Requisites for the Journey: The Seven Factors of Awakening
Insight meditation harnesses the power of mindfulness to develop understanding in all aspects of our lives, which leads to greater ease, happiness, and freedom. In this nine-day residential retreat we will explore the Seven Factors of Awakening, those seven highly skilful qualities of mind that when fully balanced, support the development of transformative insight.
The Seven Factors are: Mindfulness, Investigation, Energy, Joy, Tranquility, Absorption and Equanimity. These seven are sometimes referred to as our friends on the path, because they help us to overcome the hindrances, harmful states of mind that keep us stuck in delusion.
Mindfulness is the starting point. With mindfulness firmly established, we learn how to balance the agitated, anxious mind through developing Tranquility, Absorption and Equanimity, and the flat, dull mind through developing Investigation, Energy and Joy.
As all Seven Factors come into balance, we experience the release of all afflictive states and the heart and mind naturally settle into a state of profound peace.
Each day will include a mix of guided and silent sitting meditation, walking meditation, optional mindful movement, occasional small group discussion and individual meetings with the teachers.
Prerequisites
This retreat is best suited to people who have done at least two silent retreats of seven days or longer. Please contact Jill if you have any questions about this.
Teachers:
Jill Shepherd is the guiding teacher for Auckland Insight and is a graduate of the IMS / Spirit Rock teacher training program in the US, under the guidance of Joseph Goldstein and Gil Fronsdal. She lives in Aotearoa / New Zealand and teaches internationally, offering insight / vipassanā and brahmavihāra retreats as well as ongoing study and practice groups focused on bringing the dharma into daily life. She also leads courses and non-residential workshops exploring the relational practice of Insight Dialogue, as developed by Gregory Kramer and colleagues.
Di Robertson has 30 years’ experience in insight meditation. She has taught courses since 2000, and retreats since 2015. She lives in Ōtautahi / Christchurch and is a co-founder and trustee of Southern Insight Meditation. Di also works as an ecologist and counsellor and is a stepparent and grandparent.