Women in Meditation: Insight Meditation Retreat

Narayan Helen Liebenson & Christina Feldman
with Éowyn Ahlstrom (movement)

Friday, March 26 – Wednesday, March 31

Held within the classical context of silence and sustained insight meditation practice, a powerful sense of community is created that supports our capacity for deepening wisdom and compassion. This course is open to anyone who identifies as a woman – cis, trans or genderqueer. Suitable for both beginning and experienced meditators, the retreat will feature daily talks, instructions, guided metta (boundless friendliness) practice and meetings with the teachers. An optional daily period of mindful movement will be offered by Éowyn Ahlstrom.

Fees
For this course, sliding scale fees are $200, $260, $325, or $500. We also offer a scholarship fee of $100, and no-fee enrollment for those who request a fee-waiver. Our “Pay What You Can Afford” system supports the cultivation of a dynamic and inclusive community and contributes to the health and vibrancy of the sangha. Select the rate of your choice when you register. Email imsonline@dharma.org for more information or to request a no-fee enrollment.

A note on dana (generosity)
Most IMS teachers—like insight teachers around the world—rely on the generosity of students for their livelihood, and receive no compensation from course fees. All IMS online teachers receive a modest dana advance from IMS to guarantee a minimum level of financial support. (Click here to learn more about the dana practice.) There will be an opportunity to offer a contribution to your teachers at the end of this course.

REGISTER HERE

Daily Schedule – all times listed in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT)

Friday, March 26
8 am: Opening talk (40 mins)
11 am: Mindful Movement with Éowyn Ahlstrom (45 min)
1 pm: Q&A or talk
4 pm: Metta practice (45 mins)
7:30 pm: Silent sitting (30 min)

Saturday, March 27
8 am: Morning instructions and sit (30 mins)
11 am: Mindful Movement with Éowyn Ahlstrom (45 min)
1 pm: Q & A or talk (35 mins) followed by groups (25 min)
4 pm: Metta practice (30 mins)
7:30 pm: Silent sitting (30 min)

Sunday, March 28
8 am: Morning instructions and sit (30 mins)
11 am: Mindful Movement with Éowyn Ahlstrom (45 min)
1 pm: Q & A or talk (35 mins) followed by groups (25 min)
4 pm: Compassion and Joyfulness practice (30 mins)
7:30 pm: Silent sitting (30 min)

Monday, March 29
8 am: Morning instructions and sit (30 mins)
11 am: Mindful Movement with Éowyn Ahlstrom (45 min)
1 pm: Q & A or talk (35 mins) followed by groups (25 min)
4 pm: Equanimity practice (30 mins)
7:30 pm: Silent sitting (30 min)

Tuesday, March 30
8 am: Morning instructions and sit (30 mins)
11 am: Mindful Movement with Éowyn Ahlstrom (45 min)
1 pm: Q & A or talk (35 mins) followed by groups (25 min)
4 pm: Metta practice (30 mins)
7:30 pm: Silent sitting (30 min)

Wednesday, March 31
8 am: Morning instructions and sit (30 mins)
11 am: Mindful Movement with Éowyn Ahlstrom
1 pm: Closing talk (40 mins)

REGISTER HERE

Teacher Bios

Narayan Helen Liebenson finds it a joy and a privilege to share the Buddha’s teachings with all who are interested. She serves as an IMS guiding teacher, and has been a guiding teacher of the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center since its inception in 1985.

Her training over the past forty years includes study in the United States and in Asia with meditation masters in the Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan traditions. She was a student of the late Chan master Sheng Yen for over ten years. Asked by Master Sheng Yen to teach, Narayan decided to integrate her understanding of Zen into her already existing Vipassana lineage.

Narayan is the author and illustrator of a small book titled Life as Meditation, and for many years wrote a meditator’s advice column in Buddhadharma magazine. Her latest book, The Magnanimous Heart, was published by Wisdom Publications in January, 2019.

Christina Feldman is of the generation of dharma teachers that began teaching in the west in 1975 after spending some years in Asia studying and practice in both the Mahayana and Therevadan traditions. She is a co-founder of Gaia House and has served as a guiding teacher of IMS since its early days. She is the founder of the Women’s retreat and the family retreat at IMS. More recently, she is a co-founder of Bodhi-College, which is dedicated to the study and practice of the early teachings of the Buddha. She teaches Buddhist psychology in several university settings in Europe, and she teaches both traditional retreats and study programs. She has been involved in the evolving exploration of mindfulness in contemporary settings. Her latest book is Boundless Heart: The Buddha’s Path of Kindness, Compassion, Joy, and Equanimity.In June 2019, Guilford Press will be publish her next book, Mindfulness: Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Psychology, co-authored with Willem Kukyen. She lives in England and is a mother and a grandmother.

Women in Meditation: Insight Meditation Retreat