Dates: Saturday, December 19, 2:00pm – Wednesday, December 23, 10:30am; 5 days.
Sliding Scale: TBD, PLUS a donation to the teacher(s) and retreat staff. Code 224R20.
CECs Pending. 

Please Note: This retreat is now offered online only. We invite you to try this creative form of practice as we take care of one another and respond skillfully to COVID-19.

Retreat Description:
In this retreat, we will emphasize centering ourselves at the time of the holidays and the New Year, quieting our minds, grounding in our bodies, opening up our hearts, and using inquiry to help give energy to our practice. There will be a special emphasis on opening to the darkness, including to the unknown, to the creative and generative dimensions of darkness, and to our difficulties and challenges, as well as to the coming light–to our beauty, joy, wisdom, and love. The retreat will include complete meditation instructions, sitting and walking meditation, daily lovingkindness practice, daily Qigong practice, late afternoon talks, practice discussions, and a Winter Solstice ceremony.

PENDING — Continuing Education (CE) credit available. Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public. Health care professionals will be able to incorporate the tools and practices offered in this program in ways beneficial to clients or patients. See below for attendance requirements and more information.

Learning Objectives for participating health care professionals-
At the end of the program you will be better able to:

• List 4 ways of developing mindfulness of different elements of experience;
• Describe a loving-kindness meditation that may be useful during difficult times;
• Incorporate mindfulness of breath practices to settle and stabilize awareness and to calm the mind, that may be used in preparation for and when working with clients.
• Incorporate various mindfulness practices to improve emotional self-regulation, that may be used while working with clients;
• Utilize body awareness practices to deepen presence and the ability to listen well with clients;
• Demonstrate three ways to bring mindfulness into daily life in ways that improve well-being;
• Demonstrate three ways to bring lovingkindness into daily life in ways that improve well-being;
• Describe the applicability of mindfulness meditation as a resource for health care providers;
• Utilize Qigong movements to develop the centering and grounding of the body, and settling and calming of the mind and body.

Continuing Education content level: Introductory