Retreat Schedule for Spring 2015

Dear Dhamma Friends,

Vipassana Hawai‘i and its teachers are offering a number of exciting retreats this spring andsummer that we hope you will consider attending!

Eight-day Vipassana Retreat

February 27 – March 7, 2015

Steven Smith and assisted by Jake Davis

Blue Mountain Insight Meditation Centre,

Seeing Clearly – Living Harmoniously

April 24- 30

Graham White

Palolo Zen Center, Honolulu, Hawaii

Learning Vipassana meditation is perhaps the greatest gift we can give to ourselves and others. Vipassana is concerned primarily with the cultivation of awareness and understanding. Awareness so that we can see our mind more clearly and understandingso we can know what is useful and what is not useful for us to experience a deep harmonious, relationship with ourselves and the world we inhabit.

Metta and Vipassana Retreat

April 24 – 26 (non-residential weekend)

Michele McDonald and Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey

UBC Asian Centre, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Cultivate unconditional Lovingkindess and Mindfulness with a 6 sense-door awareness practice including affectionate awareness and reverence for our bodies, helping to liberate the heart-mind with clarity, ease, and authenticity.

Metta/Vipassana: Awareness as a Path to Liberation

April 29 – May 13 (one/two week options)

Michele McDonald and Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey

Pari Ruengvisesh (assisting) and Joy Kerfoot (mindful movement)

Hollyhock, Cortes Island, Canada

Cultivate immeasurable unconditional lovingkindess as a beautiful capacity of the heart which fuses innate spiritual emotion with intuitive wisdom; and cultivate Mindfulness with a 6 sense-door awareness practice including affectionate awareness and reverence for our bodies, liberating the heart-mind with clarity, ease, and authenticity.

Liberation of Heart and Mind: Insight Meditation and Lovingkindness Retreat

May 22 – June 4

Michele McDonald, Rebecca Bradshaw, Greg Scharf, Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey, and Sarah Hegerty (Movement)

Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts

This two-week course, held in an environment of silence, is a precious opportunity to experience the depth of practice that a longer retreat allows. We will explore the Buddha’s teachings on liberation by touching into the wordless depths of our own heart with an emphasis on lovingkindness, compassion, empathetic joy and equanimity. By practicing with interest, acceptance and kindness, we develop greater understanding and compassion. In this way, we increase our ability to meet life’s changes with ease and serenity.

Liberation of Heart and Mind: Lovingkindness and Insight Weekend

June 5 – 7

Michele McDonald and Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey

Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts

This silent weekend course, open to all, is an opportunity to explore the Buddha’s teachings on liberation, with an emphasis on the practice of metta, or lovingkindness. Through learning to connect with our mind/heart/body process with interest and acceptance, we touch into the wordless depths of our own heart, and develop greater understanding and compassion. In this way, we increase our ability to meet life’s changes with graceful ease and serenity.

Courage on the Journey of Awakening Insight Meditation Retreat

June 16-21

Steven Smith and Grove Burnett

Vallecitos Mountain Ranch, Tusas Mountains, New Mexico

Woody Allen said 80% of life is just showing up.  It takes courage, however, to show up and look at ourselves honestly and gently.  In this traditional insight meditation retreat, we will draw on the ancient teachings of the Buddha to explore the courage required to show up for ourselves, be fully present, and face the places that scare us. We will learn the art of taking one’s courage in both hands and not retreating from pain and difficulties.

Daylong Retreat

July 11

Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey

Palolo Zen Center, Honolulu, Hawaii

Details coming soon.

Insight Meditation Retreat for 18–32 Year Olds

July 22-29

Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey, Rebecca Bradshaw, Chas DiCapua, Madeline Kline, and Kavitha Rao (Movement)

Insight Meditation Society, Barre, Massachusetts

Join a community of young people exploring the breadth and depth of the heart and mind in a silent retreat setting. With the Buddhist teachings of wisdom and compassion as our guide, we will cultivate a whole-hearted attention to the present moment, leading to an embodied ease, clarity and kindness.

Affectionate Awareness as a Path to Liberation

July 30 – August 8

Michele McDonald, Jesse Maceo Vega-Frey

Vallecitos Mountain Ranch, Tusas Mountains, New Mexico

Develop compassionate awareness and a more loving heart with this unique Metta and Vipassana practice. Experience days at beautiful Vallecitos cultivating Unconditional Love, Wise Compassion, Empathetic Joy and Equanimity – are meditations fusing innate spiritual emotions with the intuitive wisdom of Vipassana.

All courses are equally suitable for beginners and those who have experience in meditation.

Thank you all for your practice and your ongoing support of our programs!