Bhante Vimalaramsi – “Metta” (Loving Kindness) and “Vipassana” (Insight) Retreat
The Buddha taught an ‘easy to understand’ practice that was comfortable, light and fun to learn. It leads you down the noble path to understand the true teaching.
This teaching has both “Metta” (Loving Kindness) and “Vipassana” (Insight) weaved into the practice. Lay people can practice his antidote for suffering to manage the challenges they face in today’s world. By changing our minds, we change our life.
Bhante Vimalaramsi takes you on a journey to experience a way out of much of the suffering you face today. Come and listen to a gentle voice read from the Buddha’s own words. Begin to see what Buddha Gotama experienced in his own meditation and why he said, “We are the happy ones!”. Learn about the Buddha’s measure for your own successful meditation. Reclaim your own internal peace and smile.
Bhante Vimalaramsi will be assisted in the retreat by Ven. Khanti Khema.
Some preliminary details:
- The number of seats is very limited. So please register soon.
- As per retreat rules, no dinner is served. If some students need to have dinner for medical reasons, that is okay. But let us know when you register.
- All participants must report on Saturday, Feb 23. Bhante Vimalaramsi insists that everybody should stay for at least 7 days. So if people need to leave early, they can do so on March 3rd instead of March 5th. This option should be used sparingly and with judgement, after informing us in advance.
About the teachers:
Bhante Vimalaramsi is a distinguished American Buddhist monk with more than 40 years practice in meditation. He is a highly respected meditation teacher and leads retreats in North America, Asia, and Europe. Bhante is founder and abbot of the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center near St. Louis, Missouri. He is intersted in practicing meditation by going back the the earliest Buddhist Suttas to find out what the Buddha really taught. He uses the Majjhima Nikaya as his basis for teaching the “Mindfulness of Metta” and the Brahmaviharas, that lead to the realization of Nibbana.
Sasana Dipika Khanti Khema was ordained by Ven Vimalaramsi in 2006. She is a co-founder of UIBDS & Dhamma Sukha Meditation Centre. She works full time for the Buddha Dhamma across the world & runs retreats, giving on-line/in person retreats, giving talks, supported research, writing articles & editing books.
The Retreat Schedule:
Saturday, Feb 23 – Arrival at Deer Park. Registration will begin after 8AM.
Saturday, Feb 23 – Evening opening talk will include site orientation, guidlines for retreat, and basic instruction. An evening snack/early dinner is provided on registration day.
Sunday, Feb 24 – Retreat Begins. (Daily interviews starting on Feb 25th) Tuesday,Mar 5 – Retreat Ends
5:00 AM – Wake up 5:30 AM – 3 Refuges, Precepts and Dhammapada Reading
5:45 AM – Group Sitting Meditation
7:00 AM – Breakfast
8:30 AM – Sitting and Walking Meditation
11:00 AM – Lunch
1:30 PM – Sitting and Walking Meditation
5:30 PM – Tea time
6:00 PM – Dhamma Talk
8:00 PM – Post Dhamma Talk walking and meditation
10:00 PM – Sleep time
Tuesday, Mar 5 – Retreat ends at 9 am, after morning service, meditation and breakfast.
Texts used:
Majjhima Nikaya – Bhikkhu Bodhi’s translation. Participants will be given a booklet containing the meditation instructions, sutta excerpts and other material.