We hope you'll connect with nature and the Lovingkindness practices during this retreat. Also known as the Brahma Viharas or the "Heavenly Abodes," this practice includes Metta (lovingkindness), Compassion, Empathic Joy and Equanimity. Each day we introduce these practices, you'll be free to learn new meditations or stick with whichever works for you.
We will tap into the natural surroundings of the mountain, lakes and streams to send or receive the Brahma Viharas. We hope you'll feel into these regenerative practices internally on the cushion and externally in the forest.
Below is a summary of what we hope to cover on the retreat. This information is provided before the retreat so you can connect to the practice upon arrival and set deeper intentions before the start.
Here's how the retreat will unfold. This is a resource for you pre and post retreat.
Sea to Sky Retreat Centre
Jeanne and I look forward to sitting and talking with each of you. Our sincerest wish is for you to sense the dharma and the forest at the end of this retreat.
Guided meditations
I've attached a few guided meditations that are loosely based on Lovingkindness. If you wish, feel free to practice these before the retreat, and bring your questions if you have any.
A bell will ring at 20 and 30 minutes if you only want to sit for that long.
The first 20 minutes guides you through a grounding, anchoring or concentration practice. At the 30 minute mark the guided meditations take on a different direction.
The last three meditations are from a Nature Retreat we taught in July 2021.
Concentration: grounding in the body
This is a guided concentration practice. The aim is to strengthen your concentration and focus. Like a baseball and glove, the intention is to "catch" and "hold" the ball, or rather catch and hold onto your anchor in order to be grounded. A bell will ring at 20, but try for 30 minutes.
Classical mindfulness
This is a basic mindfulness meditation. After grounding you'll practice bare attention or the practice of noting sensations without embellishing or adding to them. The purpose is to understand how we are always changing, and to release whatever thoughts and feelings are being held.
Inner safety
This is a Lovingkindness (metta) meditation. The aim is to cultivate a sense of natural warmth and tenderness. A subset of this is the feeling of inner mental and emotional safety. This meditation uses guided imagery to lead one to a sense of inner safety.
Inner health
This is a Lovingkindness (metta) meditation. The aim is to cultivate a sense of natural warmth and tenderness. A subset of this practice is developing an internal feeling of health that supports our mental and emotional life. As of April 2020, this might be very appropriate at the moment. It is helpful to be grounded in our body's natural health, and the body's natural ability to take care of itself.
Inner ease
This is a Lovingkindness (metta) meditation. The aim is to cultivate a sense of natural warmth and tenderness. A subset of this practice is developing an internal feeling of ease. This meditation uses guided imagery to lead you to a sense of personal ease.
Sense doors and the beauty of nature
Opening to the sense doors and the beauty of nature. This guided meditation was used on a July 2021 Online Nature Retreat. The intention was to take your ear buds and phone to your favourite outdoor place (patio, park, trail) and practice this meditation.
12 Minute Whole Body and Metta Wishes.
(July 2021 Retreat)
Wonder, fascination and vitality in nature
(July 2021 Retreat)
Opening to the sense doors and the beauty of nature (July 2021 Retreat)