Safe and Sound: Exploring the Roots of Just Sitting Practice

Safe and Sound: Exploring the Roots of Just Sitting Practice; A meditation retreat with Singhashri and Vimalamoksha,  July 19 6pm to July 24 2pm

Suitable for people with at least six months meditation experience who are familiar with Triratna meditation practices and ritual.

Following on from last year's successful retreat, we will continue our exploration of just sitting practice with an emphasis on the healing and transformative power of embodiment, connection and opening to awareness and compassion as our true nature.

When Sangharakshita was asked how one should practice Just Sitting he responded, “you just sit.” The simplicity of this response points to the radical nature of this practice.  Just sitting is an invitation to learn to trust in awareness more and more deeply as our natural state. On this retreat, we’ll explore different ways to support our bodies and minds to open to the limitless potential of our deepest nature and inherent qualities like love, sensitivity, and connection — so desperately needed in our world. 

The retreat will include teacher input, guided meditations and movement, group discussions and exercises, rituals and periods of silence.
 

Led By —
Singhashri (she/her or they/them) is a queer, Latinx-American dharma teacher and writer. They teach mindfulness and compassion as a means to awakening to love, beauty and truth, and have committed their life to supporting collective liberation for all and the joy and freedom found there. They teach at various retreat and urban centers across the UK, Europe and the USA, and support a number of projects aimed at creating greater diversity and inclusion within Buddhist sanghas and the secular mindfulness field. They are also currently training as a Somatic Experiencing (SE) practitioner. They live in London with their partner. You can find out more about Singhashri and their work on their website www.radicalembrace.org.

Vimalamoksha (he/him) I am a designer and builder of artful dwellings that aim to support a low overhead lifestyle that also supports the callings of the individual that lives there. I have been a part of the San Francisco Buddhist Center for over 20 years, and the community has been a beautiful support in how to commit to a revolutionary great attitude. I now live in a buddhist community in Lake County that supports retreats the San Francisco Buddhist Center facilitates. I have been inspired by the mountain hermit buddhist tradition and receive an imaginative form of exemplification through the biographies of figures like Milarepa.  In the past few years I have been working on fusing my vocation with a simple reflective life, and daydreaming about the unimaginable potential of being.

This retreat is residential and meals/housing are included in the price. Please see the note below about donations for teachers.  You can access helpful information about attending retreats at Aryaloka here.
 

A Culture of Generosity and Support
In the tradition of passing on the Dharma freely, our Dharma retreat and workshop facilitators offer their work without charge and are not paid. We recognize the value in what they do and want to thank them for their time, energy and wisdom. A financial gift can help support our facilitators to afford them the opportunity to lead. Please consider making a donation towards their support. There is often a cash collection and a thank you card that is passed on the retreat, though one can also make a donation directly to facilitators with a check, and some use money transfer services such as PayPal or Venmo. Thank you for your generosity.
 

How are we coming together safely?

• Please take a Covid-19 rapid test on the day of the event (Aryaloka does not provide this test). A negative rapid test is required for entry; please take a photo of your test results and present at the door. 
• If you know you have been exposed to Covid-19 within a five day period of the event’s start-time, we ask that you not attend in-person.*  Stay up-to-date with exposure guidelines here.
• Masks are optional unless otherwise stated.
• If you have recently recovered from Covid-19, stay up-to-date with CDC guidance here as to when you’re clear to be back in public.*
• If you have cold or flu symptoms, we ask that you do not attend in-person.*
• We have installed new air purifiers with virus-destroying technology!
• There are new cleaning and sanitation protocols.

*Zoom options are available for many events. Transfer of fees or refunds are also available for illness or illness-preventative related absence. Please email info@aryaloka.org if you have any questions about our safety protocols. Aryaloka may adjust these policies in relation to current, local infection rates, and will keep retreatants posted on such changes.
 

At Aryaloka, we strive to make our programs available to everyone regardless of their financial circumstances. Our fee structure allows you to pay according to your means. 

The Event Rate is our actual fee for the event. It is for people paying their rent or mortgage, and who can afford occasional or regular leisure expenses such as dining out. Any payment above the advertised fee is a tax-deductible donation. 

The Mid-Level Reduced Rate is for those who are paying their mortgage or rent, though experience a consistent tightness in budget that makes extras like leisure activities or unexpected expenses difficult or impossible. 

The Base-Level Reduced Rate is for those without an income or with an income low enough that making ends meet is a challenge. 

Those whose circumstances are not included above can email the office to make other arrangements. info@aryaloka.org