Social engagement retreat

What can we bring to the society we live in? What is the connection between spiritual practice and social engagement? What does Dharma inspired social activism look like?

 

The Tibetan Shambhala prophecy empowers us to bring forth the the qualities of Dharma we have cultivated in ourselves onto the rest of the world - the heart which compassionately responds to the world's cry for help, the courage to see things as they are, the clear insight which leads to positive action. This is how Activism becomes part of the spiritual practice and vice versa, thus we are able to experience meaning, inspiration and harmony in these aspects of our lives as well.

 

In this unique retreat we will combine Vipassana meditation with exercises from the world of of spiritual activism, from the likes of teachers such as Joanna Macy, Berney Glassman and Tich Naht Hahn. Issues such as social injustice, ecology and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be the foundation from which we will examine our inner world and our ability to act in the world around us. Through exercises and listening circles we will approach these topics in ways that may be new to us. The meditation practice will allow us to meet the things that come up and our reactions to the content of the retreat on a deeper level. The combination of talking and doing with silent awareness in meditation will help clarify how our inner actions are not separate from our outward ones.

 

This retreat is very different from regular Vipassana retreats and time will be dedicated to talking and sharing as well as to silent meditation practice.

 

This retreat is meant for those people who are interested in the connection between the world of spiritual practice and that of social activism: Practitioners who want to bring their practice into action and activists who feel theyh can use the support of spiritual practice in their work.