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Date: Wed, 07 Apr 2010 09:56:44 +0000
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- Weekend Mindfulness Retreat * April 9-11 (near Austin, TX) [1 Update]
http://groups.google.com/group/AwakeningHeart/t/f8ee04f47f0899a7
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Topic: Weekend Mindfulness Retreat * April 9-11 (near Austin, TX)
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/AwakeningHeart/t/f8ee04f47f0899a7
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From: ChiSing@aol.com
Date: Apr 06 06:19PM -0400
Url: http://groups.google.com/group/AwakeningHeart/msg/f0004384cea2a50a
Dear mindful friends,
Every year, the Plum Blossom Sangha of Austin, Texas, hosts a weekend
mindfulness retreat, and members from Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and
surrounding states all come together to practice in the tradition of
Thich Nhat
Hanh. There are usually about 30-50 persons in attendance.
It is a very easy and beginner-friendly retreat. And everyone always
makes at least one new friend at these retreats. And the Nature setting is
beautiful.
Here is the info for the retreat: _www.PlumBlossomSangha.org_
(http://www.PlumBlossomSangha.org)
2010 Plum Blossom Sangha Retreat
Joyfully Together: Practicing in Harmony and Awareness
A Mindfulness Retreat
led by Brother Chan Huy and Plum Blossom Sangha
McKinney Roughs Nature Park – Bastrop, Texas
(30 min drive from Austin)
April 9-11, 2010
To register for the retreat, please mail this form – _Plum Blossom 2010
Registration Form.docx_
(http://plumblossomsangha.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/microsoft-word-plum-blossom-2010-retreat-flyer-docx.pdf)
– and a check to
:
Plum Blossom Sangha
c/o Gale Spear
2302 Westworth Circle
Austin, TX 78704
Contact for questions: galespear@sbcglobal.net or (512) 426-1085
Please join Br. Chan Huy, Plum Blossom Sangha members and other friends in
the tranquil setting of McKinney Roughs Nature Park to practice caring for
ourselves and our world. We will practice as a community, as a spiritual
family learning the art of tending the gardens of our mind and body. We will
learn and practice how to breathe, sit, and walk freely and peacefully, so
we may enjoy the present moment and be present to the wonders of our world.
Together we will look deeply into the importance of community in our
practice. The importance of taking refuge in the Sangha and paying
attention to
the practicalities of nurturing sangha life truly are distinctive features
of our practice and Thich Nhat Hanh's teachings. Our visiting Dharma
Teacher, Br. Chan Huy, has devoted many years and much energy to building and
nurturing sanghas around the country, including our own Plum Blossom Sangha,
and we are sure he will be in form on this particular topic!
Brother Chan Huy (True Radiance) is an experienced Dharma teacher in the
Order of Interbeing, ordained by Zen Master Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh.
Brother Chan Huy lives in Ottawa, Canada and offers retreats throughout North
America.
These are some of the practices that we will engage in during this
retreat:
* daily Dharma Talks by Br. Chan Huy
* sitting meditation together
* outdoor walking meditation as a community
* mindful meals in silence – taking the time to truly enjoy the food
and the company of other practitioners
* Dharma Discussion in small groups – practicing loving speech and
deep listening, sharing our experiences with the practice of mindfulness
* Total Relaxation – learning how to rest and relax our body and our
mind
* Service Meditation – working together in harmony and with ease
* Observing Noble Silence – from after the evening activity until
after washing up for breakfast
(http://plumblossomsangha.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/mckinney-roughs-copy.jpg)
Retreat Fees
* Singles – $200
* Couples – $380
* Registrants 18 and under – $160
* Full-time college students – $160
* A 50% minimum nonrefundable deposit is required with registration.
Payment by check or cash only. Tuition includes room and 6 vegan meals.
Men and women are housed separately in dormitories with shared sleeping
quarters and attached shared bathrooms. See below for more information.
——–
Tentative Retreat Schedule
(These activities are just offerings for you to choose from. Please take
care of yourself and do only what feels "right" to do. Take a nap if your
body asks you to. Or you may enjoy a walk, borrow a book from the library or
meditate. Breathe and Smile!")
