with Fred Eppsteiner

Description

Question: What truly matters when it comes to our personal happiness or suffering and the happiness and suffering of others?

For those who look deeply – who are drawn to a spiritual path that can help them find inner wellbeing and greater meaning in this short life – it becomes clear that living a life of kindness, compassion and connection with others has the capacity to produce true happiness. Conversely, our societal culture often promotes values of self-centeredness and materialism: Look out for number one; Present the perfect image on social media; The one with the most toys wins.

These societal messages both reinforce the misperception that happiness can be found by aggrandizing our egos – our sense of self – as well as implying that we are not good enough the way we are. We must always be busy making “self” better: wealthier, smarter, better looking, more powerful. These messages can create a vicious cycle of “never enough”, which leads to endless striving, consuming and accumulating for those who base their life on these misguided messages.

How do we exit this unsatisfactory cycle and find true happiness and peace? The Buddha taught that seeing through the myth of a solid, permanent self is the secret to liberation from our suffering. When we are able to deconstruct this myth, we can begin to experience our fundamental oneness and connection with everything and everyone. The natural qualities of our heart and mind – love, compassion and wisdom – can now blossom forth.

The focus of this retreat is to undertake a penetrative look at our pervasive sense of self-identity. Through direct teachings and experiential meditative methods, retreatants will understand the process that led us to create the myth of ‘I, me, my’ from faulty logic and profound misperception of reality. Now, finally we will be able to free ourself from this delusion and enter the world with composure, intelligence and openheartedness by realizing the freedom we seek.

This retreat will include formal periods of sitting and walking meditation, guided meditations, Dharma talks, Q&A sessions with Fred, deep listening periods, and opportunities for solitary introspective practice. As usual, this will be a silent retreat. The silence affords participants the opportunity to deepen their meditative experience while absorbing the experiential meaning of the teachings and practices presented during the retreat.

Logistics

This retreat is being offered in-person only to be of most benefit to participants.

FCM's retreat center in Tampa, Florida provides a beautiful and serene refuge from the noise and business of our everyday lives. Set among our bamboo gardens, walking paths and pond, our center offers comfortable double-occupancy accommodations in our Great Cloud residence hall, nourishing vegan meals and ample indoor and outdoor meditation spaces for personal reflection.

The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Thursday evening, October 12, followed by dinner at 5:45 and the opening session at 7:00. The retreat will end on Monday, October 16 at 1:00 pm. 

The fee for in-person participation is $320 for overnighters and $240 for commuters, with a $50 deposit required to register. The balance of the fee will be due by September 24.

FCM aspires to support the retreat experience for all who are on this path, and thus retreat scholarships are available and encouraged if it would support your participation. Please click here to see FCM ’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat. The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e., generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage.

The Retreat Coordinator will be sending additional information to registrants closer to the retreat start date, including at-home practice guidelines and Zoom information.

The last day to register for this retreat is September 20.

Retreat Leader

Fred Eppsteiner has been a student of the psychology of Buddhist meditation for over 40 years and was a psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He has trained extensively in the Buddhist meditative traditions the U.S. and Asia. He received permission to teach from Thich Nhat Hanh in 1994 and is the editor of two books: The Path of Compassion and Interbeing.

Questions?

For more information, please contact Angie at parrish26@gmail.com

with Bryan Hindert and Maria Teresa Jaureguizar

Description

In our modern world, we have countless ways to stay busy, informed, entertained, and otherwise distracted from the moment we wake up until we go to bed at night. We can easily spend our entire day completely disconnected from our actual experience and unaware of what thoughts and mind-states we are cultivating throughout our busy days. If we do have a moment to stop, we may find that we feel uneasy, agitated, bored, anxious, stressed, in despair, or otherwise uncomfortable in our bodies and our minds. 

Fortunately, as so many people throughout the world are discovering, there is another way. Through what the beloved Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh called, “The Miracle of Mindfulness,” we can learn how to be at ease in the present moment. We can learn to use our minds in a way that nourishes our well-being and helps us to feel whole again. Through cultivating mindfulness of the body, breath, and mind, we can learn to develop peace within ourselves and to enjoy the simple experience of being alive.  

