Living with a Smile
July 21 – 29, 2017
Living with a Smile: Nine Day Vipassana Meditation
With Grahame White
and Yoga with Sarah
Palolo Zen Center, Honolulu, Hawai’i
When we look at a statue of the Buddha, the image of Buddha is always depicted with a slight smile. A smile of a mind filled with personal peace. The Buddha discovered through his own practice that it is possible to put an end to conflict and stress in our lives through the cultivation of awareness and wisdom. During this 9 day retreat we will be walking in the Buddha’s path – practicing SATIPATTHANA VIPASSANA MEDITATION (Insight meditation) so we can experience a personal peace and LIVE WITH A SMILE. This retreat includes Yoga in the afternoon.
This course will be suitable for both beginners and those with more experience – All are welcome!
Grahame White has been involved in Buddhist meditation practice for over 40 years. He began his study in England in 1969 before being ordained as a Buddhist monk for one year in BodhGaya, India in 1971. He took a primary role in the establishment of Vipassana meditation in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw in Australia and co-founded the Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Center outside Sydney. Now, Grahame leads introductory and day long courses in Sydney and regularly teaches longer intensive retreats in the US. Grahame has been leading and co-teaching retreats with Sayadw U Lakkhana, Steven Smith and Michele McDonald, as well as helping to guide the Hawai’i sangha in its ongoing practice. He has also helped pioneer a workshop format that enhances the transfer of mindfulness from the formal sitting practice into daily life. Grahame returns to Myanmar (Burma) each year in order to deepen his practice and study of the Buddha’s teachings and at times assist in the teaching of Vipassana retreats for foreigners. Grahame teaches a classical tradition of insight meditation with a relaxed, accessible style.
The yoga practise Sarah shares is inspired by her studies with her teacher Rosella Baroncini, (a student of Vanda Scaravelli), and the practise of mindfulness. In essence, we are simply paying attention to the sensations in the body during movement -whether it is the movement of the breath or the movement of the body,- in a relaxed, attentive, kind way. The practise is one of simple movements and poses, attention to natural breathing, and developing a deep, kind embodied presence – so that the practise is a seamless element with the rest of the retreat and offers greater embodiment throughout your daily practise. It is suitable and adaptable for all.
