Angie Parrish, Maria Teresa Jaureguizar, and Evelyn Greenfield
A Weekend Retreat for All Levels of Practitioners
“I try to treat whoever I meet as an old friend. This gives me a genuine feeling of happiness.”
The Dalai Lama
Description
When our hearts are truly open, we are naturally loving, generous, connected and happy. We live with equanimity and understanding, meeting whatever circumstances that arise with wisdom and compassion. We are connected with and living from love.
When we encounter the suffering of the world, these natural qualities of the heart can sometimes become covered over with fear, anger, and sadness. A metaphorical shell may form around the heart, creating a barrier between us and others, particularly those we dislike or may even hate. We may even carry the suffering in our bodies. Sadly, the world is afire today with suffering, divisiveness, anger and hate, and many hearts are encased in hard shells. How can we help ourselves, each other, and the world to rediscover our common humanity and to live from this natural place of love?
Buddhism teaches that we can cultivate and live from this open, loving heart through the practice of metta, which is the Pali word for friendship or loving kindness. Through the practice of loving kindness meditation and three related practices – compassion, joy in the happiness of others, and equanimity – we apply the antidote to the misunderstanding, anger and hatred in our hearts and in the world. These practices lead to an unlimited capacity for happiness, fearlessness, and love, and are therefore known as the “four immeasurables.” At the same time, the practice of gentle, mindful yoga can help us move and release constriction and other embodied suffering, enabling the mind and the body to fully relax and open.
In this weekend retreat, we will practice these four immeasurables, allowing them to penetrate our minds and hearts. Fred will join us Saturday evening to work with participants in the important and often very difficult practice of bringing compassion (Tonglen) to our own suffering. Our practice will be supported by periods of mindful yoga, deep relaxation, and the environment of our beautiful retreat center.
Logistics
This retreat will be beneficial for both newcomers to meditation and experienced mindfulness practitioners with an interest in loving kindness and compassion meditation. For newcomers, the retreat will offer introductory practices of mindfulness, kindness and compassion which can develop our natural capacities for connection with ourselves and others. Experienced practitioners will re-invigorate their mindfulness practice and deepen their understanding of loving kindness and compassion practices in support of greater ease and wellbeing. All yoga will be gentle and appropriate for beginners and/or those with physical conditions that may need extra care.
This retreat is being offered in-person only to be of most benefit to participants.
FCM's retreat center in Tampa, Florida provides a beautiful and serene refuge from the noise and business of our everyday lives. Set among our bamboo gardens, walking paths and pond, our center offers comfortable double-occupancy accommodations in our Great Cloud residence hall, nourishing vegan meals and ample indoor and outdoor meditation spaces for personal reflection.
The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:30 pm on Friday evening, July 15, followed by dinner at 6:00 and the opening session at 7:15. The retreat will end on Sunday, June 17 at 4:00 pm. This registration is an application for in-person participation, so no payment is accepted at this time. We will contact you after registration closes to either let you know that an in-person spot is available or if not. Full payment will be due upon acceptance into the retreat.
The fee for the retreat is $160 for those staying overnight at the center and $120 for those who choose to commute. Retreat Scholarships are available; 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 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.
The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to registrants once registration is closed and registrants have been formally accepted for in-person participation.
The last day to register for in-person participation in this retreat is June 15.
Retreat Leaders
Angie Parrish has been a student of Buddhism and mindfulness for over 20 years. After a 1999 retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh, she became a student of Fred Eppsteiner's and a member of the Florida Community of Mindfulness. Angie leads Intensives and retreats for FCM and teaches MBSR and other classes for the Florida Community of Mindfulness. She enjoys nature, hiking, and supporting anyone interested in cultivating more ease and joy in their life.
Maria Teresa Jaureguizar formally began on the Buddhist path in 1996 and became a student of Fred Eppsteiner in 2012. She is an ordained member of the Order of Interbeing and completed the three year Dharma Transmission Program. Maria Teresa currently serves as Community Care Leader and finds joy mentoring others in the practice, spending time in nature, and going for walks with family, friends, and pets.
Evelyn Greenfield will be guiding gentle yoga for this retreat. Evelyn graduated from the Florida Institute of Integrative yoga studies in 2002. She is a 500 ERYT, YACEP and has been teaching for over 15 years. She has 2 sons, 4 granddaughters and two dogs.
Questions?
For more information, please contact Angie at parrish26@gmail.com.
