Details
Date: Friday 8th – Sunday 10th August
Retreat Leader: François Schick
Requirements: Everyone is welcome.
Cost: Generosity Model – Donation only (via the donation form at the bottom of the page; no suggested amount).
Format: Onsite
Start and Finish times: Starting with supper at 18:00 on the first day and finishing after lunch on the last day. A more detailed schedule will be released closer to the time.
Accommodation: Land of Joy wishes for everyone who visits the centre to feel welcome, accepted, safe and secure. Our accommodation options are very limited, with mostly single-sex shared accommodation with two-four people sharing rooms and only one single room (which is sometimes needed by volunteers). This means single accommodation can only be offered to those who need it the most, but still won’t always be available. Camping can be an option at certain times of year if you have your own tent, but space is very limited. Please read the relevant sections of the booking form carefully.
About the Retreat
Generosity goes far beyond the mere act of giving. It actually refers to the wish to give and the actions motivated by that wish. It also goes far beyond giving material things. For example, protecting life is itself considered a practice of generosity, by giving protection against fear and dangers. During this weekend, you will cultivate the strength and the motivation to better integrate this training into your daily lives, including the various forms of generosity.
Taken to be the first perfection, the first to be accomplished, the easier to master, it is central in the Mahayana tradition and a source of deep joy.
Generosity is a counterforce to craving and greed. These are considered strong producers of suffering. How many times did we encounter finding resistance in giving, only to find ourselves so glad when we did it? How to make a solid and long lasting training out of that?
The course will cover:
- The importance of motivation. Learning how to check our intention while giving.
- The link between generosity and attachment.
- How to give.
- Training in generosity of giving material things.
- Training in generosity of offering the dharma
- Training in generosity which is a protection against fear.
- How to enhance our generosity in practice?
- How to sustain this training in daily life?
About the Teacher
François Schick has a unique skill in facilitating the practice of meditation. He can present the traditional treasures in a non-traditional way, bridging the classic buddhist texts to our times, taking into account the unique challenges we encounter nowadays.
Formerly trained as an actor, François discovered Buddhism via Japanese poetry. An avid meditator for almost 15 years, François Schick completed a five-year study program at Nalanda Monastery, which he followed with a three-month solitary retreat in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He is certified with the FPMT. Since then, he has dedicated his life to the dharma, alternating periods of study and teaching, with spiritual retreats (including a six-month solitary retreat in 2022 in the Alps on calm abiding, guided by Alan Wallace). This is a subject that is close to his heart. He is currently writing a book about it.
He has taught, among others, “Discovering Buddhism”, “Science of the mind”, “Taking care of the planet”. François Schick is appreciated for his approach to teaching that is as rigorous as it is modern, accessible and lively.