Offerings

 

 

Courses, sessions and retreats convene at the Open Path teaching space in Shoreham, on the Mornington Peninsula, or at the Open Path teaching space on French Island, accessible by ferry from Stony Point. Sessions are also offered via Zoom. Contact us and we can assist you with advice regarding directions and access (details below).
If attending, please advise your absence from a session in advance. The offerings, by donation, celebrate the spirit of dana, the universal flow of responsive relating – giving and receiving.

Deepening Dharma Practice

‘Deepening Dharma Practice’ is offered weekly in two alternating formats: (1) ‘Mindfulness through Movement’; and (2) ‘Thematic Dharma Explorations’.

Mindfulness through Movement.
Respecting the historical Buddha’s teaching that, “Within this fathom long body, subject as it is to birth, illnss, old age and death, I show you the arising and passing away of the universe,” the two-hour Mindfulness through Movement session uses gentle bodily movement on the floor to unfold and reveal greater and greater depths of calm, clarity of awareness and positive qualities of body-mind often previously unrecognised in experience.

Thematic Dharma Explorations.
These courses of 4 – 6 sessions draw on a contemplative theme from the universal teachings of awakening within the diverse spiritual teachings on the planet, in particular, classical and contemporary Buddhadharma. These contemplations are complemented by guided, gentle mindfulness through movement practice and sitting meditation. This provides a deep foundation of easeful body awareness that also settles the mind. The foundation of calm (samatha) enables and supports contemplative exploration (vipassana) and greater discernment of what is supportive of a wholesome, healthy life.

The sessions in both formats are further enabled through group discussion and guidelines for individual practice at home.

Current Sessions

Mindfulness through Movement
Sundays: 10.45 - 12.30pm (French Is. & Zoom).
Fortnightly.

Mindfulness Through Movement is a contemporary approach to the classical Buddhist practice of kayanupassana (Pali) - awareness of body. Offered fortnightly, these sessions lend both a micro and macro lens to the observation of gentle movement sequences: a micro lens enabling detailed attention to body sensation and related muscular-skeletal connections; and, a macro lens to discern overall qualities of arising experience associated with the deeply calm body, such as, a direct, first-person experiences of centeredness, groundedness or openness.
This focused, mindful way of working establishes deep bodily and mental calm, releases bodily tensions, liberates associated negativity, and provides direct, embodied experience of supportive, healthy mind states. With ongoing practice, calm becomes easily accessible through increased everyday kinaesthetic awareness thereby supporting greater clarity and engaged responsiveness.
Sundays, Fortnightly,10.45 - 12.30pm.
French Island & Online via Zoom, September 27th - December 6th.
Fee: nil. Traditionally, participants make an offering.
Register: contact@openpathmeditation.com.au

Experience, Awareness, Knowing.
Sundays: 10.00am - 12.00pm (Shoreham); 10.45 - 12.30pm (FrenchIs.). Fortnightly.

"Mind is that which knows" - Kalu Rinpoche.
In Tibetan Buddhist iconography, Chenrazee, the embodiment of wisdom and compassion, holds a mani ("mind") jewel at the heart. Thus, cultivating facets of heart-mind ("citta" - Tibetan) is the pith of the Path. The Noble Eightfold Path begins with "Samma-ditthi" (Pali), "right" view, a view that has the 'right fit' to the situation at hand. "Samma" literally means "full" or "total" vis-a-vis "sum" in English, "the total".
Nevertheless, our view is partial rather than total, being subject to obscurations through conditioning.
Our view relates directly to our experience, our knowing. Our experience is our knowing. Our knowing is our experience ... 'mind', being: that which knows.
How do we reveal the jewel of mind to ourselves, and cultivate greater continuum experience of it?
In this course, by cultivating ever more deeper levels of calm as a basis of brightening our awareness, we shall evoke, realise, name, and share our unique glimpses of the jewel of mind.
Sundays at 10.00am Ocober 4 & 18 (Shoreham), November 1 (French Is.), November 15 & 29 (Shoreham).
Fee: nil. Traditionally, participants make an offering.
Register: contact@openpathmeditation.com.au

Retreats

Monthly Retreat Days

Our monthly retreat day provides an opporunity to set aside a whole day for Dharma practice in a supportive environment. We provide a general theme for the day, lead a session of movement and a group sit. Participants are then free to undertake their own individual contemplative work using the available practice space and surrounds. The day concludes with group sharing and discussion on arising questions and themes of exploration.

Current Sessions

Monthly Retreat Day

The monthly retreat day provides an opportunity to leave aside ongoing projects, drop 'go nowhere' conversations, and to enjoy the symphony of the natural world without verbal interruption. This is an opportunity to schedule a space in your calendar, and devote a whole day to cultivating deeper stillness. Explore classical and contemporary practices while walking on the beach, sitting comfortably in the garden, standing beholding the open sky, or lying flat on the floor in a dedicated space.
A general contemplative theme such as, "generosity", "centredness" or "patience" guides each retreat day, providing a common focus for all participants. As an entry point, we convene a gentle mindfulness through movement session and a group sit. Participants then carry on with their own practice. The day concludes with experiential group sharing of the explorations.
Please bring your lunch. Refreshments provided.
Sundays, 10.00am - 4.00pm (Shoreham); 10.45am - 4.00pm (French Island).
October 4 (Shoreham); November 1 (French Island); November 29 (Shoreham).
Fee: nil. Traditionally, participants make an offering.
Register: contact@openpathmeditation.com.au

Longer Retreats

We offer two (2) nine-day retreats annually focused on specific theme in May and October commencing on a Saturday and finishing the following Sunday week. The schedule generally includes a morning and occasionally an afternoon teaching session with space between for personal exploration and practice – sitting, standing, lying down and walking – both indoors and outdoors in the beautiful Shoreham bushland and beach environments.

Current Sessions

There are no retreats scheduled at this time

For registration and further information for all courses contact Kathryn: ph:+61 (0)3 5989 8179; mob: +61 (0)457 203 630; contact@openpathmeditation.com.au

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