Upcoming retreats
Weekend Metta Retreat.
Theme: Four Sublime States
Dates: January 13 &14
Time: 8.30 am – 4.30 pm
Please register by emailing greatlakesbuddhistvihara@gmail.com
We strongly recommend you to attend both days to get the best use of the retreat.
In this retreat, we focus on the Four Sublime States: “Sathara Brahma VIharas”. Namely, Loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity.
As we start the New Year, this retreat will help all to learn how to interact with oneself and others positively and effectively. This retreat will address many different issues that many people face especially within their relationships, and the special qualities we need to maintain in order for us to enhance our relationships. As we deepen into the teachings and practice, you may learn how to cultivate the Four Sublime Qualities up to divine or highly spiritual levels.
Suggested donation: $65
Lunch and beverages will be provided.
Please visit https://glbvihara.org/retreats/
for more helpful details.
Retreat Etiquette
- Participants are required to observe Attasila (8 precepts) during the retreat. If there is any medical concerns and you can’t do 8 precepts, please contact the organizers.
- I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from killing or harming living beings, on purpose.
- I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from taking what is not given.
- I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from all sexual activity.
- I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from telling lies and harsh speech.
- I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from taking drugs and alcohol.
- I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from eating solid food after the noon-day meal (only tea, black coffee, honey, ginger drink are allowed)
- I undertake to keep the precept to abstain from listening to music, singing, dancing, or beautifying my body with make-up, flowers or perfumes.
- I undertake to keep the precept to be loving and kind to myself, and all beings.
- It is required to do Noble Silence (not talking AT ALL with other participants, only during personal interview with Bhante). If the instructions are unclear, please ask only during interview / after dhamma-talk. Talking disturbs your own peaceful mind as well as disturbing others. If you want to pass a message to a yogi, you may use the sticky notes with the white board that will be placed in the premises. If there is any urgent needs, pls contact the organizer/person-in-charge/volunteer quietly.
- Kindly dress properly.
- For females: No sleeveless tops, shorts above the knee or wearing short skirts. No transparent leggings or tights of any kind. Shorts slighly below the knee are okay.
- For males: No sleeveless shirts, or shorts above the knee. No transparent leggings or tights of any kind. Shorts slightly below the knee are okay.
- It is required for everyone to follow ALL SCHEDULES, INSTRUCTIONS AND METHODS given by Bhante, including attending the dhamma-talks every night.
- It is required to inform the organizer of any health conditions and also the medicines you’re taking regularly due to some medicines causing dullness/sleepiness.
- It is required to attend all daily interviews and to be ON TIME AND only discuss the meditation experiences. Please DO NOT DISCUSS anything other than meditation experiences in your interviews.
- Questions regarding meditation practice should be asked directly only to the teacher, not to other participants.
- To respect teacher and make it easier for teacher to help during the daily interview, you must tell the REAL experience of your meditation. Report honestly according to your personal experience. Please DO NOT DISCUSS your experiences at all with other participants.
- Formal group sitting will be done at the meditation hall. The Meditator is allowed to choose to sit or walk according to his/her condition. It is recommended to sit for a minimum of 30 minutes per sitting meditation session and to continue with walking meditation (between 15-45 minutes). There will not be any signs, sounds or bells to change the meditation positions. Please do not bring the blanket from your bedroom outside. You may bring your own blankets/cushions from home for your sitting.
- The bell will only be rung for breakfast, lunch, after break and for dhamma-talk sessions.
- Please come ON TIME according to the schedules; waking up, morning chanting, breakfast, lunch, after break, interview time, and dhamma-talk.
- Please do not enter/visit other meditator’s rooms to discuss/talk about each of your experiences.
- Please do not use perfumes / scented soaps / creams / medicines / herbals (for example, eucalyptus oil) which have distracting smells and may hinder other meditators practice.
- It is prohibited to smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs during the retreat.
- The type of food served will be Part of your retreat practice is to only take food as needed and gracefully accept what is being served, unless the food is inedible.
- Please do not perform any rituals during the retreat.
- It is required to keep all areas clean (including toilets, rooms, dining room, wash rooms and meditation areas).
- Please do not bring a watch or clock that produces sound inside of the meditation hall.
- If there is a request or complaint, please tell the organizer calmly about your concern.
- It is recommended NOT to bring personal valuable belongings to the retreat center. If you bring a cellphone / other communication devices, you will be asked to leave them with the organizer during the retreat. Please do not disturb the teachers in their resting place (kuti).
- Please do not read other books than what you find in your folder that will be given to you upon your arrivel.
Personal things to be brought with you to the retreat place:
- Medicines / vitamins you need to take regularly during the retreat.
- Appropriate retreat clothing (white clothes are preferred, if possible).
- The weather can be warm, little cool during the rainy days, so it is recommended that you bring a shawl, socks etc.
- Please bring an umbrella, small flash light, mosquito repellents, personal water bottle and slippers which are tagged with your name already, to avoid any confusion who the rightful owner is.
- Bring footwear which is easily taken off and comfortable to walk in.