THE SPACE BETWEEN
VIPASSANĀ RETREAT
VICTORIA, VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA
“Between stimulus and reaction there is a space.
Within that space lies our power to choose our response.
And within our response lies our growth and our freedom.”
These wise words by Holocaust survivor, psychiatrist and author Viktor Frankl represent the essence of the Buddha’s liberating path of mental development and the mindfulness based practice of vipassanā meditation, capable of leading to the mind’s emancipation from suffering.
This space, although innately imbued within each moment of conscious experience, is nonetheless invariably imperceptible, obscured by the blinding speed of the mind’s well worn habitual and reactive neural pathways. The result is a mind, and in turn human life, governed by past experience, robbing our human hearts from the gift of freedom found only within the meeting of momentary experience exactly as it is.
To compound things, this habitual patterning of the mind not only erodes this space but also, in so doing, prevents itself from seeing clearly the ultimate reality of the sensory-phenomena (including thought) that combine to create the experiences of what can be described as “our lives”. The result is (mis)perception, seeing life not how it actually is but how the mind has been conditioned, giving rise to a vicious self-perpetuating cycle of enslavement to conditionally misperceived experience.
In this five-day meditation retreat held in noble silence at the beautiful Earthspring Sanctuary retreat centre on Vancouver Island practitioners will apply the ancient method of vipassanā meditation, working towards the expansion of the spatiotemporal gap between stimulus and reaction, providing an unadulterated view of these precious human lives we have been gifted.
The resulting experience of freedom gifts us the opportunity to respond consciously and appropriately to the sensory information being presented to the mind, taking the power back and embodying the presence and equanimity that extinguishes suffering from our lives.
This retreat will integrate mettā (loving-kindness) and mudīta (appreciative joy/gratitude) meditation with the traditional and potent vipassanā methodology of the revered Burmese master Mahāsi Sayadaw, as passed down to Whit over his 16 years of study and practice within the Buddhist tradition, including intensive monastic experiences at Mahāsi Sayadaw’s monastery in Rangoon, Burma.
Metta (loving-kindness) is often considered a prerequisite to vipassanā meditation, and through personal experience Whit holds both it and mudīta meditation in high regard, as fundamental components of the path towards liberating insight.
“The great Burmese Master Mahasi Sayadaw’s approach to meditation is very clear, very precise and ‘to the point,’ faithfully adhering to the method of the Buddha in his own successful search for Enlightenment. Whit Hornsberger’s experiences of intensive monastic meditation in Burma, combined with his studies of Yoga and other forms of Eastern Spirituality, have given him a unique ability to communicate to Westerners a classical approach to meditation, one that is deeply rooted in the profound Burmese tradition.”
This retreat includes daily yoga practice, daily interviews with the teacher, Dhamma talks and intensive periods of sitting and walking meditation.
The retreat is offered by the teacher through the Buddhist practice of dāna (donation) or generosity. At the culmination of the retreat each practitioner will be required to practice dāna/generosity, making a donation to the teacher. Please make sure that you have read the dāna page and understand this practice before applying for the retreat. If you have any questions about the practice of dāna, please let us know.
We look forward to spending this transformative week with you in the inspiring temperate rainforest of southern Vancouver Island.
- This retreat is limited to 16 practitioners -
THIS RETREAT IS NOW FULL - JOIN WAITING LIST BELOW
PRICES* (Includes all vegan/vegetarian meals):
Private Room (Queen Bed) with ensuite bathroom:
$695 CND* / person + Dāna (Donation)**
Shared Room (Queen Bed) with ensuite bathroom:
$515 CND* / person + Dāna (Donation)**
Shared Room (Two Twin Beds) with ensuite bathroom:
$595 CND* / person + Dāna (Donation)**
Shared Cabin (1 Queen & 1 Twin Pullout) with shared bathroom:
$595 CND* / person + Dāna (Donation)**
Shared Dorm (Single Bed) with shared bathroom:
$545 CND* / person + Dāna (Donation)**
* 5% tax not included
BYOP (Bring your own props): For this retreat we kindly ask you to bring your own meditation set-up/props and a yoga mat. eg: zafu (sitting cushion), blankets, pillows. (chairs will also be provided for sitting practice).
**IMPORTANT**: This retreat is offered by the teacher by way of the traditional Buddhist practice of dāna (generosity). The price shown covers accommodation and meals (vegan/vegetarian) only.
It is important that each practitioner understands that the teacher receives no payment for this retreat aside from the donation that is offered by the students.
At the culmination of the retreat each practitioner will be required to practice dāna/generosity, making a donation to the teacher. Please make sure that you have read the dāna page and understand this practice before applying for the retreat. If you have any questions about the practice of dāna, please let us know.
We thank you for your generous support to allow Whit to continue sharing the teachings of the Buddha in the way they have been passed down for 2600 years.
***A 50% non-refundable deposit is required upon registration. Full balance due by October 21st, 2021.
***In the event that this retreat is postponed due to a complete Covid-19 ban, a full refund will be issued minus $50 CND.