Let the Forest Speak (Retreat taught in French)
Teacher:
Pascal Auclair
When:
August 20-23, 2015
Where:
Centre Kabania
Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci, Québec
Cost:
Scale: $355/$405/$460
Deposit: $180
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This retreat is more rustic than those True North Insight normally offers, and is highly recommended for those who love a get-away in nature. It will be held in the silence of the magnificent Ouareau Forest Regional Park in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. We will sleep in our sleeping bags in cabins perched in the trees, and practice walking meditation in the forest and in the welcoming common room, which opens to this enchanting site and which will serve as our dining room and meditation hall. For a few days we will live close to the elements, letting ourselves be touched by the beauty of nature and living in harmony with the living forest, as well as with our sometimes noisy mind. The simplicity of this way of living, almost like camping, the silent community life, the teachings of the Buddha, and the practice of mindfulness will encourage a gradual awakening of the heart and mind.
This retreat will be held in French, with the possibility of having an individual meeting with the teacher in English.
About Pascal Auclair
Pascal Auclair has been immersed in Buddhist practice and study since 1997, sitting retreats in Asia and America with revered monastics and lay teachers. He has been mentored by Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Massachusetts and Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California, where he is now enjoying teaching retreats. Pascal teaches in North America and Europe. He is a co-founder of True North Insight and one of TNI's Guiding Teachers. His depth of insight, classical training, and creative expression all combine in a wise and compassionate presence. In addition, his warmth and humour make Pascal a much appreciated teacher.
Participant Information
Location:Centre Kabania, 2244 chemin du Grand Duc, Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci, Québec. kabania.ca
Arrival Time: 3:30-5:30 pm, Thursday, August 20. The retreat will conclude by lunch on Sunday, August 23. Everyone is welcome to stay for lunch.
Cost: TNI is dedicated to offering affordable rates to all. We offer a sliding scale with low, mid and high rates that allow retreatants to pay according to their means. Paying at the low rate covers the minimum expense of holding a retreat. The high rate helps ensure TNI’s viability as an organization. The deposit is included in all of our fees.
Please note that the retreat fees pay for your room and three meals a day. This does not include payment to the teacher. Following the 2,500-year-old Buddhist tradition, the teachings are considered priceless and so are offered freely. At the end of the retreat you wil be invited to offer dana, or donations, to the teachers, the retreat manager and TNI.
Additional Participant Information
This retreat is held at Kabania, a rustic, eco-friendly centre on the banks of the Dufresne River in the Lanaudière region of Quebec. Accomodations are in 2-person cabins and 1-person "cabanitas," both accessible only by stairs. Cabanitas have low ceilings, so it is not possible to completely stand up in them. There are lights in the cabins, and each cabanita has a lantern, but no electricity for electric fans, etc.
Sinks, toilets and showers are within a short walking distance from the cabins and cabanitas. There is electricity in the washroom area.
The common room will be used for both the meditation hall and dining room, and has low tables, with floor cushions to sit on. If you need to sit on a chair to eat or for meditation, you will need to bring your own.
What to bring:
- Sheets or sleeping bag (available at Kabania for $10)
- Pillow and pillowcase, blanket
- Towel
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Flip flops
- Mosquito repellent
- Chair, if needed
- Meditation cushion or bench, zabuton or yoga mat
DRIVING DIRECTIONS
From Montréal:
- 25 North (St-Donat direction)
- 125 North (Terrebonne direction)
- Turn right on 347 (St-Côme direction), drive 2 km
- Turn right on chemin des Merles
- Turn left on chemin du Grand-Duc
For GPS and Google Map:
2233 chemin des Merles
Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci
Québec, Canada
J0T 2A0