The Miracle Of Being Alive — Still Water Easter Weekend Three-Day Practice Retreat

In Breathe, You Are Alive! Thich Nhat Hanh writes:

When you pour fresh juice into a glass and let it stand for fifteen minutes, all the pulp sinks down to the bottom of the glass. If you allow your body to sit in a relaxed, peaceful way, it calms your body and your mind. Sitting like this allows you to enjoy your in-breath and out-breath, to enjoy being alive, to enjoy sitting here. To enjoy your in-breath and out-breath is a miracle, the miracle of being alive. Just sit there and be yourself; don’t try to become someone else. Your thinking will stop. You will touch the wonders of life that are available in the here and the now. The period of sitting is time worth living.

The Still Water Easter Weekend Practice Retreat offers us the possibility of settling our bodies and minds and becoming more aware of the wonders of life in us and around us. During our three days together, we will give ourselves time for spiritual work: the integration of our minds, bodies, and spirits. The nurturing environment includes a supportive community of fellow practitioners and the quiet grounds of the Sanctuary Retreat Center, nestled in Montgomery County's agricultural preserve.

The retreat will be led by Mitchell Ratner, the Senior Teacher of the Still Water Mindfulness Practice Center, and by other experienced members of the Still Water community.

Retreat Schedule: We will gather on Friday evening for a silent pot-luck dinner and a sitting.

Saturday morning, after breakfast, we will break the silence for introductions and a short talk on practices for developing our mindfulness, concentration, and insight.

The rest of Saturday, all day Sunday, and early Monday will be periods of guided and self-guided formal sitting meditation, counsel and encuragement, group walking meditation, eating meditation, and time for mindful walks, naps, or exercise.

Late morning on Monday we will come out of our silence and share together our experiences, challenges, and insights. The retreat will end after lunch on Monday, about 1:30 p.m.

Location and Responsibilities: The retreat will be held at the Sanctuary Retreat Center in Beallsville, Maryland (about 33 miles from downtown Silver Spring).

ch retreatThe community will share responsibilities for the three meals on Saturday and Sunday and the two meals on Monday. Each participant will be assigned to a meal team which will purchase, silently prepare, and clean up after one or more meals. All participants will help wash dishes after each meal, as well as completing individually assigned community chores during the retreat. (All meals are vegetarian and we can usually accommodate dietary needs requests.)

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

We will be staying in the spacious and comfortable rooms of the Sanctuary Retreat Center. The suggested donation for the weekend is $300 per person; the benefactor donation is $400 per person; and the limited income donation is $220 per person. (Camping may be possible. Please contact us for more information.)

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. 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: The accommodations and expenses cost is $220 per person. All contributions above this amounts are considered to be voluntary, tax-deductible contributions.

Cancellation policy: If the registrant cancels 8 days or more before the event, the entire amount will be refunded. If the registrant cancels 7 days or fewer before the event, 75% of the amount paid will be refunded.

Questions? Please contact the Retreat Registrar, Gary Stone, at garold.stone "at" gmail.com or 301-509-0983.