Compassion in the Time of Corona: An Online Householder Retreat

For many of us, bringing mindfulness into our daily lives is a significant challenge. Even when we get a taste of clarity while on retreat, our insight and resolve tend to weaken in the busyness of our multi-tasking lives.

This “bookend” householder retreat is specifically designed to address this disheartening practice dilemma. It is an ideal context in which to integrate a meaningful meditation practice into the flow of our everyday lives. 

Alone together in our own and shared worlds we will learn how to frame the day and intersperse moments of mindfulness practice throughout, in real time and in good company with others. 

The Buddha offered a range of meditation approaches to deal with ever-changing conditions and unpredictable worldly winds. How can meditation practice be of support during this precarious time, with fear and anxiety and uncertainty running high?

Together we will explore compassion practices and the four exertions, which emphasize cultivating wholesome states and letting go of unwholesome states of mind. It may be of benefit to move these practices to center stage at this challenging time. 

Over one full week, two practice periods bookend each day, in the morning and in the evening, with a block of practice on each weekend day. This leaves the weekday afternoons as a time to attend to the activities and commitments of a normal week.

The schedule for this retreat offering is as follows (all times are Eastern):

Sunday  7:00 - 9:00 pm, Opening Talk and Meditation; Sitting, Standing, Walking

Monday - Friday  10:30 - 11:15 am, Guided Meditation (the online daily BCBS sit)  11:15-11:45 am, Group Discussion and Instruction  7:00 - 8:00 pm, Meditation and Daily Wrap-up

Saturday  10:30 - 1:00 pm, Meditation and Closing Discussion 

To receive the full benefit of this retreat, participants are encouraged to attend as many sessions as possible. This strengthens the continuity of your own practice and the sense of togetherness as a community.

With this in mind, all sessions will be recorded, so that those who miss a period can view the recording at a later time.

This retreat will be offered from the meditation hall at the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS).

REGISTER through the BCBS website

This will be a Dana retreat only. All contributions received will go to BCBS, donations can be made here.