Spring is a time of re-emergence: trees bud, flowers bloom, and birds return. For many reasons, this Spring will have much to celebrate. In Buddhist tradition, we celebrate by offering our practice to the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha.
Refuge: Throughout the pandemic, Sangha has proved essential in maintaining sanity, perspective, and health. Despite the limits posed by the pandemic, our virtual gatherings have enabled us to stay connected. Friends coming together in kindness and generosity, in mutual support and sharing, and in the study of Dhamma, have been a refuge for us.
Emergence: As we emerge from the pandemic into a different world, we may turn to Dhamma for guidance in shaping the lives we move into, rather than merely returning to old “normal” habits. From the painful lessons of the pandemic, new perspectives emerge that can guide us towards “right living” of the noble path. Let us draw on lessons learned and explore and nourish the qualities of inner growth so that they can be expressed more fully in our daily lives and interactions with others.
Healing: Our society has seen high levels of divisiveness this past year. For this retreat, let us take the opportunity to explore the “inner divisiveness” that bubbles up in all of us and draws us into outer divisiveness. Buddha-Dhamma has wonderful tools for understanding, addressing, and healing the roots of division within each of us.
Resilience: Moving forward in these challenging times, Dhamma practice is a great source of resilience. We allow our hearts to open with kindness and compassion; mindfully observe the forces at play in ourselves; let go of egotism; and access insight into deeper truths. These provide strength that is ever adaptable whatever the circumstances.
This retreat is open to experienced practitioners and beginners alike.
About Santikaro
Santikaro is a teacher of Dhamma & meditation according to the middle way of the early sources. He lived as a Buddhist monk for 19 years training under and translating for Ajahn Buddhadasa, a Thai Theravada master. After retiring from the monkhood in 2004 he founded Kevala Retreat; a modern expression of Buddhist practice, study and social responsibility located in rural southwestern Wisconsin with his wife, Jo Marie Thompson. He is also a student and teacher of the Enneagram, the Dhamma of Social Justice and is interested in the healing of addiction and trauma within a Buddhist framework. Diagnosed with lymphoma in 2010, he learned much through the process of treatment & recovery. He is actively teaching throughout the USA and internationally.
Registration Details
Cost: $35 (ICMC administrative fee) Scholarships may be available; please contact the retreat registrar below, for information.
Teacher Dāna: Santikaro's time and teaching are offered on a donation basis, dāna. Like many others, Santikaro/Kevala Retreat are facing income uncertainty during these times and your generosity is greatly appreciated. There will be an opportunity to offer dāna at the end of the retreat.
Cancellation and Refund Policy: Attendees may request refunds up to 30 days before the retreat’s start date.
Questions? Please contact the retreat registrar , Joan Sophie.
At-Home Retreat Information
We will be a virtual sangha of Dhamma Seekers through the technological tools of Zoom.
In this at-home retreat, teaching will take place online, via Zoom. Please make sure you have downloaded the Zoom app and have the most updated version (go here).
Since the pandemic, many of us have routinely spent long hours immersed in online technology, whether for work, for school, to stay in touch with family, or to keep pace with social media and the world outside. For this virtual retreat, you are invited to set aside engagement in social media, emails, and phones to whatever extent is possible (which is for you to discern).
Let us experience the beneficial ways that online technology can be used --to take refuge in sangha, ground ourselves in Buddha-Dhamma, untangle habits so we can emerge into life in a healthy way, heal from divisiveness, and strengthen our resilience, together.
Schedule:
We'll start at 7:00 am on Tuesday, June 1st and will keep the following schedule of Online Zoom Sessions through Sunday, June 6th, ending at 3:30 pm.
7:00 am Guided Meditation: brief introduction and 45-minute practice
10:00 am Meditation Teaching, Path Reflection & Exercises
2:00 pm Community Conversation
7:00 pm Dhamma Talk & Path Reflection
Note: All times are Central (CST)
Sit at least 1 other time daily at a time that works best for you. You are not expected to meditate all day long, but the more the merrier.
Add walking meditation, yoga, or qigong as able.
If possible, take Meals alone or with practice friends, and keep them simple.
Noble Silence:
within the realities of your living situation, abstain from speech as much as possible, especially trivial and frivolous speech, as well as worry-perpetuating, complaining, and blaming speech. If you must use devices, create realistic guidelines for yourself to wisely limit net browsing and email activity. This is for the sake of practicing restraint and supporting meditative calm and clarity.
Personal responsibility:
The retreat is your own responsibility, with the support of the online sessions Do whatever you need to do each day, according to your circumstances, while keeping a focus on the Dhamma and investigating the reality of mind-body-life. You may need to make a few modifications in what has been outlined here, according to your circumstances. Please stay within the spirit of retreat.
An important aspect of Home Retreat, such as this one, is developing a practice that fits with your own home and life realities. That requires some flexibility. However, during Covid-19 many people have discovered that having to stay at home isn't enough to meditate regularly. They are finding that personal discipline and structure are important. This retreat offers some structure with which you can learn.
While this pandemic persists and co-exists with other crises, we will create a sangha of similarly intentioned friends who support each other, even online.
All the sessions will be recorded: You will have access to the recordings within a few hours of each session and the audio portion will be available after the retreat.