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“Meditation: A Path to Mindful Living” will be the subject of an all-day silent meditation retreat to be held Feb. 27 in Santa Rosa Beach. It will be led by John Orr, a noted Buddhist teacher from North Carolina, who also led a one-day retreat here in March 2015.

The retreat, sponsored by the Emerald Coast Meditation Society, will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the parish hall of Christ the King Episcopal Church, 480 N. Co. Rd. 393, one-half mile north of Hwy. 98.

The cost is $60, payable in advance at the time of registration, with scholarships available. In addition, the tradition of “dana,” will be in effect, in which a Buddhist teacher is given a donation separate from the cost of the retreat. While the retreat is open to anyone who meditates, please keep in mind that one or more of the sittings will last 45 minutes.
Orr received Theravada Buddhist ordination while living as a monk in Thailand and India for eight years in the 1970s. Since 1980 he has been teaching and leading retreats around the world. He has studied and practiced in several Buddhist traditions but mainly in Vipassana, or Insight Meditation.

Says Orr, “Mindfulness meditation is a simple and direct practice that fits with just about any spiritual path. It is the moment-to-moment investigation of the mind/body process through calm, focused awareness. Through this practice we become more aware of and comfortable with our body, emotions and thoughts, thus decreasing the need to hide from the experiences life offers.”

Orr says he has been “deeply affected by my contact with the healer John of God,” and leads groups to his center in Brazil. Orr is an interfaith minister and the dharma teacher for the New Hope Sangha in Durham, N.C. He also teaches at Duke University.

The Feb. 27 retreat will be silent except for two dharma talks by Orr followed by questions and answers. It will include multiple 30- to 45-minute periods of sitting meditation, plus walking meditation, chanting, and free time for exercise. Participants are asked to bring a bag lunch. Drinks and snacks will be provided. Sign-in will begin at 8:30 a.m.; silence begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.

To express interest in attending, contact Tracey Tapp at tltapp@cox.net or 478-960-0174. The number of participants will be limited to 35. The ECMS is a nonprofit, ecumenical organization that offers opportunities for the practice of meditation, including twice-monthly meetings at Christ the King church. #

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