Mindful Heart Buddha Sangha

"EIGHT MINDFUL STEPS TO HAPPINESS" RETREAT WITH BHANTE HENEPOLA GUNARATANA

The Mindful Heart Buddha Sangha, located in Evansville, Indiana, is pleased to present this opportunity for a meditative retreat with the renowned Theravada Buddhist monk Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (“Bhante G”).

We invite you to join us from June 9, 2008 - June 13, 2008 at the Kordes Center in Ferdinand, Indiana for Bhante G’s teachings about Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness. Prior to the retreat, we encourage you to read Bhante G’s book entitled Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness, which may be ordered through Wisdom Publications or through major book retailers.

RETREAT INFORMATION:
Room and board fees for the retreat are $475 for a single room and $400 for a double room. Space in the retreat is limited. Deposit of $200 for a single room or $135 for double room due by May 15, 2008; balance due on June 9, 2008. $10 discount off of Room and Board Fees for payments in full received by May 15, 2008. Check-in for the Retreat will be held at the Kordes Center on June 9, 2008 from 9:30 - 10:30am. The Retreat will begin promptly thereafter. The Retreat will conclude at Noon on June 13, 2008, with an optional lunch to follow. Retreatants are required to have attended a prior retreat of at least one weekend in length. Noble silence will be observed. Vegetarian food will be served. Email financial needs scholarship requests and questions to: mindfulheart@gmail.com. The Mindful Heart Buddha Sangha retains discretion to accept or deny any Application for Retreat Attendance. Retreatants who do not comply with the retreat’s requirements may be asked to leave the retreat.

You may download the retreat brochure and application. Please return the enclosed application for retreat attendance and the deposit for room and board fees to:

    Mindful Heart Buddha Sangha
    600 N. Weinbach Ave., Ste. 960
    Evansville, Indiana 47711

Metta and we look forward to seeing you at the retreat.

Thoughts on Retreats

I have just returned from a twenty-four hour retreat. I went to Willow Pond Retreat House in Oakland City, Indiana. It is a small "kuti" ; however, small is not really needed to describe kuti. Kuti is the Pali word for meditation hut. This house is much more that a hut. Bathroom with a shower, kitchen facilities and bed/couch. The kuti is located on the pond with the sound of a waterfall outside the door. Breakfast food is included for the daily rent of $45. I love this place. (1-812-782-3775)

This is not an advertisement for Willow Pond. It is encouragement to do retreat. It can be 24 hours or five days or fourteen days or six hours. The purpose is to have an environment that supports your meditation practice. Monastics have such an environment which is one reason they choose to become a monastic. Our minds respond to stimuli of the senses. A quiet place removes that first layer of mental noise.

Nature, like the arts, points to the spiritual. So if you are doing a retreat day at home (with the phone off) take time to walk outside. Similarly if you come Sunday for the monthly extended sitting choose to do walking meditation out-of-doors.

I have been discussing personal retreats but group retreats are important too. They provide a teacher and the strength and power of a group. We learn from each other which is why the sangha is one of the Three Jewels. At a group retreat the agenda for each day is planned. On a personal retreat you can be lead by your own mental and physical needs. Our sangha is sponsoring a group retreat this June.

----- Mary MacGregor   Evansville IN