with Betsy Arizu and Brandy Kidd 

Description

For many of us the inner critic is a constant companion, a voice that judges just about everything we say and do. The degree of its harshness varies. For some it loudly berates us for our shortcomings and demeans our sense of value as a human being. The patterning of the inner critic arises in childhood basically to keep us safe and out of trouble, and is heavily influenced by the kind of parenting we received and our social and cultural conditioning. Over time, having incorporated unskillful and often unkind tactics to manage, correct and motivate us, the inner critic creates in us a limited and distorted sense of who we are.  Left unexamined and unchecked, the influence of the inner critic can lead to chronic anxiety, self-doubt, and depression, sabotage our relationships and spiritual practice, and thwart our creativity, well-being, and peace of mind. 

In this weekend retreat we will explore the inner critic and get to know the ways it operates within us including its original positive intentions to protect us. We will learn to cultivate a kind, wise, and discerning mind, to allow for an open and spacious way of being and responding to the world within us and around us. We will explore ways to reparent and heal the inner protected or criticized child and invite the inner critic to let go of its outdated strategies and transform its role in our lives to one of support. We will draw from the teachings of Buddhist psychology, as well as modern understandings of the inner critic, inner child, and parts therapies, and use the powerful tools of meditation, mindfulness, and self-reflection, along with Dharma talks, experiential practices, and group discussion to gain insight and practice skills to take with us on our path of healing and transformation.

Logistics

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 5:00 pm on Friday evening, September 15, followed by dinner at 5:45 and the opening session at 7:00. The retreat will end on Sunday, September 17 at 4:00 pm. 

The fee for in-person participation is $160 for overnighters and $120 for commuters, with a $50 deposit required to register. The balance of the fee will be due by August 25.

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 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 Coordinator will be sending additional information to registrants closer to the retreat start date, including at-home practice guidelines and Zoom information.

The last day to register for this retreat is August 18.

Retreat Leaders

Betsy Arizu, MA embarked on a path of healing and transformation over 40 years ago immersing herself in the areas of humanistic and existential psychology, arts and consciousness, organizational transformation, and counseling. She became a student of Buddhist Teacher, Fred Eppsteiner in 2011 and a member of the Florida Community of Mindfulness. She currently leads retreats, workshops, and intensives. Topics include emotional healing and transformation; deconstructing the myth of self; transforming the inner critic; relationships as a path of transformation; radical acceptance: awakening the heart that transforms suffering; cultivating aspiration, and intention, and commitment; and meditation and mindfulness for teens experiencing homelessness.

Brandy Kidd, LCSW became interested in mindfulness (and subsequently, buddhism) in her early 20’s after encountering suffering both in her personal life and in her professional life as a clinical social worker. Over the past 30 years, she has done her level best to devote herself to the study and practice of Dharma throughout the comings and goings of life's stages — dating; marrying; raising children; building a career in clinical social work and managing a private practice for the past 22 years; and being present to a large extended family as members move through their various life stages. For the past 7 years or so, she has co-facilitated the Naples Sangha and takes much joy in doing so.  

Questions?

For more information, please contact Betsy at betsyarizu@gmail.com or Brandy at brandymkidd@gmail.com