Insight Meditation South Bay

Retreat in Georgia | Insights into Emptiness
2024-11-07 - 2024-11-17 | Calvin Center, 13550 Woolsey Road, Hampton, GA, 30228
Insights into Emptiness: Meditations on the Six Senses
A 10-day meditation retreat with Shaila Catherine
November 7 – 17, 2024
at Calvin Center, 13550 Woolsey Road, Hampton, GA 30228
(near Atlanta, GA)

The retreat begins with registration from 2:30 – 4:00 pm on Nov 7. The retreat ends around noon, before lunch on November 17.
Partial attendance may be possible, but it must begin on the first day of the retreat and priority will be given to those registering for the full retreat.
This retreat will develop insight meditation practices using the structure of the six sense bases.
We will cultivate mindfulness of sensory experience, and contemplate the impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and not-self characteristics in contact with seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching, and mental activities. By clearly seeing the emptiness of lived phenomena, habitual patterns fall away, the causes of suffering cease, and there can be a genuine awakening—a realization of nibbana.
This silent retreat is structured with alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, dhamma teachings, and teacher consultations. It is intended for meditators who are already familiar with mindfulness based practice, and have previously attended at least one week long silent residential insight meditation retreat.
SITE FEATURES: This retreat will be held at the Calvin Center in Georgia. It is a lovely and quiet retreat center in the country side that boasts a small lake and opportunities for canoeing when weather permits. It is conveniently situated about 45-minutes from Atlanta’s airport. You will enjoy the benefits of natural beauty, a spacious meditation hall, comfortable accommodations, delicious meals, access to walking trails, and the chance for mindful canoeing.
COVID PRECAUTIONS: Please read our page on COVID Measures and Compliance Requirements. This will explain the measures we are taking to prevent the spread of illness, and the actions that will be required of retreat participants.
Register now! Space is limited.
Participants who are traveling from afar might need to check flight times carefully, and if necessary arrange to stay in a hotel the night before the retreat. Early-arrival accommodations are not available at this retreat center, and we must depart shortly after noon on the closing day.
TO REGISTER: Please use the online form at the link below to submit your registration and waiver forms.

Registration Form: https://www.imsb.org/form-calvin2024/

This form will take approximately 20 minutes to fill out. Upon completion of the form you will receive an email with details for completing your payment. You have the option of paying the non-refundable deposit of $250 or the full retreat payment either by mailing a check to the registrar or by making a Zelle bank transfer. The address and account information for making this payment will be included in the registration confirmation email.

Details of our cancellation policy are on the registration form.

The retreat facility is somewhat handicapped accessible. Accommodations include comfortable hotel-style rooms with ensuite baths, and dorm-style cabins and lodges. See the application form for accommodation details.
COST: 10 nights (includes accommodation and meals), plus a donation to the teachers at the end of retreat.

Full retreat for single occupancy: 10 nights is $3,000 – $2,200 sliding scale (estimated actual cost for single is $2500)
Double occupancy sliding scale: $2500 – $1900 (estimated actual cost for double occupancy is $2200)

Fee covers only accommodations, food, and basic administrative expenses. There will be an opportunity at the end of the retreat to make a donation to the teacher.
The estimated actual per-person cost if we had used a fixed rate is $2500 for a single room, and $2200 for a shared room. By selecting an amount above the estimated actual cost, your generosity supports those who need to select a lower rate to attend the retreat. Selecting an amount below the estimated actual cost is equivalent to receiving a partial scholarship.
The sliding scale will allow most scholarship needs to be self-managed. If you need additional scholarship support to attend, consider applying for a scholarship through https://opendharmafoundation.org, or contact our registrar for assistance through IMSB/Bodhi-Retreats.
PARTIAL ATTENDANCE may be arranged for a stay of at least 3 nights, but must begin on the first day of retreat, and priority is given to full retreat participants. We strongly encourage attendance at the full retreat. Applicants for partial attendance will be placed on a wait list which will be reviewed approximately 2 months prior to the retreat. We cannot guarantee single rooms for partial attendees. You may contact the registrar to determine if single rooms for partial attendance are available approximately two months prior to the retreat.
The rates for partial attendance below are listed as single occupancy. The mid-point on each sliding scale is our estimated actual cost. Take 18% off any point on the sliding scale for double accommodations.

