Silent River Retreat
T his retreat takes place in silence with certain dietary restrictions designed to support the process of cleansing the body and the mind.
The emphasis is on cultivating concentration and mindfulness through sitting meditation and chi gung. It is a foundation course in stillness and chi gung with the potential to offer a lifetime of practical application in personal practice.
I gained so much from these six days. It seems like it lasted weeks. The difference in atmosphere and energy was profound and it was a delight to spend time with all the group.
Ordinarily the mind operates within a certain range. We behave and react according to our habitual patterns of thinking, feeling and moving. We engage with what is going on around us and habitually take part in the process of cause and effect: I am feeling happy because of this or I am feeling sad because of that. A seemingly endless range of thinking, feeling and moving activities that give rise to constant analysis and inner dialogue. Our world becomes constructed of ideas and reactions and habit patterns and we take this as the truth.
Finding tranquility begins by recognising the inner noise and taking steps to concentrate the mind so that it is less distracted. The first stage of the retreat will deal with this aspect: arriving at a measure of silence and inner stillness. This inner stillness permits us then to refine the mind’s attention. Whereas ordinarily we are concerned with the matters of our inner and outer world, now the opportunity arises to gain insight into the underlying quality of mind and the materiality of the body.During the course of the process, the mind begins to open up. Having found a new measure of silence and tranquility the opportunity arises for the mind to reveal latent phenomena which could not be dealt with ordinarily. In a higher state of concentration and mindfulness it becomes possible to begin the deeper healing process that so many of us need in order to make real progress toward finding happiness.
This retreat will empahsise the daily life application of this process. We will work in order that the mind does indeed engage what would be ordinarily troublesome phenomena-memories, physical discomfort-whatever might arise in the individual mind. Engaging them in these circumstances allows us to reflect that daily life constantly throws up challenges to our tranquility. With the experience of having dealt with the process of releasing troublesome phenomena that were previously hidden in the subconscious, dealing with daily life issues becomes easier because we have deeper experience that is not seated in personality but in direct perception.
There will be 6-8 hours of daily practice divided between sitting meditation, moving chi gung and chi yoga. Specific chi gung sets will include cloud hands and the northern star as well as movements and occassional music designed to help the process of releasing stagnant chi.
'Tourné is a very special place, a place where the sound of the trees and the river can be heard, the voices within can go quiet and reflection comes naturally.'
Yoga asana will focus on ground forms that will incorporate the deepening stillness of the mind and will be guided at an energetic rather than a form level-hence ‘chi yoga’. Participants will have the opportunity to take what they have learnt in sitting meditation and apply it to releasing stagnant chi through very soft yoga postures.
Participants can expect to deepen their insight into mindfulness, its importance and how to cultivate it for the puproses of clarity and health.
Chi gung or yoga practitioners will benefit from the deeper levels of clarity that become accessible through this kind of deep and sustained practice.
The retreat is open to beginners and advanced students. All will benefit as instructions and practice, although guided throughout, will offer each individual the opportunity to work at their own pace.During this one week retreat there will be plenty of opportunity to explore and enjoy this very special venue and surrounding countryside and also enjoy the benefits of delicious home cooked organic food.
When's the next retreat taking place?
19th – 26th April 2008 in Tourné, France
More information about the venue
