events

4 Day Residential Retreat for Therapists

A Buddhist Exploration of Suffering, Freedom and Mindfulness

Thursday 19th to Monday 23rd March 2009
St Joseph's Centre, Baulkham Hills NSW

Following the success of its May 2008 weekend seminar presented by Gregory Kramer, AABCAP is delighted to announce that Gregory will return to Australia in March 2009 and will present a 4 day Insight Dialogue retreat for therapists.

Gregory Kramer, the developer of Insight Dialogue (also known as interpersonal meditation) and author of Insight Dialogue – The Interpersonal Path to Freedom, has been teaching Vipassana and loving-kindness meditation since 1980. Insight Dialogue practice is a form of meditation that is fully interpersonal. Gregory is a visiting faculty member at Barre Centre for Buddhist Studies in Massachusetts and holds a PhD in learning in human systems. For further information on Gregory Kramer, see www.metta.org.

The retreat will be aimed specifically at therapists who wish to deepen their listening and interpersonal skills. It will focus, amongst other things, on cultivating refined mindfulness, on speaking the truth from deeper recesses of the heart-mind, on examining Buddhist psychology and on exploring how relational wisdom is experienced in the body. The aim is to assist therapists to find tranquility while engaged in the process of relating with others. Some other areas of investigation will be the subtle aspects of transference and counter transference that can remain hidden even after long years of therapist training and professional experience. In addition to dialogic meditation, some time will be spent in periods of silent practice as we learn to rest, fully present with our internal experience as well as being attuned to others.
Noble silence will be observed at all times during the retreat other than in ID sessions.

RETREAT THEME:
Insight Dialogue: A Buddhist Exploration of Suffering, Freedom and Mindfulness

Buddhist psychology clearly describes many aspects of human suffering: biological, psychological, and relational. One of the great powers of mindfulness is that it reveals suffering at the subtlest levels, in a gentle, precise, and dis-identified way. Often, this leads to the suffering diminishing, no matter whether it is physical or emotional. Sometimes, pain endures, but greater acceptance develops: it's just how things are in that moment.

What can Buddhist practice and psychology teach us about this suffering? Is there a greater possibility in life, and more specifically in psychotherapy, than just getting by a little more skillfully? And relevant to the essence of this retreat, in light of the human experience, what is the nature of freedom? How does mindfulness relate to freedom, as a gradual process of awakening and freedom in this very moment?

These questions, these potentials, are at once complex and available in immediate experience. We can learn a great deal, and often experience new qualities of clarity and ease, when we have the active support of unconditional relational presence - the healing essence of the therapeutic relationship.

Insight Dialogue is a meditation practice that unfolds in relationship. It is a practice of cultivating mindfulness, tranquility, inquiry, and adaptability while engaged with others. Arising in this mutual engagement is deep, immediate insight into the relational nature of the self; detailed understanding of how we relate to others and by extension a greater ability to track our own process in the therapeutic relationship. In this, we can find release.

VENUE - Please note CHANGE OF LOCATION!

Due to the recent notification by the Quest For Life Centre in Bowral that it will be closing in December 2008. We have been fortunate in securing an alternate venue at St Joseph's Centre for Reflective Living in Baulkham Hills, Sydney. There will be no change in retreat costs.

St Joseph’s Centre for Reflective Living (www.stjosephscentre.org.au)
This is an award winning 4 star rated recently refurbished modern retreat centre set in 40 acres of rolling countryside in Baulkham Hills, 30 minutes from the centre of Sydney. Its conference facilities include extensive facilities, meeting rooms overlooking garden courtyards, guest lounges, library and swimming pool. Accommodation is mainly modern twin share rooms all with en-suite. There are a limited number of single rooms with en-suite available. The Centre is renowned for its warm welcoming atmosphere and for its delicious and healthy vegetarian food.

The Centre is easily accessed along M2 Motorway. There is public transport from Central Railway Station to Parramatta where the bus to Baulkham Hills drops you a few steps from the door. Car lifts can also be arranged.

For map of St Joseph's location, click here. (Data taken from Whereis.Com)

DURATION
Participants will be required to stay for the full 4-day residential retreat which commences at dinner, 6 pm, on 19 March and concludes after lunch at 2 pm on 23 March.

MEALS
All meals served during the retreat will be vegetarian.

NOBLE SILENCE
The retreat will be conducted in silence except during dialogue sessions.

RECOMMENDED READING
Book: Insight Dialogue - The Interpersonal Path to Freedom
Author: Gregory Kramer

PHOENIX RISING BOOKS
To purchase your copy of Insight Dialogue visit www.phoenixrisingbooks.com.au.

PARTICIPANTS
All members of the helping professions are welcome including non-Buddhists. Participants are encouraged to have previous meditation experience and reading of Gregory Kramer’s book Insight Dialogue – The Interpersonal Path to Freedom (2007) is strongly recommended before the retreat.

CLOSING DATE FOR REGISTRATIONS
28 February 2009

RETREAT FEE
Fees includes tuition, meals and accommodation.

aabcap members:	$800 / *$750
non-members:	$900 / *$850
aabcap student members:	$600 (limited spaces)

 

 

 

*Due to the current economic circumstances AABCAP is offering a variation in payment details. Early bird rates are extended to 30 November 2008 and the closing date for all payment is
28 February 2008. A deposit of $200 is required to reserve a place.

A limited number of single rooms are available at $120 surcharge from 17/11/2008. Indicate on application form if you would like single room.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT

Helen Sharwood hsharwood@gmail.com M: 0419 405 287

Linda Feldstein linda@learning.au.com M: 0428 367 780

 

 

REGISTER ONLINE NOW:
Click here to complete the Online Retreat Registration Form.

REGISTERING BY POST:
Download both the Registration Form and Participants Information Form below, and return these two completed forms to AABCAP.

• Click here to download Retreat Registration Form.
• Click here to download Participant Information Form.

 

Content updated 17 November 2008.