3 nights is $1100 – $900 sliding scale
4 nights is $1,300 – $1100 sliding scale
5 nights is $1,600 – $1300 sliding scale
6 nights is $1,900 – $1500 sliding scale
7-9 nights is same as full retreat: single $3000 – $2200 sliding scale

DANA: Compensation for the teacher is not included in the registration price. There will be an opportunity to offer donations to the teacher at the end of the retreat.
QUESTIONS?: meditation1bodhicourses
Co-Sponsored by Bodhi Retreats and Insight Meditation South Bay

Doorways to Insight
2024-11-18 19:00 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles) | St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Edwards Hall, 2094 Grant Road , Mountain View , CA, 94040, United States
Discovering liberation through the ordinary
with Shaila Catherine and Maria Straatman
You know everything changes, so why do you suffer when possessions are lost, relationships end, or friends die?
Each day, we experience changing sensory impressions; we cannot control what happens, and we have never succeeded in attaining lasting happiness from transient phenomena. Insight meditation is oriented toward seeing three characteristics—the impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and emptiness of experience.
In some ways, these are ordinary and obvious insights. Yet, these simple truths have the profound power to uproot our deepest misperceptions. When we see them clearly, we do not cling; when not clinging, the mind, body and heart are liberated. This series will explore the nature of wisdom, perception and liberating insights with an emphasis on what are called the three characteristics, or three doorways to Nibbana.
November 18 — Insight into Impermanence with Maria Straatman
November 25 — Insight into Unsatisfactoriness with Shaila Catherine
December 2 — Insight into Emptiness with Shaila Catherine
December 9 — Insight Knowledge with Shaila Catherine
December 16 — Experience of Insight with Shaila Catherine

Location:
St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church
Edwards Hall
2094 Grant Rd.
Mountain View, CA 94040
Teachers:
Please visit these pages for biographies and photos of our principal teacher, Shaila Catherine, and guest speakers.
Usual Schedule (subject to change):
6:45 pm — Doors Open — arrive early to check-in
7:00 pm — Meditation
7:40 pm — Teachings and Discussion
8:30 pm — Closing and Informal Connections
8:45 pm — Departure
Experience Level:
This event is appropriate for newcomers as well as experienced practitioners. The evening includes silent or guided meditation and teachings from our principal teacher Shaila Catherine or guest teachers.
What to Bring:
Wear clothing that is suitable for the outdoor temperatures on the day of the event. Bring a blanket, shawl, scarf, sweater, or whatever you like to stay warm since we will maximize ventilation by keeping the doors and windows open at least partially during the event. The floor is not carpeted. Bring a mat or cushion if you want to sit on the floor. Standard folding chairs are provided; you may bring a cushion or back support to increase your comfort while sitting.

Dana/Donations:
IMSB relies upon the generosity of participants to support our teachers and to cover organizational expenses that continue whether we are meeting in-person or online. Dana is a word in the ancient Pali language that describes donations, offerings, and generosity. We encourage you to give joyfully and generously, according to your resources and means. You may include your donation with your ticket selection, give gifts of cash or checks through the baskets at the event, or donate online via credit card, Paypal or Network For Good through our Donate Now page. IMSB is a 501(c) (3) organization. Donations are tax-deductible as permitted by law.
Financial Need Scholarships:
If you cannot afford any of the sliding scale ticket options, you may self-select a reduced scholarship rate by utilizing the coupon code, halftherate, during the ticketing process. This code will reduce any ticket option by 50%. If you cannot make any financial contribution to support the event or the teacher, come anyway—you will be welcome at the door.
Reserve your spot!
Choose a ticket below to reserve your seat. The ticketing process will allow you to make a donation online. Each ticket reserves your space for one evening in this series.
Please purchase the number of tickets that correspond to the number of evenings you wish to attend in this series. For example, if you can only attend 3 evenings, please click the + button up to number 3. If you wish to attend the full series, please click the + button up to number 5. By clicking up to 5 tickets you have essentially bought a pass for the full series. In this way, our ticket options give you the option to select both the rate you wish to offer, and the number of evenings you wish to attend.
IMSB will include the billing address entered during the ticketing process on IMSB’s mailing list; you may unsubscribe from our list at any time. If attendees arrive without a reservation, they will be admitted as space permits. Drop-in attendance is welcome.
