The Buddha’s Enduring Counsel: Still Water 2021 Fall Practice Retreat

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The Buddha’s Enduring Counsel on Mindfully Engaging with the Past, the Future, and the Present Moment

To live alone means to live in mindfulness. It does not mean to isolate oneself from society. If we know the better way to live alone, we can be in real touch with people and society, and we will know what to do and what not to do to be of help. — Thich Nhat Hanh

Though it has been more than two millennia since the Buddha lived, our everyday struggles are very similar to those he encountered: How can we live so we are not burdened by our memories, regrets and sorrows; not overwhelmed by fears and worries about the future; and not preoccupied in the present moment by fleeting pleasures and unhelpful thoughts and beliefs? The Buddha directly addressed these issues in a short discourse known as the Bhaddekaratta Sutta — The Sutra on Knowing the Better Way to Live Alone.

We will begin our Still Water Online Retreat with instruction and encouragement for settling deeply into the present moment throughout the retreat. Then we will explore the discourse and the underlying practices through guided and silent meditations, short Dharma talks, group sharings, mindful movements, and mindfully engaging in the activities of everyday life. The retreat schedule will alternate periods of being together in a Zoom meeting and offline periods of being on our own for meals, walking meditation, mindful exercise, and other personal practices,

The retreat will be led by Dharma Teacher Mitchell Ratner and by other experienced members of the Still Water community. We welcome participants who have little meditation experience, as well as long-​time practitioners.

The retreat begins at 7 pm on Friday evening and ends at 12:30 on Sunday afternoon. We encourage all participants to reduce their outside commitments, as at a retreat center, so that they can fully participate and benefit from each of the retreat activities. 

Dana

The Still Water MPC is a religious nonprofit organization that depends on voluntary donations for its continued existence. With your contributions, the Still Water MPC is able to meet its financial obligations, support its teachers, develop new programs, enable participation by those with limited incomes, and offer no-cost community events.

You are invited to make a tax-deductible donation to Still Water that is in accord with the urgings of your heart and your means and circumstances. The amounts below are offered as guidelines.

• The suggested donation for this retreat is $125 per person.

• The benefactor donation is $250 or more per person.

Questions?

We hope you can join us in this retreat. If you have questions, please contact the Retreat Registrar, Gary Stone, at garold.stone "at" gmail.com or (301) 509-0983 voice/text.

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