The Buddhist Heart: Weekend Immersion with Whit Hornsberger (Vancouver Island, Canada)

Reawakening the Four Immeasurables (brahmavihāras)

Loving-Kindness (mettā) • Compassion (karunā) • Appreciative Joy (muditā) • Equanimity (upekkhā)

An Intensive with Whit Hornsberger (4x 2.15h)

The landscape of ancient India was a melting pot of spiritual aspirants and their myriad methods for the emancipation from suffering. When the newly awakened Buddha arrived upon the scene he discerned wisely, through experience, those teachings conducive to his newly discovered “Middle Path” (majjihimāpatipadā) towards spiritual liberation.

One of the ancient practices the Buddha deemed pertinent, and that he thus incorporated into his Dhamma (teachings), were the Brahmanic practices known as the Brahmavihāras. Oft translated as the ‘Divine Abodes’, it was traditionally believed that through the development of these four immeasurable qualities of the human heart - loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy and equanimity - one would be gifted an auspicious rebirth within the heavenly realms of existence.

Although the Buddha did not adhere to this model of karmic reincarnation, he empirically saw that these boundless qualities of the heart were vital ingredients towards liberation in this very life, elevating the brahmavihāras to a primary role within his Buddhadhamma (teachings).

In this intensive, through the cultivation and integration of these four boundless qualities of the heart (mettā, karunā, muditā and upekkhā), we will reawaken The Buddhist Heart that resides within each of us - a heart characterized by boundless and unconditional love, kindness, compassion, empathy, gratitude, joy, forgiveness and equanimity.

Our time together will entail the intellectual discussion of suffering and causes of suffering according to Buddhist science, Western neuroscience, psychology and primatology and how the reawakening of these innate qualities of the human heart are imperative for the arising of mindfulness (satipatthāna) and in turn insight meditation (vipassanā) to gift us what it was designed to deliver - deliverance (vimutti) from suffering (dukkha).

This intensive is accessible to all levels of experience (including none) and is an essential undertaking for anyone interested in developing their mindfulness (sati) / vipassanā (insight) meditation practice, those experiencing physical, mental and emotional injuries, those interested in embodied and societal well-being and anyone curious about accessing the limitless potential and the utmost benefit from their human heart (citta).

Each session includes a Dhamma (philosophy) talk and meditation practice (mettā, karunā, muditā, upekkhā).

Saturday: 10 bis 12.15 and 13.45 to 16.00

Sunday: 10 to 12.15 and 13.45 to 16.00

This Immersion will be held in English!

About Whit

Whit Hornsberger (Vancouver Island, Canada) is a student and teacher of the wisdom traditions of Theravada Buddhism and Classical Yoga. A former athlete, Whit found the path as a result of a career ending knee injury and the subsequent emotional and mental suffering inherent in losing one’s (supposed) self-identity and self-worth. 

Integrating over 25 years of knowledge from his degrees in primatology, anthropology, psychology and yoga therapy with 20 years of dedicated practice and 16 years of teaching, Whit has developed a unique spiritually scientific approach to the understanding of the human experience. His daily practice and teaching methods stem from the Buddhist meditation traditions of Mahāsi Sayadaw, Ajahn Chah and Ajahn Buddhadasa, the traditional yoga practice of Vinyasa Krama as taught by Sri T. Krishnamacharya, and Yin Yoga.

First initiated and invited to teach in the Buddhist tradition in 2015, Whit continues to pursue his insatiable passion for truth and understanding by way of retreats amongst the courageous monastics in the Buddhist monastery of Mahāsi Sayadaw in Burma (Myanmar) and solitary retreats in the Buddhist monastery in Europe. A passionate advocate of traditional teachings, Whit expounds the ancient wisdom of these lineages in a relevant manner, making them readily accessible to students at every stage of the path. Since 2013 he has led more than 80 international retreats in Europe, Canada, Mexico and Costa Rica.

A lover of surf and nature, Whit offers international and online classes, workshops, courses, retreats and trainings and resides at his home on Vancouver Island, Canada with his beloved wife Gracia Guerra, a respected teacher of Kundalini Yoga from Mexico City, and their young son, Isaiah. Whit teaches throughout Europe, Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Website: https://www.whithornsberger.com/about-whit-hornsberger

Social Media: Instagram @whit_hornsberger

Veranstaltungsort

Der Workshop findet im Yogastudio von Yoga-Moment im Holzkoppelweg statt:

Yoga-Moment

Holzkoppelweg 33 - Eingang J-70

24118 Kiel

Workshop Preise

Das Wochenende als Immersion mit Whit ist als Gesamtprogramm gestaltet und kann somit nur für das gesamte Wochenende gebucht werden.

Early Bird: 149€ bis zum 4. September, danach 179€

Early Bird für Mitglieder von Yoga-Moment: 129€ bis zum 4. September, danach 149€