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The Four Beautiful Qualities of the Heart (hybrid – in person)

Program Type:
Teacher:
Time:10:00 am - 5:30 pm
Start Date:Saturday - April 22, 2023
End Date:Sunday - April 23, 2023
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, April 21. One-day and walk-in registrations are not available. Vegetarian lunch will be provided on both days. Masks will be required throughout the Center, except while eating lunch.

In this weekend retreat we will turn our attention to the “Four Beautiful Qualities of Heart” known as the Brahmaviharas, or Divine Abodes: loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity. Each of us has the inherent capacity to strengthen these qualities in our own hearts and minds. Through practice, they become our dwelling places where we feel “at home”, not merely places we visit on occasion.

Knowing, recognizing, and cultivating these qualities is essential, particularly in the midst of this polarized world. Encouraging friendliness towards oneself and all beings, alleviating suffering via reaching out with compassion, delighting in the joys of life and appreciating the good fortune of others, and steadying and balancing the mind…these are indeed qualities of heart worth cultivating.

There are specific instructions and practices for cultivating each of the four Brahmaviharas, and over the course of the weekend, we will practice with each one. We will investigate:

  • Loving-Kindness on Saturday morning.
  • Compassion on Saturday afternoon.
  • Joy on Sunday morning; and
  • Equanimity on Sunday afternoon.

This program is appropriate for both new and experienced meditators. Everyone is welcome. Our time together will include guided meditation periods, talks, and time for discussion and questions. Single-day registration is not available. This program will not be recorded. Full and partial scholarships are available up to 72 hours before the start of the program.

 

Note: At check-in, participants will be asked to volunteer for a short period of mindful work 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.