Empowering Kindness
Online retreat livestreamed from Gaia House
With Zohar Lavie and Nathan Glyde assisted online by Monica Antunes
Friday, 9 August – Saturday, 17 August
Mettā is a powerful and beautiful way of approaching life. It is often translated as friendliness or kindness, and represents an expression of limitless goodwill. Living this way requires a radical departure from the biological and cultural norms that shape us, but it is achievable. Each step we take towards this liberating perspective reduces stress and enhances our well-being, providing resources for the next step. Throughout this retreat, we will explore the potential of mettā to free the heart-mind from its habitual patterns and cultivate boundless well-being.
Experience required
This retreat is suitable for all levels of experience.
Format
This retreat allows us to join with those on retreat at Gaia House as we join the Meditation Hall to practice together. As online participants we will have a window into Gaia House and be viewing and listening to the teachers at the front of the Meditation Hall.
- The retreat can be attended, if your circumstances allow, as fully as if in the house, the teachers encourage attendance, as a minimum, for the three main teaching sessions each day — although these will be recorded if you need to miss one or to enable you to join from a different time zone
- Small group meetings with the teachers will be offered for those online
- Recordings of the main sessions and any resources will be shared on an online retreat noticeboard
- Questions can be asked by using a form on the noticeboard or, if time allows, during the livestreamed session
Teacher
ZOHAR LAVIE has been practising meditation in different traditions since 1995. This journey has taken her from the meditation cushion into exploring further ways of expressing truth and love and in 2004 she co-founded SanghaSeva. She now spends most of her time facilitating retreats that offer service as a spiritual path around the world. Since 2006 she has been teaching on silent retreats and Dharma gatherings in India, Europe and Israel.Listen to one of Zohar Lavie’s Talks from the Meeting Uncertainty with Wisdom and Courage: Perennial Teachings for a Changing World retreat on 07.06/2021: Anicca Brings Possibilities (Duration 40:35)
NATHAN GLYDE has been practicing and studying meditation since 1997, and sharing teachings on retreats since 2007. In 2004 he co-founded SanghaSeva whose retreats emphasise wisdom and compassion in ecological and humanitarian service.
Listen to one of Nathan Glyde’s Talks given at Gaia House on 15.12.20: Anattā and Mettā (Duration 45:31)
MONICA ANTUNES has been practicing Buddhist meditation in Burma and the West since 2008 and has been invited to teach in 2017 under the guidance of Guy Armstrong and Rob Burbea. She also teaches mindfulness in the context of humanitarian interventions for child protection, works as a Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy trainer at OTIUM Cancer Centre in Geneva, Switzerland and supports medical research.Format
This retreat allows us to join with those on retreat at Gaia House as we join the Meditation Hall to practice together. As online participants we will have a window into Gaia House and be viewing and listening to the teachers at the front of the Meditation Hall.
- The retreat can be attended, if your circumstances allow, as fully as if in the house, the teachers encourage attendance, as a minimum, for the three main teaching sessions each day — although these will be recorded if you need to miss one or to enable you to join from a different time zone
- Small group meetings with the teachers will be offered for those online
- Recordings of the main sessions and any resources will be shared on an online retreat noticeboard
- Questions can be asked by using a form on the noticeboard or, if time allows, during the livestreamed session
Although all efforts have been made to ensure that live-streaming is possible from Gaia House, we are in a rural location and at times there can be a loss of connectivity.
Recordings of the essential sessions from the house will be made available at a later time and we will endeavour to provide short recordings for participants to practice with for the duration of any time whilst the connectivity is down.
Schedule
All times shown are in Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
The schedule will follow that of the house and full details will be made available nearer the time. The daily schedule runs from around 6.25 am – 9.15 pm and you are welcome to join all or any of the sessions during the day (please stay for the whole session).
We would encourage your intention to commit to attending the three essential sessions of the day preferably live, but if your situation does not allow this it would be beneficial to listen to the recording at a later time. The times of these sessions will be circa:
9.30 am — Morning instructions
2.30 pm — Guided meditation
7.00 pm — Evening Dharma talk
The retreat will finish at approximately 12 pm on Saturday.
Using Zoom
This online retreat will use the Zoom platform. For support with learning how to use Zoom, please click here to read the guidance we’ve put together on our website. Please read the first section, ‘Using Zoom’, before registering.
