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Solitary but Not Lonely: Empowering Going Within in an Extroverted Culture

Residential Program
Dates: Feb 26, 2016 - Feb 28, 2016
Days: Friday - Sunday
Number of Nights: 2 nights

Instructor(s): Arnie Kozak

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Program Description:
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The Buddha, like many great mystics, was a solitary, probably an introvert. He appreciated the value of solitude but he was not a loner. He advocated a path where people would practice alone and together. He discouraged idle chitchat. He preferred a quiet, contemplative exploration of the interior to the gregarious, extroverted promotion of self that is so evident in today’s high pressure, social media connected culture. People today are drawn to the interior practices of mindfulness, largely because they find themselves vulnerable to overstimulation, exhaustion, and a sense of being overwhelmed when forced to navigate the demands of an extroverted culture. An understanding of the Buddha’s psychology and dharma practice can help introverts to empower themselves by making their interiority more robust, accessible, and durable while mitigating the tendency to ruminate, obsess, and worry. It can also help them to modulate their energy to protect against fatigue, overextension, and burnout. Grounding in the Buddha’s teachings can help introverts to make their sensitivities into strengths. Participants will learn ICE (Introvert Contemplative Exercises) that include mindfulness, journaling, and other techniques. The source text for the program will be Arnie Kozak’s book, The Awakened Introvert.