Finding a True Refuge – Vipassana & Qigong
Retreat med Greg Scharf, Marie Ericsson och Ragnvald Jonsson
– 31 juli – 4 augusti 2019
OBS! Fullbokad. Väntelista finns – betala ej anmälningsavgift om du väljer att ställa dig på väntelista
Note! The retreat is full, there is a waiting list – if you sign up for the waiting list, do not pay the registration fee
In a world of change and unpredictability, in times that often feel chaotic and confusing, where do we look for ease and security? Often, in our search for a dependable refuge, we can mistakenly turn to that which is essentially unreliable and unable to provide the stability we seek.
Insight (or vipassana) meditation is the simple, direct observation of the mind/body process with relaxed, open and careful attention. As we connect with our experience from a place of spacious stillness and steadiness, we learn to meet the changing conditions we encounter with greater ease and balance of mind. As our understanding deepens, equanimity in the face of change grows, and we discover a refuge that is to a great extent independent of life’s changing conditions.
This silent retreat will offer instructions in both Vipassana and Metta meditation, Dharma talks, chanting in Pali (the language of the original Buddhist teachings), meetings with the teachers, and daily sessions of Qigong.
This retreat is suitable for both beginners and experienced students of meditation. The primary language will be English, with possibility of clarification in Swedish if needed.
Greg Scharf began meditating in 1992 & has been teaching residential meditation retreats since 2007, including the annual 3 month retreat at the Insight Meditation Society where he serves as a guiding teacher. In his teaching Greg emphasizes the understanding that meditation is fundamentally an exploration of nature and natural processes. He also stresses the critical importance of bringing the qualities of kindness, compassion, and a sense of humor to practice.
Greg has a long-standing relationship with the country & people of Burma (Myanmar) where he trained as a Buddhist monk and where he works with a small humanitarian aid project – Metta in Action – particularly targeting education, health-care, and support of Buddhist Nuns. Currently living in the high country of northern Arizona, Greg’s love of nature and the outdoors deeply informs both his practice and teaching.
Marie Ericsson started to meditate 1970 with S N Goenka in Bodh Gaya, India. Since then she has done many long retreats in Thailand, Myanmar, England and USA. Her main teachers are Joseph Goldstein, Sayadaw U Pandita, Sayadaw U Tejaniya, and Leigh Brasington, among other Asian and Western teachers. Recently, Marie spent 5 months on retreat at the Insight Meditation Society, USA, followed by a period of practice in Winter 2016 with Sayadaw U Tejaniya at Shwe Oo Min monastery in Myanmar.
Marie has been an active member of Vipassanagruppen in Sweden since it started 1986 and since 1998 has led the weekly sitting group as well as teaching numerous retreats. In her teaching, Marie draws from her years of experience with different approaches to Vipassana meditation, in order to fully engage with and explore the Buddha’s instructions in the Satipatthana Sutta. Relaxation, lightheartedness and humor are also important parts of her teaching style.
Marie lives in Stockholm, although she usually spends the summer months in her cottage in Hälsingland, surrounded by lakes, forest, and apple trees. A love of the natural world deeply informs her life and approach to meditation.
Marie is the author of a book called ”Kom och se – om meditation och thravadabuddhism”. (Come and see – about meditation and Theravada Buddhism). It is only available in Swedish language.
Already early in life Ragnvald Jonsson became interested in different ways to use movements. His path has consisted of an exploration of how movements can contribute to development and a deeper awareness. He learned Tai Chi Qigong (Shibashi), 18 movements, from Franz Moeckl.
Ragnvald is also a trained Sports teacher and a Waldorf teacher and worked since many years at a school/treatment center for young people with neuropsychiatric disabilities as a Special Educator – Specialist Sensomotorik. He is also a certified Mindfulness instructor and he leads Mindfulness and Qigong in his work.
Recently Ragnvald retired from his school teacher position, in order to spend more time with his young clients and developing an education program for teachers of Sensomotorik.
Ragnvald lives with his family in the village Kloster in southern Dalarna. He also has a small pottery workshop, where he works at his leisure time.
Tid: 31 juli – 4 augusti 2019
Plats: Borntorpet/Shambala gatherings, Skinnskatteberg
Pris: 2 900 kronor + frivillig donation till lärare och manager. Ta med kontanter eller swishkonto om du önskar donera.
Info: vipassanagruppen.se [ @ ] gmail.com
Anmälan: Genom att betala in anmälningsavgiften 500 kronor på Vipassanagruppens plusgirokonto 17 43 75-6; ange namn, adress, mailadress, mobilnummer och födelseår samt retreatkod GMR. Om betalning görs via Internet och uppgifterna inte får plats, skicka dessa i ett separat mail.
Betala sedan den kvarstående avgiften, 2.400 kronor, senast sex veckor före retreatstart. Anmälningsavgiften återbetalas inte, medan den kvarstående avgiften återbetalas om avbokning sker senast en månad före retreatstart.