In this two-day Introductory Retreat, participants will learn mindfulness and meditation practices that calm and nourish the body and mind. There will be both formal instruction as well as “off-the-cushion” practice in areas such as walking, eating, mindful movements and work meditation. There will be periods of Q&A and deep sharing within a setting that is mostly silent, offering participants the opportunity to retreat from digital devices and other distractions that so often clutter our minds and cover the natural spaciousness that lies beneath the “noise.”

This retreat will be beneficial for both newcomers to meditation and more experienced mindfulness practitioners with an interest in living with more ease in the present moment. 

Logistics

This retreat is being offered in-person only to be of most benefit to participants.

FCM's retreat center in Tampa, Florida provides a beautiful and serene refuge from the noise and business of our everyday lives. Set among our bamboo gardens, walking paths and pond, our center offers comfortable double-occupancy accommodations in our Great Cloud residence hall, nourishing vegan meals and ample indoor and outdoor meditation spaces for personal reflection.

The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Friday evening, November 10, followed by dinner at 5:45 and the opening session at 7:00. The retreat will end on Sunday, November 12 at 4:00 pm. Full payment will be due upon acceptance into the retreat.

The fee for in-person participation is $160 for overnighters and $120 for commuters, with a $50 deposit required to register. The balance of the fee will be due by October 26.

FCM aspires to support the retreat experience for all who are on this path, and thus retreat scholarships are available and encouraged if it would support your participation. Please click here to see FCM ’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat. The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e., generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage.

The Retreat Coordinator will be sending additional information to registrants closer to the retreat start date, including at-home practice guidelines and Zoom information.

The last day to register for this retreat is October 21.

Retreat Leaders

Bryan Hindert has been following the Buddhist path since 2008, when a strong desire to make changes in his life and to develop a better relationship with his mind drew him to the Florida Community of Mindfulness. This path has helped Bryan to transform his life in profound ways and continues to be a source of guidance, support, and joy in all of his endeavors. In addition to helping to develop and lead Wake Up Tampa Bay, a mindfulness and meditation group for people in their 20s and 30s, Bryan has served by teaching classes and presenting on mindfulness and on Buddhism, and leading intensive practice periods. 

Maria Teresa Jaureguizar formally began on the Buddhist path in 1996 and became a student of Fred Eppsteiner in 2012. She is an ordained member of the Order of Interbeing and completed the three year Dharma Transmission Program. Maria Teresa currently serves as Community Care Leader and finds joy mentoring others in the practice, spending time in nature, and going for walks with family, friends, and pets.

Questions?
For more information, please contact Bryan at bbhindert@gmail.com.

with Guo Gu

In the Chan tradition, there are two main approaches to awakening: the method of silent illumination (mòzhào) and investigating a critical phrase (huàtóu). The former is a settling method of serene reflection on the nature of awareness; the latter is an explosive approach that aims to concentrate and shatter all mental states so awakening manifests. Retreat practice is an excellent way to deepen our practice, as it allows practitioners to engage with the meditation method in a sustained, focused way under a protected environment with a retreat teacher. Practitioners receive guidance on issues or experiences that wouldn't normally arise in daily or individual practices.

Aside from the many periods of sitting meditation, there will also be stretching exercises, walking meditations, and outdoor direct contemplation. There will also be mindful eating and work practices. There will be daily Dharma talks by Guo Gu, and opportunities for personal consultations to practice (ONLY for those attending in person - Guo Gu will not be able to offer personal consultations to those attending online).

The target audience recommended for this retreat consists of individuals who have maintained a regular and stable meditation routine for a minimum duration of one year. 

Retreat Logistics

This retreat will offer both in-person participation at FCM ’s Tampa Center and online participation. THIS REGISTRATION PAGE IS FOR IN-PERSON PARTICIPATION ONLY. Please visit the Online Retreat page if you wish to attend online.

The retreat will begin with orientation at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, December 6 and ends after lunch on Monday, December 11. Participation is open to both FCM members and non-members.

The fee for in-person participation is $400 for overnighters and $300 for commuters, with a $50 deposit required to register. The balance of the fee will be due by November 20. 

Retreat Scholarships are available; please click here to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat. The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All retreat dana will go towards supporting the retreat teachers.

The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to registrants once registration is closed, including retreat protocols, schedules, and Zoom links.

