I'm not fond of the title of this retreat because I know many lawyers who would not describe their practice or profession as "difficult." Otherwise, it does sound like a very good event in a beautiful setting. Here's the description given in the e-mail from the Berkeley Initiative for Mindfulness in Law:
Dear Friends,
We wanted to let you know about an exciting event next month in the Bay Area: Finding Satisfaction in a Difficult Profession: A Retreat for Lawyers, organized by The San Francisco dharma group for lawyers. It will take place at the beautiful Tassajara Zen Center near the Monterey coast from May 13-18. See below for details.
For registration go to:
http://www.sfzc.org/tassajara/display.asp?pageid=809
Finding Satisfaction in a Difficult Profession: A Retreat for Lawyers
With Zenki Mary Mocine, May 13-18 (Sunday-Friday)
Cost: $370 ($315/Member)
4 hours MCLE: 2 ethics, 1 elimination of bias and 1 substance abuse
An MCLE retreat for lawyers and law professionals
Learn how to find deep satisfaction in the practice of law and to skillfully handle the anger and other strong emotions and attachments that can arise.
The practice of law is intense and intimate. It often evokes strong emotion and attachment to opinions. We ignore those emotions or attachments at our peril. And, law practice can bring satisfaction, even joy, and be of great use, when we can practice with awareness and let go of attachment to views or emotions. Mindful awareness of our own inner experience is key to our being useful to the clients we serve. In this workshop we will explore this approach. We will also look at our judging mind and work
with substance abuse. The retreat schedule will include plenty of time for relaxation, meditation and individual meetings with the teacher.
In this retreat we usually meditate a few times during the day. Instruction is offered for beginners. We have a lecture and discussion most days. The content grows out of your experience and questions arising out of your law practice. It can be intense as this is a chance to really work with issues that we rarely get to due to the pressures in the profession to be “the expert who knows.” Most afternoons we are led in gentle mindful stretching/movement by Julia TenEyck, a long-time yoga student and student of mindful movement. Most afternoons are free with time to hike, have a massage, read, luxuriate at the baths and/or swim. One of the days you will be given a choice to go on a silent hike or to work in the famed Tassajara kitchen. The afternoon will be entirely open. That evening we will meet to discuss what we learned that day. Other evenings, you are free to return to the baths, simply hang out, go to a discussion with a senior Tassajara student in the office, join student meditation in the zendo or attend a lecture if one is available.
The Mindfulness Initiative is a registered 501(c)(3) and welcomes your tax-deductible donation. To learn more, please contact us at [email protected].
Copyright © 2012 Berkeley Initiative for Mindfulness in Law, All rights reserved.
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