June 1st 2021 – June 6th 2021
~Five Day Online Silent Meditation Retreat~
Beginning at 6 PM on June 1st and ending at 10 AM on June 6th
Mindfulness practice offers us the ability to see clearly, to know things as they are. Clear seeing involves understanding the true nature of all things in the universe, including our sense of self. In this 5 day silent and online retreat we will use time, silence and the practices of awareness to step out of our daily routines and investigate our direct experience with kindness. The retreat will mirror a residential silent retreat and offering LIVE, daily instruction, daily Dharma talks and teacher support, community building in silence online through practice – book ended by opportunities to connect in small groups at the beginning and the end of the retreat.
Read the enthusiastic reviews (below) of previous participants in an online silent retreat.
An emphasis will be placed on movement practices and accessible yoga that focus on the inter-play between the mind and body. This 5-day online silent retreat is an opportunity to cultivate and embody awareness and compassion and is appropriate for beginners or experienced meditators.
Kathleen Mitcheom MSN, CNM, RYT graduated from the Yale School of Nursing as a Nurse-midwife in 1981. She has practiced women’s health care for thirty years at the Fair Haven Community Health Center which motivated Kate to pursue areas of integrative medicine including Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. She has been practicing meditation since 1991 and teaching meditation since 1995 after training at Omega with Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD. and Saki Santorelli.
Lucia McBee LCSW, MPH, CYI – As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Lucia has extensive experience integrating mindfulness and integrative modalities into a clinical practice since 1994 with elders, high risk populations and persons with chronic conditions as well as their caregivers in a wide range of community, research, and institutional settings. She developed a pioneering practice using mindfulness as well as other complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities to improve the quality of life in community, hospital, clinic and nursing home settings. Learn more about Lucia.
The retreat will be structured the same as an in person retreat. We will start at 8 AM EST and end at 8 PM EST(except for opening and closing days). We have a schedule similar to the in-person retreat: walking, movement, sitting and meals and work time along with an evening dharma talk and meetings with teachers. You will need internet capability that allows you to be on camera for the retreat.
If you live with others you will need to get their commitment to cooperate so that you can remain in silence as much as possible, if not completely.
This retreat will no doubt offer some new challenges but will also provide the opportunity to observe our routine life and habits anew. The schedule will be rigorous with seamless practices identical to a residential retreat. Please consider your time zone and the adaptations that will be required.
Kate can speak with those of you who anticipate factors in your environment or situation that could interfere.
This online retreat is co-sponsored by Brown Mindfulness Center and the Copper Beech Institute. This course fulfills the requirement for the 5 day retreat in the MBSR Teacher training pathway.
Cost is $660 (Please inquire if you have lost your job or have hardship that necessitates assistance). Registration is through Copper Beech Institute.
FAQ about Online Silent Retreat
What if we need to go outside of the house?
We will give clear parameters for retreating in the world rather than in seclusion. We will ask participants to get food and supplies ready ahead of time so that driving and shopping would not be necessary during the retreat. There will be specific times during the day for mindful food preparation and hygiene.
Could you provide a phone number so that loved ones could call in case of emergency? That way our phones can remain turned off?
Absolutely. I will give you my number to pass along to family should they need to reach you. One of the challenges will be refraining from using the computer for anything other than our live online retreat. Phones should be turned off and put away
Would you keep up updated on the COVID-19 if something drastic were to happen nationwide?
Definitely yes. While this retreat will provide seclusion from the daily news, should something arise that is imminent you would be notified in a timely fashion.
Previous Participants Comments:
I have attended many onsite retreats, I really didn’t think the virtual retreat was going to be as good. I was glad to find out that I was wrong. Virtual retreats need to be a must offering for participants.
Being at home with noble silence was much easier than I anticipated.
I felt a connection and belonging with the group even though we were not physically together.
Unexpectedly deep for an online experience.
In the beginning of the retreat I was afraid it would be too hard for me. But… you …filled my house with love. And in the same way, aware of all the group, a lot of people – like me – going through a lot of challenges, I was discovering moment by moment that I would have strength for being here in silence, plunging deeper and deeper inside myself. It was a gift.
My experience was outstanding. The fact that I could get triggered at home anytime and the next hour I would be sitting on my mat to work through it, therefore I could gain many breakthroughs in my practice.
It helps me integrate the practice into daily living, I really start to cultivate moment-by-moment awareness throughout the day.