Mindfulness For Smarter Living 9-15 Sep 2016, Greece

Basic €150 cost for food and accommodation + donation to the teacher*

• Learn more about the Pelion Holistic Education Centre, part of the Kalikalos Holistic Network.
• Learn more about the area. The centre is in Anilio on the slopes of Mt Pelion, the forested mountain that dominates the Pelion peninsular in Magnesia, Thessaly on the Greek mainland.

Buddha’s Top Tips For Bringing Your Life Alive

Mindfulness has become a popular practice in the West, and embraced in business and medical settings, as well as in the growth in services focused on wellbeing.

However, in going mainstream, much has been lost of the context in which mindfulness has arisen. To go deeper and learn more, commonly people will encounter teachings which are part of a vast and diverse web of cultures and ancient wisdom, and it is easy to be put off by something very different to anything we usually encounter in Western cultures.

However, it has been said that while the Buddhist teachings and scriptures are like a mighty forest which one can explore for a lifetime, all one needs is contained within a handful of leaves.

Your beliefs don’t make you a better person. Your behaviour does.

The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the essence of the teachings of The Buddha, at its simplest and most practical. Without needing to read scriptures in unfamiliar language, without any need to become a Buddhist, without needing to become a nun or a monk, without needing to become religious, without needing to adopt new beliefs, without needing to consider God, without needing to learn new and foreign words or complicated, abstract ideas, you will discover tools to help you be happier and healthier for the rest of your life, that anyone can understand and use.

Based mainly on practices and insight found in the Theravada school of Buddhism common in South East Asia, the course will cover:

• Learning to meditate or developing your practice – there is no such thing as ‘can’t meditate.’
• Developing wisdom, joy, and compassion
• Developing the skill of becoming less troubled by what is less important
• Developing the skill of accepting, releasing and being less troubled by the things we find challenging
• Nurturing beneficial qualities and understanding for a more satisfying life, healthier relationships, and a more positive impact on the people around you
• Mindfulness beyond meditation: bringing your practice into your whole day.

You will leave with techniques and insight to help you become more skilful at living and working.

What you need to know

You don’t need to have any prior experience or introduction to meditation, Buddhism or similar. Some sitting meditation will be included, as well as other forms of meditation such as walking, standing and working. You will not be asked to do anything which would cause you physical discomfort, or requires special abilities. However, the very act of staying in any posture can be surprisingly difficult, mentally and physically. If you have a physical condition which will make your participation more challenging, please let us know and we will help you find a way of learning and practising that accommodates your needs.

Although this course will take place in a wonderful place with plenty of time to enjoy the area and the company of fellow participants, and although this is not a strict or silent retreat, please be aware that you will likely find that there are times when this course will be challenging. Working on oneself, and seeing our habitual patterns with honesty, can be very hard work at times, and you should make sure that you are ready and willing to undertake that work on yourself. The course will include some consideration of death, and when we take time to be be still and observe ourselves, difficult memories, worries or fears may arise. You will be in a very supportive environment, and helped to transform what troubles you, but you need to be confidant that you are capable of embracing this course without need for specialist or greater assistance than can be offered in this course.

Participants will learn together in the mornings, have the afternoons to walk, swim, play and practice in a stunning area of natural beauty surrounded by mountain, forest and sea. To deepen your understanding of techniques which can help you throughout your life, as well as to provide this course at accessible rates and experience of life at the centre, a little time each day will be for participants to help with the running of the place, which might include cooking, cleaning or gardening.

*How much should I pay?

About the Leader

Martin Grimshaw first encountered meditation practices and wisdom while travelling in Asia in his late 20s.

He has undertaken several intensive silent retreats rooted in Therevada Buddhism, including ‘Insight Meditation (Vipassana)’ of various styles,and studied a variety of teachings from Tibetan and Hindu traditions. He has chosen the path of the lay person, practising the art of fully engaged living and working. Although not primarily a mindfulness teacher, it is fundamental to his primary work as a facilitator and trainer.

“I don’t pretend to be perfect. I am a normal person like everyone else, with the same hindrances and struggles, and things I enjoy. I live in the same world as you, I wear normal clothes, and that is why I can be helpful. On the other hand, I did once spend a week in personal retreat in a cave in the Himalayas, which probably isn’t very normal.”

Contact Martin Grimshaw if you have questions, or book directly with the Pelion Centre

Tools For A Smarter Planet