Freedom and Ease of Being: A Meditation Retreat for Our LGBTIQ Community

September 5–10, 2017

Taking place at:

Insight Meditation Society 1230 Pleasant Street

Barre, MA 01005 978-355-4378

www.dharma.org

Program Description

We’ll create a space of ease and support for LGBTIQ people to cultivate mindfulness, kindness and

wisdom through insight meditation. Sharing silence and meditative space with community allows us to

make greater peace with ourselves and our lives, one moment at a time. While listening to the teachings

of wisdom and compassion and mindfully sitting, walking, eating and resting, liberating insights arise,

and clarity and freedom is gained. We can learn to find an ever-deepening sense of well-being, touching

joy and fostering the heart's release. We practice in this way both for our own benefit and for the

benefit of others. Open to beginning and experienced meditators.

This course is designed to help retreatants: 1) define mindfulness; 2) practice the technique of

mindfulness of thoughts, emotions and moment-to-moment experience; 3) identify and mitigate mental

and physical compulsions by developing kind, open and non-judging attention; 4) identify and assess the

impact of internal and external oppression of the LGBTIQ community and how that presents in a

therapeutic relationship; 5) re-direct unhealthy desires towards deepening compassionate connection to

self, others and our world.

The format will include 15 hours of guided meditations, talks, instruction, small group meetings, and Q

and A sessions led by the teachers. There will also be periods of meditation and silent practice of the

principles being taught (including during meals). Although much of the culture and atmosphere at IMS

reflects the Buddhist meditative tradition, this retreat is non-sectarian and does not require any

adherence to Buddhism or any other adaptation of personal faith. The only requirement is participants'

willingness to learn and practice the skills taught during the course. This retreat is suitable for both

beginners and experienced meditators.

Faculty

Jean Esther, MSW LICSW, has trained in meditation since 1975 and has been a practicing

psychotherapist for over 36 years. She is a Guiding Teacher of True North Insight in Canada. She also

teaches meditation at IMS in Barre, MA, at Insight Meditation of Pioneer Valley, Ma, with Inward Bound

Mindfulness Education (IBME) and across the US and Canada. Jean’s teachings integrate psychological

understanding and somatic awareness with Buddhist teachings on love and wisdom.

Anushka Fernandopulle, MBA has trained in meditation for over 25 years. She is on the Spirit Rock

Teachers Council, and works as a leadership coach and management consultant in addition to teaching

Dharma around the world. Her teaching is informed by arts, nature, politics, social justice and modern

urban life.

Pascal Auclair, has been immersed in Buddhist practice and study since 1997, sitting retreats in Asia and

America with revered monastics and lay teachers. He has been mentored by Joseph Goldstein and Jack

Kornfield at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in

California, where he is now enjoying teaching retreats. Pascal teaches in North America and in Europe.

He is a co-founder of True North Insight and one of TNI’s Guiding Teachers.

Continuing Education

Psychologists: The Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy is approved by the

American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

The Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy maintains responsibility for this

program and its content. This course offers 15 hours of credit.

Social Workers: This program has been approved for 15 Social Work Continuing Education hours for

relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. Collaborative of NASW and the Boston College and Simmons

Schools of Social Work. Authorization Number D-72994.

Nurses: This program carries 15 contact hours and meets the specifications of the Massachusetts Board

of Registration in Nursing (244 CMR 5.00). Nurses from other states are welcome to pursue continuing

education credit with IMS. As an approved provider through the APA and the NASW, many certifying

and licensing nursing boards will accept the CEUs that IMS offers. We strongly recommend that you

contact the board through which you are licensed or certified, to learn of your particular requirements.

Specific questions can be directed to your state board. Please refer to the ncsbn.org website for more

information.

Registration

You may register online at www.dharma.org or call 978-355-4378, extension 170.

Fee: IMS has a sliding scale fee structure. The minimum fee for this course is $410, the benefactor rate is

$1100. A modest number of scholarships are available by application and will be awarded on a first-

come, first-served basis.

Please note that IMS’s sliding scale fee structure covers accommodations and meals only. As is

customary here, the teachings are freely offered by the course faculty, who do not receive

compensation. Instead, participants are invited to support the teachers via a donation at the end of the

retreat.

Location: The entire course will be held at the Insight Meditation Society, 1230 Pleasant Street, Barre,

MA 01005.