Awakening to Life: Fulfilling our Human Potential | A Three-Day Retreat (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 21:00:00 GMT

With Fred Eppsteiner

Dates: September 24 - 27
Retreat Application Deadline: August 27
Suitability

This retreat is open to persons (member and non-members) who have attended a retreat with FCM or another Buddhist group in the past. First time retreatants are encouraged to attend one of FCM ’s weekend retreats.

Please note that your retreat application does NOT guarantee acceptance into the retreat. Participants will be notified of acceptance by August 31.

Description

Driven by historical habit patterns, caught up in our thoughts and emotions, and easily distracted, we may discover that there is a gap between the person we want to be and the way we actually show up in our lives. Although we aspire to have greater peace, purpose, and deeper connections, we may find that our habitual tendencies and reactivity can easily pull us off course.

In this retreat we will aim to bridge this gap with practical, down-to-earth, and time-tested tools. Fred will share teachings, meditations, and reflections to help us quiet the mental noise, break out of reactive patterns, and live a life of intention. We will learn how to stay present in all our varied relationships and to confidently navigate life’s inevitable ups and downs without losing our footing.

The goal of this Awakening to Life retreat is for participants to realize that it is possible to stay deeply connected to our aspirations of the heart while simultaneously being fully engaged with our daily lives.

Join us for three days of insightful guidance, supportive group practice, and wholesome nurturance.

Retreat Leader

Fred Eppsteiner has been a student of the psychology of Buddhist meditation for over 50 years and was a psychotherapist for more than 30 years. He has trained extensively in the Buddhist meditative traditions of 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. He is the founding teacher of the Florida Community of Mindfulness.

Fees

The fees are $270 for overnighters and $210 for commuters. The registration fee will be fully refunded to those not admitted to the retreat.

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 Retreat Manager will be sending additional information to registrants closer to the retreat start date.

Retreat Logistics

The retreat will begin with orientation and dinner at 5:00 pm on Thursday, September 24 and end after lunch on Sunday, September 27.

Please note:

The deadline for applying for this retreat is August 27.

We will send a retreat acceptance letter by August 31 with additional information to help you prepare for retreat.

The full fee will then be due by September 7, otherwise the spot will be given to another applicant.

Please click here to read FCM's Retreat Cancellation Policy.

If you are not familiar with our campus, you may enjoy this short video tour.

New to retreating with FCM? Please visit our FAQs page.

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.

Questions?
Please contact Rita at ritaanna727@gmail.com for any logistical questions.

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Awakening to Life: Fulfilling our Human Potential | A Three-Day Retreat (24 Sep 2026)