Florida Community of Mindfulness upcoming events

Huayan Meditations on Interdependence: Fazang's Exhaustion of Delusion and Returning to the Source | A Five-Day Retreat (03 Nov 2026)

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

With Guo Gu

Dates: November 3 - 8
Retreat Application Deadline: October 6 for in-person | October 25 for online
Suitability

Experienced practitioners who have some familiarity with Chan/Zen Buddhism.

Please note that your retreat application does NOT guarantee acceptance into the retreat. Participants will be notified of acceptance by October 12.

Description

What changes when we begin to experience our lives as inseparable from the world around us? How might this understanding soften our sense of isolation, loosen fixed ideas about ourselves and others, and deepen our capacity for compassion?

Join Chan teacher Guo Gu for a five-day retreat exploring the profound teachings of Huayan Buddhism and the nature of interdependence. This important Chinese Mahāyāna tradition has deeply influenced Chan/Zen Buddhism and helped shape Thich Nhat Hanh’s contemporary teaching of “interbeing.”

Huayan offers a rich vision of reality in which all things arise in relationship, each inseparable from the whole. Its teachings invite us to explore interdependence not simply as an idea, but as a way of understanding and experiencing our lives.

Although Huayan has played a central role in the development of East Asian Buddhism, its teachings remain relatively unfamiliar to many Western practitioners. Terms such as “interconnection” and “interbeing” have become widely used in Western Buddhist communities and popular culture, yet their roots in Huayan philosophy often receive little attention. This retreat offers an opportunity to explore those roots and discover their relevance to our practice and daily lives.

During the retreat, Guo Gu will provide a newly translated Huayan source text to guide an exploration of this rich teaching of interdependence.

Retreat Leader

Guo Gu (Dr. Jimmy Yu) is the founder of the Tallahassee Chan Center, the founder of the socially engaged intra-denominational Buddhist organization, Dharma Relief, and a professor of Buddhism and East Asian religions at Florida State University. He studied under the late Master Sheng Yen for over 30 years, nine of which as his attendant monk and most senior and closest disciple. He is the author of The Essence of Chan(2012),Passing Through the Gateless Barrier(2016), and Silent Illumination(2021).

Fees

The fees are $450 for overnighters, $350 for commuters and $175 for online. The registration fee will be fully refunded to those not admitted to the retreat.

FCM aspires to support the retreat experience for all who are on this path, and thus retreat scholarships are available and encouraged if it would support your participation. Please click here to see FCM ’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.

The Retreat Manager will be sending additional information to registrants closer to the retreat start date.

Retreat Logistics

The retreat will begin with orientation and dinner at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, November 3 and end at 12:00 noon on Sunday, November 8. There will be a group photo after that, as well as lunch offered at 12:30 for those that wish to attend.

Please note:

Application Deadline: October 6 for in-person; October 25 for online.

Acceptance & Instructions: In-person applicants will receive an acceptance letter by October 12 with retreat preparation information. Online participants will receive instructions by October 28.

Payment Deadline: The full fee for in-person participants is due by October 19 to secure your spot. After October 19, unconfirmed spots will be offered to other applicants. The online retreat fee is due by October 25.

Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.

If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.

New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page.

The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they ’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e., generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage.

Questions?
Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.

The Miracle of Mindfulness | A Weekend Retreat (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 22:00:00 GMT

With Bill MacMillen and John McHarris

Dates: November 13 - 15, 2026
Retreat Application Deadline: October 16

Suitability

This retreat will be beneficial for both newcomers to meditation and more experienced mindfulness practitioners with an interest in living with more ease in the present moment.

Description

In our modern world, we have countless ways to stay busy, informed, entertained, and otherwise distracted from the moment we wake up until we go to bed at night. We can easily spend our entire day completely disconnected from our actual experience and unaware of what thoughts and mind-states we are cultivating throughout our busy days. If we do have a moment to stop, we may find that we feel uneasy, agitated, bored, anxious, stressed, in despair, or otherwise uncomfortable in our bodies and our minds.

Fortunately, as so many people throughout the world are discovering, there is another way. Through what the beloved Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh called, “The Miracle of Mindfulness,” we can learn how to be at ease in the present moment. We can learn to use our minds in a way that nourishes our well-being and helps us to feel whole again. Through cultivating mindfulness of the body, breath, and mind, we can learn to develop peace within ourselves and to enjoy the simple experience of being alive.

