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Sky Meadow Retreat.
...remember what peace there may be in silence
Hidden in the hills of
A Buddhist practice cultivating calm awareness
April 9 -11, July 23 - 25, and October 15 - 17, 2010
$150 & tuition donation
Individual retreats are available by arrangment (solo retreats)
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Also known as Mindfulness, or Vipassana Meditation, this simple
method aims at clearing the mind, giving us a chance to experience
truth directly for ourselves. We use awareness of breathing and
other body sensations to calm and focus the mind. The retreat
will be held mostly in silence and will focus on sitting and walking
practice. There will be instructions, guided meditations, and
inspirational talks based
on the teachings of the Buddha. registration deadline: 7 days before retreat Limited to 14 people Fees: $150/weekend and $350/five day, plus a tuition donation (your choose how much) To register send a non-refundable deposit of half the retreat fee to: Sky Meadow Retreat, 63 Winchester Rd., Greensboro Bend, VT 05842 Led by Miles
Sherts
Miles
began practicing meditation in a Buddhist monastery in
Sri Lanka in 1976. He has sat intensively at IMS in the U.S., and in
Thai Monasteries abroad, and has integrated mindfulness into a simple
lifestyle based on daily contact with nature. His teaching style
emphasizes what can be known in this present moment rather that formal
doctrine or terminology. His practice and teaching are influenced
by A Course in Miracles and Byron Katie.
Testimonials I have been honored to call Miles my spiritual teacher for over six years, since I attended my first Insight Meditation Retreat at Sky Meadow. It was my first experience in meditation and his gentle, simple guidance to breathe and notice the uniqueness of what comes from being still changed my life by the end of the three days. Through his inspirational talks and personal interviews, I was able to recognize the invaluable gifts of letting go and being in the present moment. I continued to attend retreats at Sky Meadow, but what became more precious to me was the on-going mentoring that Miles provided me for using this practice in everyday life. My intention for
a meditation
practice was not only a formal daily sitting; I wanted it to support me
in
becoming a more peaceful and authentic person in the world. Miles
has
continuously supported me on my spiritual journey by openly hearing my
life experiences
and offering straightforward explanations as to how they all relate to
the
practice and how I can use them for growth, development, and compassion
for the
world. Knowing Miles as a teacher has been a priceless gift in my
life
that keeps on giving. ------------------------------------------------------------ Miles
held a two
hour insight meditation workshop for Omega staff in May 2008. At the end of the session, as we each had a
chance to share about our experiences, one of the staff was having a
strong
reaction. He had just arrived at Omega and
was obviously going through profound changes in his life. He burst out in tears, and seemed
uncomfortable as he was trying to hold back. I
was deeply touched by the way Miles opened
up a safe and secure space for him to let out what he was experiencing. Miles helped us realize that
he
was growing instead of simply falling apart. I
appreciated the guidance and assistance Miles offered to him and to
the group in such an intense moment. It
was a teaching in itself to witness how Miles handled the situation in
such a
nurturing way. Miles has an ability to
effectively contain deep personal transformation and help us go to the
places
within, were we are afraid to go.
Miles has been generously offering all-day retreats at UVM every semester for the past 5 years. His retreats always fill up quickly with students, and other community members. Miles brings a sense of gentleness and grace to his meditation instruction that is supportive of beginning and experienced meditators alike. Many students who come to the all-day retreat have little or no meditation experience, and are intimidated by the idea of spending an entire day in silence. Miles has a gift of making students and new meditators comfortable in the retreat situation, and easing them into a space of silent presence. He likes to tell of his own first experience of meditation when he was struggling during his college years – his story is clearly evidenced in his compassion and empathy for students who attend his retreats. Post-retreat evaluations have been glowingly positive. Most participants end the day feeling a sense of gratitude, accomplishment, and commitment to incorporating mindfulness into their lives.
INSIGHT
MEDITATION RETREATS
Insight meditation is a simple
practice of bringing direct awareness to the
For more information please contact Miles at
miles (at) skymeadowretreat (dot) com , or 802-533-2505. Teaching donations
The tradition of Buddhist Insight Meditation comes directly from the
monasteries of Southeast Asia where the monastics are fully supported
and have all of their essential needs met by the communities they
teach. One way this tradition is being translated into our
culture is that the teachings are freely offered and donations are
accepted to support the teacher. This is a very foreign
concept to many of us raised in a society where most things have a set
cost. We have learned to value something based on it's
cost, rather than what it offers us.
The spirit of a teaching donation is quite different. The teaching and support are offered to you without cost and you decide the value it has for you when you offer monetary compensation to the teacher. At the end of a retreat you are asked to check in with yourself about the value of your experience. The money you offer to the teacher represents what the experience was worth to you. The teachings of awakening originally presented by the Buddha are considered priceless in the cultures where they still thrive today. To put any price on them would be to vastly understate their significance and reduce them to a common commodity. In following this tradition of teaching by donation we are leaving it up to you to place your own value on the inspiration and guidance you receive here. |
