Experience the energy of sitting with others, find support and encouragement from like-minded individuals, and learn different present-moment practices such as Tai Chi, mindful eating and walking, tea meditation, and a posture clinic. Refresh your mind and body as you immerse yourself in nature at the beautiful Living River Retreat Center on the Cahaba River.
6:00 pm, Friday -
3:00 pm, Sunday
Nov. 1-3, 2024
Living River, A Retreat Center
on the Cahaba River
Montevallo, AL
3:00 to 6:00pm: Check-in
6:00pm: Dinner & orientation
7:30pm: Meditation instruction, and lightly guided meditation
9:00pm: Noble Silence begins; ends after breakfast the next day.
10:00pm: Lights out
5:00am: Wake up
6:00am: Morning meditation
7:30am: Breakfast
9:00am: Movement practice
10:30pm: Mid-morning meditation
12:00pm: Lunch
1:00pm: Free Time
2:30pm: Afternoon meditation
4:00pm: Movement practice
6:00pm: Dinner
7:30pm: Evening meditation
9:00pm: Star Meditation
Noble Silence through breakfast
5:00am: Wake up
6:00am: Morning meditation
8:00am: Breakfast
9:00am: Family Groups
11:30pm: Lunch
12:30am: Closing remarks, group sharing
Departure by 2:30pm
Our personal retreat chef will prepare delicious and nutritious vegetarian/vegan meals with fresh and locally sourced ingredients to support your meditation practice.
We eat our meals together in mindfulness. We usually have 15-20 minutes of silent eating at the start of lunch and dinner, and breakfast is usually fully in silence. Eating in silence helps us appreciate the food deeply, and cherish the presence of those around us.
*Living River Retreat Center asks that no food be brought into the cabins or in luggage as it will attract mice.
Bring your:
Don’t have a cushion or mat? We will have a few extras at the retreat for you to use.
*Do you have an extra cushion, mat or meditation bench? Please bring it to share with someone who doesn’t have one.
Andrew Keitt has been practicing Zen meditation for thirty years. He is a founding member of the Burning Rock Soto Zen Group in Birmingham, AL as well as the Alabama Meditation Network.
Phyllis has been learning about, meditating and guiding others in mindfulness meditation practice for about 20 years. Her move to Alabama from New York allowed her to slow down enough to learn the power of paying attention!
She has been a part of the Birmingham Shambhala community during this time, and has been drawn especially to the compassion and joy of the Plum Village tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh. She is also a founding member of the Alabama Meditation Network.
Phyllis has a strong commitment to the “everyday walkin around” benefits of mindfulness and aspires to incorporate meditation and mindfulness into her life as partner, mom, family member, friend, and her work as a clinical psychologist. She enjoys sharing and learning with others who value taking time in their lives to explore the world, both around and within themselves.
Her hobbies include long distance walking, and enjoying her 5 dogs.
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In order to create a safe and welcoming meditation and learning environment, we ask everyone to:
Refunds will be available up to two weeks before the retreat.
Later cancelations receive a retreat credit.
Any form of present moment practice which has a foundation of body and breath awareness.
Any entity that provides group meditation in a community of equanimity, compassion and acceptance, regardless of gender, race, economic status, or sexual orientation.