Enquiries
If you have any questions regarding the retreat, you can send an email to info@gaiahouse.co.uk.
Dana/generosity
None of your registration fee goes to the teachers. Gaia House teachers rely on the generosity of students for their livelihood. There will be an opportunity to make a dana offering to Zohar and Nathan at the end of the retreat.
Click here to read more about the practice of dana.
To offer dana to Zohar and Nathan, please go via Nathan and Zohar’s website: https://www.dependentorigination.org/support/
You can use PayPal, international credit or debit cards, and bank transfer. You may also offer dana via the Gaia House website by clicking here. Please click on Teacher and then specify that your donation is for ‘Empowering – online’ in the notes section on the checkout page.
Dana can also be offered to Gaia House. To make a donation please click here and specify that your donation is for ‘Empowering – online’ in the notes section on the checkout page. Your support is greatly appreciated and helps us to continue offering the teachings of the Dharma from our centre in Devon and online.
With deep appreciation for your generosity.
Well-being and online retreats
Before you book, please read these guidelines about mental well-being and silent online retreats:
Meditation retreats can be very nourishing; however, as they require sustained meditation practice, they also need some stability of psychological health. If you have recently (within the past year or so) experienced significant trauma or psychiatric illness, or if you are currently experiencing acute emotional distress such as serious depression or anxiety, it may not be the best time for you to participate in a retreat. The teachers might not be able to give you the kind of individual psychological care you need at this time. A setting with more opportunities for interpersonal engagement may be more appropriate.
- If you are currently under the care of a mental health professional, please discuss your attendance with them. You should be in a relatively stable period of mental well-being and have adequate psychological resilience.
- If you have any questions about this, please contact Laura using the email address, retreatmanager@gaiahouse.co.uk
Preparing for the retreat
We suggest that you have in mind your plan for the days of our retreat. For example, will you be:- Maintaining silence?
- Continuing with/doing additional sitting and walking meditation?
- Cultivating an attitude of retreat throughout?
Creating a retreat environment
- Find a quiet and comfortable space to practice and make it as pleasant and welcoming as you can
- If you like, you can arrange a small altar with candles, flowers, or altar objects near you
- You may like to keep a small candle burning throughout the day as this helps to remind us that we are practising on retreat
- We want to create a space that feels like we are with each other as much as possible. Even though we are not together physically, arriving on time is still important. Settle in and prepare your space and yourself before each session begins.
- Whilst we are online together, don’t multitask. Turn off your other devices and any other programs you have been using. Engage with the session and teachings offered just as you would on a retreat you attend in a retreat centre. Give yourself this time to be present and awake.
- Consider how you are going to use the time between our online sessions and try to keep life as simple and free from distractions as possible
Practicalities
- Arrange your computer or device so you can see and hear well
- Make sure you have easy access to the schedule and Zoom links and arrive on time for all the sessions you can attend
- If you have to miss any sessions, please check the noticeboard to access recordings of the missed sessions
- Think about where you might go to practice any walking meditation
- Shop before the retreat if you can so that you don’t have to do this during the retreat. Planning meals in advance may also be helpful
- Think about disengaging from unnecessary conversations and interactions: explain to any other people in your household what you will be doing and discuss how they can support you
Online: Empowering Kindness livestream
A note on dana/generosity
None of your registration fee goes to the teacher(s). Gaia House teachers rely on the generosity of students for their livelihood. There will be an opportunity to make a dana offering to your teacher(s) at the end of the event.
To register for this retreat:
- Please look at the rates listed below and enter the amount appropriate to you in the amount box.
- Then complete the registration form.
- Please read our Booking & cancellation conditions before completing your booking.
Rates:
Registration is on a sliding-scale starting at £0. Please consider paying at the highest rate that you are able to. Your generosity is vital in supporting Gaia House to sustain its Dharma offerings for the benefit of all.We are committed to ensuring that our programme is available to everyone who wishes to participate. If our suggested registration band is too high for you, you can enter the amount you are able to pay.
Registration: £160 — £432 (if this amount is too high, please feel welcome to pay what is appropriate for your current circumstances)
Dānanandi Sangha: £0 As a regular donor to Gaia House you are contributing already. Thank you.