The Convergence of Wisdom and Love
An Insight Meditation Retreat with
Matthew Brensilver, MSW, PhD
Tuesday, January 28 to Friday, January 31, 2025
Hosted by Winston-Salem Dharma Community at St. Francis Springs Prayer Center in Stoneville, NC
The Convergence of Wisdom and Love. Wisdom practices are commonly distinguished from practices of love and compassion. However, Buddhist psychology suggests a powerful connection between awareness and love. In insight meditation, we practice resting, looking deeply, knowing moment-by-moment what it’s like to be human. Some of us are hesitant to look because we’re concerned about what we’ll find. But our practice shows us that the more deeply we look into experience, the more reason we have to love. As the attention stabilizes, we begin to sense the poignancy of our wish to be happy. Seeing this, we care about our struggles and cherish our joy in a new way. In turn, this love informs how we engage with the world. This silent retreat will offer instructions in meditation practice, dharma talking, and opportunities to ask the teacher questions. All are welcome.
Matthew Brensilver. We are delighted to have Matthew Brensilver, MSW, PhD as our teacher. Many sangha members first learned of Matthew when he led Gil Fronsdal’s morning sits on YouTube. He has taught retreats at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and Insight Retreat Center, and this will be his first at St. Francis Springs Prayer Center. He continues to teach at UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center about the intersections between mindfulness and mental health. He researched for years on addiction treatment at the UCLA Center for Behavioral and Addiction Medicine and continues to explore the unfolding dialogue between dharma and science. Matthew teaches online many Wednesdays, and you can learn more about that opportunity and Matthew here.
Registration. Private room fees range from $520 to $660, and shared room (doubles) fees range from $265 to $335, depending on the room type. The fees cover lodging, food, linens, and organizing expenses. All meals provided will be vegetarian, and dietary restrictions can be submitted at registration. As part of the Buddhist tradition, many teachers (including Matthew) offer teachings freely without expectation of fees or payment. As a practice of generosity from the heart, participants are invited to offer “dana” (donations-generosity) to Matthew at the end of the retreat.
We strive to make retreats as accessible as possible to everyone. Contact us if finances are a burden in any way at wsdharmacommunity@gmail.com. We will try our best to make this retreat financially accessible to you.
You can register here [https://forms.gle/owTTipyXDr4dYsy88]
Space is limited, so early registration is recommended. Please email us at wsdharmacommunity@gmail.com with any questions.