Half-Day or Full-Day Retreat with Ajahn Bounlieng, Ajahn Anake, and Phra Tavivat (1/25/2025) (In Person Only)

Come and practice with three monastic meditation experts! They practice and teach Mahasati Insight meditation, which is a form of Vipassanā meditation originating in Southeast Asia. The objective of Mahasati meditation is the elimination of mental and emotional suffering through the clear seeing and understanding of the body and mind in the present moment. The practice is based on the teaching of the 20th-century Thai insight meditation master, Luangpor Teean, and uses attention to the movement of the body as an anchor for mindfulness and insight practice.

Ajahn Bounlieng is the Abbott of Wat Lao Lane Xang, a Lao temple in Willington, CT, and practiced with Luangpor Teean, as well as many other meditation masters. Ajahn Anake practiced under Luangpor Teean and is Abbott of Wat Mokkhavanaram, a Forest monastery in Khonkaen, northeast of Thailand. Phra Tavivat studied under Luangpor Teean as a lay practitioner, and recently ordained under Ajahn Anake. It is Phra Tavivat who first brought Luangpor Teean’s method of insight meditation to the United States more than 30 years ago. He is also the author of many publications in Thai and English including the book, “To One That Feels,” and the biography of Luangpor Teean that is included in the appendix of Michael’s recent book.

This retreat is open to all levels of practitioners and is a wonderful opportunity to deepen one’s meditation practice by allowing one to cultivate self-awareness for an extended period of time without distraction. While the retreat will be conducted mainly in silence, there will also be Dhamma talks and question and answer periods.

There is both a half-day and full-day option for this retreat. The shorter, half-day option, is a good format for those who are new to retreat, while the full-day format offers students a more immersive retreat experience and is encouraged. Full-day participants may also bring their own lunch. Use of the CfMIM kitchen will be available.

There will also be opportunities to offer the monks food dāna, as they rely on lay people in the community to provide them with food in accordance with the ancient tradition. We will be offering them breakfast before the retreat, and lunch in the middle of the retreat on Saturday. If you are interested in helping to provide the monks with food, please email max@cfmim.org. Thanks!