This Moment the Only Teacher:
A Buddhist Informed Meditation and Practice Retreat
Flint Sparks and Richard Heckler
April 25 – May 1, 2009

It is taught that the present moment is the only teacher - the doorway to clarity and peace. When entered with open curiosity and without self-concern, the luminous qualities of loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity emerge as the simple truth of one’s true nature. It is commonly thought that these qualities only emerge after long engagement in arduous, disembodied, esoteric practices. However, the truth is that the capacity to become fully present with ourselves and to connect most intimately with others is fairly easily taught. The experience of freedom is close at hand.

The Heart of Meditation
Meditation, Yoga, and the Cultivation of Loving Presence
Flint Sparks and Donna Martin
June 20 – 26, 2009

This retreat is for anyone interested in having a nourishing week of meditation, yoga, and minfulness practices designed with the intention of opening the heart and clarifying the mind. Each day will include meditation, gentle mindful yoga, and small group experiments taken from the Hakomi Method. We will also have time for creative connections to the land and the people of Molokai. Our focus will be removing blocks to loving presence and opening to the abundant nourishment available within the group amid the beautiful surroundings of Hui Ho’Olana. Our journey will to the very heart of one’s own True Nature.

These two retreats are each a gentle invitation to awaken from the trance of everyday life and to be refreshed by the richness and aliveness that is available by connecting body and spirit with the healing earth of “Mother Molokai.” During each week of retreat we will have opportunities for meditation, mindful movement, spiritual inquiry, and small group experiments in reflective presence. We will offer restorative practices that connect us deeply to our bodies, the spacious mind beyond hope and fear, to the earth, and to the wisdom of our ancestral lineages. We will work with all of these energy streams in an organic, restful, and playful manner in order to deepen our relationship to the present moment and with each other.

Throughout the retreat there will be periods of silence and reflection as well as a good deal of free time for rest and relaxation in the beauty and peace of the island. The retreat center, Hui Ho’olana, is a non-profit center dedicated to healing and the arts located on 100 secluded acres in the heart center of Molokai. There are spectacular views of the ocean and distant islands as well as a beautiful rock swimming pool, organic gardens, fruit trees and lush tropical flowers throughout the property. Ho’olana is a Hawaiian word that means, “to inspire – the kind of inspiration that floats up from the heart”…and this is a setting that inspires such an opening of the heart and quieting the mind. Gourmet vegetarian meals are lovingly prepared three times a day and include homegrown salads and fantastic fruit plates. Rooms are mostly shared and are located in the main house and throughout the property, like a small tropical village. Accommodations are simple, comfortable, and oriented to the outdoors. Molokai is considered the “heart” of Hawaii. It is the most peaceful and undeveloped of the Islands. Each retreat will be limited to 18 participants, and we believe the beauty of the setting and the relatively small size of the groups will allow us to move easily into a peaceful, safe context for deep seeing, learning, and relaxing play.

The full fee for the retreat, lodging, and all meals is $1,850US. Airfare is not included. In order to reserve a place in the retreat, send a nonrefundable $400 deposit to Flint Sparks at 1201 Castle Hill, #201, Austin, Texas, 78703. You may pay by check, VISA, Master Card, or Discover. For credit card payment please call 512-458-2900 or email flint@flintsparks.com. An additional $725 toward the total fee is due by November 1, 2008 and the final balance of $725 is due by February 1, 2009.Since space in this retreat is quite limited and we already have quite a bit of demand, we recommend reserving a place as soon as possible. Your space will be secured once we receive your deposit and reservation information. If you have questions, please contact Flint Sparks at flint@flintsparks.com. Hui Ho’olana also has its own website with loads of information at www.huiho.org.