06:00 pm - 12:00 pm
Willard , Wisconsin
"The Soul is Here for its Own Joy", is an In person retreat (zoom option) with ongoing, dedicated, Midwest4 Diamond Approach group.
This retreat is being held at the Christine Center (https://christinecenter.org/), home of the Midwest Diamond Approach groups 1,2,3 and 4, in Willard, WI.
We welcome those who are interested in exploring the Diamond Approach in a retreat setting.
Please contact [email protected]. for more information on the Sept. retreat, or for information on open Midwest4 Diamond Approach Group.
Midwest4 Diamond Approach group comes together 4 times a year from Thurs. evening - Sunday noon, twice a year on zoom and twice a year inperson at the Christine Center.
Registration link will come soon.
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What if joy is not something we have to earn, achieve or stumble onto during our inner journey?
What if joy is an inner quality of our nature?
In the Diamond Approach, joy is understood not as a passing emotion, but as an essential quality of Being— alive, sensitive, radiant, spontaneous, and intelligent. It is much more than a search for happiness. The joyful heart does not stand back from experience or restrain itself as life happens to us. It meets life directly, openly, and intimately. As Rumi said, it can meet life “at the door laughing.”
As we move through our lives, experiences can impact our heart, causing its subtle presence to be obscured. It is as if an inner light is dimmed as our heart learns caution. We learn to adapt, to restrain ourselves, to hold back our feelings, impulses, and aliveness in order to belong, succeed, or stay safe.
Gradually, what was once a free and joyful movement of the soul gets constrained.
Yet within our nature there is a deeper joy that doesn't depend on outer conditions no matter how complex or challenging they are. It is an inner quality of being that emerges when our heart is free to open. The lightness of this inner quality is essential for the unfoldment of the soul and for living fully no matter the circumstances we are in. Without it, our soul contracts and withdraws in the face of life, with it, our heart remains open, unrestrained, and joyful.
In this retreat, we will explore joy through the lens of the Diamond Approach—not as a passing emotion, but as a profound dimension of our nature. Through inquiry and presence, we will investigate the ways restraint has shaped our experience and limited the natural expression of the heart.
At 6 PM on Thursday, there is an introduction to the retreat for new people and anyone interested in reviewing the retreat format and practices.
For those new to the Diamond Approach, this is a great opportunity to check out the Diamond Approach in person with an ongoing, open group.
Retreat Structure:
This is an ongoing retreat group in the initial stages of the Diamond Approach work called Midwest Group 4. We are meeting 4 weekends a year, with a mix of in-person and online retreats.
Weekend retreats will be composed of meditation, breath and movement practices, lectures, and self-reflection exercises geared toward connecting with our True Nature and facilitating the unfoldment of our souls.
Youth Scholarship:
If there’s anyone you know who’s under 40 and on thefence about checking out the DA, a youth scholarship application can be found at this link: https://dayouthfund.org. It can cover part of the costs for retreats, either online or residential/in-person, 1:1 session work and can also cover child care costs if you have them.
More Information about Diamond Approach:
The Diamond Approach is the core teaching of theRidhwan School (www.diamondapproach.org) and has been in existence since 1977. The method has become well known through the books of A.H. Almaas such as Essence by A.H. Almaas, or Introduction to the Diamond Approach by John Davis. These are recommended reading as are other books by A.H. Almaas (Shambhala Press).
The Diamond Approach path was first introduced in the Midwest in 1996 by Sr. Johanna Seubert, FSPA.
Teacher(s)
