment status, etc. Those attending the daylong will have an option of continuing with monthly evening follow-up sessions. 285 17th St., Oakland (near 19th St. Oakland BART), 510-268-0696, http://www.eastbaymeditation.org/, no fee, support for center and teachers all on a dana (generosity or donation) basis. (near 19th St. Oakland BART), 510-268-0696, http://www.eastbaymeditation.org/, no fee/support for center and teachers on a dana (generosity) basis. Please register starting on June 28.
August 7 (Wednesday morning class), Spirit Rock. 9 to 11 a.m. (class description at end of listings).
August 12-21, Spirit Rock: Concentration Retreat (with Phillip Moffitt, Andrea Fella, and Adrianne Ross)
Concentration (samadhi) defined as the collection and unification of the mind, was emphasized by the Buddha as one of the aspects of the Eightfold Path. It can bring joy to your practice and develop the skillful use of pleasure in the meditative process. Whatever your level of practice, you can improve your Insight Meditation (Vipassana) by strengthening your concentration skills. Your ability to concentrate will develop in response to the attention you give it. This retreat offers a series of techniques for staying on the meditation object for extended periods of time. We will explore the factors of concentration that lead to the deep absorption states known as jhana. Teachers will also give instruction for utilizing concentration during insight practice. It is our wish to support the practice needs of meditators in early adulthood. To this end, Spirit Rock extends a special invitation to young adults (age 18-26) who wish to attend this retreat at a special rate of $25 per night, on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of special rates are available, please apply early.
August 25, Sacramento: Daylong and Evening Talk
September 14-21, Spirit Rock: Transforming the Judgmental Mind Retreat (with Heather Sundberg). Judgments of a reactive and often automatic nature are very strong in most of our lives, and in the dominant culture. They can distort our perceptions, make relationships with others difficult, and undermine our work in the world. In this retreat, we will explore the nature of such judgments (and their difference from non-reactive discernment) and how to transform them. We will cultivate mindfulness, inquiry, and heart practices such as lovingkindness, forgiveness, gratitude, joy, and compassion. We will also explore the somatic dimension of judgments, the role of cultivating awakened qualities in transforming judgments, and how to cultivate skill in speech and interaction in the midst of situations involving judgments, whether our own or those of others. These tools will help us to preserve the intelligence and energy often found in judgments, using them for discernment and compassionate action, while working through judgments' destructive and compulsive aspects. The retreat will be held mostly in silence (with the first day fully in silence), with some periods of discussion (small and large group) and some interactive exercises (particularly the last full day), along with group and individual interviews. Those attending the retreat will have the option of continuing with monthly follow-up sessions after the retreat.
It is our wish to support the practice needs of meditators in early adulthood. To this end, Spirit Rock extends a special invitation to young adults (age 18-26) who wish to attend this retreat at a special rate of $25 per night, on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of special rates are available; please apply early.
October 4-6 (Friday to Sunday), Grand Forks, North Dakota, weekend retreat.
October 13-18 (Sunday to Friday), Esalen Institute, Big Sur, California: The Dancing Buddha: Meditation, Movement, and the Divine Abodes of the Heart (with Heather Munro Pierce), 5-day retreat. In this retreat, we will combine traditional Buddhist practice of the “Divine Abodes” (brahmavihara) of lovingkindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, with movement meditation and ecstatic dance, to help us access and cultivate these wonderful and transformative qualities of the open heart. We will particularly focus on developing embodied expressions of these four abodes based on our understanding that embodied practices are key to making the qualities real in our daily lives. Most of the workshop will involve silent practice and spaciously guided freeform movement meditation and ecstatic dance to music, complemented by talks. Come join us in celebration and inspiration as we evoke the depths of our hearts through silence and sound, stillness and movement. Movers and meditators of all levels are welcome. CEU available.
Heather Munro Pierce is an inspirational leader in the conscious dance movement. She is the creator of a form of movement meditation/ecstatic dance called TransDance which she leads both nationally and internationally at events dedicated to nurturing awakening and igniting joy. As well as producing her own workshops, circles, and retreats, Heather leads events for many groups and organizations. Her passion and commitment springs from her own experience with dance as a path to healing, health, and wholeness. www.TransDance.com (See also July 8-9.)
October 20, 2013 (Sunday), Spirit Rock: The Buddha's Path to Freedom: The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, 9.30 to 5 p.m. Prerequisite: Beginning meditation class or the equivalent.
The Buddha taught that there is a direct way for alleviating suffering and discovering peace, wisdom, and happiness—and that is through cultivating the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. In this course, three Spirit Rock teachers explore this liberating teaching that forms the basis for Insight meditation practice.
