The Elemental Nature of All Things – A Mindfulness Meditation Retreat on the 4 Primary Elements

The meditation on the four primary elements helps see through or penetrate beyond the normal level of conceptual labels and categories. One begins to understand and experience that the elements of solidity (earth), liquidity (water), motion (air), and temperature (fire) are within all material phenomena including ourselves. This practice helps us discover the impermanent and insubstantial nature of all things and dissolves the notion of separateness. It reveals that we live in a shared and interconnected universe.

Each day there will be a talk and systematic meditation instructions on the 4 primary elements found within the foundation of the Body from the four foundations of mindfulness. These teachings and practices will emphasize quieting the mind, opening the heart, and developing clarity, wisdom, and compassion; and foster the depth of practice. This retreat is suitable for both new and experienced meditation students as well as for anyone teaching mindfulness or aspiring to teach mindfulness in healthcare, psychology, education, science, government, or in the business and corporate sectors.

Please note:

• This retreat fulfills some of the retreat requirements for MBSR and other mindfulness teacher trainings.
• It is a silent retreat.
• The tuition fee covers only the teacher’s travel expenses and accommodation. Dana (a donation) for the teachings is warmly welcomed.

Introducing 

Your Teachers:

Bob Stahl, PhD, founded 8 Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programs in medical centers in the SF Bay Area. He serves as an Assistant Professor of the Practice at Brown University Mindfulness Center and formerly at the Center for Mindfulness at the UMass. Medical School. Bob teaches mindfulness meditation retreats worldwide and is the former guiding teacher at Insight Santa Cruz and a visiting teacher at Spirit Rock. Insight Meditation Society, and Insight Retreat Center. He is coauthor of 5 books: A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook
(1 st & 2 nd editions), Living With Your Heart Wide Open, Calming the Rush of Panic, A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook for Anxiety, and MBSR Everyday.

Jan Landry, BSN MA, has worked in the field of hospice care both as a nurse and as a chaplain, for over 30 years. Her work in the field of death and dying, serves as an ongoing reminder of how precious each and every moment of life is, and informs her meditation practice which has developed and deepened over many years. She is a yoga practitioner, a student of the Ridhwan School and of life. As a teacher of mindfulness meditation, she hopes to support others in cultivating a practice of mindfulness that fosters awareness and deep listening to the inner wisdom of one’s own heart.