Retreats
Temple Buddhist Center is committed to providing meaningful meditation opportunities for everyone.
We offer daylong hybrid retreats on a quarterly basis, and one or two residential retreats per year.
Our next residential retreat will be at Savior Pastoral Center in Kansas City, Kansas, December 27 - Jan 1. Registration is now open.
Facets of Wisdom - Cultivating multi-level Consciousness
New Year's Retreat
Dec. 27 - Jan. 1, 2024
with Robert Brumet and Victor J. Dougherty
Location: Savior Pastoral Center, 12601 Parallel Pkwy, Kansas City, KS 66109
According to some spiritual schools human beings have three centers of consciousness. In our culture we are familiar with the head as a center of consciousness and we see the brain as the primary (if not the only) center of consciousness in the human body.
Yet some teachings say that we have other “brains” in the body that are just as intelligent as the head brain. A second recognized center of consciousness is located near the heart. A third center of consciousness is located in the belly, just below the navel.
For us to become a whole person these centers must learn to work together, and yet each must have a certain degree of autonomy. Finding practices that exercise each of these centers individually can help each center to develop healthy autonomy.
This five-day retreat will be led by Robert Brumet and Victor J. Dougherty. The retreat will be hybrid including residential, commuter and virtual attendance options, and begins 7pm Fri. Dec. 27th and ends 12pm Wednesday Jan. 1st.
Those attending are asked to keep the noble silence at all times except when speaking with the instructors.
If you live with others, please make arrangements for them to honor your practice or, if possible, find a place where you can be alone the entire time.
Practice format will be similar to residential retreats:
alternate periods of sitting and walking, instruction,
conferences, contemplative movement, (Tai Chi Chih)
Dharma talks, and Heart Practices.
*Fire Puja
(there may even be a spot of light-hearted entertainment on New Year’s Eve!)
Insight Meditation is a practice that aims to free the mind from the distortions of self-centeredness, negativity, and confusion. Through the intensive practice of moment-to-moment investigation of the body-mind process the mind gradually sees more clearly into the nature of itself. Such clear seeing leads to freedom from the attachments and misconceptions that cause our suffering and allows us to open to a path of wisdom and compassion.
About our retreat leaders:
Robert Brumet. He has been teaching Insight Meditation since 1990. Robert received Community Dharma Leader certification from Spirit Rock Meditation Center in 2000. He is also a Spiritual Director, having received certification from Mt. St. Scholastica College in 2013.
Victor J. Dougherty. has been leading groups in the KC area in mindfulness and meditation for over 20 years. Currently, the director of the Temple Buddhist Center, Victor represents Western Buddhism as a member of the Department of Health and Human services task force on Faith/Mental Health.
Teacher Dana:
Dana (the Pali word for “generosity”) has been part of the Buddhist tradition for over 2500 years. Traditionally, in Asia it took the form of a lay person supporting the monastic community through offerings of food and other provisions. As the dharma has come to the West “dana” has taken the form of financial donations offered to teachers and retreat leaders.
In this tradition, the registration fee for any retreat is intended to cover only the cost of the retreat itself. None of this money is given to the teacher. Instead, the teacher relies upon the generosity of the participants, in the same spirit in which monks and nuns traditionally relied upon the lay community for support.
Generosity itself is a spiritual practice. It is a practice which the Buddha recommended particularly for lay persons who were not able to engage in the more rigorous spiritual practices of the monastic community. Generosity opens the mind and heart and helps to free us from the bondage of fear and greed.
There is value in consistent, daily meditation.
Please join us for some of these weekly mindfulness and meditation events. TBC hosts opportunities daily, weekly and monthly to meditate together in community with a leader/teacher to guide and support you.
Most of our classes, retreats, and events have an online option via either Livestream, Facebook Live, or Zoom, in addition to in-person. No matter how you choose to join us, you will feel included and welcome.
Go to our Classes & Event page to get more details and find out how to connect.
TBC Sunday Service at 9am (livestreamed and in-person) and 10:30am (in-person)
All levels of practice are invited to join us each Wednesday afternoon for meditation and discussion around the current book we are reading. Join anytime! (on Zoom)
Practicing in the tradition of Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, this group focuses on mindfulness, meditation and teachings from around the world and from some of todays most influential spiritual leaders. (on Zoom)
Insight Meditation: Thursday Evening Sangha with Robert Brumet @ 7pm (Zoom)
Follow TBC on Insight Timer where you'll find guided meditations from our TBC teachers. www.insighttimer.com/tbckc
Click above for a free SoundCloud download of flute meditation by Richelle Basgall, one of our TBC musicians.