Franciscan Center, Tampa, FL | April 19 - 22, 2018
Open for Both FCM Members and Non-Members
In the Discourse on the Four Kinds of Nutriments the Buddha describes edible food, sense impressions, volition and consciousness as the nutriments that enable living beings to grow and maintain life. Since we ingest these elements into our bodies and minds, they are responsible for our physical and mental well-being. What we consume, how much we consume and how aware we are of our consumption of the four nutriments are key to our happiness.
Our peace, compassion and well-being, our anger, fear and hatred do not come out of nowhere; they are fed by the choices we make regarding the things we come into contact with. The habits energies we have developed around edible food, sensory stimuli (including all the ways we absorb information through conversations, reading, use of electronics etc.), volition (the energy that motivates our daily actions), and consciousness (the wholesome or unwholesome seeds that we cultivate and nurture in our mind’s consciousness) produce our happiness and our suffering. An understanding of how these processes of nourishment work are fundamental to our life of practice.
In this three-day retreat, we will study and practice the Buddhist teachings on the Four Nutriments. Dharma talks, guided meditations, experiential exercises and group dialogues will help participants nourish the aspiration to cultivate mindfulness in what we take into our bodies and consciousness, clearly see and understand the roots of and suffering caused by the elements we bring into our mind-body, and cultivate “right view” and discipline to support nourishing ourselves in ways that take us in the direction of true mind.
This retreat will be led by senior members of the Florida Community of Mindfulness. Fred will attend the retreat each evening to provide instruction and meditative practices and to interact with retreatants concerning the teachings and practices being offered during each day. As usual, 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.
Logistical Information
The retreat is being held in Tampa, Florida at The Franciscan Center, located on the Hillsborough River. The registration fee covers both room and board (three vegetarian meals daily), as well as any administrative and incidental expenses connected to the retreat. The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teacher freely gives of him or herself 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.
The retreat begins with dinner on Thursday, April 19th, and ends after lunch on Sunday, April 22nd. We ask that all retreatants attend the entire time of the retreat; if you cannot arrive by 6 pm on Thursday, April 19th and stay until lunch on Sunday, April 22nd, please do not register. No late arrivals or early departures are permitted, as they significantly interfere with the process of retreat for everyone.
The Franciscan Center has both single and double occupancy accommodations. If you are seeking double occupancy and have someone you wish to room with, please indicate their name when you register. Otherwise, you will be placed in a room with another participant who has requested double occupancy as well. The registration fee for single occupancy is $350 and the fee for double-occupancy is $295. Full payment is due by April 2 in order to hold your place in the retreat. A limited number of Retreat Scholarships may be available. Please click here to see FCM's Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which must be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat.
Please note that participation in this retreat is open to both members and non-members of the Florida Community of Mindfulness. While participation in our local sanghas and Days of Mindfulness is open to everyone, membership in FCM is for persons wanting to deepen their practice of living an awakened life by being part of a dedicated practice community, having a direct relationship with a Dharma teacher, and participating in practice opportunities such as Intensives and longer retreats. For information on becoming a member of FCM please click here.
Once registration has closed, all members who registered by the posted cut off date (March 16) will be considered for acceptance into the retreat based on creating a balance between newer practitioners and longer term ones; between those who’ve attended several or many retreats in the past year and those who haven’t; between those that live in the Tampa Bay area and those that live in other places. Please note that your registration does not guarantee acceptance into the retreat. Registrants will receive an email stating either acceptance into the retreat or placement on the waiting list within a few days of the closing of registration.
The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to accepted registrants before the retreat begins, including directions to the Franciscan Center.
