Opening to Presence Retreat

Summer Yoga & Meditation Retreat

August 10-16, 2008  w/ Surya

Rolling Meadows

Most of us live under the assumption that we are a separate from the whole.  We look for some “thing” outside of ourselves that we need to achieve or to acquire to attain security, fulfillment, peace and happiness.  

Yoga helps us see through this illusion; to know what we seek is right here at all times and places.  We are like fish in the sea asking “where is the water?”  When we stop, feel, listen and notice each moment with our whole being, the infinite Presence envelopes us; it is who we are. 

This Presence may have many names - Love, Awareness, Spirit, God and Consciousness - but can never be adequately described.  It is beyond concepts.

There are infinite doorways to Presence: acceptance, attention, tenderness, openness, listening, but it is never found when we are looking for it.   Each one of us must find our own way, following our intuition and instinct.   We are much like gardeners who prepare the soil, plant the seed and then patiently wait for the seed to flower.

In this retreat we will “cultivate” the conditions for opening to Presence.   Yoga postures (asana) and breath awareness (Pranayama) help move blocked energy keeping us in habituated and conditioned patterns of thought and behavior.  Restorative poses and meditation offer even subtler ways of listening, feeling and being still and allowing presence to be revealed.  Self-inquiry is a way to investigate and let go of conditioned patterns that keep us from the peace of simply being present in each moment as it is.  Walking in the woods, laying in the meadow or sitting by the stream can quiet the mind and open our doors of perception.

Each time we open to Presence, it is more accessible, our trust grows and we are more likely to allow ourselves to feel the peace and wholeness this understanding brings.

This six-night retreat begins with evening meal at 6pm on Sunday August 10 and ends at about mid-morning on Saturday August 16 after a morning session and a late breakfast.

To learn more about the daily schedule and details of this retreat click here.

Rolling Meadows Retreat is described here.

To return to the Calendar page click here.

The fee for the retreat is $850.

To register click here  here.