Jhanas, Insight, and Dependent Origination
Online retreat
With Leigh Brasington and assisted by Claralynn Nunamaker
Friday, 31 May – Monday, 10 June
This retreat combines the two main elements of the Buddha’s model of liberation: cultivating the meditative absorptions (jhanas), which lead to calm and clarity; and using the concentrated mind to gain insight into the nature of reality.
We will explore the insight practices given in the famous Satipatthana Sutta and we will also delve extensively into the Buddha’s teaching of the dependent origination (paticca samuppada) of phenomena.
Experience required
Participants need to have completed two seven-night residential (or online) silent Insight Meditation retreats previously.
Teacher
LEIGH BRASINGTON has been practising meditation since 1985 and is the senior American student of the late Ven. Ayya Khema. Leigh began assisting Ven. Ayya Khema in 1994, and began teaching retreats on his own in 1997. He teaches in Europe and North America and is the author of the books Right Concentration: A Practical Guide to the Jhanas and Dependent Origination and Emptiness: Streams of Dependently Arising Processes Interacting. Find more information about Leigh’s teaching and schedule at leighb.com
Listen to one of Leigh Brasington's Talks given at Gaia House on 19.10.2013: Nibbana (and Q&A) (Duration 69:11)
Assisted by
CLARALYNN NUNAMAKER has been a practicing Buddhist since 1999 and studied under her main teacher, Leigh Brasington, since 2015. An active student of Pāli and spoken Sanskrit, she has taught 'Pāli for Practice' and leads a Pāli-inquisitive sutta study group. Understanding the foundational role of ethics led to writing a dissertation on the Mahā-Maṅgala Sutta for her MA in Buddhist Studies. She aligns with early Buddhist teachings and is deeply influenced by Ayya Khema and also Marshall Rosenberg. Claralynn serves as Director for the Scottish charity Friends of Early Buddhist Teachings and chair of Sakyadhita UK. Her website is crnunamaker.com.
Participation
The retreat is limited to 36 participants, enabling the teachers to meet individually three times with each retreatant for practice interviews. With spaces limited it is important that all registrants take full advantage of this unique offering so we encourage you to only book this retreat if you feel sure of being able to join, can commit to three one-to-one interviews with the teachers, and are also able to attend all the 11.00am and 8.00pm sessions.
Schedule
Friday, 31 May
8.00 pm — Opening session
Saturday, 1 June – Sunday, 9 June
wake up – 10.30 am — Morning individual meditation
11.00 am – 12.30 pm — Morning Instructions (Claralynn)
3.30 pm – 7.00 pm — Interviews (Leigh and Claralynn) or individual meditation
8.00 pm – 9.30 pm — Evening Dharma Talk (Leigh)
9.30 pm – sleep — Late night individual meditation
Monday, 10 June
11.00 am – 12.30 pm — Morning Instructions (Claralynn)
All times shown above are in British Summer Time (GMT+1)
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: £180 — £490 (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.
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 onlinecoordinator@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 Leigh and Claralynn at the end of the retreat.
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 ‘online Jhanas’ 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 ‘online Jhanas’ 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