Turning Towards the Dao - Part II

Meditation Retreat

Led by Shi Jing

11 - 16 July 2008, Hourne Farm
5 day retreat: Friday - Wednesday

The intention of this longer retreat is to provide a space where students can go deeper into the practices of tranquil sitting (jing zuo) and dao yin (guiding the qi and extending the limbs). To enhance the experience of cultivation we will rise at 5am to be nourished by the early morning qi which we absorb through the natural movement of the breath.

Throughout the retreat we will learn to find the presence of awareness in the three modes of being: walking, sitting and lying. To support this we will enter into three days of silence which will help us become more sensitive to the practices and observe the effect they have on us. Alongside group practice, personal guidance will be given by Shi Jing taking into account the capacity of each student.

There will be an introduction to Laozi’s view of cultivation based on the Daode jing. In these teachings, cultivation embraces the totality of our being where nothing is rejected or suppressed. Tranquil sitting meditation is seen as a natural unfolding of our true nature that dissolves the false sense of an abiding self and reveals the harmonious unity of all things.

Food will play an important part in this retreat to support us in yangsheng, nourishing life. Our meals will be simple, light and easy to absorb, consisting mainly of rice and vegetables.

Shi Jing has been following the path of Daoism since mid-1970s. In 1995 he was ordained as 31st generation Daoist priest (dao shi) in the Longmen (Dragon Gate) branch of Quanzhen (Complete Reality) School. In 1996 he co-founded the British Taoist Association and became its chairman shortly after its inception. As the BTA’s main teacher, he has been leading retreats and teaching Daoist cultivation in UK, Europe and USA.

He was introduced to Daoist cultivation by Gia Fu Feng, well known for his translations of the “Tao Te Ching” and the “Chuang Tsu”, which first appeared in the early 1970s. At that time Gia Fu Feng was one of the very few teachers whose cultivation was rooted in sitting meditation, which is the foundation of the Quanzhen tradition. He also taught Shi Jing the practices of dao yin and tai chi as a way to become sensitive to the circulation of qi. Shi Jing remained a student of Gia Fu Feng’s until his death in 1985. Gia Fu Feng instilled in Shi Jing a deep trust in his own intuitive expression of the Dao. He has remained a major influence on Shi Jing’s life.

This retreat will only be open to people who have already attended one of our “dao yin & meditation retreats”.
Numbers will be limited.

Cost: £295 (BTA members) £315 (non members)
Bookings should be received by 26th June

To book a place on this retreat, please print and complete the booking form and return it to: British Taoist Association, PO Box 2274, buckhurst Hill, IG9 5YQ

If you have any further enquiries please contact: retreats@taoists.co.uk