Turning Away from Conflict and Cultivating Harmony
Online retreat
With Tony O’Connor
Friday 28 June – Sunday 30 June
Drawing on the Buddha’s teaching on the causes that lead to ‘conflicts, quarrels and disputes’ and the six warm-hearted qualities beneficial to ‘inclusion, harmony and unity’ we will experientially explore how our reaction to the affective feeling tone of our sensory experience impacts our behaviour, and how the cultivation of these wholesome qualities can support more freedom and peace in our lives and in the world we inhabit.
Suitability
The retreat is suitable for anyone with some familiarity with mindfulness and/or meditation practice.
Teacher
TONY O'CONNOR has been practicing meditation since the mid 90's in both the Insight Meditation and Korean Seon traditions, trained under the guidance of Martine Batchelor and completed the Bodhi College Dharma Teacher Training Programme. He is interested in exploring how Dharma teachings can be integrated into our daily lives and inform the issues of our time.Format & schedule
We ask that you commit to attending the retreat as fully as your circumstances allow.
The Dharma reflections and guided meditations will be recorded and made available via the noticeboard, allowing you to catch up on any teaching missed.
Friday
19:30 — Opening session
Saturday
07:15 — Meditation
08:00 — Breakfast
10:00 — Morning practice and reflections
12:30 — Lunch
14:45 — Guided meditation
15:30 — Afternoon Practice and Contemplative Exercise
17:30 — Tea
19:30 — Evening practice and reflections
21:00 — Session ends
Sunday
07:15 — Meditation
08:00 — Breakfast
10:00 — Morning practice and reflections
12:30 — Lunch
14:45 — Guided meditation
15:30 — Afternoon practice and reflections with Q&R
17:00 — Closing session
18:00 — Retreat ends
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 Tony at the end of the retreat.
Click here to read more about the practice of dana.
Dana can be offered to Tony through the Gaia House website. Please click on Teacher and then specify that your donation is for ‘turning away’ in the notes section on the checkout page.
Dana can also be offered to Gaia House. To donate please click here and specify that your donation is for ‘online turning away’ 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 meditation
Before you book, please read these guidelines about mental well-being and silent online meditation practice:
Meditation can be very nourishing; however, as it requires sustained practice, it 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 online meditation sessions. 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 us.
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
Turning Away from Conflict and Cultivating Harmony
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.