Summer Home 9 day Retreat

 ‘The Quest for True Belonging’

With Rhonda Magee,  Eugene Ellis, Fehinti Balogun, Angela Clark, William Fley & -Bodhilila Young, Chris Caldwell- 9 days of online morning and evening meditation and talks.

This online annual retreat is oriented towards those who identify as People of Colour, and will be consistent with offering perspectives and exploring identity and practices which draw on a sense of belonging. We have decided this year to hold two events per day to give people the opportunity to invest in consistant  practice.

The art of finding a true refuge, practice and sense of belonging is imperative to our sense of wellness, resilience and sustainability, and to creating a vision of more compassionate identities. This changing landscape of becoming and keeping ourselves mentally, emotionally and spiritually grounded and safe in a world where many of us experience exclusion and rejection is a constant endeavour.  But one does not walk this path of liberation alone.  It is linked with multiplicity over singularity, hybridity over purity, and inclusivity over exclusivity.

Retreat Description:

The 9 days (not full days) are a call to participate and make a commitment to explore identity and belonging through mindful practice and reflection on how we must repair ourselves to get to a place of spiritual rootedness. We will ground ourselves in refuge and community and the foundations of mindfulness and unity. With the right tools, you will be able to make choices in life, deepen your connection to your body, mind and spirit,  practise self-care, and cultivate compassion for yourself and others.  This is an invitation into the heart of meditation practice.

This gentle and powerful retreat programme starts and ends with evening presentations on each of the two weekends (plus morning meditation), and with guided meditations each morning and evening during the week in between.

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Please welcome our program for the summer home retreat:

Saturday July 2nd

9.00am - 10.30am -    Angela Clark & William Fley

                                            Welcome and opening ceremony

                                       Title - Reconnecting, repositioning, realign and rebuilding

Angela Clarke is a qualified Psychologist and Psychotherapist with over 30 years’ experience as a clinician within the adult health and social care sector. As Service Manager in Adult Health and Social Care Angela oversees care and support provision on behalf of a Local Authority. Angela’stherapeutic background extends across the NHS, local government and in private practice, since 2006 and she currently chairs the Healthcare division of the BACP.

 

10.30am - 6.00pm -     Personal home practice

6.00pm - 8.00pm    -  'Radical Healing and the Practices of Belonging'  with Rhonda Magee

How does mindfulness support us in healing ourselves, strengthening our feeling of belonging, and helping to cultivate wellbeing for self and others? Rhonda Magee, a practitioner and guide in the engaged Buddhist Peacemaker Order of the Upaya Zen Center, will share reflections and practices aimed at supporting us in deepening our personal and collective practices promoting healing, belonging and transformative wellbeing on a planet where everything is connected.

A full-time faculty member at the University of San Francisco since 1998, and a full professor since 2004, Rhonda has been named Dean’s Circle Research Scholar, served as co-director of the University’s Center for Teaching Excellence, and co-facilitator of the Ignatian Faculty Forum faculty development program. She teaches Tort; Race, Law and Policy; and courses in Contemplative and Mindful Law and Law Practice. Rhonda is a trained and highly practised facilitator, with an emphasis on mindful communication. In 2015 she was made a fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, and in 2019 was named as one of world's most important women in mindfulness.

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Sunday July 3rd

9.00am - 10.30am - Fehinti Balogun- What do we think about climate change?

I want to shift our perception on what we think about when we think about climate change and how we engage with it. I want to talk about justice , accessibility , capacity and kindness .

Fehinti Balogun is an actor  and activist. He has worked in theatre, film and television, with recent performances in BBC’s award-winning drama I May Destroy You, ITV’s Viewpoint  , and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune  as well as performing in BBCs critically acclaimed  'informer'.  Fehinti has been involved in an array of west end theatre performances , has just finished filming in Netflix’s ‘half bad’ and is due to start filming a new series for Netflix this year.  Alongside his acting career, Fehinti delivers talks on climate change aimed at creating more rounded inclusion in the conversation, and has written two well received political films - ‘you just don’t get it and it hurts’ and ‘can I live’.

