insightpv - retreats, insight meditation, Western Mass Meditation, Easthampton Meditation, Springfield Area Meditation, mindfulness meditation, meditation workshops, meditation practices, Andrew Berger, Adi Bemak, Rebecca Bradshaw, Paul Coombs, Jean Esther, Theravadan tradition

Half-Day Retreats
Unless otherwise noted, all half-day retreats start at 9:00 am. The suggested registration fee for all half-day retreats is $10–$15. There is also an opportunity to practice Dana for the teachers.

From East to West: Buddhism in America
with Rebecca Bradshaw
Sunday, November 16, 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
Suggested donation: $10 - $15 plus teacher Dana.

Every culture that Buddhism has encountered has enriched the tradition and brought forth new forms flavored with new influences. We are in the midst of this process in the United States. How is this happening in America? What strengths do we bring to Buddhism? How does American culture, with its emphasis on individualism and consumerism, co-opt and misrepresent the Buddha's teachings? Come sit together and engage in lively inquiry about the emerging Western Buddhism. Some experience with meditation practice is helpful.

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One-Day Retreats
Unless otherwise noted, all one-day retreats start at 9:30 am. The suggested registration fee for all one-day retreats is $20–$30. There is also an opportunity to practice Dana for the teachers.

Awakening the Heart of Love and Wisdom:
A Day for the LGBTI Community
with Arinna Weisman & Kim Weeber
Sunday, August 24

It is always a special blessing to come together to support the opening of our hearts and to learn from each other as we practice the Buddha’s teachings. As LGBTI folk we often receive negative and conflicting societal messages. This practice can offer us the clarity to remember our Buddha nature and intrinsic dignity and the strength to choose what we embody and how we live. By meeting together we build community and support each other to feel less alone. There will be silent sitting and walking meditation, meditation instruction, a Dharma talk, and time for group exploration in a safe environment.

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Reverence For Life Through the Practice of Letting Go
with Arinna Weisman & Lila Kate Wheeler
Saturday, September 20

Pablo Neruda wrote in Ode To My Suit:
"every day/ I greet you / with reverence and then / you embrace me and I forget you /
because we are one.”

He reminds us, as the Buddha does, that it is possible to touch with a deep intimacy and reverence all of our life, even our clothes, by letting go and renouncing ownership of all things and experiences.

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Being the Love You Are
with Mark Hart
Saturday, October 25

This one-day retreat focuses on awakening to the love that is presence itself and explores how to live from that. It will look specifically at how awareness is embodied in the heart and how, in being truly open to be touched, we move toward action, not from lack but from love. We will also look at how seeking love in relationship with others obscures our being love in relationship with others.

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Reflecting On Illness, Old Age, and Death:
A Retreat for People 55 and Over
with Adi Bemak
Saturday, December 6

This day-long retreat will provide a supportive environment for participants to explore the broad range of experiences one goes through when facing illness, old age, and death. We will reflect on the ways mindfulness practice and the Buddha’s teachings can provide inspiration to live fully, strengthening our capacity to deal with what comes on the journey of being human. The day will include periods of sitting and walking meditation, as well as time sharing questions and discussion. New and experienced students are all welcome.

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Freedom Through Mindfulness of the Body
with Chas DiCapua
Saturday, December 20

Mindfulness of the body is the first of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Buddha’s instructions on mindfulness meditation. Besides playing an important role in our formal sitting practice, mindfulness of the body is an integral component in bringing mindfulness into our daily life. This day-long retreat will include mindfulness of breathing, walking meditation geared towards whole body awareness, and exercises designed to help us become more embodied as we go through our day. Appropriate for beginning and experienced practitioners.