Nov 23 – 29, 2009

with Sylvia Boorstein, Norman Fischer, Rabbis Joanna Katz & Jeff Roth

at the Santa Sabina Center in San Rafael, CA

The arrival of Thanksgiving each year is a wonderful time to deeply explore the nature of life and the precious gift it is to be here. But often times, this is not our primary experience from day to day. It is easy to get caught up in the challenges that naturally accompany each of our lives. Spending six days in contemplative practice is a uniquely wonderful way to gain balance in our lives and cultivate a grateful heart, which can see the truth of our lives more clearly. This practice opens the heart to wisdom and compassion propelling us to a life of loving-kindness. This six day meditation retreat will give you the tools and the time to delve inward and cultivate these qualities.

Click here to register now.

Using the vehicle of silence and a variety of Jewish meditation approaches this retreat will help you to look deeply into your own life. The retreat includes daily periods of prayer, chant and meditative movement. Daily instruction in meditation will help guide both beginning and advanced practitioners into the sacred space of the retreat process. Throughout the retreat we will maintain social silence. There will also be times for questions and answers as well as small group and private interviews with the instructors. The week will culminate in a deep celebration of Shabbat followed by the chance to hear of each other’s learning as the retreat comes to a close.

The costs of the retreat include room and board and an administrative fee to cover the other retreat costs. The teachings are presented without fees included to support the teaching staff. Participants will be asked to make a voluntary contribution to support the teachers. Some financial aid is available. Requests for financial aid should be made to Rabbi Roth at jeff@awakenedheartproject.org.

Norman Fischer will be on the staff only for the first two days of the retreat.

Costs for room and board are:

Double rooms- $775/person, Single rooms – $1000 / person

Click here to register now.

Sylvia Boorstein has been teaching meditation retreat since 1985. She is a founding teacher of Spirit Rock Meditation Center and a psychotherapist, wife, mother and grandmother who is particularly interested in seeing daily life as practice. She has led numerous retreats and training programs for rabbis and Jewish educators.

Norman Fischer is a Zen priest, teacher, poet and former co-abbot of the San Francisco Zen Center. He is also the co-founder of Makor Or, a Jewish meditation center in San Francisco. He leads Jewish meditation sessions around the country and is currently on the faculty of the Elat Chayyim Advanced Meditation Program (ECAMP). He is an author and the founder of the Everyday Zen Foundation.

Rabbi Joanna Katz is the co-founder of Elat Chayyim and is currently on the faculty of the Elat Chayyim Advanced Meditation Program (ECAMP). She also works as a prison chaplain. Joanna is committed to helping people work towards gaining greater insight, balance and freedom in their lives. Towards this end she facilitates ongoing meditation groups and has a regular practice of working with people who are committed to developing the life of the spirit. She lives with her family in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Rabbi Jeff Roth is the founder and Director of The Awakened Heart Project for Contemplative Judaism. He was the co-founder of Elat Chayyim where he served as Executive Director and Spiritual Director for 13 years. Currently on the faculty of ECAMP, he is an experienced meditation teacher and the facilitator of over 70 Jewish meditation retreats. He is the author of the newly released, Jewish Meditation Practices for Everyday Life, from Jewish lights Publishing.