Happy Teachers Change the World: mindfulness retreat for educators led by PV monastics in Cork

Please join us for a four-day retreat in mindful living offered by monastics from Plum Village, the mindfulness community established by Thich Nhat Hanh — the Zen master who introduced ‘mindfulness’ into the English language.

Together, as a group of educators and teachers, we’ll practice mindful living, nourish joyful presence and take care of our own suffering. By first caring for ourselves and dwelling in the present moment, we create conditions for our school communities that are more kind, resilient, joyful, attentive – and open to learning.

During the retreat we will learn the basic Plum Village mindfulness practices and explore how we can incorporate them into our lives and school communities. We will also explore the growing scientific understanding of mindfulness, its brain basis and many areas of proven effectiveness. These practices include:

• Cultivating awareness of breathing to help unite body and mind, and develop concentration
• Caring for and learning to relax our bodies
• Learning to cultivate feelings of joy and happiness, and appreciate what we already have
• Learning to listen to and embrace our strong emotions, such as fear, anger, anxiety and despair
• Learning to use loving speech and compassionate listening to care for our relationships
• Learning specific ways to practice mindfulness in the classroom

The cost of the retreat is on a sliding scale of €260-300 based on retreatants’ availability.  Commuters wishing to join us for the days’ events are welcome and the retreat will cost €200 for those wishing to stay in outlying accommodations.

To register, click here.

For more information, you can send an email to the organizing team at: happy.teachers.ireland@gmail.com.