10.30am -   6.00pm - Personal home practice

6.00pm -    8.00pm - 'A journey towards Belonging' with Eugene Ellis

The journey towards belonging can be both challenging & uplifting. For individuals of socially sanctioned target groups, extra layers of hindrances and trauma work may be needed to facilitate this right of passage. This talk is about my personal journey from disconnection and alienation to connection and belonging and the continuing struggle to overcome the obstacles of internalized oppression.

Eugene is the Director and Founder of the Black, African and Asian Therapist Network, the UK's largest independent organisation specialising in working therapeutically with people of colour.  He is a psychotherapist, facilitating dialogue around race and mental wellbeing.  He has recently published "The Race Conversation".

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Monday 4th July – Friday 8th July 2022 (5 days)

Guided Morning Meditations with Guest Practitioners

During these sessions, you will learn a range of sitting, standing, and walking mindfulness activities, how to overcome hindrances, the benefits of mindfulness, our stress response, mindfulness in daily life, to implement self-care, learn simple practices to help increase a sense of self-regulation and agency, and learn to navigate life's difficulties, defuse tension, gain clarity, improve concentration, and establish inner peace.

Monday 4th:

7.15am-7.45am  William Fley     Loving kindness for people of colour-

 Affrimations are powerful self reconditioning in particular for re-learning a postive sense of self and becoming. 

Self love begins from within, make time each day to re-affimr your place in the world. I am worth loving, I am worth being, I am worth tenderness and cheerisings. 

7.15pm-7.45pm William Fley     Walking and standing instruction

Tuesday 5th:

7.15am-7.45am  Imani Sorhaindo     ‘Self-Anchoring’

Developing the use of affirmation and guided imagery to strengthen and invigorate a peaceful response to day-to-day challenges faced by people of colour.

7.15pm-7.45pm  Usu’Ra    Breathwork/Guided Visualisation

Wednesday 6th:

7.15am-7.45am   Imani Sorhaindo ‘Heaven on Earth’’

Developing the use of energy work in standing mindful practice, and guided imagery to build inner resilience and invigorate your energy ready for the day ahead.

7.15pm-7.45pm   Imani Sorhaindo  ‘Building Resilience’

Developing inner resilience through mindful breathwork practice to strengthen your reactions to life events and the narratives of others.

Thursday 7th:

7.15am-7.45am     Rita Devi Mitra   ‘Belonging to Ourselves’  ‘True Belonging doesn’t require you to change who you are; It requires you to BE who you are’  (Brene Brown)

7.15pm-7.45pm   Natasha Huggins-Woolcock  'The MIssing Piece'

Friday 8th:

7:15 am -7:45  William Fley   Forgivness Meditation 

7.15pm-7.45pm  Bodhilila - Coming home 

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Saturday July 9th

9.00am-10.30am - " The courage to Love"  (Part 1)

                                           Guided meditation and discussion, with breakout rooms - William Fley

Everything that is transformed inside can be observed outside.  And time is an eternal moment, just as a single drop of water holds the heart of the past and the future.  A single moment holds  all time. Those who grasp the moment grasps the wholeness of time and it's journey. Remember, life is the greatest gift we are given.  It’s open to infinite possibilities. There is only one thing for you to do - surrender to it, let life flow within you, let yourself live. You can connect with another person out of love or fear; let it be love and let it be infinite. Connect out of love and the universe will surround, protect and embrace you with its loving arms. Not only in times of joy but in times of darkness and danger. Don’t run away from any of it.  Laugh, cry, and embrace it all.  Enjoy! That’s the only way you will grasp the wholeness of every single moment and live a full life. Don’t be afraid of living.  Time makes you who you are.  Don’t try to be anyone else.  Spread your wings to life. Unite with the universe and everything in it. Never stop asking 'who am I?  Choose to belong.

