The Pāramī: 10 Qualities of a Beautiful Human
with Christie Bates
Online Retreat • June 23-24, 2023

About the Event
Do you spend more mental and emotional energy than you'd like, thinking about body image and appearance? Do you avoid talking about it, because you fear it's "not very spiritual?" This may be the online retreat for you!
"Diet culture" is not a uniquely modern phenomenon. The Buddha addressed it in terms of 3 mada (infatuations with youth, health and life) over 2500 years ago. In fact, one of the Buddha's main concerns was to address popular mistaken ideas about the body as an expression of a self, controlled by a self. As we apply the Buddha's teachings, we can relieve suffering rooted in confusion.
Friday evening, we'll have an introduction to the conditioned perceptual errors that are normal for the untrained mind, followed by some practice in self-compassion.
Saturday morning, we'll delve into the ten pāramī, ten qualities of a fully developed human. These are examples of the kinds of traits that the Buddha praised as truly beautiful. There will be time for sharing and questions, as well as meditation practice tailored to this exploration.
All genders are invited and encouraged to share in this experience.
Teacher Bio
An ordained Dharmacharya of the Embracing Simplicity Contemplative Order, Christie Bates is a spiritual director, as well as a licensed professional counselor serving TN, MS and FL. After teaching at Embracing Simplicity Nashville 2013-2018, she co-founded Deep South Dharma after she relocated to Oxford MS. She is the author of The Beautiful Human available for download at Teachable, and she is beginning again as a student in the MA Buddhist Studies program offered via the University of South Wales.
Schedule
TBA
More Information
If you have questions or need additional information about this retreat or other Flowering Lotus program offerings, please contact:
Beth Herzig, Retreat Director
601-918-8510