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Exploring the Path of Buddhist Recovery (online only)

Program Type:
Teacher:
Time:10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Start Date:Saturday - March 25, 2023
End Date:Sunday - March 26, 2023
Sessions:2
Registration for this program is closed.

This program will be held online via Zoom. All registrants will receive the link to join the program in their Order Confirmation email. Times are ET.

Schedule:
Saturday: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am to 12:00 pm

“This is the path;
            For purifying one’s vision…
Follow it,
            You’ll put an end to suffering.”
--The Dhammapada 273-275 (translated by Gil Fronsdal)

While sitting on a long retreat this fall, I was reminded firsthand that the Buddha’s Noble Eight-Fold Path is truly a path of purification where we see both the wholesome and the unwholesome – mainly in our own minds – more and more clearly along the way. The good news is that as we continue to explore this path sincerely, willing to see where we still need work, we often experience increased levels of happiness, well-being, and inner freedom as a result. This isn’t guaranteed, of course, but it has been my personal experience time and time again.

During this weekend retreat, we will explore key facets of the Buddhist path as they relate directly to recovery from addiction. Some of the themes we will investigate:

  • Establishing a dedicated mindfulness practice;
  • The power of renunciation;
  • Why ethical conduct is such an important foundation to practice;
  • Fundamental Buddhist insights such as impermanence and not-self;
  • How to cultivate the qualities of lovingkindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity; and more.

This online retreat will offer a beautiful opportunity for us to gather as a recovery community (sangha) and support each other. Our time together will include periods of guided meditation, walking meditation instructions, dharma talks, and plenty of time for sharing, discussion, questions, and responses. After a full day on Saturday, we will come back together on Sunday morning to check in, reconnect, and explore these teachings further.

This program is open to anyone dealing with addictions of any kind and will be structured so that both new and experienced practitioners will find connection and belonging and deepen their learning. This program will not be recorded. Full and partial scholarships are available up to 72 hours before the start of the program.

Walt Opie is an insight meditation teacher who leads workshops and retreats throughout the U.S. He graduated from the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) Teacher Training Program in 2021. Walt has led sitting groups for people in recovery since 2011. He also served as a volunteer prison dharma teacher in California for over 6 years. His most influential teachers include Bhikkhu Anālayo, Sayadaw U Tejaniya, Ajahn Sumedho, Joseph Goldstein, Guy Armstrong, and Gil Fronsdal. His writing appears in the book collection Still, In the City: Creating Peace of Mind in the Midst of Urban Chaos edited by Angela Dews (Skyhorse Publishing, 2018).


(Closed Captions (CC) for CIMC Programs are generated through “livestreaming” via Rev.com. CIMC programs are not livestreamed to any other platform for any other use.)

This program is open to anyone dealing with addictions of any kind.

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.