10.00am -  6.00pm -    Personal home practice

6.00pm -  8.00pm    -  "The courage to love" (Part 2) 

                                             Discussion panel hosted by Chris Caldwell.

MNPC is delighted to be hosting a panel featuring all of our 4th annual empowerment retreat’s distinguished speakers: Bodhilila Young, Eugene Ellis, William Fley,  Imani Sorhaindo and Rhonda Magee.

Just as the universe is limitless in growth and expansion, so is the human heart in its capacity to resonate with effortless ease and tenderness. Our lives are a precious gift held in this moment by so many forces which have brought us together. In this sacred space and moment let us nourish the best in one another.  Let there be peace and sympathetic joy. Let us think of the legacy we leave behind and how we want to live each moment that goes by.  What you would like to gift your friends and family with.  Your thoughts and feelings are felt and received throughout our collective. Let them, be one of love.  

This evening's panel will be an open format to share, heal and discuss 'who are we?', 'where are we going?' and 'where do we belong?'

Host: Chris Caldwell

Chris' life experiences revolve around faith, mentorship, technology, business, entrepreneurship and wellness.  A former christian pastor for 18 years he now has a personal and universal perspective on faith and belief. Chris was also a graphics designer and network administrator for 38 years and utilizes all these skills as the managing director of Seven Circles Retreat Center near the famed Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park in California. He is the creator of 'The Diaspora Reunited', a digital platform to bring understanding and foster unity among the African Diaspora. His wellness practice centers around decades of journaling, quiet reflection and introspection.

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Sunday July 10th

9.00am - 10.30am  'Empowerment Ritual -

                                       'Belonging' with Muna and Usu'ra

Retreat program ends at 10.30am

This year's closing event will be offered by Muna & Usu'ra and we are fortunate to have their collaboration on a unique blend of sound, intuitive healing and energy rebalancing. The efficacy of healing modality through sound energy sequences has been well established.  Ancient blends of sounds and instruments are intuitively offered person to person aligning with the individual's unique energy vibration. The skill, direction and mastery of knowing which instrument is to be used in the soundscape signify the skill and ingenuity of this light energy force.

Muna is a sound healer who has worked organically with her voice incorporating crystal healing, sound baths, meditation and organic shamanism for over 25 years.  She works with healing Hertz, vocal toning, crystal singing bowls, Soma Energetics full-body tuning, other sound instruments, celestial realms and various other healing modalities.

She works with you, her guides and yours to restore self-love and align you with your highest good. Healing at a cellular level and shifting energetic blocks or traumas that no longer serve you from your auric field inwards.

Usu’ra is a Transformational Energy healer, Shamanic - Mesa Carrier - Practitioner & Healer, Medicine Storyteller, Teacher and Creative Wellbeing Facilitator. She works with individuals and groups to help shed the emotional loads and burdens that we have all been carrying for so long. Her work involves assisting the unravelling and releasing the past, transforming the shadows into light and bringing magic and joy back into our everyday lives through spiritual nourishment and connection to our own innate wisdom. From this place, she supports the learning and the opening up of a new dream - one full of health and healing, personal peace, joy, empowerment, gratitude, humour and love.

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Booking & Cost:

We offer a range of prices and invite you to pay what you can afford

All prices include the full 9-day retreat

Standard  -                             £90

Students & concession  - £50

Hardship                                   £25

Donations welcome

Bursary - Please send a request for a free place

Please note - MNPC is a not-for-profit community interest company.

Sponsorship

We are a volunteer organization that aims to be as inclusive as possible. Whether you are an organization or individual you can:

1. Buy a ticket for someone else who may be unable to afford their own

2. Advertise your business or organization on our website

3. Give a one-off donation to help with organizing this ior a future event

If you are interested in any of the above please contact us at info@mnpc.co.uk