Illuminating the Inner Critic
Online weekend retreat
With Laura Bridgman and Gavin Milne
Friday, 6 September – Sunday, 8 September
The ‘inner critic’ is a term used in popular psychology to describe the inner pattern that is judgmental, comparing, and demeaning. It is usually experienced as an inner voice attacking us, producing feelings of wrongness, shame, inadequacy, and doubt. It can plague our life, and become an ongoing source of painful inner and outer conflict.
From a developmental perspective, the inner critic is trying to help us, and keep us safe. But it fails us as adults, since many of the messages it learned as we grew up are flawed and/or out of date. It remains as a never ending pattern of control and reactivity in response to the constantly changing world, never allowing us to settle or be at peace. It is a major obstacle to the path of practice because it doesn’t allow us to simply be as we are. According to its narrative we always ‘should’ be another way, so it tempts us away from being fully present to our body and mind, which is the foundation of compassion, wisdom and insight.
The Buddha described this “fault-finding mind” as different to healthy discernment and judgement – the ways in which we can differentiate between what is wholesome and unwholesome.
As we inquire into how this pattern shows up for us we discover ways of transforming our relationship to it.
Our intention is to draw on contemporary and psychological understanding in a way that supports the aims and unfolding of the path of Dharma practice. This tenacious pattern is pointed to clearly in the Buddha’s teachings, and modern understanding can help further illuminate how it manifests in our lives, with our conditioning at this time in history.
Please note: this page is for the weekend retreat only. An alternative option is to follow the retreat with 6 evening sessions that will further your exploration of the Inner Critic pattern. The weekend retreat and 6-week course can be booked as a combined offering here.
Experience required
An established insight meditation practice will be assumed, ideally having attended a silent retreat (either online or in person). The material can be evocative, so please consider your own needs alongside the inquiry practice guidelines before signing up for the course.
Teachers
LAURA BRIDGMAN was a Buddhist nun in the Theravada tradition from 1995 to 2015. Her main teachers within this school have been Ajahn Sumedho, Ajahn Sucitto and Sayadaw U Tejaniya. She has been offering retreats since 2007, most recently mainly at Gaia House where she is also the staff support teacher. Her practice orientation is the Buddha’s teaching of the Five Spiritual Faculties (trust, balanced effort, mindfulness, composure and wisdom). Alongside her Vipassana (Insight) practice she is a student of the Diamond Approach (Ridhwan).
GAVIN MILNE has been practicing the Dharma since 2004 and teaching since 2015. He is especially interested in the role and relevance of these teachings towards the individual, relational and societal transformations being called for in this era. And as such embracing and exploring practice in all areas of our life.Format
The course will begin with this online practice weekend, introducing and establishing the meditative relational practice of inquiry – carried out in groups of 3. This practice is particularly useful for illuminating the inner critic pattern. The weekend will also be available as a stand-alone weekend, so not all attendees will attend the following course.
The weekend can be followed by a 6 week course (held on Thursday evenings UK time), where we will run through materials and inquiries for the inner critic, and how it presents itself in our day to day life, and you can book the retreat and 6 evening sessions as a combined offering here.
Schedule
Online weekend retreat
(subject to change)
Friday 6 September
7.00 – 8.30pm — Opening session
Saturday 7 September
11.00 am — Meditation / movement
1.00 – 3.00 pm — Session 1
5.00 – 7.00 pm — Session 2
9.00 – 9.30pm — Meditation
Sunday 8 September
11.00 am — Meditation / movement
1.00 – 3.00pm — Session 3
5.00 -7.00 pm — Closing session
The read more about the combined retreat and 6-week follow-on course, please visit here.
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 Laura and Gavin during the course.
Click here to read more about the practice of dana.
Dana can be offered to the teachers via the Gaia House website. Please click on Teacher and then specify that your donation is for ‘inner critic – 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 as above, that your donation is for ‘inner critic – 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: Illuminating the Inner Critic (retreat only)
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: £44 — £118 (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.