The Open Heart

A one-day retreat on awakening the heart through meditation and restorative yoga with Peter Fernando and Karla Brodie.

Often the experiences of our lives are so challenging and overwhelming that our hearts become closed and shut down. We innocently become victims of our own energies of fear, self-criticism, and doubt - losing touch with the heart's capacity for openness, happiness and ease.

The direct, embodied practices of kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity offer us a way of consciously connecting with the powerful resource of openness in our own hearts, and give us tools for cultivating our ability to respond to ourselves, others and the experiences of life from a place of genuine caring and inner strength.

In this weekend workshop, we will explore how to bring these qualities into being in a direct and heartfelt way both in formal practice and in our daily lives.

'How did the rose open its heart
and give to this world all its beauty?
It felt the encouragement of light against its being,
otherwise we all remain too frightened'
- Hafiz

The two days will consist of guided sitting meditation, standing and walking meditations, reflections, opportunities for discussion and deep restorative yoga led by Wilhemeena Monroe.

Peter Fernando: Peter began his training in 1998, as a novice in Bodhinyanarama monastery in Wellington, NZ. In 2001 he travelled to California to study under Ajahn Amaro and Ajahn Pasanno at Abhayagiri Forest Monastery in Mendocino County, where he spent 5 years training. Upon returning to lay life he was invited to teach in Wellington by New Zealand meditation teacher Stephen Archer, and was one of the founders of Original Nature Meditation Centre in 2009. He finds a lot of joy in exploring ways of translating the Buddha’s early teachings in an urban, lay context, and supporting others in the practice of awakening.

Karla Brodie: is an experienced facilitator, known for her ability to lead students toward a deeper experiential understanding of breath, posture and integrated movement. She is a long time student of Donna Farhi.

How: $90 includes costs, dana and delicious organic lunch

Event listed by Soul Centre

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