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Boundless Benevolence: Metta Weekend Retreat (hybrid: in-person)

Program Type:
Teacher:
Time:10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Start Date:Saturday - March 23, 2024
End Date:Sunday - March 24, 2024
Sessions:2
Registration for this program is closed.

This program will be hosted both in-person and online (hybrid). This is the registration page to join Narayan Helen Liebenson in person at our Center in Cambridge. (Register here if you prefer to attend online.)

In-person space is limited. Please register only if you can attend the full weekend program. Registration will close at 12:00 pm on Friday, March 22. One-day and walk-in registrations are not available. Vegetarian lunch will be provided on both days. Masks will be optional.

The Pali word metta is translated as lovingkindness or boundless friendliness. It is a sincere and heartfelt wish for the peace and happiness of ourselves and others. Metta is not a feeling; rather it is an intention that can be practiced and sustained. Each of us has the inherent capacity to strengthen this quality in our own hearts and minds. Through practice, it becomes our dwelling place where we feel “at home”, not merely a place we visit on occasion. In cultivating metta, we directly experience a fundamental kindness as the very ground of our being.

The Buddha taught metta as a specific antidote to fear and anger. It is an invaluable practice in the midst of unexpected changes in life. In times of uncertainty and pain, metta practice helps us to work with habitual patterns such as anxiety and doubt. The fruit of the systematic practice of metta is twofold: steadiness and tranquility which strengthen the mind, and sensitivity and openness which soften the heart.

This program is an opportunity to explore the theory and definition of metta and to immerse ourselves in an extended engagement with the practice itself. On Saturday, we will practice with ourselves in the morning and with benefactors and ancestors in the afternoon. Sunday morning, we will turn our attention to difficult people, and on Sunday afternoon, to all.

This program is appropriate for both new and experienced meditators and will include guided meditation periods, talks, and time for discussion and questions. Throughout our days together, we will form a spiritual community that will support your deep dive into this foundational teaching of the Buddha. Everyone is welcome.

Full and partial scholarships are available up to 72 hours before the start of the program. This program will not be recorded.

NOTE: At check-in, participants will be asked to volunteer for a short period of mindful service during the retreat—a “yogi job.” Yogi jobs enable the smooth running of the retreat and offer an opportunity to practice alongside other retreat participants.

There are no prerequisites for this program. Everyone is welcome.

Retreat

Attending an In-Person Retreat at CIMC (see below for attending online retreats)

  • Please arrive at least 20 minutes early to check-in and to find a comfortable place in the meditation hall.
  • Retreats are held in silence. Please power off your cell phone, smartwatch, or other electronic devices for the duration of the retreat.
  • Parking at CIMC is limited; we suggest taking public transportation to the Center whenever possible.
  • CIMC provides vegetarian meals at day-long, weekend, and multi-day retreats. We are unable to accommodate special dietary needs. If you have dietary restrictions, we invite you to bring your own vegetarian meal. Please note that nuts may be used in our kitchen.
  • Food and beverages, including water, are not allowed in the meditation halls.
  • We strongly recommend you dress in layers since the temperature in the meditation hall will vary throughout the day. The hall thermostat is set to a comfortable temperature range; however, please give yourself a range of clothing options, as individual preferences for warmth or coolness differ widely and cannot be accommodated.
  • Please leave shoes on the shoe shelves on the first floor and keep your valuables with you at all times.
  • CIMC provides zafus (round cushions), zabutons (large mats), meditation benches, blankets, and chairs for your use. At the end of the program, we request that participants brush off their zabuton and plump up their zafu. All other items should be returned neatly to where they were found.
  • CIMC is a refuge. Out of compassion for those who may have chemical sensitivities, please avoid using scented products—lotions, deodorant, after-shave, hair products, perfume, clothes laundered with scented detergent, or dryer sheets—before you come to the Center.
  • Retreat Meal Dana: In keeping with tradition, we invite you to sponsor a retreat meal as a simple and meaningful act of generosity. You will have the option to share a dedication of your generosity, perhaps to someone in your life, to a special occasion, or to an aspiration. Please contact the office for more information on offering Meal Dana for this retreat.

Attending a Retreat Online

  • Sitting a retreat at home and online is certainly different from coming to a meditation center. Tending to your comfort and giving yourself a quiet, private sitting and walking space (if possible, in the environment you are in) will help keep your attention focused and support your practice and learning. Plan to bring as much simplicity and ease to your day as possible. The schedule of the retreat is structured to support your well-being and practice with regular breaks and time for mindful movement.
  • We will be using Zoom for this retreat. Before your retreat begins, be sure to download Zoom and familiarize yourself with using the program, including the chat feature. Specifics about how we will be using Zoom during your retreat will be covered at the beginning of the retreat; however, we are not able to provide technical support during the retreat.
  • We ask that you treat our virtual meditation hall as if we were together in person, in the same room. The teachers and other yogis benefit greatly from your full presence and careful attention.
  • Join each session of the retreat a few minutes early. This will support the teachers and your fellow retreatants.
  • Please maintain noble silence as much as possible for the duration of the retreat and take any necessary steps to limit external distractions such as incoming emails, texts, or other interruptions so that we can maintain the integrity of our practice together. Close all programs on your computer other than Zoom and turn off all notifications on your devices.
  • Ideally, power off phones and smartwatches for the entire time scheduled for the retreat on each day. Please don’t check your devices during breaks. We suggest that you put an “away” message on your email and voicemail and leave your devices in another room during your retreat hours.
  • Please keep your video on during our time together as much as you can. This supports a sense of connectedness and sangha.
  • Closed Captions for CIMC Programs are generated through “live streaming” via Rev.com. CIMC programs are not live-streamed to any other platform for any other use.
  • You will receive a welcome email from CIMC a day or two before your program that will include the zoom link, retreat schedule, and further information.