Being Fully Present: Mindfulness & Awareness in Daily Life

Pema Chödrön, one of the nation’s most admired Buddhist teachers, returns to Omega to lead a retreat on what are known as the Four Foundations of Mindfulness: mindfulness of body, feelings, mind, and sense perceptions.

Mindfulness is both a meditation practice and quality of being that helps us be alert, not only to what’s going on around us but also—perhaps even more importantly—within us. Mindfulness is gaining widespread popularity as a way for people to manage stress and to live more meaningful, contented lives.

Through talks, meditation practice, and question-and-answer sessions, we explore how these four foundations of mindfulness can support us in being awake and open-minded—even in the midst of chaos, sorrows, and the challenges we encounter every day.

Pema Chödrön’s down-to-earth and easily accessible teachings are suited for those new to meditation and Buddhism, as well as longtime practitioners.

The weekend includes additional meditation instruction led by Tim Olmsted and a period of silence from the end of the session on Friday until Saturday dinner.

Please note: This retreat begins Friday at 7:00 p.m. Bring your own meditation cushion or bench if you have one; cushions and chairs are provided if you don’t. Tim Olmsted is also teaching Tasting the Fruit of the Path; August 27-29, 2010.

Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun in the Shambhala Buddhist tradition and resident teacher at Gampo Abbey, a monastic center in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. A student of Dzigar Kontrul Rinpoche, she is the author of several books, including Start Where You Are, When Things Fall Apart, The Wisdom of No Escape, and her latest, Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves From Old Habits and Fears. pemachodron.org