BEGINNING AFRESH IN THE HERE AND NOW
25 May - 24 August 202190 days of attuning to refresh and revitalise our Dharma Life
‘The scientist can analyse every physical aspect of a flower
but will never find the essence that is the flower’Beginning afresh with ourselves and our own capacity to touch each aspect of our daily lives with mindfulness concentration and insight, awakens in us simplicity and deep joy, the true essence of being
This Annual Rains Retreat is for our Residential community and long term practitioners and also to support and inspire your home and local practice. If you wish to spend time with us in community practice during these three months please contact the centre to check on a suitable time peace@dharmagaia.org
There are some shorter retreats and places to join us for other periods of time during the 90 day practice period however arrival should be prior to 3pm on the day of the opening ceremony 25 May and thereafter arrivals and departures will only be possible on Fridays between 10am and 3pm
OPENING CEREMONY AT DHARMA GAIA 6pm Tuesday 25th May 2021
Throughout this 90 day period our practice will be grounded in Mindfulness and transformation in everyday life. Bringing more awareness, calm and peace into our everyday actions of body speech and mind.
As a community the Dharma Gaia Sangha will continue to be nourished by our regular practices of sitting, walking, eating and working meditations, Dharma sharing and study groups. We also value practices of deep relaxation, mindful movement, dharma talks, and being in nature. During the three month Rains period we tend naturally to be more introspective and restful.
This year for the Rains Retreat we at Dharma Gaia are also choosing to focus our practice in a conscious collective way in the art of the Zen Kitchen. Cooking and cleaning are beautiful expressions of love when we are supported to practice these mindfully. So often in western culture the kitchen is not the most pleasant place, either we want to do our work here fast and with the least effort or at other times it can be fraught with ego - self aggrandising or self depreciation.
At Dharma Gaia we have for a long time wanted to deepen our peace, ease and connection to our food by having a more focussed and reverential practice in the kitchen - transforming our way of working and caring for this space both as an outer gesture of giving and an inner gesture of concentration.
Perhaps in your home and families you also feel that this as an area you would like to bring more peace and awareness. Or perhaps you will choose one other area of your home/work life to commit to nourishing your mindfulness peace and ease.
We will do our best to post updates and share aspects of the teaching and practice over the months ahead. We would welcome input from our nationwide sangha too
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24 May
Here is the first posting of Dharma Gaia Resdential Sangha Practice
for the First two weeks Practice.
Please see below a link below to the ‘Rains Retreat Blog’, where you can follow all further updates.
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Firstly, here is a link to enjoy some of the photos from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the Plum Village Winter Retreat this year https://plumvillage.org/articles/closing-the-rains-retreat-ceremony/
Joyful practice for the first fortnight of the Rains Retreat
Wednesday 26th IS THE BLOOD MOON - please enjoy it - Perhaps you might also contemplate h nature and beauty stimulate and inspire Presence and Nourishment in you?
This week: please watch this short excerpt: from a talk with Thay to nourish your beginers’s mind Bodhicitta: The Mind of Love & Enlightenment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZCwVMYX0nMYou may also enjoy deepening your concentration by choosing one of Thay’s calligraphies that speaks to you at this time , If you have a brush and some paints you may like to copy it out as a form of concentration and practice. Perhaps you could share about it in Dharma sharing this week.
Please make time every week of the rains retreat for a Dharma sharing circle
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OTHER RETREATS YOU CAN JOIN DURING THE 90 day period
Please check the website for other retreats that will be taking place at Dharma Gaia supported within the context of the Rains Retreat practice.
These include a Mindfulness and Yoga weekend and a Working Bee weekend in June,
A Women's Retreat, A young peoples - Loving the Earth Retreat, and a very special 21 day Retreat for Writers in full Presence.
Please see the separate entries on our retreat page for more details.
THE 7 DAY RESIDENTIAL RETREAT - RIGHT EFFORT AND THE ART OF LETTING GO
4pm 17th to the 2pm 24th of August.
The 90 day practice period will complete with this 7 day Residential Retreat. Further information for this retreat can be found on the main Dharma Gaia Website- Retreat Schedule
Places on this retreat are limited and often fill quickly. We welcome your early registration by emailing us your details peace@dharmagaia.org - subject line 7 DAY RESIDENTIAL RAINS RETREAT. Confirmation of a place on the retreat will be subject to communication with the retreat teachers and full payment of retreat fee.