The group format of the retreat requires care because we can't help but enter each other's presence. Precepts offer boundaries that catalyze quality of heart and sensitivity to how we negatively impact ourselves and others.

This is the first talk in a 3-part speaker series titled "Pathways of Skillful Action". Jenny Wilks provides an overview of what we mean by ethics, and how the Buddha's list of ten paths of skillful action expand on the traditional five precepts and encompass body, speech, and mind. This talk focuses on the body and the first 3 precepts.

Arriving Potential Guided meditation (with rain) Posture No past, no future, rhythmic breathing, Trust breath Refuge and Precepts

moving out of the retreat form; honouring others; unresponsive cittas and microphones; recognizing and using the underlying foundation with confidence; empathy and sympathy for ourselves and others from a confident citta; connections to others; story of the calm and loving peace activist; recommending skillful means: using the 5 precepts to bear the welfare of others in mind and to cultivate respect for oneself; offering value to each other; cultural themes – intention and convention; using the pause; top down morality; guilt and confession, unskillfulness of some religious forms ; sila - being clear about intention to help the citta; finding balance and clarity; skillful use of the restful aspects of meditation; common social behaviours, gossip and fuzziness of intention; ongoing attunement of attention to what really counts; your citta has the capacity for great well being and clarity; respecting and gladdening the citta and spending time each day listening to the citta; reflection on the triangular mural in the hall; the earth touching mudra; dealing with mundane busyness in life; using the 10 second pause to touch your own earth element and call on the earth mother

Along with Marv talking about Resources, Dawn about Sangha groups and "T" about precepts/closing.

35 minute break after initial talk for meditation

Hiri and Ottappa: A deep respect for oneself and others to practice the precepts of non-harming

An exploration of the subject of talking refuge - includes chanting of the refuges and precepts in Pali

This talk by Jason Murphy is the sixth in the speaker series Ethics, Action and the Five Precepts.The five training precepts are not commandments nor are they a list of “don’t dos.” Instead, they have an over-arching principle of ahimsa, or do no harm. In other words, following the precepts can be seen as a way to stop us from spilling our suffering onto the rest of the world. In addition, the aim of observing the precepts is to allow practitioners to be blameless and at ease, thereby preparing their minds for meditation. The fifth precept deals with not taking alcohol, drugs or other intoxicants that will lead to heedlessness. This precept is really about seeing clearly: we cannot see clearly and develop our wisdom when we intoxicate our mind.