Friday, April 9, 2010
3:00 pm to 7:00 pm ——– Registration
3:00 pm to 5:30 pm ——– Activities on your own (Suggested:
Outdoor walking meditation, sitting meditation, reviewing the retreat or
exploring the library in the dining hall, unpacking and settling in,
relaxing, etc )
5:30 pm to 6:30 pm ——– Mindful Dinner
6:45 pm to 7:15 pm ——– Welcome/Orientation/Questions and
Answers
7:30 pm to 8:30 pm ——– Evening Program
8:30 pm to 8:45 pm ——– Mindful Movements
8:45 pm to 9:45 pm ——– Sitting Meditation
Saturday, April 10, 2010
6:00 am to 6:15 am ——– Mindful Movements
6:30 am to 7:45 am ——– Sitting Meditation/Sutra
Reading/Chanting
7:45 am to 8:15 am ——– Walking Meditation
8:30 am to 9:30 am ——– Mindful Breakfast
9:45 am to 11:30 am ——– Dharma talk
11:45 am to 12:30 pm ——– 3 Refuges and Five Mindfulness Trainings
Q&A
12:45 pm to 1:30 pm ——– Mindful Lunch
1:30 pm to 3:30 pm ——– Free Time
3:30 pm to 4:00 pm ——– Deep Relaxation
4:15 pm to 5:30 pm ——– Dharma Discussion Groups
5:45 pm to 6:45 pm ——– Mindful Dinner
7:00 pm to 8:30 pm ——– Dharma Talk, Q&A
8:30 pm to 8:45 pm ——– Mindful Movements
8:45 pm to 9:30 pm ——– Sitting Meditation
Sunday, April 11, 2010
6:30 am to 6:45 am ——– Mindful Movements
7:00 am to 8:15 am ——– Sitting Meditation/Five Mindfulness
Trainings Transmission Ceremony (an opportunity to make a commitment to
practicing trainings in presence of Sangha and Dharma Teacher)
8:30 am to 9:30 am ——– Mindful Breakfast
9:45 am to 10:00 am ——– Working Meditation
10:15 am to 12:15 pm ——– Dharma talk
12:30 pm to 1:00 pm ——– Walking Meditation/Closing Circle
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm ——– Mindful Lunch
Everyone who comes to practice is requested to observe the Five
Mindfulness Trainings that are the very foundation of our being
together here as a
community of practice – Sangha. They are the guidelines that help us move in
the direction of goodness and beauty. No smoking, no drinking and no sexual
practice are allowed on the grounds of the retreat center. Please respect
the community's effort in this observance. A full text of the Five
Mindfulness Trainings will be sent along with the retreat confirmation package
after you have registered and can be found on our website (see below). There
will be an opportunity to formally receive the Five Mindfulness Trainings with
Br. Chan Huy (on the last day of the retreat, Sunday morning). If you
cannot attend the retreat but would like to receive the Mindfulness Trainings,
please contact one of the Sangita members.
Please bring:
* Towels
* Bedding (sheets, pillow, blanket or sleeping bag)
* Soft sole footwear or thick socks
* Warm jacket for outdoor walking meditation
* Warm clothing/wrap for meditation hall
* Meditation cushion/bench (chairs provided)
* Meditation mat or blanket
* Toiletries
* Flash light
Suggested strongly to bring:
* Rain gear
* Robe (communal shower areas)
* Ear Plugs (suggested)
* Dining Napkin and mug (suggested), NO GLASS items please
* Dana for our teacher (suggested)
Out of respect for the teacher and teachings, please wear long,
loose-fitting pants or skirt. Wear a shirt with sleeves.
McKinney Roughs Nature Park is an environmental learning center with
emphasis on sustainability and energy efficiency. Please do not bring the
following:
* Electrical appliances (incl. radios, CD players, hair dryers,
curling irons)
* Nail polish and aerosol sprays
* Food items such as gum, candy, soda pop
* Candles or incense
* Lap tops
* We will live and practice as a spiritual family, so in
consideration of those with environmental sensitivities, please do
not wear fragrances
(even natural ones).
Technological Sabbatical : One of the gifts of practicing together with us
is the opportunity to enjoy a technological sabbatical during your stay. We
ask you to leave all electronic items at home (laptops, games, MP3
players, Ipods…)
An emergency contact number for the retreat is 512-426-1085. Please
consider using this instead of your cell phone. If you need your cellphone as
you travel to the retreat, please keep it turned off during the retreat.
Email and internet are not available at Mc Kinney Roughs.
Accommodation
We are fortunate to have excellent dormitories at McKinney Roughs. Men and
women will share separate dormitories/floors. Each dormitory has several
bunk beds w/ en suite toilets, sinks and showers. From experience, we have
learned that guests ages 1-50 are normally able to use a top bunk, whilst
those age 51 years and over many times require a bottom bunk. The dorms have
A/C units as well.
Transportation
Transportation arrangements to the retreat will need to be made on your
own, however, since many of us are attending from Austin we can probably
determine carpool options through the Pbsangha listserv.
Location:
McKinney Roughs is a 1,100 acre nature park where characteristics of four
ecosystems– Post Oak Savannah, Blackland Prairie, East Texas Piney Woods,
and a riparian zone– converge to create an unusual blend of natural
resources. Located just 13 miles east of Austin-Bergstrom
International Airport,
McKinney Roughs is home to hundreds of plant and animal species living within
the rolling box canyons, wildflower meadows and lazy river bends of the
Texas Colorado River. www.lcra.org/mckinneyroughs
FAQ
What should we do while arriving and registering?
