This month we are offering an extended retreat led by Shinzen Young: What is Mindfulness? Shinzen will offer a comprehensive theoretical overview of how mindfulness is defined and practiced from various points of view. While most Tricycle retreats are four sessions, Shinzen’s retreat runs over six sessions each with accompanying guided meditations. He dives deep into the history and translation of mindfulness while expanding traditional definitions of how we understand the effects and applications of a mindfulness practice.
Shinzen advocates for an understanding and practice of mindfulness (as drawn from a cross-traditional synthesis of Vipassana meditation) removed from any “cultural or doctrinal trappings.” While the mindfulness movement has been well critiqued for its oversimplication of complex meditation practices, Shinzen’s “Five Ways to Know Yourself” is a deeply fleshed out approach to mindful awareness offering system for practitioners with or without affiliation with a particular tradition. He draws from a number of traditions to create a rigorous, clear and accessible manual for meditators at all stages of the path.
Here’s a breakdown of this month’s retreat schedule:
- September 4th – Session 1 – Mindfulness: The Awareness. How mindful awareness is defined in various systems.
- September 10th – Session 2 – Mindfulness: The Practices. How mindful awareness is cultivated in various systems.
- September 17th – Session 3 – Mindfulness: The Path (Part 1). How mindful awareness reduces suffering and elevates fulfillment.
- September 20th – Session 4 – Mindfulness: The Path (Part 2). How mindful awareness facilitates self knowledge, positive habit change, and a spirit of love and service.
- September 24th – Session 5 – Mindfulness: The Translation. Can the English word mindfulness be used to translate different Buddhist concepts?
- September 27th – Session 6 – Mindfulness: The Possible Revolution. Forces that could facilitate and forces that could impede a global mindfulness revolution.