Join InsightLA Senior Teacher Beth Sternlieb and Yoga Teacher Marla Apt for a special 2-night (3-day) Mindfulness and Yoga retreat. This retreat is a special opportunity to experience a caring container for deepening our meditation and yoga practice.
The mindfulness practice on retreats is often accompanied and complemented by training in loving-kindness meditation. Most of the retreat is held in silence, with periods of sitting meditation, walking meditation, and yoga. There are teaching talks, guided meditations, time for questions and answers and meetings with a teacher. Three healthy vegetarian meals are provided for participants and dietary restrictions are accommodated to whenever possible.
Retreatants are encouraged to practice mindfulness in a continuous way, staying with their own present experience as it unfolds, moment to moment. In this silent and mindful environment, awareness sharpens, the body quiets, the mind clears, and space opens for insight and understanding to develop.
By cultivating the power of awareness, clarity and kindness, we discover our path to inner freedom and a peaceful heart deeper, for the benefit or our relationship to our selves, our community and our wider world,.
This retreat is led by a team of experienced teachers.
RETREAT SCHEDULE:
Arrive 4pm on Friday, September 6th
Depart Noon on Sunday, September 8th
The daily rhythm of a retreat usually involves alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, yoga asana and pranayama practice, nature walks, meals and tea, as well as practice meetings, dharma talks and rest periods. The first sitting usually begins before breakfast. Each morning, the teacher offers continuing meditation instructions for the day. The whole retreat is a succession of mindfulness training, yoga posture practice, breathing practices, deep awareness of the body and environment, meditations on the nature of feelings, and awareness of mind are from the Buddhist Insight Meditation and Yoga Philosophy traditions.
Yoga Practice: With attention to alignment and coordination of mind, body, movement and breath, yoga asana (posture) practice is a meditation in action. Yoga asanas increase our sensitivity and body awareness while building strength. flexibility and presence. The yoga practice of pranayama involves using the breath to support the energetic body and
Sitting Meditation: Sitting meditation is at the heart of silent retreats. In sitting practice silence and stillness develop, concentration deepens, and awareness expands. The training of the heart brings kindness and compassion for all that arises. We come into presence and learn to find freedom in the midst of life that as it truly is.
Walking Meditation: Walking gracefully and wisely on the earth is also a way to practice meditation. On retreat, periods of walking meditation alternate with periods of sitting meditation. Through walking practice we learn to sustain meditative awareness through movement. In walking meditation, we become aware in the midst of activity. Throughout the retreat we learn to cultivate a mindful awareness in all postures, sitting walking and lying down.
Eating Meditation: An awareness of food, and the mindful understanding of the entire process of nourishment and eating is included in the practice at retreats. Retreatants are encouraged to bring the same calm, focused attention to eating as is brought to sitting and walking. Mindful eating is a wonderful context for the arising of insights. Every bite of food we eat contains, rain, sun, earth and the work of many, many beings.
Dharma Talks and guided meditations: Each day, the teachers present a different set of teachings that are central to practicing mindfulness, yoga, and compassion. These teaching can be applied to our own experience. Sometimes the talks focus on retreat practice, and sometimes they offer teachings for wise living in the world.
Pricing: The price of the retreat includes accommodation for 2 nights and all meals for the duration of the retreat.
Please note that the price of the retreat covers accommodation, food, facilities, and other InsightLA expenses. To allow the teachers to continue their dharma work, support from the students is needed. There will be an opportunity to contribute at the end of the retreat to the teachers.
Accommodations: For more information about Mary & Joseph Retreat Center – CLICK HERE.
Meals: All meals will be vegetarian. Some dietary needs can be addressed in dairy-free and gluten-free options. If you have additional specific needs, we will try our best to accommodate, but we recommend bringing your own food if we are unable to accommodate your dietary needs.
Space is limited, please be sure to sign up soon if you plan on joining us.