To be mindful is to be really alive, fully aware of our body and mind and
of our surroundings in the present moment. You don't need to wait until the
orientation talk to begin the retreat. You can practice mindfulness already
as you register by leaving all worries behind, by doing everything with
awareness and without rush, unpacking and settling in, mindful of each step
and breath. Moving more slowly and calmly allows us to give more time and
attention to ourselves and to life. Actions done in mindfulness and with a
smile bring about lightness and joy.
What is Mindful Breathing?
Taking Refuge. Our breathing is the stable, solid ground in which we can
take refuge. Regardless of our internal weather – our thoughts, emotions,
and perceptions – our breathing is always with us like a faithful friend.
Whenever we feel carried away, or sunk in a deep emotion, or scattered in
worries and projects, we return to our breathing to collect and anchor our
mind.
We feel the flow of air coming in and going through our nose. We feel how
light and natural, how calm and peaceful our breathing functions. At any
time, while we are walking, gardening, or typing, we can return to this
peaceful source of life. We do not need to control our breath. Feel
the breath as
it actually is. It may be long or short, deep or shallow. With our
awareness, it will naturally become slower and deeper. Mindful
breathing is the
key to uniting body and mind and bringing the energy of mindfulness into each
moment of our daily life.
What are bells of mindfulness?
Stopping. Throughout each day of the retreat, during activities like
outdoor walking meditation, meals, and so on, a bell will be invited to sound.
It is a bell of mindfulness. When we hear it we relax our body and mind and
become aware of our breathing. This is the practice of stopping: we stop
talking, moving and thinking and go back to our breathing, naturally and with
ease. The sound of the bell is calling out to us:
Listen, listen, This wonderful sound
Brings me back, To my true home.
By stopping to breathe and restore our calm and our peace, we become free,
our work becomes more enjoyable, and the friend in front of us becomes more
real. Back home we can use the ringing of our telephone, the local church
bells, the birds' singing, the cry of a baby, or even the sound of fire
engines and ambulances as our bells of mindfulness. With just three mindful
breaths, we can release the tensions in our body and mind and return to a
cool and clear state of being.
What is sitting meditation?
Stillness. Sitting meditation is like returning home to give full
attention to and care for ourselves. Like the Buddha, we too can
radiate peace and
stability. We sit upright with serenity, and return to our breathing. We
are able to maintain a relaxed and upright position when our posture is
stable. Using the right cushion or bench will enable us to be steady
by allowing
our weight to be balanced and supported on three points: our buttocks and
our two knees. We bring our full attention to what is within and around us.
We let our mind become spacious and our heart soft and kind.
Sitting meditation is healing. We realize we can just be with whatever is
within us – our pain, anger, and irritation, or our joy, love, and peace. We
are with whatever is there without being carried away by it. Let it come,
let it stay, then let it go. No need to react, to run away from or to push,
to oppress, or to ignore. We observe the thoughts and images of our mind
with an accepting and loving mind. We are free to be still and calm despite
the storms that might arise in us.
We will sit for periods of 20 or 30 minutes. If our legs or feet fall
asleep or begin to hurt during the sitting, we are free to adjust our position
quietly. We can maintain our concentration and support others in their
practice by following our breathing, as we slowly and attentively change our
posture.
What is the practice of silent meal?
Gratitude. There is great happiness which we sometimes forget. When we
take time to sit down and enjoy every morsel of our food, we know we are very
fortunate to be nourished and embraced by the whole universe. The Five
Contemplations will be read for us to reflect upon before starting the
silent me
al:
This food is a gift of the earth, the sky, numerous living beings, and much
loving work.
May we eat with mindfulness and gratitude so as to be worthy to receive it.
May we recognize and transform our unwholesome mental formations,
especially our greed, and learn to eat with moderation.
May we keep our compassion alive by eating in such a way that we reduce
the suffering of living beings, preserve our planet, and reverse the process
of global warming.
We accept this food so that we may nurture our sisterhood and brotherhood,
strengthen our Sangha, and nourish our ideal of serving living beings.
To be worthy to receive the food is to really enjoy and appreciate it. Each
mouthful can be chewed at least 30 times. By eating mindfully and
peacefully, we nourish ourselves, our society, and many generations with
understanding and love. We can look and smile to friends who are
sitting next to us,
enjoying their presence. Upon finishing our meal, we take a few moments to
be aware that we have finished, our bowl is now empty, and our hunger is
satisfied. Gratitude nurtures us as we maintain awareness of how fortunate we
are to have had this nourishing food to eat, supporting us on the path of
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