Evening Practice at the Episcopal Church of the Ascension

Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us that we all have the seeds of love and compassion in our minds. In this time, when it can seem that our society is at risk of being torn apart by hate and anger, fear and misunderstanding, we can come together as a community to water the seeds of love and compassion in ourselves so that we can sow love into others and bring healing to our world.

Mindfulness is an energy that we can generate for ourselves. We can all breathe in and out mindfully. Every human has the capacity to be mindful. We all have a seed of mindfulness in us. If we keep practicing, that seed will grow strong and any time we need, the energy of mindfulness will be there for us.
The practice of mindfulness will increase the quality of our learning and also improve the quality of our life—helping us to handle our suffering and to bring about peace, understanding, and compassion. It can help us improve or restore communication and bring about reconciliation so that we can touch the joy of life. It is important not only to read and speak of mindfulness, but to actually practice it.

~Thich Nhat Hanh in Planting Seeds: Practicing Mindfulness with Children

We invite you to join us at Charter Hall over the weekend of October 20 - 22, 2017, as we stop and dwell in the present moment in a child-inclusive and intentionally intergenerational community. We will share child-oriented practices for nourishing our love and compassion.

All participants who share the aspirations of the retreat are welcome. You do not need to bring children to attend. Our mindful weekend offers a gentle rhythm of mindfulness practice, arts and crafts projects, nature exploration, planned and free play, and service to our retreat sangha. Children are invited to learn and lead basic practices of mindful living in community. Adult practice is supported by early morning sitting and walking meditations, as well as dharma discussions on parenting and practice in the family. The setting at the confluence of the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay provides opportunities to explore and engage in mindful play and activities in a variety of natural habitats.

The community will share responsibility for three meals on Saturday and two on Sunday. Each family unit will help purchase and prepare one or more vegetarian meals. All participants will help wash dishes after each meal and share in age appropriate community chores during the retreat.

The retreat will be held at the Charter Hall Retreat Center near Perryville, Maryland, about 75 miles from downtown Silver Spring.  

The Still Water MPC has established a sliding scale for our retreats so that all may attend:

You are welcome to contribute any amount between the limited-income contribution and the benefactor contribution (or more if you wish), in accord with the urgings of your heart and your means and circumstances.

With your contributions, Still Water MPC is better able to meet its financial obligations, support its teachers, develop new programs, create space for those with limited incomes, and offer no-cost community events. If contributing at even the limited-income level would be a hardship, please let us know and we will endeavor to make other arrangements with you.

NOTE: All contributed amounts above the Limited Income level are considered by the Still Water MPC to be voluntary, tax-deductible donations.

Space in the lodge is limited, so please register early.

Register now

For more information, please contact the retreat registrar, Ari, at arbaissa@gmail.com