Clear View, Kind Heart, The Practice of Transcendent Compassion with Bonni Ross

6 – 20 January, 2017

 

Let me help you,’ said the monkey to the fish, ‘you’ll drown!’ And monkey lifted fish out of the river and put him in the tree.

 

Sometimes compassionate motivation and action goes horribly wrong. We suffer from the ripening of unintended consequences in our personal lives, and we see that same effect on our planet every day.

 

If our kind hearts are not informed by clear minds, free of projection, opinion and the toxic roots of hatred, desire and ignorance, compassion will be clouded.

 

Two weeks of silent retreat, grounded in the Vajrayana visualisation and mantra practice embodying Chenreizig, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, will encourage compassionate healing of one’s own body/ mind and reveal how that clarified experience leads to increased skill in interaction with others.

 

Some previous experience in focussed meditation on breathing or loving kindness is ideal, but not essential. Participants should be in reasonably healthy states of mind and body, as both the inner landscape of personal emotion and the outer environment of Wangapeka present challenges.

 

Contact Course manager Diane Johnson dianelittletree@hotmail.com

 

Costs:

Units and Huts: Members: $958. Non-Members: $1,042

Camping: Members: $846. Non-Members $888

 

If using Paypal please add 5% of the total cost and include with your payment to cover Paypal’s fees – many thanks.

To register please fill out our online registration form

*Please consider becoming a Wangapeka member – click here for details.

 


About Bonni Ross

Bonni Ross is based in Roberts Creek, BC, Canada and currently spends half the year teaching in Nelson, New Zealand.
Since 1978 she has been a creative catalyst for study and practice of the philosophical, theoretic and meditative foundations of Buddhadharma, as well as providing practical and pleasurable methods for increasing awareness, kindness and wisdom in daily living. Bonni guides individuals in developing more focussed and skillful meditation and leads retreats for depth unfoldment.
Conscious development of spiritual community has been a lively part of the engagement she, with her partner Matthew Eades, has with students in Canada and New Zealand. Bonni and Matthew have extensive experience working in the world and this, plus idiosyncratic senses of humour, informs a practical, integrated approach to committed practice. “The world is my cloister” is the motto of Sunshine Coast Retreat House.

 

Bonni began exploring the teachings of liberation in the early sixties. In the mid 70’s she met her principal teacher, Venerable Namgyal Rinpoche, whose direct, eclectic teaching and example are central to her life. The encouragement of His Holiness the 16th Karmapa,   teachings from many great Buddhist masters, and innovative westerners like Fritz Perls and Buckminster Fuller have had direct influence, as well as artists, composers, scientists, poets, dancers, philosophers and mystery writers too numerous to mention. Her inspiration comes from “ordinary” people who demonstrate exceptional courage and compassion in the midst  of great suffering.

 

 


 

 

Why go on retreat?

It gives uninterrupted time to study and learn. Being surrounded by nature on retreat, with guided classes and quiet time to practice, helps foster balance and dissolves stress.
It’s much easier to develop calm and concentration while in retreat.