Half-day Retreat, in-person/hybrid
Wise Attitude: Nurturing Ease While Facilitating This Path of Awakening
with Michael Grady
Saturday, June 3, 2023; 10:00am-1:00pm
This offering is in-person/hybrid.
Description: The Buddha taught that liberation from suffering comes through developing the capacity through meditation to “see things as they are”. A teaching so brilliant and simple. But dharma practitioners know that simple doesn’t necessarily translate to easy. This half day retreat will begin to explore the crucial role that the attitudes that we bring into meditation practice deeply influence the unfolding of our dharma path.
Cultivating Wise Attitude supports Wise Effort and discovering greater ease, while deepening this investigative process into understanding the nature of suffering and the path to freedom. Practicing unwise attitudes can cause seemingly endless confusion, tension, and reinforce habitual conditioning that can undermine our aspirations and efforts along this challenging path of awakening.
The format of this half day retreat will include sitting meditation, short dharma talks and space for discussion and mutual exploration. Open to all meditators.
Suggested donation: $15-30 registration + teacher donation (we encourage you to consider giving teacher dana equal to or greater than what you gave for registration)*
IN-PERSON LOCATION: IWM at Eastworks; 116 Pleasant St, Suite 242, Easthampton, MA
Chairs and cushions available.
Please bring your own covered water bottle.
COVID Protocols:
• Vaccination required
• Masks optional
• If you have COVID concerns (new symptoms or think you've been exposed), please stay home and join us via Zoom.
• Field Control Trio Plus portable air purifier will be running (H13 HEPA with an ultraviolet light component).
Michael Grady began practicing Insight Meditation with Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg in 1974 when they first returned from Asia. He has also been a student of the late Chan master Sheng Yen who taught the practice of Silent Illumination - a practice which emphasizes relaxing the body and mind while practicing awareness without expectations or an agenda. Michael is a Core teacher at IMS in Barre, MA and was a Guiding Teacher at the Cambridge Insight Meditation Center for more than 20 years. Michael moved to Western Mass several years ago and is currently on the Teacher Council of IWM. Having taught extensively in both intensive retreats and in an urban dharma center, Michael encourages an attitude towards practice which is wholistic - that all of life is viewed as an opportunity for awakening to freedom.
*In keeping with the Buddhist tradition of dana (generosity), the suggested registration amounts for our classes and retreats do not include any payment for the teacher. The teachers are paid entirely out of the students' generosity. Please consider giving a donation to the teacher in order to support their ability to continue to share the dharma. We encourage you to consider teacher dana equal to or greater than the amount you gave for registration. You may give a donation at the time of registration and/or give later donations through our teacher dana link or in-person at the course/retreat. Everyone is welcome to all of our offerings regardless of ability to donate.
You can give online or send checks to Insight Western Mass, 116 Pleasant Street, Suite 242, Easthampton, MA 01027. FYI: we check for mail once per week.
Zoom Link
Password: 242.
Dial in by phone for audio only: Call (646) 558-8656. Meeting ID: 943 156 1684. Password: 242
