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First Aid Kit for the Mind

Breaking the Cycle of Habitual Behaviors

Weekend Retreat with

Dr. Valerie (Vimalsara) Mason-John, M.A. 

 June 13-15, 2025

at

WILLIAM J. KELLEY RETREAT CENTER

510 N 2nd St, Bay St Louis, MS 39520

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Rates

Private Room ($580) 2 nights 6 meals & Book 

 

Shared Room ($330) 2 nights 6 meals

& Book 

 

Commuter ($265) (staying elsewhere attending all sessions and 6 meals.)

& Book 

 

Scholarship ($285) SHARED ROOM 2 nights 5 meals (supported rate)

& Book

 

 

If you need a deeper scholarship and you are able to attend, please email: 

floweringloutusms@gmail.com 

About the Event

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A First Aid Kit For The Mind, a retreat to help us to stay equanimous during unsettling times. Statistics show that when people live under the reality and or the shadow of war, the fear of  families being split up due to deportation, the fear of the woman's body under surveillance and the basic human rights being threatened, that addictive, compulsive habits escalate. People are more agitated, quick to react, suspicious, and sometimes even hateful. This retreat welcomes all who want to have respite from the ills of the world, and equip themselves with tools to live life from a place of loving kindness 

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Teacher Bio: Vimalasara (Valerie) Mason-John is a Trauma expert working in the field for mindfulness for Trauma and Addiction. Trained in Internal Family Systems, and one of the founding facilitators of Dr Gabor Mate's Compassionate Inquiry, they teach the year long course and have a private practice. Award-winning author of 11 books, they are the co-founder and co-author of Eight Step Recovery: Using The Buddha’s Teachings to Overcome Addiction, with 8 step meetings in 3 continents. This year their new book a First Aid Kit for the Mind: Breaking the Cycle of Habitual Behaviours was published.  They live on the unceded territory of Kanata.

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​Schedule

Please note: Schedule details subject to change. Arrival times and meal times will not change.)

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Friday, June 13, 2025 

10:45 -11:30 am Arrival and Registration

11:45 am in Dining Hall  Welcome Talk

12:00 pm -12:45 pm Lunch 

12:45 - 1:15 pm Work meditation

1:15 - 1:30pm pause and sit down 

1:30  pm Orientation an  Q & A  

2:00 - 2:45 Sitting meditation 

2:45 - 3:15 Neurosomatic  Tools to help calm the heart mind 

3:15 - 3:45  Break

3:45 - 4:30  Breath as Medicine - Pranayama breathing 

4:30 - 5pm  Debrief - and Questions  

5pm - 6:00  Four Foundations of mindfulness interactive practice - we will explore the body then debrief, explore feelings then debrief, explore thoughts then debrief and explore dharmas then debrief

6:00 - 6:45 Dinner 

6:45 - 7:30 Work meditation / personal time 

7:30 - 8:15 Orientation and Opening Talk 

8:15 - 9:00 Meditation instruction / sitting meditation 

9:00 pm Rest or further practice

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Saturday, June 15, 2025

6:15 am Wake-up bell 

6:45 - 7:30 Sitting meditation 

7:30 - 8:15 Breakfast 

8:15 - 9:00 Work Meditation / personal time 

9:00 - 10:00 Loving Kindness Practice Instruction / Sitting Meditation 

10:00 -10:45 Neurosomatic Tools to help calm the mind 

10:45 -11:30 Sitting Meditation 

11:30 - Noon Break 

12:00 Q & A / Discussion 

12:15 - 12:30  Still Meditation 

12:30 - 1:15 Lunch 

1:15 - 2:00 Work Meditation / Personal Time 

2:00 - 2:45 Sitting Meditation 

2:45 - 3:15 Mindful Movement (optional) 

3:15 - 3:45 Break 

3:45pm  4:30  Breath as Medicine - Pranayama breathing 

4:30 - 5pm  Debrief 

5pm - 6:00 Four Foundations of Mindfulness interactive practice 

6:00 - 6:45 Dinner 

6:45 - 7:30 Work Meditation / Personal Time 

7:30 - 8:15 Dharma Talk 

8:15 - 8:45 Q & A / discussion / experiential exercises 

8:45 - 9:00 Sitting Meditation / Dedication of Merit 

9:00 - Rest or Further Practice 

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Sunday June 16, 2025  

6:15 am Wake-up Bell 

6:45 - 7:30 Sitting Meditation 

7:30 - 8:15 Breakfast 

8:15 - 9:30 Work  Meditation/ Room and Center Clean-up 

9:30 - 10 - Loving kindness Sit

10 -  10:15   Short Talk

10:15 - 11  Closing and Tools to Take into the World 

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More Information

If you have questions or need additional information about this retreat or other Flowering Lotus program offerings, please contact:

 

Beth Herzig

floweringlotusms@gmail.com

601-918-8510

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