When: August 22nd to 26th, 2007

Where: Synergia Ranch; Santa Fe, NM

Teachers:
Ralph Steele
Sita
Barbara Powell

The wind element in the body is called breath, and when breath energy is used in a skillful way it forms a vital part of energy medicine. In the ancient practice of Anapanasati, or breath awareness, mind and body move in alignment to cultivate a serene mind and healthy body. Enlightened masters discovered that this practice offers insight into the manifestations of cause and effect in the body/mind. When firmly anchored in mindfulness and concentration Anapanasati furthers the development of wisdom and compassion, the fertile ground in which Awakening can take root.

In Ayurvedic medicine the breath energy is called prana, which is the body's primary source of nourishment. Breath work is a vital part of many different healing modalities today, including yoga, cranio-sacral work, Rolfing, massage, and chanting. It is also a primary tool in the healing of traumatic experiences.

Elders of many different lineages have passed on methods to work with the breath for optimal health in body and mind. In this retreat, we will draw on the philosophies and skills of the Burmese Forest, Thai Forest, Tibetan, Sufi, and Vedic traditions. The retreat is appropriate for meditation practitioners of all traditions and professionals in the healing arts. It will include sitting, standing, walking, lying down, yogic, chanting, and mantra practices, as well as small and large group discussions and Dharma talks.

Ralph Steele, a Vietnam veteran, has practiced meditation for more than three decades and has taught since 1987. He completed a year’s intensive training as a monk in Burma and Thailand, and has studied with Tibetan masters – such as Ven. Kalu Rinpoche – and with Burmese and Thai Forest Masters, including Luang Por Sumedho, Luang Por Jumnien, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, and Jack Kornfield. Ralph led the creation of the first People of Color retreats in California and Massachusetts. He is the director of Life Transition Therapy, Inc., in Santa Fe, N.M., a clinic offering meditation-based treatment for trauma.

Sita has been chanting for 17 years. She began with Hindu Kirtans, then branched out into multiple traditions. "Chanting is like dropping a vessel into a deep well and bringing up an overflowing source of nourishment,” she says. “This nourishment of sound feeds the soul as water and food feed the body. Through the chant we can pour all our longings, frustrations, grief, and joy into this mystical container called life, so it can be transformed into a nectar that is both sweet and powerful."

Barbara Powell (Yoga Ma) has taught yoga and practiced meditation for the past two decades. She offers regular classes at The Railyard Performance Center in Santa Fe, and leads retreats in Mexico, Costa Rica, and elsewhere during the winter months.

Registration & Information

Cost is $385. A deposit of $192.50 will reserve your space. The balance is due by Aug 1st. Checks should be made out to Life Transition Meditation Center. A confirmation letter will be mailed upon registration.

800-547-2574 or 505-982-4183; Sabina@lifetransition.com

Breath Energy as Energy Medicine Retreat Summation