Insight Retreat in the Netherlands with Shaila Catherine – May 4-14
May 4, 2018
Insight Meditation Retreat
Theme: Strategies for Overcoming Distracting Thoughts
Mental restlessness is an insidious and pervasive hindrance that all practitioners struggle to overcome. We can refine our skills for working with the modes of thinking that distract us from being mindful: critical thoughts, planning, worrying, lustful thoughts, judging, memories, internal commentaries, to name a few. The teachings on this retreat will present a sequence of strategies for dealing with obstructive mental patterns; these progressive instructions are found in two discourses in the Middle Length Discourses, (suttas 19 and 20). Practitioners will be encouraged to develop a mindfulness-based meditation practice, while exploring these strategies for overcoming distractions.
Prerequisite: Participants must have some previous insight meditation experience. This requirement may be satisfied either by having attended at least one insight meditation retreat of five days or longer, or by having an established daily meditation practice of mindfulness or insight meditation for more than one year.
Attendance Requirement: Participants are asked to arrive at the start of the retreat, and depart at the end of the retreat. Please do not register for this retreat if you expect to arrive late or depart early. Fees are based on the full retreat; if a situation arises that requires an early departure, fees will not be reduced or refunded.
Preparation: Please read the following two discourses prior to the retreat. You may wish to bring a print out to the retreat for your personal reference.
Location: This retreat will take place in Loenen, which is in central part of Netherlands. See the Sangha-Metta website for details about retreat, location, registration, and fees.