Heavenly Messengers: Awakening through Illness, Aging and Death (236R21)

Registration open until the end of the day (Pacific Time) on January 24, 2021. A waiting list will be created if the retreat fills early.

Retreat Description:
The Buddha called sickness, aging, and death “Heavenly Messengers” because they can powerfully guide us toward awakening. At this retreat we’ll learn to open our hearts and minds to all aspects of life, including the Heavenly Messengers. This opening cultivates the awareness, acceptance, and nourishing wisdom needed to meet life’s inevitable changes with more ease. Learning to embrace impermanence helps us embody the awakened heart-mind that holds our fears, vulnerabilities, and sorrows in wisdom, compassion, and peace. Practices for meeting suffering and fear with mindfulness and lovingkindness will be taught daily.

The simultaneous public health, social justice, environmental and political crises we currently face are also Heavenly Messengers.

This retreat will be an inspiring and powerful opportunity to develop a more accepting relationship with change and death. This new relationship to change brings more freedom to enjoy life and a fresh appreciation for this precious moment.

This “workshop-style” retreat will be held in morning and evening silence, with interactive exercises each afternoon.

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

General Daily Schedule (for middle days of retreat; schedule subject to change; times are Pacific Time)
Note: Opening Day starts at 9:00 a.m. and Closing Day starts at 5:45 a.m.
5:45am – 6:30am Sitting Meditation (Self-Guided)
6:30am – 7:30am Break
7:30am – 8:30am Sitting Meditation with Instructions, Q and A
8:30am – 9:15am Walking Meditation OR Small Group Practice Meeting (For Some)
9:15am – 10:00am Sitting Meditation
10:00am – 10:45am  Walking Meditation OR Small Group Practice Meeting (For Some)
10:45am – 11:30am Sitting Meditation
11:30am – 1:30pm Break
1:30pm – 2:00pm Sitting Meditation
2:00pm – 4:00pm  Interactive session
4:00pm – 4:30pm Sitting Meditation
4:30pm – 5:45pm  Break
5:45pm – 6:30pm Dharma Talk
6:30  Further Practice or Sleep