Coming Together When There Are Differences: Inner and Outer Tools (DR1M21)

Registration closes at 9:00 a.m. (Pacific Time) on May 7, 2021. A waiting list will be created if the program fills early.  A video recording will not be available for this program. Continuing Education Credits? – see below.

Description:
Differences with others about views and strategies can be challenging, whether in close relationships, the workplace, political polarization, or relationships between ethnic groups. Such differences may lead to frustration, despair, anger, and even violence.

In this retreat, we will offer core principles and practices for working with differences, through talks, meditations, and exercises. Rooted in the Buddha’s Middle Way and his understanding of views, the contemporary work of peacemakers and a vision of non-dual “conflict transformation,” and wise speech practice (including resources from Nonviolent Communication), we will approach differences as opportunities for empathy, learning, reconciliation, steadiness, trust, and compassion.

All are welcome! No one will be turned away for lack of funds as space allows. For more information, please email Registration@spiritrock.org.

Please note: If you are interested in receiving continuing education credits (CECs), you must register and pay for CECs prior to the start of the program (no retroactive CECs will be given).

Continuing Education (CE) credit available:
This program offers 12 CE credits for $120 for psychologists, health & wellness coaches, and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, and nurses, licensed by the APA, NBHWC, California BBS, or BRN.*

Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public.

Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
At the end of the program you will better able to:

• Demonstrate to clients a model of working with differences to clarify the dynamics of repetitive conflicts about differences;
• Describe how mindfulness of dynamics about differences is key to working skillfully with differences;
• Describe how skill in working with difficult emotions, such as fear and anger, is key to skill in working with differences and transforming conflicts;
• Describe how compassion practices may be used when working with challenging people or situations;
• Describe how working through attachments to one’s views is key to skillful work with differences;
• Describe how differences between people and/or groups can be opportunities for learning and transformation;
• Describe how conflicts can helpfully be defined in terms of differences of intentions, goals, and values, rather than necessarily involving hostility or aggression;
• Describe some of the reasons why being with differences and conflicts are hard for many people, and how knowing this is a step towards resolving discord..

Continuing Education content level: Intermediate

Daily Schedule: (Times are listed in Pacific time)
Full attendance at entire program is required for CEC participants.

Friday, May 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
10 a.m. – Welcome and logistics. sitting meditation with instructions.
10:25 a.m. – Session #1: Overview of the three days and the approach.
11:30 a.m. – Walking meditation with instructions/at-home practice.
12 p.m. – Sitting meditation.
12:15 p.m. – Session #2: Examining one’s attitudes and conditioning about differences and conflict.
1 p.m. – Lunch/at-home practice.
2 p.m. – Qigong.
2:15 p.m. – Sitting meditation. Lovingkindness practice.
2:35 p.m. – Session #3: The Ladder of Inference: Talk, exercise, discussion.
3:10 p.m. – Walking meditation/at-home practice.
3:30 p.m. – Sitting meditation.
3:40 p.m. – Session #4: Resources for non-dual conflict transformation from the Buddha and contemporary peacemakers. Talk, exercises.
5:00 p.m. End of the day.

Saturday, May 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
10 a.m. – Check-ins, discussion.
10:10 a.m. – Session #1. Working with difficult emotions, thoughts, and bodily experiences.
11:30 a.m. – Walking meditation/at-home practice.
12 p.m. – Sitting meditation.
12:20 p.m. – Session #2. Further practicing with challenging emotions, thoughts, and bodily experiences.
1 p.m. – Lunch.
2 p.m. – Qigong.
2:15 p.m. – Sitting meditation. Lovingkindness, compassion practice.
2:30 p.m. – Session #3: Wise speech and empathy practice.
3:20 p.m. – Walking meditation/at-home practice.
3:40 p.m. – Sitting meditation.
3:50 p.m. – Session #4. Positions, interests, needs: Talk and exercises.
5:00 p.m. – End of the day.

Sunday, May 9, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
10 a.m. – Check-ins, discussion.
10:10 a.m. – Sitting meditation with instructions.
10:25 a.m. – Session #1: Working with social differences and conflicts: An overview. Talk, film, discussion.
11:30 a.m. – Walking meditation/at-home practice.
11:45 a.m. – Session #2: The Work That Reconnects: Core perspectives and practices.
1 p.m. – Lunch.
2 p.m. – Qigong.
2:15 p.m. – Sitting meditation.
2:20 p.m. – Session #3: The Work That Reconnects (cont.): Exercise, discussion.
2:50 p.m. – Walking meditation.
3:10 p.m. – Sitting meditation.
3:20 p.m. – Session #4: Connecting with our own real-life conflicts: Exercises, discussion. Integration, evaluation of the three days.
5:00 p.m. – End of the day and the retreat.

*Please note:

• For those with a different license or with a license from a different licensing board, please contact your licensing board directly to ask if CE credit from the above-approved sponsors is accepted. Spirit Rock does not confirm applicability of credit for those with licenses different than those listed above. Spirit Rock is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16905 for 12 contact hours.
• Credit is awarded for instructional time only and does not include extended silent meditation, if offered.

*For full Provider information, and additional CEC information, including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.