The Satipatthana Sutta (usually translated as the Foundations of Mindfulness) offers a complete description of the practice of mindfulness, beginning with the direct awareness of the breath and the body, progressing through mindfulness of vedana or feeling-tone, and then attending to the more subtle objects of the Third Foundation, mindfulness of states of mind and heart.
The Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness represents the culmination of this series of practices, and can be seen as a direct pointing, again and again, to the possibility of freedom through direct awareness of where we get caught, and how to turn the mind towards liberation. In this daylong, we will explore the practices of the Fourth Foundation, which can be seen as both the last in the sequence of practices, and as a progression in itself.
We will examine how the Fourth Foundation can be skillfully interwoven into our practice of the other foundations in our daily meditations and on retreats. This daylong will be based on the text in which the Buddha describes this complex and liberating practice.
Young Adults (18-26) and Seniors (65+ on fixed and limited income) are invited to attend this event for $25.
Teachings are appropriate for individuals as well as health care professionals. Continuing Education (CE) credit available.
October 21-22 (Monday and Tuesday), Spirit Rock: Two-Day Non-residential Retreat: “Cultivating the Awakened Heart: Practicing Lovingkindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity” (with Heather Sundberg).
November 1-6 (Friday to Wednesday), Southern Dharma, Hot Springs, NC: Transforming the Judgmental Mind Retreat, 5-day retreat. See September 14-21 for description.
November 6 (Wednesday): Asheville, NC Insight Meditation Group, 7 p.m. (talk): Location: TBD. Info: http://www.ashevillemeditation.com/.
November 8-10 (Friday to Sunday), Louisville Vipassana Community, Louisville, KY, Non-residential Weekend Retreat: “From the Breath to Nondual Awareness.” In this weekend non-residential retreat, we will explore, both through teachings and through silent meditation practice, a sequence of training that has four main parts, connecting our foundational mindfulness practice with opening to deeper awareness and greater freedom: (1) Stabilizing attention and cultivating concentration, particularly through mindfulness of breathing; (2) Developing insights into where and how the mind fixates or grasps, particularly related to our sense of self (and our habitual patterns), and learning to deconstruct and release such fixations; (3) Practicing “choiceless awareness” as the habitual sense of self gets “thinner” and we continue to see where we get stuck; and (4) Opening to awareness beyond fixation and grasping, to moments of freedom, through a number of specific steps and practices. We will explore several practices for each of these four training areas, and ways to bring such practices into daily life, as our awareness, compassion, and responsiveness deepen. Times: Friday evening and 9-5 Saturday and Sunday. Location: Passionist Earth & Spirit Center,1924 Newburg Road, Louisiville. For further information, contact Glenda Hodges-Cook at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it "> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or go to www.louisville-vipassana-community.org.
December 17-22 (Tuesday to Sunday), Spirit Rock: Insight Meditation at the Solstice: Embracing the Dark, Inviting the Light Solstice, 5-day retreat with Heather Sundberg and John Travis)
In this retreat, we will emphasize centering ourselves at the time of the holidays and the New Year, quieting our minds, grounding in our bodies, opening up our hearts, and using inquiry to help give energy to our practice. There will be a special emphasis on opening to the darkness, including to our difficulties and challenges, as well as to the coming light--such as beauty, joy and love. We will have a winter solstice ceremony. The retreat will include complete meditation instructions, sitting and walking meditation, daily lovingkindness practice, evening talks, and interviews. It is our wish to support the practice needs of meditators in early adulthood. To this end, Spirit Rock extends a special invitation to young adults (age 18-26) who wish to attend this retreat at a special rate of $25 per night, on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of special rates are available and all applications will be included in the lottery.
December 27-January 1 (Friday to Wednesday), Cloud Mountain: Transforming the Judgmental Mind (with Heather Sundberg), 5-day retreat. See September 14-21 for description.
Ongoing Wednesdays Class, Spirit Rock, Woodacre, CA: 9 to 11 a.m. morning class: Co-teach with Sylvia Boorstein (most Wednesdays, either Sylvia or I will teach): 45 minute meditation, talk and discussion. Class cost $8-10, teaching is by donation (dana). Donald will be teaching April 24; May 1, 8, 15, 22; June 26; July 10; and August 7. Further dates to be determined.
Information for Spirit Rock Retreats and Daylongs: Registration: For more information, call 415-488-0164 or go to www.spiritrock.org/. Daylongs cost $50-108 sliding scale, plus a donation (dana) for the teacher. Volunteer opportunities are available; contact the Spirit Rock volunteer coordinator, at 415-488-0164, x224.
