Having Faith when Hope Eludes Us

‘When hope eludes us, we can rely on our courage and commitment

to what we love, and what matters to us.’ ~ Joanna Macy

In Buddhism, saddha (faith) doesn’t mean ‘blind belief’. While hope is based on wanting an outcome to occur that may differ from what actually happens; faith comes from a trust that is grounded in the Dhamma (the Teachings) and is based in our lived present moment experience. On this 6-day retreat, the invitation is to slow down and bring embodied, loving attention to the present moment. So that when hope eludes us, we can remember that the cultivation of wisdom, compassion and how we relate to things as they are right now matter, regardless of the outcome.

This retreat will be held in noble silence and will include periods of sitting and walking meditation, chanting, meditation instructions, Dhamma reflections, group meetings and Q&As with the teacher.

Optional qi gong practice will be offered as well.

With Carole Melkonian. The fee is tiered — $830, $630 or $530 — plus dana (offerings) to the teachers. Check-in opens at 1 pm on the first day, and the retreat ends by 11 am on the last.