Awakening Joy!

Come away for a winter retreat in beautiful surroundings where you’ll have a chance to slow down, dive deep into your warm-hearted, peaceful self and come away feeling blissfully rested and spiritually inspired.

Come to remember the joyful and open heart you once called home as a child. You will find it at the quiet and still place at the center of your being where your true self resides – a realm full of gentle knowing, deep peace, and true happiness.  The Dalai Lama says that, “Joy and Happiness are our birthright.” These tender-hearted qualities have simply become hidden by fears, insecurities and habits that we will gently begin to let go of in our time together.

Our inherent joy is not something we create, it is already here!  On our retreat, we will travel through the doorways of mind, body and spirit to create the conditions for these beautiful heart-mind states to naturally arise and be nurtured. We will calm our minds with meditation and time in nature; we will soothe our bodies with restorative Yoga, delicious meals and relaxation and we will journey through the layers of our being to our spiritual depths with Yoga Nidra.

Our time together will include:

• Mindfulness Meditation (both Sitting and Walking, with clear instructions).
• **The Awakening Joy Meditation (please see description below)
• Delicious, lovingly-prepared meals
• Forest Bathing/Nature walking on the wooded trails (optional and depending on the weather).
• (Optional) Massage Therapy during rest times.
• “Social” Silence – enabling you to focus inward by not “chatting” during meals and resting times. There will be time for dialog, Q & A and sharing.
• Restorative Yoga (where you simply relax with pillows and bolsters allowing the body to soften)
• ** Deep Peace Yoga Nidra Guided Journey (please see description below).

** Yoga Nidra is a transformative guided meditation practice where you experience very deep levels of relaxation, nourishment, healing and peace. Before beginning your journey inward, we take time for you to consider your heart’s innermost longing, (or Sankalpa), which you will carry with you as you are guided on a journey to your deepest self. Here you will be able to rest, restore and tap into new sources of energy, joy and wisdom. Here also you will allow your Sankalpa to be seeded and begin to blossom. This beautiful and refreshing practice will allow you to really, deeply rest, helping     you to remember your happy heart and allowing you to enjoy life more fully…..and all you have to do is lie down and listen!

** Empathetic Joy (or Mudita) is one the four “Divine Abodes” taught in the Buddhist tradition. (The others being Loving -Kindness, compassion and equanimity, which we will also enjoy). Awakening this inherent Joy is a beautiful practice – it engenders gratitude, acceptance, and letting go into your tender, open heart.

After slowing down and noticing the “small” joys all around us and after calming our minds and softening our bodies with restorative yoga and meditations, we begin to open to the deeper joy in ourselves with phrases such as Thich Nhat Hahn’s simple words, “Breathing In, I open to Joy, Breathing out, I smile.” From here we begin to extend our wish to include the joy we see in others and our happiness for them as well. Ultimately, our wish is for all beings to be happy, healthy and at peace.

During the retreat you will have plenty of time to rest, relax and restore in the beauty and warmth that is Elohee – from the gracious and kind staff to the luxurious and comfortable accommodations, the surrounding mountains and trails and the healthy, fresh delicious meals – you will feel welcomed and embraced throughout your stay.

The pace of the weekend is slow and easy. People from all levels of experience with Meditation or Yoga, including beginners, are warmly welcomed for this special time.

For more information about the retreat, please contact Linda at lindaldavis@windstream.net  or call 706-878-0036.