Retreat
INNER MASTERY
April 10 – 17
2019

Introduction

“To the mind that is still, the whole universe surrenders.”
- Lao Tzu

In today’s VUCA world, the business landscape is changing at the speed of light. Multiple changes are simultaneously occurring: One Belt One Road, Trade War, Sustainability, Blockchain, Artificial Intelligence, Shared Economy, Internet of Things, Cloud Computing… Profitability, continuous improvement, and reductionist problem-solving are no longer sufficient to engage employees, attract the best talent, or peak investor interest. IQ and EQ training have not succeeded in improving global employee engagement for a decade. Two-thirds of employees—everywhere—remain disengaged or only moderately engaged. What is essential in today’s business world is absolute clarity on direction and abundant creativity to move forward on the path.

Join INNER MASTERY to learn disciplined meditation practices which are backed by scientific studies of the brain. This week-long workshop will introduce you to a vast array of cross-cultural wisdom about what it means to be truly still and present which is a gateway into crystalized focus and reinforced purpose – leading to even a deeper meaningful and fulfilling life.

DATE/LANGUAGE

April 10 6:30 pm – April 17 at lunch
2019
English

FEE Download Retreat Brochure

RMB22,000
Early bird pricing is RMB19,800. Deadline is April 5
For group pricing, please contact margiechiang@livingoctave.com

Program Fee includes tuition and (2) coffee breaks per day over the 7-day workshop. Meals not included. Octave reserves the right to amend information on this program including price, date, location, faculty, daily schedule and other details.

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INNER MASTERY combines a strong grounding in the Western scientific study of the contemplative experience integrated with the ancient meditation traditions. This provides leaders with simple, profound and clear access to the deepest meditation traditions.

In this course, you will have the rare opportunity to learn from the originator of these practices, Harvard Professor and world-renowned meditation teacher, Daniel P. Brown and one of his senior students, Dustin DiPerna. This week-long workshop will introduce you to a vast array of cross-cultural wisdom about what it means to be truly still and present which is a gateway into crystalized focus and reinforced purpose – leading to even a deeper meaningful and fulfilling life.

The knowledge-base for this course has been carefully selected from decades of research on peak performance, psychotherapy, and positive psychology in the West and the great contemplative traditions of the East. This synthesis has been translated into a series of practical, state-of-the-art mental training skills.

Concentration is emphasized early in the workshop.

Students experience a momentum for practice that often allows at least a taste of realization of the nature of the mind as being pointed out. Due to the intensity and pace of the week it is impossible for students both to gain such a taste and to comprehend fully at a conceptual level what is presented.

For this reason we expect all students to build a strong foundation for their practice by attending at least two or three INNER MASTERY workshops before experiencing further levels.

An entire set of teachings, from the beginning up to a taste of awakening, is included in the INNER MASTERY workshop. Experience with students has shown that the practices of those who are methodical and patient with learning the teachings develop more steadily and fully than those grasping for 'higher' teachings. We ask that students do not ask us to make exceptions to this policy. In the rare instances where an exception may be appropriate the teacher will make such a suggestion.

Program Benefits

Participants will be best positioned to:

  • Embrace concentrated clarity and newfound creativity
  • Demonstrate grounded confidence on the articulation of points of view in a nonjudgmental manner
  • Take risks to explore beyond self-limits
  • Transform core beliefs
  • Heighten resilience
  • Enhance everyday positivity and champion a flourishing environment for teams and organization

Program Coverage

  • Concentration mastery
  • Character development
  • Risk taking
  • Positivity and flourishing mindset
  • Pro-social and collaborative behavior

Participants

Quantum Leadership Retreats such as Inner Mastery are tailored for global decision makers that lead entire organizations, divisions or large teams with profit and loss responsibilities on a strategic and day-to-day level.

Those who are dedicated to evolving themselves, their teams and their organizations against the backdrop of a complex business landscape should also consider joining.

participants
  • CEO
  • Presidents
  • Board members
  • Family business owners
  • Sustainable entrepreneurs
  • Corporate trainers
  • Academic leaders
  • Consultants

Program Schedule

6:30 - 9:00pm
  • Introduction–An overview of meditation practices
  • Basic principles of intensive concentration meditation
  • Review of the 7-point posture
10:00am - 12:30
  • Introduction to concentration using the 3-point breath
  • Ordinary vs. extraordinary forms of practice
2:00 - 4:30pm
  • Factors that potentiate the practice
  • Common problems and methods to deal with them
  • Distracting thought
  • Drowsiness & flightiness
7:00 - 9:00pm
  • Application of methods to deal with thought and drowsiness/flightiness
  • Vigilance practice
10:00am - 12:30
  • Deepening concentration: Intensifying & Easing up
  • Skill in concentration
2:00 - 4:30pm
  • Concentration using the 7-point object
  • The problem of partial staying
7:00 - 9:00pm
  • Concentration using the mind-perspective
  • Concentration with support–an overview of the state
10:00am - 12:30
  • The development of physical pliancy
  • Concentration without support
  • Skill in intensifying & easing up
  • Stabilizing the flow of mind-moments; stream access
2:00 - 4:30pm
  • Automatic concentration, one-pointedness, and equanimity
  • Assessing progress–The Nine States of Staying using the elephant path model
  • Meditation on movement & stillness
  • Stabilizing concentration from the mind-perspective
7:00 - 9:00pm
  • Overview of the ordinary insight meditations
  • Meditation on emptiness of self representation
10:00am - 12:30
  • Emptiness of self meditation continued
  • Emptiness of phenomena meditation–the ‘Mind Only’ perspective
  • Developing skill in emptiness meditations
2:00 - 4:30pm
  • Emptiness & compassion combined meditations
  • Developing mental pliancy & its role in insight meditations
  • Meditations on emptiness of temporality
  • Stabilizing the Simultaneous Mind, from the mind-perspective
7:00 - 9:00pm
  • Extraordinary or essence insight meditations–an overview
  • Stabilizing the Simultaneous Mind as always there
  • Simultaneous Mind meditation on coarse-level thought–water & waves meditation
10:00 - 12:30pm
  • Water & waves (continued)
  • