The Art of Solitude: A Half-Day Meditation Retreat
with Lhasha Tizer MS & Maya Adams CNM
Saturday, April 25th from 1:00 to 5:00 pm
$75, Sol Member Discount Applicable
Solitude is a way of being that can be cultivated like an art form with dedication, focus, and precision. It is a beautiful mindfulness practice that assists us in maintaining presence. It can be experienced as a state of wonder, meditation, contemplation, reflection, imagination, and inspiration. This cultivation can lead us to dwelling in a serene and tranquil state of mind that fosters a way to engage whole-heartedly and creatively with ourselves and our world.
For some, solitude becomes associated with a type of loneliness, yet when this occurs it is most likely because the practice is not fully engaged. Although we may be alone when we are practicing or experiencing solitude, it can also happen spontaneously in meditation with a group of people, or when out in nature with friends. In the Buddhist tradition it is looked upon as a way of life.
As our theme for the day, it will serve as a collective mindfulness practice allowing each of us to unwind with patience and presence. And as an extended day of practice, will be an special opportunity to refine attention, strengthen stamina, and deepen your understanding of the gifts of the present moment. Co-facilitated by Lhasha & Maya the day will include a welcoming orientation, a variety of guided & silent meditation periods, a dharma talk, and time for group reflection & closure.
Lhasha Tizer, MS, is a certified Community Dharma Leader trained in Insight Meditation through Spirit Rock Meditation Center. She is a long time practitioner and teacher of meditation and mindfulness, studying for 47 years, and has been teaching Buddhist Studies since 2010. Through Desert Insight Meditation, her teaching community, she offers classes, book groups, and retreats at Tucson Community Meditation Center and beyond. In her private practice, The Mindfulness Path, Lhasha guides, consults and provides individual instruction in mindful living, meditation practices, and mindful inquiry. Lhasha has a diverse background with a teaching certificate in “Chado”, The Japanese Way of Tea, with roots in Zen Buddhism. She has practiced as a Holistic Health Counselor, a Holistic nutritionist specializing in tea nutrition, and is a co-author of the book Tea Here Now. She is devoted to sharing the benefits of her personal studies and practices through her teaching.
Maya Z. Adams, CNM, is a local nurse midwife with a long-time commitment to supporting women and families during the momentous time of bringing their children into this world. She has delved in and out of the world of meditation and yoga for over 30 years, mindfulness became more significant in the last ten years, especially around her experience of parenting her own children. She found that while traditional therapy was helpful, a regular mindfulness practice provided another level of awareness and spiritual growth, helping to navigate the daily ups and downs of family life, as well as influencing her practice as a nurse midwife. As a graduate of the two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program (MMTCP) directed by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, Maya’s is now inspired to share this “good medicine” with other “practicing humans.”
