Fall 2008 Residential Retreat

October 31 - November 2, 2008
Insight Meditation Retreat

Previous retreat flyer with registration form

An introduction by Aaron

A weekend retreat is an opportunity to develop calmness, wisdom, and compassion in a supportive environment. Emphasis is placed upon developing mindfulness in sitting, standing, and walking to help us access our innate understanding, joy, and peace. A weekend retreat such as this can be a wonderful way to learn meditation and to deepen one’s practice. Beginners, as well as the more experienced, are welcome to attend. There will be instructions, practice, dharma talks, chanting from various spiritual traditions and silence.

THE RETREAT LEADERS

John Orr received Theravada Buddhist ordination and training for a period of eight years while living in Thailand and India. He has been teaching meditation and leading retreats around the country since 1980. John is the guiding teacher of New Hope Sangha, an Interfaith minister, and teaches at Duke University.

Barbara Brodsky is a Quaker and trained dharma teacher in the Buddhist tradition. She is the guiding teacher of Deep Spring Center in Ann Arbor Michigan. Barbara has been deaf for over 35 years; living with silence has greatly influenced her life and teaching, as have years of active involvement with nonviolent action for social change. She is the channel for the discarnate entity, Aaron.

Aaron is a being of light who has evolved beyond the need to return to the physical plane. In his final lifetime on this human plane he was a Theravadin Buddhist monk in Thailand, a meditation master. We have created this page with an excerpted chapter from his book "Presence, Kindness, and Freedom," where Aaron speaks about himself.

LOCATION

The retreat will be held at the Val Halla Retreat Center, 9423 Charles Lane (off Orange Grove Rd.) Chapel Hill, NC. This is a lovely Center located on 79 beautiful acres west of Carrboro. There are dormitory-style accommodations available on a first register first serve basis. Tent sites are available and commuting is another option. Check in will begin at 5:00 pm on Friday and supper will be served from 6:00-7:00 pm. Course opening is at 7:30 pm. We will end by 9:30 each evening to allow time for commuters to return home. The retreat will end at 4:00 pm on Sunday. There will be no work period as in other retreats. Upon registration you will receive directions to Val Halla Center and other information.

REGISTRATION

The retreat fee for the weekend is $(TBD) whether you are commuting, tenting or sleeping in a bed at the center. Early registration is $(TBD) and must be paid in full by October (TBD). This fee includes all retreat expenses including lodging, vegetarian meals, Barbara’s teacher travel, advertising, etc. Barbara and John will offer the retreat on a “dana” generosity basis. Participants will have the opportunity to offer dana to the teachers at the retreat. Your generosity enables the teachers to continue to offer these retreats and is the main source of their livelihood. A deposit of $(TBD) will hold a place in the retreat, with the remaining $(TBD) due on arrival. This fee is non-refundable unless there is a waiting list. For more information call Janice at 919-563-4454 or e-mail her at retreat@newhopesangha.org. A retreat flyer with registration form in PDF format can be found here.

NOBLE SILENCE

We are often so busy reacting to the world and trying to manage our affairs, that we do not really notice what is- sounds, smells, sites around us, nor the textures of mind…And the habits of mind that determine our experience of everything. Noble silence allows us to enter into a different mode of being. It invites awareness and a certain intimacy with life. Its nature is vastness and the experience of letting it gather around and within us can be profound. Disconnecting from our preoccupation with habits of mind, so that we can open to greater clarity, compassion and awareness, is a primary purpose of our practice. Silence does not need to isolate us. With time most people notice that silence allows a deeper appreciation of the simple things in life as well as an unusual depth of connection with others. We support each other with our silence and lack of eye contact. We contribute to the stillness by mindful walking, opening and closing doors quietly and being considerate as we eat our meals and return dishes.

We ask that you remain silent and avoid social contact except when talking with a teacher in your small group or in an individual session. The actions of one will benefit all.

DANA

Dana is a practice of generosity, kindness and letting go. By taking the opportunity to make dana a practice of awareness, brings it out of the realm of unconscious habit, and into the realm of wise attention. The teachers at this retreat follow an age-old tradition of freely and open heartedly offering Dharma talks. They receive no payment from the retreat registration fees. The fees cover room, board, rental of the facilities, office supplies and a little scholarship money. Dana is not intended as a tip, nor is it in exchange for receiving the teachings of the Buddha. There is no obligation to give. Offering dana indicates that we understand our interconnectedness. We realize that we depend on the generosity and kindness of others and they depend upon ours. We belong to what we support and what we support nourishes us. The decision of what to give is deeply personal. The practice of dana asks that we look within with wisdom and offer what we are able with loving-kindness. What we give allows the teachers to continue their work of sharing the Dharma. During the retreat there will be baskets and envelopes available for your dana offerings for Barbara and John.

SEVA

Seva is the practice of unselfish service. At this retreat most of our needs are being taken care of by the retreat center staff and our retreat committee. There are, however, some opportunities for you to give service:

We have a practice at retreats of letting people know when sittings, instruction and evening programs are by ringing a bell five minutes before the scheduled time. We have a bell ringer sign up sheet. We ask only those who have previously attended retreats sign up for bell rigning. After your turn, please make sure to return the bell for the next person’s use.

We also need volunteers to help clean up after meals. Having volunteers for this duty keeps the cost of our retreats low and is also a wonderful part of our mindfulness practice. The duties are listed in the kitchen, or someone will be available to supervise. It would be helpful if each retreatant would sign up at the beginning of the retreat for one meal’s cleanup.

After the retreat’s closing we could use some help in packing our supplies into cars and returning the retreat center back to the state it was before our retreat. If you are not pressed for time, please consider extending your retreat a few minutes and lending us a hand.