Weekend Retreat: Working with Mindfulness and Concentration

Those planning on attending this retreat, please read the following carefully:

This is IBMR's weekend teacher-led retreat with accommodations for sleeping and meals, starting at 5 PM Friday and ending on Sunday at 4 pm. While a two-night stay is recommended, there is an option to stay just Friday until Saturday at 4 pm. Please contact the Retreat Manager if you only intend to stay one night.

The retreat is about understanding and practicing mindfulness and concentration in a more structured intensive experience while also helping retreat participants apply practice to focused work and eating activities.

Site Registration starts at 5 PM Friday. Once you're registered you can get settled in your rooms. The Retreat Manager will have a form for Emergency Contact that she'll return at the end of the retreat. There will also be a Retreat Intention and Feedback form to fill out upon registration, returned to the Retreat Manager, to be completed on Sunday and returned to the teacher.

The Retreat begins at 7 PM Friday night and ends Sunday at 4 pm. If you can't stay for the whole retreat, either one-day or two-day, please consider coming another time.

Silence begins after the Introduction to the Retreat and the taking of the Five Training Precepts on Friday. Silence shall end at 3 pm on Sunday so we can get ready to re-enter the world when the retreat ends at 4.

Meals: There will be no supper served both nights. Continental breakfasts and hot vegetarian lunches will be served both Saturday abd Sunday.

Supper on Friday is on your own, before the retreat starts at 7 PM. Supper on Saturday for those who choose to eat shall be individual, mindful and silent. Participants may also bring their own supper for both days. Refrigerator space is not guaranteed so consider bringing non-perishables like fresh and dried fruit, nuts, bread, nut butters, etc. The Retreat Manager may also bring tea bags and anyone can bring food to share with notes to that effect.

Because of the food constraint, participants have to make sure their physical health will tolerate fasting or taking a light supper.

Pre-requisite: While it is recommended that participants have an ongoing meditation practice and have attended at least one 2nd Saturday Sangha half-day retreat, the retreat is open to anyone willing to commit to staying the whole time they register for - one-night or two-night retreat. Be aware that retreats can be difficult for those with little practice time but difficulty can also result in a more profound experience.

Participants shall be asked to take the Five Training Precepts with Right Speech replaced by Silence, completely no communication with anyone outside or inside the retreat except with the teacher. If you need to stay in contact with family or anyone during the retreat hours as posted above, please consider taking another retreat.

Participants are asked to commit to staying the entire retreat. Difficulties may arise. Consultation with the Retreat Manager or Teacher can often resolve it.

Teachings shall be in the Theravadan and Zen traditions, consisting of sitting and walking meditation. Reading, writing, and the use of electronic devices other than for checking time are discouraged.

Teacher: Orlando Gustilo started practicing in the Zen tradition in 1985 until he sat with Ruth Denison at IMS in 1986. He has done retreats with various teachers but starting in 1992 focused on studying the Pali scriptures and his own solitary and group practice. He has taught and led retreats since 2014, leading the monthly 2nd Saturday Sangha Retreats at All Souls since 2015. He teaches from the Theravadan tradition but in a secular format i.e. no religious belief is required, and balanced with the more intuitive Zen tradition.

Teacher consultations (Dokusan) will be via a sign-up sheet and for a limited number of time slots. This is not required of retreat participants. Face-to-face consultation can be an invaluable aid to fine-tuning your individual and group practice, and an important benefit of attending a teacher-led retreat. Our subjective assessment of progress and skill is immeasurably aided by consulting a teacher.

Retreat Fees: IBMR's retreat and course fees are on a sliding scale. This allows participants to pay according to individual means. There are five rates: Benefactor, Sustaining, Mid, Base and Scholarship.

Base does not cover IBMR's cost but is subsidized by those able to pay more. Mid is IBMR's cost without overhead expenses like office supplies, promotional materials, volunteer time, meetup fees, etc. Sustaining is IBMR's actual cost. Benefactor allows opportunity to show appreciation and support the IBMR's vision for Dhamma practice. Scholarship is granted on a need basis, dependent on meet-up member dana and donations, and must be applied for to Cindy Brown, IBMR Organizing Retreat Manager.

For this retreat, fees are as follows: Base - $160; Mid - $195; Sustaining - $230; and Benefactor - $260.

For One-Day Only (Friday night to Saturday afternoon): $80, $100, $115, $130.

These are for Double Occupancy rooms. To request Single Occupancy, add $60 to your chosen rate for two nights, $35 for one night. This is subject to availability, and on a first-come-first-served basis.

Please send cash or check made out to Cindy Brown at: 8865 Westfield Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46240. You may contact her at: lucindanewbybrown@gmail.com. You may also hand her the cash or check at a meet-up

Refunds: The entire fee is refunded minus $50 if cancellation is made 4 weeks or more before the scheduled retreat or course. No refunds after 4 weeks. If you are not sure about attending, you may simply RSVP on the event on IBMR.

Fee does not include dana for the teacher. Traditionally, Buddhist teachings are given freely, the community responding by supporting teachers. Dana or generosity is part of our practice, a completely voluntary donation to express gratefulness and appreciation for the teachings.There will be a dana basket at the Buddha altar.

Departure: Keys should be deposited in a box near the inn entrance no later than 5 PM Sunday afternoon so pack your bags and, if possible, take them to your vehicle, before the retreat resumes after lunch on Sunday. The retreat manager will show registrants where the box will be upon registration.

RSVP here on the site indicates your interest to participate in the retreat. That's all. To secure a place at the retreat, your full payment has to be received by Cindy by August 15, Tuesday, at 5 PM. If you have any problems or concerns about meeting the deadline, please make arrangements with Cindy or contact her: lucindanewbybrown@gmail.com