Change yourself, change the world.

Meditation invites us to be more present to life, every day, every moment. Through meditation we learn to contact the core of our being and live through the presence of the heart. As a result, we see ourselves grow and change, becoming centered and authentic and empowered to create change in our lives.

Meditation is as easy as breathing. It opens us to what we are feeling and sensing in the moment and the simplicity of being. Broader understandings and expanded opportunities become possible through meditation.

 

What is Meditation?

Meditation brings us to the core of who we are as well as all that is essential and real. The practice of meditation creates more awareness and presence in our everyday life. Meditation first invites us, then trains us, then magically empowers us to be HERE NOW.

Awareness Meditation is a practice based in the simple and essential principles of breath, heart and being. The practice of Awareness Meditation can benefit anyone and will produce results in one’s life.

Benefits include:

  • Creativity
  • Authenticity
  • Mental clarity and focus
  • Perspective
  • Peace of mind
  • Increased patience
  • Mindfulness
  • Intuition
  • Greater awareness in the life

Health Benefits Can Include:

  • Reduced Heart rate
  • Reduced Blood Pressure
  • Increased Energy
  • Better sleep
  • General sense of well being

What makes this meditation practice unique?

  • It is non-denominational yet deeply spiritual. Awareness Meditation offers training in awareness, self-discovery, self-empowerment, and bringing forth the fullness of one’s spiritual nature.
  • It is multi-leveled. Each component of Awareness Meditation affects every part of our consciousness. As we focus on the natural rhythm of the breath we feel our lungs fill and empty, fill and empty. Naturally then, we begin to feel what fills us, gives us joy, and also what empties us. At first, empty might mean what is taken away, or released, eventually becoming less clutter and less scatteredness. Our lives take on more rhythm, ease and presence as each step leads to the next lighted awareness.
  • Awareness Meditation is deeply personal. We are spiritual beings. One of the challenges in our modern Western world is that the spiritual and sacred has been largely deleted or marginalized from everyday life. Meditation anchors us to the spiritual yet does so in a way that is personal. Each person’s meditative experience will be unique returning them to innate wisdom, our inherent light, and the loving creative presence that is one’s true Self.
  • It works.

Retreats and Meditation Training

I - Four-day and weekend retreats

  • Four-day retreats offer an immersion in a meditative environment and the foundation to establish the Awareness Meditation practice. This begins to open us to all that is possible.
  • Weekend retreats are an opportunity to get away, get centered, and learn the fundamentals.

II - Seven-day retreats 

As the Awareness Meditation practice is established the deeper aspects and profound gifts of expanded consciousness become available to us. It is recommended that one has done at least one weekend or four-day retreat before coming for seven days.

Awareness Meditation retreats are taught by Donna Mitchell-Moniak, creator of the practice, founder and spiritual director of Spirit Fire.

  • Quietude
  • Quietude in all ways is important. The outer world as well as our emotional and mental worlds are usually quite loud. Thus we will be attentive to creating a quiet supportive environment for the duration of the retreat.
  • Dining
    • Meals are freshly prepared and beautifully served offering a variety of options. We work with dietary preferences.
  • Comfortable Clothes
    • Please wear and bring clothes comfortable for sitting in meditation and adequate for outside walking meditations.
  • Lodgings
    • Two to three people share a room.
  • Cost of the Program is by donation. The suggested donation is $75 per day for food and lodging and $50 per day to the teacher.

A Typical Day of Meditation

Short private sessions with the meditation teacher may occur during free time.

Walking meditations or silent trail walks are part of the practice and can happen at any time of the day, depending upon weather and practitioner’s physical abilities.

    • 8 – 8:45 AM: Breakfast.
    • 9 – 10:30 AM: Teachings and meditative practice/training
    • 10:30 – 11:20 AM: Silent Morning break/free time and short private sessions with the meditation teacher
    • 11:30 AM – 1 PM: Teachings and meditation
    • 1- 2 PM: Lunch
    • 2:15 – 3:30 PM: Teachings and meditation
    • 3:30 – 6 PM: Free time. Short private sessions with the meditation teacher occur from 5 – 6 PM.
    • 6 – 7 PM: Supper
    • 7:15 – 8:30 PM: Teachings and meditation

     

Retreats at Spirit Fire, MA in 2008

  • Weekend: August 22-24
  • Weekend: November 21-23
  • Four-day: April 16-20
  • Four-day: July 2-6

Retreats in Boulder for 2008 to be announced.

 

Spirit Fire Meditation Room

The field created in group meditation can powerfully reach dimensions unknown in an individual practice. Having had over 12 years of sitting in Donna Mitchell-Moniak's group meditation field, my experience is that there has been nothing more heart expanding. Truly, that uplifting, precious time in sheer light-of-being is beyond words. We learned this practice step-by-step in order to participate as fully as possible.

Cherie Peterson

Spirit Fire Meditation

Meditation is the way by which the subtle realms become known to us and we know ourselves as Soul. As a skilled mediator and teacher, Donna has the ability to hold a high point of tension within a group field and to help each individual align their own energetic system (the microcosm) to the larger (macrocosmic) whole - finding the pathway between the two. For myself, this is a practice which has altered forever my understanding of what is Real and has helped me to appreciate my relationship to the One Life. This could not have been possible without the support of such a skilled teacher, clearly a rare find. I ask what better gift can you give to yourself or the world?

Judy Harrison

Spirit Fire © 2007-08 | Change Yourself - Change the World.