INSIGHT DIALOGUE
AND METTA: OPENING TO LIFE AS IT IS

INSIGHT DIALOGUE AND METTA: OPENING TO LIFE AS IT IS

Insight Dialogue is an interpersonal meditation form based in Vipassana. It expands solitary meditation by extending the mindfulness, wisdom, and compassion of silent practice into speaking and listening in contemplation with others. You can learn more about the practice of Insight Dialogue at www.metta.org under the "Practices" menu.

This retreat focuses on learning and practicing Insight Dialogue. There will be times of silent practice, walking meditation, and mindful movement interwoven with periods of structured Insight Dialogue.

Through practice and contemplation together, we will see directly and clearly how confusion and ignorance sustain both personal and interpersonal suffering. As awareness deepens, we can experience for ourselves the profound Buddhist teachings on suffering and its cessation. We will practice metta—allowing our hearts and minds to open unconditionally to life and experience just as they actually are.  

An ongoing meditation/mindfulness practice and previous retreat experience would be extremely helpful as background for this retreat.

Phyllis Hicks is a senior teacher of Insight Dialogue, a psychotherapist and a minister. She has studied with a variety of Vipassana teachers since 1999, and extensively with Gregory Kramer since 2004. She teaches Interpersonal Mindfulness and leads Insight Dialogue retreats worldwide. Phyllis is a guiding teacher for Triangle Insight and is the director of the Pastoral Care and Counseling Institute of Durham, NC, a nonprofit center for counseling and clinical education. She also teaches MBSR at Duke Integrative Medicine and serves as faculty for Metta Foundation programs.

Sharon Beckman-Brindley has practiced Vipassana meditation for over 25 years and is a senior teacher of Insight Dialogue. She has studied and practiced intensively with Gregory Kramer since 2001 and leads Insight Dialogue retreats worldwide. Sharon is a co-founder and guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Charlottesville, Virginia, and a graduate of the Community Dharma Leaders program at Spirit Rock Meditation Center.