Reaching IN and Reaching OUT with Dori Langevin

“Do No Harm, Act for the Good, Purify the Mind.” Grounded in these words of the Buddha from we will turn inward to explore feeling tone, known as vedanā in his teachings as a crucial intervention in the cycle of suffering, and how purifying the mindstream is the necessary preparation to speak and act with wisdom and compassion.

Vedanā or feeling tone is the quality of pleasant, unpleasant or neutral that arises with every bodily sensation, sound, sight, smell, taste, thought or emotion.
We will begin the retreat with establishing embodied presence through qigong movement practice as the scaffolding for being mindful of strong vedanā. This is the Reaching IN aspect of purification of mind-heart.

Reaching OUT includes knowing our moment-to-moment mind state and intentions and if skillful words and action are possible; whether we are attached to views/opinions or caught in habitual reactivity; and whether it is the time for action or the time for contemplation.

It is not the intention of this retreat to debate or define wise action for anyone, but to provide the opportunity to practice in sacred community and be nourished by these practices of awakening that we may reach out in wisdom and compassion in widening circles to the world.

Essential prerequisites: Curiosity, vulnerability, honesty, openness, and willingness to be playful and patient with all that arises from within, and to hold ourselves and each other with mercy to the best of our ability moment to moment.

Please bring a delicious lunch to enjoy and while you are eating, notice strong, pleasant feeling tone that does not need to unfold into wanting more, but can generate the heart-blessing of gratitude and interconnectedness with all beings whose effort and energy is present in the food.

Potluck Saturday night after the retreat; location TBA.
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