Embodying the Heart of Wisdom: New Year’s Retreat
Yanai Postelnik, Catherine McGee, Matthew Hepburn
Tuesday, December 29 – Saturday, January 2
For those who have experience of meditation retreats and feel a connection to the Insight Meditation/Vipassana teachings: You are warmly invited to join this online retreat and spend the days around New Year’s in a contemplative community.
The Buddha’s teachings and sacred practices of deepening in wisdom and compassion are precious resources for meeting our world and holding our hearts in the midst of the uncertainties and challenges we face. Together, we will explore the power of embodied wakefulness and of cultivating a wise and openhearted connection with life. We will also devote some time to reflect on the turning of the year as a community/sangha, and to engage with our aspirations and intentions for what lies ahead.
This retreat at home will include regular periods of instruction, guided meditation practice, Dharma reflections, sharing together as a sangha/community, and meetings with the teachers.
The format will support both those who wish to practice formally in a sustained way throughout the days, and also those who wish to attend the scheduled group sessions, while continuing to engage with their ongoing life at home.
Participating in this retreat will require your commitment to attend the opening and closing sessions (or listen to the recordings) and attend the main teaching sessions scheduled at 9:00am, 12 noon, and 3:00pm EST, throughout the retreat, as fully as you are able. This course will be offered on the Zoom platform to support our connections with each other.
“Teaching this New Year’s course over many years, we have appreciated the growing connections that have been cultivated during these retreats. This year, we are very happy that Matthew Hepburn will be joining us on the teaching team. We look forward to connecting with all who wish to attend, and join with us in creating a rich, loving and contemplative practice space.” ~ Catherine and Yanai
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 Standard Time EST:
Note: All sessions (except group practice meetings) will be recorded and posted so you can view it later if you missed one
Tuesday, December 29
9:00 – 10:30 am – Opening Talk, Instructions, Meditation
12:00 – 1:00 pm – Guided Practice / Meditation + Q&C
3:00 – 4:00 pm – Dharma Reflections
4:30 – 5:00 pm – Sitting / Standing Meditation
7:30 – 8:15 pm – Evening Practice
Wednesday, December 30
7:00 – 7:45 am – Sitting / Standing Meditation
9:00 – 10:00 am – Dharma Talk, Instructions, Meditation
10:30 – 11:15 am – Small Group Meetings
12:00 – 1:00 pm – Guided Practice + Q&C
3:00 – 4:00 pm – Dharma Reflections
4:30 – 5:00 pm – Sitting / Standing Meditation
7:30 – 8:15 pm – Evening Practice
Thursday, December 31
7:00 – 7:45 am – Sitting / Standing Meditation
9:00 – 10:00 am – Dharma Talk, Instructions, Meditation
10:30 -11:15 am – Small Group Meetings
12:00 – 1:00 pm – Guided Practice + Q&C
3:00 – 4:30 pm – New Year Ceremony
7:30 – 8:15 pm – Evening Practice
Friday, January 1
7:00 – 7:45 am – Sitting / Standing Meditation
9:00 – 10:00 am – Dharma Talk, Instructions, Meditation
10:30 – 11:15 am – Small Group Meetings
12:00 – 1:00 pm – Guided Practice + Q&C
3:00 – 4:00 pm – Dharma Reflections
4:30 – 5:00 pm – Sitting / Standing Meditation
7:30 – 8:15 pm – Evening Practice
Saturday, January 2
7:00 – 7:45 am – Sitting / Standing Meditation
9:00 – 10:00 am – Reflections, Instructions, Meditation
10:30 -11:15 am – Small Group Meetings
12:00 – 1:00 pm – Guided Practice + Q&C
3:00 – 4:30 pm – Closing Session
REGISTER HERE
Teacher Bios
Yanai Postelnik has been engaged in full-time dharma practice and service since 1990. He is inspired by the Thai Forest Tradition and nourished by time spent in nature, and has been teaching retreats around the world for over 25 years. Yanai is a member of the Guiding Teacher Council of Gaia House, in Devon, England, and of the Core Faculty of Insight Meditation Society, Massachusetts. Since 2018, Yanai has been engaged with Extinction Rebellion, calling for urgent action, in responding to the climate and ecological emergency we face.
Catherine McGee has practiced and studied Buddhist meditation since 1992, and has taught at Gaia House in England and internationally since 1997. She is also a student of the Diamond Approach of A.H. Almaas.
Matthew Hepburn caught fire with the Dharma through retreat practice in his early twenties. He began offering vipassana instruction in 2012 at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center, where he is continually inspired by the deep Dharma of daily living. He is a participant in the 2017-2021 IMS Teacher Training Program.
Guidelines For Your Home Retreat
