Title: Cultivating a Deep Sense of Internal Freedom: Transcending the Fear-Based Ego and Living a Compassionate Life

Information: On this weekend retreat, you are invited to take steps towards cultivating a peaceful sense of internal freedom in a non-judgmental and warm space. After getting to know one another and setting intentions for the retreat, together we will explore how fears keep us from engaging compassionately with ourselves as well as others. On this retreat, you will experience how choosing compassionate action - almost as if by magic - can transform your psyche from fearful to peaceful.

So that this work may continue after the retreat has concluded, a method will be taught for transcending egoic ideals - or standards - rooted in fear [e.g., thinness, achievement, wealth, etc.]. Here, a process is provided for: 1) facing your fears, 2) prioritizing ideals based in compassion [e.g., nourishing my body and accepting the way it looks, making contributions to the community, cultivating gratitude, etc.] and, 3) taking compassionate action in line with these ideals. In this way, we will forge a path as a collective towards a peaceful sense of internal freedom. I hope you can join us!

On this retreat, you will learn:
- How to identify areas in your life where you are focused on narrowly protecting yourself from fear rather than expansively choosing compassion
- How choosing compassion over egoic fear expands consciousness
- How expanding consciousness can allow for the peaceful experience of being internally free from fear
- And how to keep the focus on compassionate action, rather than a specific outcome in the material world (e.g., feeling better, making money, achieving growth, etc.)

Techniques:
- A wisdom talk on the relationship between fear and compassion
- A group discussion on the fear ideals we hold (e.g., having a thin looking body) and how to craft compassion ideals (e.g., lovingly nourishing my body while accepting the way it looks) as a replacement
- Taking stock of fear and compassion ideals by completing a written questionnaire
- A mindfulness exercise aimed at catching judgmental thoughts and enhancing tolerance to the fear that arises when engaging in compassionate action (e.g., setting a boundary)
- A guided sitting group meditation on letting go of egoic fear ideals and embracing specific alternative compassion ideals of love, truth, and acceptance
- Processing experiences had at the retreat together with the group

Skills You Will Learn on This Retreat:
- How to non-judgmentally assess areas in your life where fear is blocking compassion
- How to face your fears in a way motivated by increasing your ability to choose compassion
- How to replace the ideals you currently hold and uphold with those based in compassion
- How to choose compassionate action