September 20-22
Free Friday night Talk and Meditation
Saturday and Sunday: Meditation Retreat
Exploring Emptiness and Embodiment
Traversing the Divide in Spiritual Practice
With Terry Furstenau and Joe McCormack
The Buddha's teachings are often referred to as the Middle Path, one that brings together and integrates seemingly opposing polarities. One such polarity is that of emptiness, and personalized embodiment. Is there actually a contradiction between emptiness, which counsels us to let go of any identifications, and living in the world a personality, preferences, opinions. With the eyes of emptiness, we see through the illusion of a separate self. Living fully in the world with our personalities, we see that each of us is a unique expression of All That Is.
In this retreat, we will explore the process of living in the world with our personalities, bringing compassionate inquiry to the suffering those personalities sometimes present, and also understanding that our personalities are situated in the unity of a radiant interconnection. We will have alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, talks reflecting on the theme of the retreat, and the opportunity for practice conferences with the teachers. There will be opportunities for questions and answers as well.
Click Here For the Online Retreat Registration Form
FREE Public Talk/Meditation
Friday, September 20: 7:00-8:45 p.m.
Insight Meditation Retreat
Saturday, Sept. 21: 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 22: 8:30 a.m.-noon
NOTE: Please bring a vegetarian sack lunch on Saturday.
Location for both talk and retreat: EBS Meditation Hall
Retreat cost: There is a sliding scale based on ability to pay. The standard price is $120. The minimum amount is $70.
Scholarships: To request a scholarship, please email EBSRetreat@gmail.com.
Click Here For the Online Retreat Registration Form
If paying by check, please make your check out to the Ecumenical Buddhist Society and indicate Insight Retreat. Mail your payment to:
Ecumenical Buddhist Society
ATTN: Insight Retreat
PO Box 561
Little Rock, AR 72203
About the Teachers:
Terry Furstenau has been a member of the Show Me Dharma sangha since 2001 and on the teachers council since 2004. He has led Insight Dialogue and Dharma Contemplation groups for the sangha. His teachings reflect retreat experience and study with Eastern and Western Vipassana teachers, Advaita Vedanta, Dzogchen, Insight Dialogue and the non-dual teachings of Adyashanti, Richard Miller and Matt Flickstein.
Joe McCormack has practice insight meditation since 1995. He has been a member of the Show Me Dharma Teachers Council since 2002. Joe leads an insight meditation group and has taught insight meditation to prison inmate since 1998. His teachers include Ginny Morgan, Phil Jones, and Matthew Flickstein. In his dharma instruction, Joe draws from Theravada Buddhist teachings, Zen and Dzogchen practice, Advaita teachings, and the Diamond Approach.