In this two-day Introductory Retreat, participants will learn mindfulness and meditation practices that calm and nourish the body and mind. There will be both formal instruction as well as “off-the-cushion” practice in areas such as walking, eating, mindful movements and work meditation. There will be periods of Q&A and deep sharing within a setting that is mostly silent, offering participants the opportunity to retreat from digital devices and other distractions that so often clutter our minds and cover the natural spaciousness that lies beneath the “noise.”

This will be a silent retreat. The silence affords us the opportunity to deepen our meditative experience while absorbing the experiential meaning of the teachings and practices presented.

Retreat Leaders

Bill Mac Millen has been a Dharma practitioner with the Florida Community of Mindfulness and a student of FCM's teacher Fred Eppsteiner since 2013; in 2018 he completed the three year Dharma Transmission training taught by Fred. Bill was ordained as a member of the Order of Interbeing at Thich Nhat Hahn’s Magnolia Grove monastery in 2019. Aspiring to be of service to the community, he is on the Leadership Council overseeing the area of Center Care and also teaches and facilitates various classes and Intensive study programs offered by FCM.

John McHarris is a Dharma Instructor with the Florida Community of Mindfulness. He has been a student of FCM's teacher Fred Eppsteiner since 2011. John completed FCM's three year Dharma Transmission Group program, and is an ordained member of the Order of Interbeing. He has Co-led various FCM offerings such as the Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation class, FCM Intensives, and Days of Mindfulness. John is the current Chair of FCM's Board of Directors. Although based in Naples, he's also a part-time Tampa resident in conjunction with FCM's Residency program.

Fees

The fee for in-person participation is $180 for overnighters and $140 for commuters.

Retreat Scholarships are available; please click to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.

Retreat Logistics

This retreat is in-person only (either staying overnight or as a commuter) participation at FCM’s Tampa Center BEGINNING AT 5 P.M. on Friday, November 13 and ends after lunch on Sunday at 4:00 pm, November 15. Participation is open to both FCM members and non-members.

Please note:

The deadline for registration for this retreat is October 16.

We will send a retreat acceptance letter by October 22 with additional information to help you prepare for retreat.

The full fee will then be due by October 26, otherwise the spot will be given to another applicant.

Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.

If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.

New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page.

The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All retreat dana for this retreat will go towards supporting future programs at the FCM center.

Questions?
For more information, please contact Bill at bmacm21@gmail.com. Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.

Lojong | A Three-Day Retreat (03 Dec 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 22:00:00 GMT

With Fred Eppsteiner

Dates: December 3 - 6
Retreat Application Deadline: November 5 for in-person | November 25 for online
Suitability

This retreat marks the conclusion of FCM’s one-year Lojong Intensive and is offered especially for the participants who have taken part in the program. Its theme and teachings are relevant for anyone, and members and nonmembers who did not participate in the Intensive are welcome to join.

All participants must have previously attended a retreat with FCM or another Buddhist group. Those new to retreats are encouraged to begin with one of FCM’s weekend retreats, such as the *Miracle of Mindfulness*.

Fred strongly encourages in-person participation. To accommodate participants who live outside the Tampa Bay area, online participation is also available. Online participants must keep their cameras on throughout all practice sessions and attend every session. Please apply to participate online only if you can meet these commitments.

For those applying to attend in person, please understand that submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance. Applicants will be notified of acceptance by November 10.

Description

This three-day retreat explores several key transformative teachings of The Seven Points of Mind Training, a classic Buddhist text offering practical guidance for awakening in everyday life. These concise slogans show us how—even amid uncertainty and difficulty—we can retrain the mind to cultivate loving-kindness, compassion, and wisdom in all circumstances.

Together, we will practice deeply with pith verses that emphasize how to bring wisdom and compassion into all parts of our lives; key guidelines for putting these teachings into practice; and criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of our practice. Through meditation, guided reflection, and the container of noble silence, this retreat invites us to embody an enlightened attitude in the midst of daily life.

