Unity of Being - nondual tantra & embodiment

Welcome to 5 days deep dive into Awakening, inspired by the practices and view of nondual shaiva tantra. At this retreat we will experience * daily yoga and movement * daily awareness cultivation/meditation practices * tantric practices that combine visualizaton, mantra, mudra and inner emotional attitude (bhava) * Authentic sharing & interaction * Interactive meditative practices/ DYAD * Ecstatic Dance * Beautiful rituals & tantric ceremonies * Time for stilness & rest, nature & nurture * Emotional digestion/ alchemy The theme of our September retreat is Unity of Being which depicts the unificatory nature of Reality in Shaiva Tantra. We will explore ways to repose in the still quiet center while immersed in embodied experience. This type of awake awareness eyes open and in fluid interaction with the world is the tantrik way of attuning with the essence of creation. We will dive into the experience of all emotion, thought and sensation as one singular field of vibration, dancing in intimate fusion with the radiant sky of awareness. Each flash of direct experience is a consummate spontaneous union. “Possessing the central Power, replete with the flood of all the feeling-states existing within; beautiful with the universal joy arising from essence-nature when it is stimulated by innate desire; beautiful with the nectar of complete creative emission; vibrating eternally — that is the union of Shiva and Shakti. It’s called Love.” ~ Mālinīślokavārttika ("Versified Commentary on the Mālinītantra"), Abhinavagupta (transl. Christopher Hareesh Wallis & Ben Williams) This retreat is open to all who are interested - no previous background in Shaiva Tantra is required. There will be a bit longer practice sessions (up to one hour at time). We recommend a daily meditation practice (15-25 min) one month prior to the retreat to prepare your body and mind for sitting still. More information in signing up. ABOUT OUR APPROACH: This retreat is a synthesis of the modalities of nondual tantra that we found most powerful on our own journeys when it comes to actualizing the goal of the path known as bodhi (awakeness). The lineage of shaiva tantra is the main source of liberating insight and inspiration for this retreat that we have both been studying and practicing in depth. Christopher Hareesh Wallis is a teacher of ours from this tradition whose work on the original texts has made these teachings accessible for a vast amount of people in our time. As facilitators we draw from our background in various forms of yoga, tantra, meditation, inquiry, nondual therapy, dance, movement, somatics, trauma-informed therapy and nonviolent communication (NVC). TIME: The retreat begins Wednesday 20.9.2023 and participants can arrive from 16:00 onwards. The official program begins at 18:00. The retreat ends Sunday 24.9.2023 after lunch and clean up. We are ready to drive home latest 18.00. PRICE AND REGISTRATION: **Earlybird** price (until 1.8. 2023) 550€/460€ (full time students and unemployed). After this 650€/560€. The price includes the retreat program for 5 days, accommodation, four meals per day and sauna every night (payment plans available for those with low income). To reserve your place please send an email to: [email protected] After receiving your email, we will send you payment info and some questions for you to answer like food allergies, accommodation preferences etc. Your place at the retreat will be secured after your registration and payment of a deposit of 100€. If you have any further inquiries, don't hesitate to contact us! VENUE: We will stay in a beautiful retreat centre in the quiet countryside of southern Finland. An old village school building situated in the middle of fields and forests will offer generous space to practice and rest. The venue provides an atmosphere of calm and simplicity with beautiful surroundings that invite for walks and contemplation. There are different options for accommodation that will be chosen during the registration. For more detail ls, please visit: http://lammiretreat.com/home/ FOOD: We will have three meals per day including breakfast, lunch and dinner. Our catering is taken care of by an amazing culinary crafter. She will cook us delicious vegetarian and gluten free food during the whole retreat. Water boilers, coffee and tea will be supplied all day. There will be an evening snack also available after the program ends every evening. TRAVELLING TO THE VENUE: By car: Map link to the center: https://goo.gl/maps/HBMSY8b8JhR2. By train/bus: Check www.vr.fi and www.matkahuolto.fi for the most recent info. With a train you first have to go to Hämeenlinna or Lahti and then with the bus to “Lammi (Hämeenlinna)”. Busses go to Lammi from all major cities via Hämeenlinna or Lahti. Ridesharing (Google Doc): In the registration email we will send you a link to a doc where people can share car rides and to synchronise their arrival in Lammi with public transport for a shared taxi (10km) from the venue. You are warmly welcome! Gloria & Viivi Please check the discussion area for the introduction of the teachers, and other information! FACILITATORS: Viivi Jokela Viivi Jokela (Syandinī) facilitates embodied awakening in people who are inclined in that way. With direct pointing, she shares timeless universal wisdom of recognizing one’s true nature and the deeper nature of all existence. Her background is in the lineage of nondual shaiva tantra which she first encountered academically (MA) and later on experimentally. She is especially inspired by the aesthetic emphasis on tantrik path. Consciousness has an innate capacity to savor unreserved beauty and wonder which empowers the liberation process. Her own journey to abiding awakeness has brought about experiential insight on various aspects of unfolding as well as potential pitfalls on the path. Teachers that she has studied with during the years include Christopher Hareesh Wallis (nondual shaiva tantra), Adyashanti (nondual zen), Paul Muller Ortega (shaiva tantra), Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche (bön dzogchen), and Rupert Spira (Kashmir shaivism & advaita). Gloria Salo gloriasalo.fi/about You can find information of all upcoming retreats and feedback from previous participants here: gloriasalo.fi/retriitit