This retreat is 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 our week together we will have opportunities for meditation, mindful movement, and small group experiments drawn from the Hakomi Method. We will teach restorative practices which 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 with the intention of revealing our Basic Goodness.

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

In both retreats 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 16 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 each retreat, lodging, and all meals is $1,750US. Airfare is not included. In order to reserve a place in the retreat, send a nonrefundable $500 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 $600 toward the total fee is due by November 1, 2006 and the final balance of $650 is due by February 1, 2007. Since space in these retreats 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 about either retreat, please contact Flint Sparks at flint@flintsparks.com, Donna Martin at hakomica@yahoo.com, or Richie Heckler at rheckler@sfhakomi.org . Hui Ho’olana also has its own website with loads of information at www.huiho.org.