Retreat with Matthew Flickstein

There is only One Truth. It cannot be defined, explained, or put into words because it is beyond concept. It cannot be reached through the mind because the mind is merely an expression of that Truth. The purpose of a "path" or following "spiritual practices" is to enable us to discover those beliefs, disbeliefs, ideologies, and thought processes that we take to be our "selves." These self-constructs act as filters or perceptual distortions which preclude us from directly realizing the Truth of what "is."

This retreat will focus on how the spiritual practices from the various Buddhist and non-Buddhist traditions all converge when addressing the non-dual dimension of reality. We will focus on the spiritual traditions that have maintained their mystical roots. These traditions will represent both the "enlightenment by stages" and the "enlightenment by sudden realization" approaches.

When the illusion of taking our self perceptions to be the ultimate reality is penetrated, we experience freedom. Not freedom "from" something, but the freedom that comes from living without self-constructed boundaries that limit our experience of love, bliss, peace and joy.

Rumi expresses the direct experience of this universal truth:

"I swear, since seeing Your face, the whole world is fraud and fantasy.
The garden is bewildered as to what is leaf or blossom.
The distracted birds can‚t distinguish the birdseed from the snare.
A house of love with no limits, a presence more beautiful than Venus or the moon, a beauty whose image fills the mirror of the heart."

$450 per person covers delicious vegetarian, mostly vegan meals, and five nights lodging. The teachings are offered freely in the tradition of Dana, with appreciation for your generous support.

As many of you know, Matt follows the Theravada Buddhist tradition of offering the teachings based on dana. This is a wonderful tradition that makes the teachings available to all regardless of ability to pay. The registration fees only cover the expenses involved in offering the retreat; none of the registration fees go to the teacher. In order for teachers to continue to freely offer the teachings, they depend on the generosity of their students. Dana from students is used to cover the teacher's living expenses and is Matt's sole source of support. At the end of the retreat you will be given an opportunity to offer your generosity.

The Franciscan Center is a wonderfully quiet setting for deepening your meditation practice. With eight acres of beautiful river-front grounds, this facility offers each participant a private room with full bath (towels and linens are provided), a quiet meditation hall and ample indoor and outdoor space for walking meditation. The facility is fully staffed, which means there are no "yogi chores" such as dish washing, cleaning up to do... just a few days of deep silence to focus inward and deepen one's meditation practice. The center is wheelchair friendly. Here's a map that you may find helpful:

For driving directions, click here

Matthew Flickstein, the resident teacher of The Forest Way, has been practicing and teaching vipassana meditation for over twenty-five years. Prior to developing The Forest Way (www.ForestWay.org), Matthew was a psychotherapist and facilitated personal development workshops. He is the author of Journey to the Center: A Meditation Workbook and Swallowing the River Ganges: A Practice Guide to the Path of Purification.

is August 20th when the final payment is due. Refunds will be made in full when requested before August 20th after which only partial refunds, if any can be made. Please register as early as possible. Directions and detailed information will be sent upon receipt of the registration form. It is our hope that financial considerations will not prevent anyone from attending this retreat. Some funds are available for partial (i.e. 1/2 fee) scholarships, and a deferred payment plan can be arranged. However, the minimum deposit (i.e. $225) is reguired to hold your space. This retreat is limited to 35 participants.

For more info or if you have questions, please email retreats@flowingdharma.org

Please register by mail, please print out the following form, fill in the necessary information, and send to Flowing Dharma at address below. You may also send an e-mail to info@flowingdharma.org letting us know that the paperwork is on the way so we can hold your space.