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Cultivating an Open Heart with the Brahma Viharas
A Contemplative Yoga and Mindfulness Retreat
with Erin Joosse
Harmony Hill Retreat Center – Union, Washington
March 24th-27th, 2023 (Friday-Monday)
Masks in our shared spaces are optional. Spaces are well ventilated. As per Harmony Hill policy, masks are required while moving around the dining hall except when seated.
All safety protocol is subject to change, depending on current COVID-19 information
How can we open our heart with intentionality and awareness? How can we settle into the awareness that is our true home – a spacious, light, gentle noticing of our heart and mind?
Contemplative retreat practice offers us the opportunity to pause the doings of daily life, and the chance to tune more fully into our bodies, minds, and hearts.
In this retreat, we will explore the Brahma Viharas, 4 qualities or practices from the Buddhist Tradition that help cultivate an open and spacious heart. They are Metta (lovingkindness), Karuna (compassion), Mudita (sympathetic joy), and Upekka (equanimity). Through talks, meditations, and other practices, we will explore and deepen these qualities in ourselves.
This retreat will include a period of extended silence (Saturday midday through Monday morning) Silent practice offers the chance to limit the input of information we take in, allowing a gathering of our scattered energies, a clarifying of attention, and awakening of present moment awareness.
Mindful, adaptable and restoring Yoga Asana practices will ground us in our bodies as we make space for contemplative practice.
Your Weekend: Through a balance of scheduled and unscheduled time, guided yoga and meditation practices, and time for rest, we will offer ourselves the gift of compassion. Retreat begins Firday at 4pm and completes Monday by early to mid-afternoon. We will have periods of silence to deepen our retreat practice.
Mindful Yoga Practice: In Mindful Yoga, each movement becomes a meditation and an opportunity to cultivate awareness moment by moment. You will enjoy both active and restoring yoga classes in support of cultivating embodied wisdom. All classes will be at a basic and accessible level.
Mindfulness Meditation: You will be guided through a variety of mindfulness practices, including sitting, moving, and walking meditation. An optional morning and evening meditation will be offered, as well as meditation in our yoga classes.
Silence: Although we will have time to connect as a community, our retreat will include a longer period of silence, from Saturday midday to Monday morning. Silence as a practice can be a way to settle more deeply into ourselves.
Unplug: I will ask that you leave laptops and tablets at home, and turn off your phone for the weekend. The opportunity to unplug for a full weekend is a rare treat, creating a fuller experience of spaciousness and inner quiet.
Harmony Hill: Harmony Hill is located on the Olympic Peninsula’s Hood Canal in Union, WA., less than 90 minutes from Tacoma. You will enjoy delicious vegetarian food, beautiful grounds and gardens, and lovely accommodations. Harmony Hill is the Pacific Northwest’s only retreat center offering complimentary life-giving retreats for people with cancer and their caregivers. Through your participation in this retreat the revenue generated will help to support these cancer programs.
A Gift for Self:
- Be guided through both restoring and enlivening gentle yoga classes, mindfulness meditation, and self-compassion practices.
- Nourish yourself in community.
- Feel expanded by resting in the natural beauty of our exquisite Hood Canal and Olympic view.
- Take time for morning silence and contemplation.
- Enjoy both being in community and time for solitude.
- All levels of practitioners of yoga and meditation welcome.
Your retreat includes:
- 3 nights’ stay in beautiful and thoughtful accommodations
- Use of all Harmony Hill facilities & grounds
- All meals dinner Friday through lunch Monday
- All yoga and meditation sessions
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Erin Joosse has been a student of yoga since the early 90’s, and has taught yoga and mindfulness for more than two decades. She founded Source Yoga in 2005.
She got her first interest in meditation from her mother Cynthia, who was a joyful, loving, and deeply spiritual woman who explored meditation and other forms of spiritual practice for many years. Erin stumbled upon her first yoga class as a college student in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and from that first class, knew she had found her way into a lifelong adventure of inner exploration.
Erin is grateful to be the steward of Source Yoga and to have been journeying with this community for so many years. She feels honored that so many people feel at home in the Source studios, and considers her path of business ownership to be one of the most important, challenging, rewarding, and spiritual experiences of her life.
She is a yoga instructor certified at the 500 Hour Level, and a Certified teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) through the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, Mindfulness Based Professional Training Institute. She has a BA in Dance from the University of New Mexico, with an emphasis in Modern Dance, Choreography, and Flamenco. She has been exploring the joy of movement her whole life.
She is also a wife and a mom, a sister and a daughter, and her family and friends have made the difficulties of this last 2+ years a little easier every day. She continues to study, train, and practice, and makes time annually for silent meditation retreats. She is also a devoted writer who practices daily.
She teaches yoga, meditation, MBSR, is passionate about leading retreat practice, and guides the direction of the Source Yoga studios.
REGISTRATION
Retreat Cost:
Single occupancy ~ $1125
Double occupancy ~ $960 (please email us and let us know if you have a roommate preference or if you would like us to pair you with another participant)
$250 Reserves your spot
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Final Payment Due: March 3rd, 2023
Cancellation Policy:
- Full refund available (minus $50) prior to March 3rd, 2023
- Refunds to studio account credit only (minus $50) March 3rd or later
- No refunds after March 17th, 2023