Fred will present these teachings and practices with clarity, simplicity, and concreteness so that all participants can readily embrace them as a daily practice. The silence of retreat affords us the opportunity to deepen our meditative experience while absorbing the experiential meaning of the teachings and practices being presented.

Retreat Leader

Fred Eppsteiner has been a student of the psychology of Buddhist meditation for over 50 years and practiced as a psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He has trained extensively in Buddhist meditative traditions in the U.S. and Asia. He received permission to teach from Thich Nhat Hanh in 1994 and is the editor of two books: The Path of Compassion and Interbeing. He is the founding teacher of the Florida Community of Mindfulness.

Fees

The fees are $270 for overnighters, $210 for commuters and $105 for online. The registration fee will be fully refunded to those not admitted to the retreat.

The Retreat Manager will be sending additional information to registrants closer to the retreat start date.

Retreat Logistics

The retreat will begin with orientation and dinner at 5:00 pm for in-person on Thursday, December 3 and end after lunch on Sunday, December 6. For online the retreat will begin at 7:00 pm on Thursday, December 3 and end at 12:00 noon on Sunday, December 6.

Please note:

Application Deadline: November 5 for in-person; November 25 for online.

Acceptance & Instructions: In-person applicants will receive an acceptance letter by November 10 with retreat preparation information. Online participants will receive instructions by November 28.

Payment Deadline: The full fee for in-person participants is due by November 16 to secure your spot. After November 16, unconfirmed spots will be offered to other applicants. The online retreat fee is due by November 25.

Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.

If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.

New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page.

The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they ’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e., generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage.

Questions?
Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.

Opening the Heart: A Loving Kindness and Qigong Retreat (26 Mar 2027)

Fri, 26 Mar 2027 21:00:00 GMT

With Angie Parrish and David Braasch

Dates: March 26 - 28, 2027
Retreat Application Deadline: February 26
Suitability

This retreat will be beneficial for both newcomers to meditation and more experienced mindfulness practitioners with an interest in living with more equanimity, open-heartedness and compassion.

Please note that your retreat application does NOT guarantee acceptance into the retreat. Participants will be notified of acceptance by March 2.

Description

The Brahmaviharas, also known as the Four Immeasurables, are four natural, beautiful qualities of heart that - when touched more deeply - open us to experiencing our interconnection with all of life: ourselves, others, and the world around us. These qualities, which include loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity, are naturally present in our minds but are often covered over by fear and other emotions that cause us to wall off our hearts.

Our weekend retreat will focus on practices that will help us to rediscover these beautiful qualities, weaving together teachings on loving kindness with qigong, aligning body, breath, and movement with a loving and open heart. Using guided practices to bring mindfulness of body, heart and mind to both movement and stillness, we will explore how to meet life with equanimity, open-heartedness and compassion, and to work skillfully with obstacles that get in our way.

This will be a silent retreat. The silence affords us the opportunity to deepen our meditative experience while absorbing the experiential meaning of the teachings and practices presented.

Retreat Leaders

Angie Parrish has been a student of Buddhism and mindfulness for over 20 years. She is a Dharma Instructor with FCM, having been given permission by FCM’s teacher Fred Eppsteiner to share the Buddha’s teachings with the sangha. She is also a Qualified Teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and is a frequent teacher of classes and retreats at FCM.

David Braasch has been a student of mindfulness and meditation at the Florida Community of Mindfulness since 2015, where he has taught Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation, Buddhism: The Basics, and Mindfulness for Educators. He has been a student of Tai Chi, Aikido, and is a certified Qigong teacher under Holden Qigong of Santa Cruz, CA.

Fees

Retreat Logistics

This retreat is in-person only (either staying overnight or as a commuter) participation at FCM’s Tampa Center. The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Friday, March 26 and ends after lunch on Sunday at 4:00 pm, March 28. Participation is open to both FCM members and non-members.

Please note:

The deadline for applying for this retreat is February 26.

We will send a retreat acceptance letter by March 2 with additional information to help you prepare for retreat.

The full fee will then be due by March 8, otherwise the spot will be given to another applicant.

Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.

If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.

New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page.

The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All retreat dana for this retreat will go towards supporting future programs at the FCM center.

Questions?
For more information, please contact Angie at parrish26@gmail.com. Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.