Power of Presence Onsite 4 Day Retreat

Power of Presence
Residential Mindfulness Retreat with Janka Livoncova

Thursday, April 28 to Sunday, May 1 2022
at St. Mary’s Sewanee, TN

This retreat will focus on the practice of mindfulness (Sati) as it is described in the Satipatthana Sutta – a Discourse on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the foundational teaching upon which our modern mindfulness movement rests. We will be cultivating wise presence by bringing caring, curious and discerning attention to what is happening moment-to-moment. In our busyness, we often act from habit and reactivity instead of love and wisdom, creating needless suffering for ourselves and others. With mindful presence, we cut through habitual reactivity and access innate states of well-being, creativity and understanding.

The retreat will be held in noble silence* and will include alternating periods of sitting and walking meditation, mindful movement, instructions and reflections. The schedule will also include optional discussion periods to reflect on how to skillfully apply the wisdom of the practice in our daily life. This retreat is suitable for all levels of practice, however some meditation experience is suggested.

Our retreat will begin with dinner at 6pm on Thursday and end after lunch at 12pm on Sunday. Check in will be between 3 and 5pm on Thursday, to allow for plenty of time to settle in and check out will be after lunch on Sunday. St. Mary’s Retreat Center is located in the Central Time Zone. If you require alternative arrival or departure times, please contact Janka prior to registering.

Space is being limited to 20 participants.

*We request that you agree to refrain from using cell phones and other communication devices for the duration of the retreat. This includes phone calls, emails, texting, and other internet use. Emergency contact information will be provided to share with family, should you require it.

Janka Livoncova is an Insight Meditation Teacher, Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500) and a trained Somatic Movement Educator. She has been practicing and studying the dharma for two decades. Initially in the Soto Zen tradition and, since 2007, under the guidance of her mentor, DaeJa Napier. She maintains a daily meditation practice and regularly attends Vipassana retreats with her dharma teachers. Janka is a graduate of Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s 2-year Community Dharma Leader Program and  completed the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Mind-Body Medicine professional training program. Janka is a graduate of the Somatic Movement Education training program at the Kinesthetic Learning Center, and trained in both 200 & 500 hour level yoga.

The price of this retreat does not include presenter fees. Janka will be providing this retreat to our guests without charging a normal fee. Guests are asked to give according to the principle of “dana”.  Dana is not payment for goods or services rendered; it is given from the heart. St. Mary’s Sewanee ask that each participant bring an offering to give to Janka when you arrive.