July Half Day Retreat Hosted by Mark & Veletta

Half Day Retreat

A period of intensive insight meditation practice has a long history of helping individuals foster wisdom, compassion, equanimity, loving kindness and joy. A retreat with others may also energize and deepen mindfulness, as well as help to strengthen a sense of sangha (community of spiritual friends).

With these things in mind, we would like to, whenever possible, provide a free monthly half day meditation retreat for those wishing to deepen their mindfulness practice. The location is a private residence in an ideal setting for meditation and a great place to enjoy the beauty of the North Georgia mountains. All you need to bring is the willingness to unplug from your hectic life for a few hours. Meditation cushions and chairs are provided. There is no cost for this retreat. Directions to the retreat site and meeting agenda are below.

Bio: Mark is an authorized Insight Meditation teacher, who began his meditation practice more than 40 years ago with insight meditation teachers Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, and Jack Kornfield. His primary teacher has been Joseph Goldstein, and he has studied more recently with guiding senior insight teachers Rodney Smith and Narayan Liebenson. His primary teaching emphasis is practical Essential Buddhism and how mindfulness in all aspects of daily life can provide an opportunity for awakening. He has studied with numerous other teachers primarily in the Theravada tradition, but also in the Tibetan and Zen traditions.

He has done 3 three-month silent retreats and dozens of other retreats mostly at the Insight Meditation Society, the Forest Refuge, and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. He is an organizer/facilitator at the Sandy Springs Insight Meditation Group, is a Guiding Insight Meditation teacher at the Roswell Insight Meditation Community and the Half Day retreat, and leads silent retreats in Georgia. He is also an ordained Presbyterian deacon and has a doctorate in Psychology.

NOTE: If you are on the waiting list, please call or email us to be sure of space availability! If your plans change and you are unable to attend, please cancel your RSVP so that others may attend.*

Schedule:

09:30-10:00 - Meet and Greet

10:00 – 10:10 - Welcome/Instructions

10:10 – 10:40 - Sitting

10:40 – 11:00 - Walking

11:00 – 11:30 - Sitting

11:30 – 11:50 - Walking

11:50 – 12:20 - Sitting

12:20 – 12:40 - Walking

12:40 – 1:10 - Sitting

1:10 – 1:30 - Walking

1:30 – 2:00 - Sitting

2:00 – 3:00 - Vegetarian Lunch

*If you have questions or to check on space availability, please call Mark and Veletta at[masked] or email at [masked].