The Body as Nature, Nature in the Body: Dharma and Our Connection to the Earth
A meditation retreat with Anushka Fernandopulle
Holy Wisdom Monastery, Middleton, WI
April 19–21, 2024
Please note: This retreat is being offered IN PERSON only.
Madison Vipassana is pleased to welcome Anushka Fernandopulle to Wisconsin to lead an in-person retreat at Holy Wisdom Monastery April 19–21, 2024. The retreat will be primarily nonresidential, with a residential option for a limited number of practitioners. Holy Wisdom offers a beautiful and peaceful setting for this wonderful practice opportunity.
RETREAT DESCRIPTION
The theme of this retreat is “The Body as Nature, Nature in the Body: Dharma and Our Connection to the Earth.” Anushka says about the theme: “Our body can be a vehicle for liberation in this life, with all that we need to wake up. Yet, we may not know how to relate to the body to support this kind of freedom. At this retreat, we will practice connecting to our body with loving awareness while recognizing ourselves as part of nature. We will engage in the practices of the Buddhist path in silence — sitting, walking, resting, and eating — supported by nature on the land.”
This retreat will be suitable for both beginning and experienced meditators. Sitting meditation periods will alternate with periods of walking meditation throughout each day. We will observe noble silence except when the teacher invites yogi participation.
To get a sense of Anushka’s teaching, sample any of these:
Meet a Teacher: Anushka Fernandopulle, from the Summer 2023 issue of Tricycle
“Urban Elements,” from the Fall 2009 issue of Inquiring Mind
COVID PRECAUTIONS
We will be adhering to the following COVID precautions:
We expect masks to be optional. If circumstances change, we will notify all registered retreatants.
Hand sanitizer will be located in heavy traffic areas, and hand sanitizing will be required before meals.
Retreatants must agree to a waiver of liability as part of registration.
To protect the community's health, retreatants will be asked to take a COVID test at home the morning the retreat opens (April 19). If the result is positive or you feel unwell, we ask that you remain home and notify the registrar at registrar@madisonmeditation.org.
COST
Registration fees are on a sliding-scale basis. The sliding scale goes from 50% to 150% of actual costs, and within this range, you’re invited to offer the amount that best suits your circumstances. Please pay at the highest level of the sliding scale you can afford; this gives others who need to pay less the opportunity to attend. If the lower end of the range exceeds what you can afford, please offer what you can.
Fees cover room (for residential retreatants), simple vegetarian meals, and fixed costs (teacher transportation, room, and meals; facility rental costs; and miscellaneous expenses).
In keeping with Theravada Buddhist tradition, there is no charge for the teachings. However, there will be an opportunity to offer a freewill donation (dana) to the teacher. We encourage dana as each person’s way of supporting and demonstrating appreciation to the teacher for sharing the Dhamma with us.
RESERVED SPACES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND PERSONS OF COLOR
In line with our commitment to diversity and inclusion, we reserve the last few spots before the retreat fills up for young people and people of color who haven’t yet registered. We’ll reserve these spots until two weeks before the retreat (April 5). After that, we'll open up any remaining spots to people on the waiting list. If you identify with one or both of those groups, please check the appropriate box(es) on the registration form. If you have questions about whether spaces are still available, please contact the registrar at registrar@madisonmeditation.org.
MEALS
On each full day of the retreat, there will be a vegetarian lunch and dinner in the dining hall. A continental breakfast will be available for residential retreatants. The retreat will end after lunch on Sunday, April 21. Please note that we are unable to accommodate special dietary needs.
SPECIAL NEEDS
If you want to use one of our assistive listening devices, please indicate this on the registration form. We find that these work best if they are used with your own earbuds or headphones. If you have questions about our devices, please contact Mike Kehl. To inquire about other needs, contact the registrar at registrar@madisonmeditation.org.
CHEMICAL SENSITIVITY
Please refrain from using perfumes or scented shampoos, ointments, or lotions in consideration of those with chemical sensitivities.
SCHEDULE
Please note: The teacher may make slight changes to this schedule.
Friday, April 19: 9:30 am – 8:15 pm (check-in 8:15 – 9:15 am)
Saturday, April 20: 8:45 am – 8:15 pm
Sunday, April 21: 8:45 am – 1:00 pm
RIDESHARING
If you would like to request or offer a ride to and from Holy Wisdom, please indicate this on the registration form. Alternatively, contact the registrar at registrar@madisonmeditation.org.
TO REGISTER
To register, COMPLETE ONLINE REGISTRATION by April 12. Early registration is encouraged. If the retreat is full, you will have the option of being placed on a waiting list. Those on the waiting list who do not get a spot will receive a full refund. Please note that your place in the registration queue will not be secured until we receive your payment and registration form.
CANCELLATIONS
All cancellations will be subject to a nonrefundable $50 fee. Cancellations received on or before March 22 will be refunded the retreat fee less $50. Refunds, less $50, will be given to those canceling after March 22 only if another person wants to register for the retreat.
ONLINE PAYMENT
You will be asked to pay your registration fee online after completing the form. If you prefer not to pay electronically, please contact the registrar at registrar@madisonmeditation.org to make other arrangements.
If you cannot pay your registration fee when you submit your registration form, you may return to this page later and use this payment link.
After registering and paying your fee, you’ll receive two emails, the first confirming that we received your complete registration. Close to the time of the retreat, you’ll receive another email providing additional details.
For questions about registration, contact the registrar at registrar@madisonmeditation.org.
ABOUT THE TEACHER
Anushka Fernandopulle has trained in the Theravada Buddhist tradition for more than 35 years. She studied Buddhism at Harvard College and then spent four years in full-time Dharma and meditation training in monasteries and retreat centers in the US, India, and Sri Lanka. Anushka was invited to teach Dharma in 1998 and later graduated from a four-year retreat teacher-training program with Jack Kornfield, Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, Carol Wilson, and other leading Western Buddhist meditation teachers from Insight Meditation Society and Spirit Rock.
Anushka teaches retreats and workshops worldwide, including in South America, Scandinavia, and the United Kingdom. Her teaching is informed by nature, creative arts, political engagement, and modern urban life.
Anushka lives in San Francisco and also works as a leadership coach and management consultant, influenced by a BA from Harvard, an MBA from Yale, and certification in professional Coaching. She has served on many nonprofit boards as well as serving as a mayoral appointee on a San Francisco City Commission. She has been engaged with movements for social justice and civil rights throughout her life. Her writing has been featured in publications like Tricycle, Lion’s Roar, Turning Wheel, Inquiring Mind, and the Huffington Post.