Stream of Interbeing: Merri Creek Mindful Walking Day Retreat

Traditionally known as a yatra (a spiritual journey or pilgrimage), this day offers us a chance to slow down, step onto the land together, and listen deeply to the living world around us. When the world feels overwhelming, the most powerful thing we can do is return to the soil, the trees, and the water. This day retreat is an invitation to let go of anxiety and reconnect with the living web of life. We’ll be following the waters of the Merri Creek from CERES in East Brunswick downstream to their meeting point at the Yarra River (Yarra Bend Park), walking silently in a community of meditators. There will also be brief sitting meditations, mindful eating breaks, Dharma offerings and group reflection. The walk is not strenuous (it is around a 6km walk, with few hills) so just a moderate level of fitness is required. The retreat program will include: • Meeting at CERES in East Brunswick at 9.30am, and a gathering introduction and meditation • Silent, mindful walking as a group along the Merri Creek path to Yarra Bend Park • Morning tea and lunch stops at green spaces along the way • Meditation, short Dharma talk and group sharing activity in Yarra Bend Park at the end of the walking • All activities will be done as a group and we ask that you stay within earshot of the group (though we can spread out on the walk) Payment and Dana In keeping with Buddhist tradition, the teachings are offered on a dāna basis which means Suzie and Marion are not paid to offer this retreat. Instead, they rely on the generosity of the participants to help them continue to share the teachings with others. At the conclusion of the day you will be invited to offer a financial gift to the teachers (by cash or bank transfer). Weather Because this retreat is entirely outdoors we will be at the mercy of the weather! If it is raining we will still go ahead so please bring your raincoat. However if there are extremely strong winds or storms forecast, or if the temperature is forecast to be 35C or higher we will have to cancel for the safety of all. In this instance we will contact you by email and text message to let you know the day before. So please ensure your contact details on your registration are the best ones and please check your emails and text messages the day before the yatra. If the event needs to be cancelled, your booking fee will be refunded. Venue We will meet at CERES Learning Centre garden, Roberts Street, East Brunswick and walk from there. We will end the walk in the park in Yarra Bend park near Deep Rock Road, Fairfield. Transport • Ideally your transport would be by public transit - CERES is easily accessible via the Number 96 tram on Nicholson Street or the bus along Blyth Street. • At the end of the walk we will walk from Yarra Bend Park to Victoria Park station to take the train home, or you may go in other directions to other public transit stops. • If you need to drive to CERES and park there in the morning you can take the train and tram back to CERES from Yarra Bend park at the end of our day. Schedule Start time: 9:30am. Please arrive by 9:30am in order to register, and be settled and ready for a prompt 9:45am start. Finish time: 3.30pm at Yarra Bend park - we will then make our way to Victoria Park station (or to other transport options that work for you) Food/beverages You will need to bring your own water, lunch and snacks with you as we will not be near any shops and eating morning tea and lunch together is part of the mindful walking. About Suzie Brown A lover of outdoor meditation, Suzie co-leads the annual High Country Walking 7-day retreat in the NSW Alps. She has been teaching in the Insight tradition for over a decade and completed Dharma Teacher Training in Australia with the Insight Meditation Institute and also with US Insight teacher, James Baraz (co-founder of Spirit Rock). She also previously trained as a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) teacher. Suzie co-founded Melbourne Insight Meditation (MIM) in 2009 and now also teaches with Sydney Insight Meditators and offers retreats around Australia and online. Suzie has been a mentor in Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach's Mindfulness Mentor Teacher Training Program (MMTCP) - she now teaches in their online meditation platform, Banyan. Suzie has also worked as a climate and environmental activist for two decades and was the co-founder of Parents for Climate. She regularly teaches Eco-Dharma and mindful approaches to dealing with climate anxiety and grief. About Marion Miller Nature-based Mindfulness Teacher, Eco-therapist & Artist.​ Marion’s down-to-earth approach is informed by these core streams: Coaching Psychology, Mindfulness (MBSR) and more broadly the Insight Meditation tradition, Ecotherapy and Spiritual Ecology; all flowing into one emergent practice. With over two decades of experience supporting hundreds of individuals, leaders, and organisations across Australia, Marion is on a mission to transform culture and support the flourishing of both people and our precious earth. Along with coaching, teaching and facilitating, she is a studio artist working from her Glen Iris studio, and is currently developing The Eco Retreat, a nature-based retreat, organic farm, studio and landcare project on 70 acres in Boonah, Victoria.