Living from our Unlimited Essence Through Meditation

June 3-10, 2023

A week of Vipassana, Pure Awareness, and Lovingkindness retreat practice and instruction, via Zoom

Teachers

Barbara Brodsky, Aaron*, and John Orr

Event Details

Location: Livestream via Zoom

Suggested donation:

• $200 ⎯ $800
• REGISTER
  Registration deadline Thursday, June 1, 2023

Description

A meditation retreat is a wonderful opportunity to experience our own inner being while sharing in the support of others. The retreat will be held in silence; those joining will maintain that silence from their homes as best they can, around family, necessary work, and other matters.

There will be clear instruction on sitting, standing, and walking meditation for beginners and experienced meditators. There will be evening talks, optional discussion periods with the teachers as well as some chanting from various spiritual traditions.

We’ll bring in three practices through the week. First Vipassana, a simple and direct practice: the moment-to-moment investigation of the mind/body process through calm, focused awareness – which allows us to experience sensations, emotions, thoughts and consciousness with greater clarity and balance. The meditation derives from the Theravada Buddhist tradition, but no special religious belief nor ritual is necessary. This process of opening non-judgmentally and compassionately to ourselves moves from the practice period to the whole of our lives and contributes to a profound sense of peace and harmony. Second is Pure Awareness, which is a meditation that invites us to rest in spaciousness – in our true being. Third are the practices of Lovingkindness and the Open Heart.

After decades of leading in-person retreats and three years of leading retreats via Zoom, we have found people can go deep in their own homes and can benefit by learning how to better integrate the practices into their daily lives.

Pre-retreat guidance will be offered on how to prepare yourself, those who share your home, and your meditation space for your retreat.

THE TEACHERS:
John Orr received Theravada Buddhist ordination and training for a period of eight years while living as a monk in the 1970’s in Thailand and India. Drawing from a range of wisdom teachings he has also practiced in the Dzogchen and Taoist traditions. John has been teaching meditation and leading Dharma retreats at various centers around the world since 1980. After retiring from the faculty of Duke University, John has relocated to his new home outside of Asheville, North Carolina.

Barbara Brodsky is a Quaker, and is also a trained dharma teacher in the Buddhist tradition. Barbara is the founding and guiding teacher for the meditation and spiritual inquiry community, Deep Spring Center, which is located in Ann Arbor, Mich. She has been profoundly deaf for 51 years; living with silence has greatly influenced her life and teaching.

Barbara is also a channel for the spirit, Aaron. In many previous lifetimes, Aaron has been a Buddhist monk, teacher and scholar. In his final lifetime he was a Vipassana meditation master in the Theravada tradition. His teaching during a retreat draws from this background, but he also reminds us that, like all of us, he has lived in many bodies, had many shades of skin, and followed many spiritual paths. Aaron is a being of great love, compassion, wisdom, and gentle humor. All three teachers will provide guidance during the retreat.

*Aaron is channeled by Barbara Brodsky