What a wonderful gathering! If you missed it this year, we missed you!  Here is a summary of our time together. 

We gathered and connected and settled in on Thursday night, setting our intentions, creating our altar, and beginning to settle in to practice together.

Friday was a day of silent practice of sitting, walking and qi gong which created spaciousness, grounding and a foundation for the rest of the gathering. Using our inquiry skills in small groups, we explored the question ‘What is your current edge or most pressing question right now as a teacher?’ A lively and insight-filled exploration took place, and we felt grateful to be able to bring our big questions to our sangha of fellow teachers and have them skillfully handled through inquiry.

Saturday morning’s practice was crafted to exemplify trauma sensitive practices, and was led by Janice Sack-Ory and Vanessa Meade. In the afternoon, we made a deep dive into the neurological imprint of trauma, how it shows up in our lives and in our classes, and how to skillfully create safety and handle triggering when it occurs (in ourselves and in our participants). Janice shared with us her tremendous expertise on trauma as well as her personal wisdom, heart and trauma informed teaching style. Thank you Janice! After an evening of fellowship, poems and song, we all retired feeling enriched and connected. Sunday morning we shared practice and breakfast and a beautiful closing ceremony. 

I also want to add that Camp Burton really got our accommodations right this year! We had lovely rooms which would be doubles or triples at most with a shared bathroom (but we each got a room to ourselves!). We were able to use the Conference Center the whole time, and the food was delicious as usual. We will have these same accommodations next year. 

We have really created something special here. Keeping our gathering grounded firmly in practicing together has kept the retreat spacious and our intentions clear. Creating enough time for conversation, connection, and work-shopping our topics of interest has served to strengthen us as teachers and practitioners. Out of this has grown our strong and beloved sangha.

Many of us have reflected that this was our best gathering yet. As our sangha grows more connected, our commitment to the annual gathering is stronger and more enthusiastic than ever!  We hope you will join us next year!  

• The Gathering is an opportunity to return to the source of our teaching, connect with colleagues in practice together, sustaining a teacher community to meet whatever is around the bend.
• Our theme this year is Trauma-Sensitive MBSR. We will explore this subject together, discussing and experiencing: establishing safety, cultivating self care, opening to inquiry, and allowing healing.
• MBSR, and other new permutations of mindfulness teachings are proliferating. It is a dizzying array of possible new combinations and areas of focus. We will have some options for break out sessions and topical discussion during meal times. We will also be taking some time to update you on what has been happening with our MBSR PNW organization and future opportunities.
• Give yourself the gift of your own practice: We encourage you to arrive Thursday evening to participate in the full day of silent retreat on Friday. In the experience to many that have attended the Gathering before, this day of silence allows time to drop deeper into the spirit of the gathering.

•  Date:
• • Thursday (dinner) February 6th through Sunday (lunch) February 9th, 2020

Please register as soon as possible so we can plan for your attendance. Prompt registration helps us keep costs low for attendees year after year.

• Pricing options:
• • Supportive - this covers the cost and helps to pay forward
  • Sustaining - this fee covers the cost of the retreat

Location:

Camp Burton

9326 SW Bayview Drive

Vashon Island, WA 98070

Phone: 206 463 2512

www.campburton.com

Thursday

3-5 pm check in period

5:30 pm dinner 

Friday*:

5:30 am - 4:00 pm Silent retreat day for attending MBSR teachers. Structured and some periods led by attending MBSR teachers

5:30 pm Dinner

Saturday

5:30 am - 9:00 pm

Retreat day with practices, sharing exercises and discussion groups and open conversation

Sunday

5:30 - 11:00 am retreat morning with practices, sharing and closing

12:00 lunch

* The Friday silent practice day has been highly valued by many teachers as a preparation into the retreat setting. It is in line with the spirit of MBSR and was actually started in 2016 after requests for allowing space for reflection before going into the more interactive part of the retreat. 

Camp Burton, situated on Vashon Island, close to Tacoma, WA has been very accommodating, and we have reserved their Retreat Center for 2020, which includes our own building for meeting, with our lodging right next door.  This gives us lots of flexibility for lodging, and all linens are provided.  

Interested?

Please sign up through the MBSR PNW website. Space is limited. We will assign spaces first come first serve. Space for members of MBSR PNW will be prioritized until the end of October. After that, reservations will be taken on a first come first serve basis.

Supportive       $400

Sustaining        $350

Deposit - $50

Non-refundable deposit will reserve your space. Remaining balance due by Dec. 1

* If any of these options don't suit your time schedule, or if you want to commute or book your own private accommodation, please contact info@mbsrpnw to discuss.

** Members of MBSR PNW receive a $50 discount for the Gathering.

The gathering is enriched by the opportunity to practice together but also by sharing our teachings with each other. Volunteering to lead a meditation or any other contribution to the gathering is both an opportunity to practice in the safety of our group with valuable feedback, but also an opportunity where we can learn from each other. Contributing in the 'logistical' parts of the gathering is also a way of helping to make the retreat as smooth as possible for everybody.

We welcome and appreciate your contribution to the gathering!  Let us know how you would like to participate.