The last day to register for this retreat is November 15.

Retreat Leader

Guo Gu (Dr. Jimmy Yu) is the founder of the Tallahassee Chan Center, the founder of the socially engaged intra-denominational Buddhist organization, Dharma Relief, and a professor of Buddhism and East Asian religions at Florida State University. He studied under the late Master Sheng Yen for over 30 years, nine of which as his attendant monk and most senior and closest disciple. He is the author of The Essence of Chan (2012), Passing Through the Gateless Barrier (2016), and Silent Illumination (2021).

Questions?
For more information, please contact Angie at parrish26@gmail.com.

with Guo Gu

In the Chan tradition, there are two main approaches to awakening: the method of silent illumination (mòzhào) and investigating a critical phrase (huàtóu). The former is a settling method of serene reflection on the nature of awareness; the latter is an explosive approach that aims to concentrate and shatter all mental states so awakening manifests. Retreat practice is an excellent way to deepen our practice, as it allows practitioners to engage with the meditation method in a sustained, focused way under a protected environment with a retreat teacher. Practitioners receive guidance on issues or experiences that wouldn't normally arise in daily or individual practices.

Aside from the many periods of sitting meditation, there will also be stretching exercises, walking meditations, and outdoor direct contemplation. There will also be mindful eating and work practices. There will be daily Dharma talks by Guo Gu, and opportunities for personal consultations to practice (ONLY for those attending in person - Guo Gu will not be able to offer personal consultations to those attending online).

The target audience recommended for this retreat consists of individuals who have maintained a regular and stable meditation routine for a minimum duration of one year. 

Retreat Logistics

The retreat will offer both in-person participation at FCM ’s Tampa Center and online participation. THIS REGISTRATION PAGE IS FOR ONLINE PARTICIPATION ONLY. Please visit the In-Person Retreat page if you wish to attend in person.

The retreat will begin with the opening session at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, December 6. The retreat will end with at noon on Monday, December 11.

The fee for the retreat is $150. Retreat Scholarships are available; please click here to see FCM’s Retreat Scholarship Policy and for an Application, which needs to be submitted prior to the registration deadline for this retreat. The teachings are offered in the Buddhist tradition of Dana, wherein the teachers freely give of themselves to the students out of gratitude for what they’ve received from their teachers and a desire to be of service. The student’s response is also based on Dana, i.e. generosity that naturally flows from a sense of appreciation of the value of Dharma and gratitude to the living lineage. All retreat dana will go towards supporting the retreat teachers.

The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to registrants once registration is closed.

The retreat registrar will be sending additional information to registrants once registration is closed, including retreat protocols, schedules, and Zoom links.

The last day to register for online participation in this retreat is November 25.

Retreat Leader

Guo Gu (Dr. Jimmy Yu) is the founder of the Tallahassee Chan Center, the founder of the socially engaged intra-denominational Buddhist organization, Dharma Relief, and a professor of Buddhism and East Asian religions at Florida State University. He studied under the late Master Sheng Yen for over 30 years, nine of which as his attendant monk and most senior and closest disciple. He is the author of The Essence of Chan (2012), Passing Through the Gateless Barrier (2016), and Silent Illumination (2021).

Questions?
For more information, please contact Angie at parrish26@gmail.com.

Save the Date

We're happy to announce that the Roshis will be joining us again to lead retreat at FCM in early February 2024. More details coming soon.

Retreat Leaders

Roshi Chozen Bays has been the teacher for Zen Community of Oregon since 1985. In 2002 she helped to found Great Vow Zen Monastery and is co-abbot. In 2011 she also helped found Heart of Wisdom Zen Temple in Portland, Oregon. She has written books on mindfulness and mindful eating, and written articles published in Buddhadharma and Shambhala Sun.

Roshi Hogen Bays began practicing Zen in 1968 with Philip Kapleau, Roshi doing residential training at Zen Center of Rochester and eventually at Zen Center of Los Angeles with Taizan Maezumi Roshi. He continued his Zen studies with Shodo Harada Roshi in Japan and on Whidbey Island from 1990 – 2015. He’s a psychologist and Naturopathic Doctor (ND). He is co-abbot of Great Vow Zen Monastery.

Questions?
For more information, please contact Angie at parrish26@gmail.com.