Seeing Things with Love:                  
Opening to the Lovingkindness within Vipassana

A residential silent Vipassana Meditation Retreat in Toronto
Friday (4 pm), June 10 to Friday (noon), June 17, 2016

with teacher Winnie Nazarko

Jan. 17: This retreat is now full.  A Waiting List link will be posted by the end of Monday January 18.

Please come back to this website on Tuesday January 19 if you would like to be on the Waiting List.

Chances are good for getting a place in the retreat if you are willing to keep your plans open until just before the retreat starts. (That is when most cancellations occur.)

(NOTE: Registration closes on Friday May 20, 2016)

It is a rare and precious thing to spend time in a safe, secluded place, exploring the heart and mind in silent community. This retreat offers such an opportunity to “come home”, to re-ground in the present moment . 

With the guidance and support of an experienced teacher, we will learn how to open to our physical senses, and to our heart/mind with balance and understanding. Practicing good will towards ourselves, and towards what arises in momentary experience, we begin to see how freedom from reactive suffering is possible. This is the entry point to the freedom spoken of by the Buddha. This is a realistic possibility for those who seek understanding.

This retreat will include the offering of progressive meditation instructions, evening Dharma talks, and individual and small group meetings with the teacher to customize meditation instructions.  The maximum number of retreatants is 25.

Winnie Nazarko first contacted the Dharma at a 1981 weekend retreat taught by Stephen and Ondrea Levine. While the retreat wasn’t what she expected, she did recognize something of great value, which had the qualities of transparency of being, equanimity, and absence of fear. This was the beginning of a period of intensive dharma search and practice, bringing her into connection with many outstanding teachers of mindfulness meditation. Among these have been Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, Steve Armstrong and Kamala Masters, and Jack Kornfield. From their diversity of teaching styles, she came to appreciate the very individual ways the Dharma is expressed through the prism of specific personalities and life experience. While the truth is universal, the expression of that truth is personal and uses the language of direct experience. Winnie’s own orientation to meditation practice is rooted in a background in human services work and the desire to relieve human suffering. After years of work with issues of violence and hunger, it became apparent that the largest single impediment to human progress is the level of development of the average human mind. In 1998, she was asked to teach by Joseph Goldstein. She does so to help people open their full potential, in the interest of their own happiness and well- being and for the benefit of others who their lives affect. Our potential as humans is vast and deep, and can be intentionally developed. There is a way that we can learn to hold all our experience with kindness and wisdom. As we begin to find this stability of heart and mind, wisdom will emerge. This emergence of wisdom, and strengthening of compassion, is the fruit of deep mindfulness practice.

RETREAT TIMES: Please arrive at the Guest house on Friday June 10 between 3:30 and 5 pm. Dinner is at 6 pm.  Because the retreat will begin promptly at 7:30 pm, we request that you try to arrive by 6:30 pm at the latest. 
 

LOCATION: This retreat is being held at the Guest House of the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine. The convent Guest House is tucked away in a surprisingly quiet and beautiful setting in the Willowdale area of Toronto, just north of the 401 and just east of Yonge St.  Easy access by subway, and from highways 401 and 407.

The retreat is limited to 24 retreatants.  All rooms are air-conditioned and single occupancy, with shared bathroom facilities. Bedding and some towels are provided.  

Both vegetarian food and non-vegetarian food is provided, and dairy-free and gluten-free options are available.  You will be asked for your food requirements in our on-line registration form.

RETREAT FEE: Registration closes on Friday May 20, as the Guest House requires confirmation of attendance by that time. 
- Early BIrd Fee, prior to March 11:      $975.00
- Regular Fee, March 12 to May 6: $1025.00 
- Late Fee, from May 7 to May 20: $1075.00 

CANCELLATION POLICY: Please contact us as soon as possible if you need to cancel so that people on the waiting list will have a chance to attend.

• Cancellations up to May 7: $75 non-refundable, 100% of balance returned
• Cancellations from May 8 to May 20: $75.00 non-refundable, 50% of balance returned.
• Cancellations after May 20: no refund.

DONATIONS TO THE TEACHER: In the Buddhist tradition, the teachings are offered freely by the teachers, on a donation basis.This practice is called Dana. The retreat fee covers only the basic costs of the retreat, including full accommodation and other expenses incurred in planning and running such an event. At the end of the retreat, you will have the opportunity to make a donation, or dana, as support for the teacher and appreciation for the teachings. Please click here for more information about dana.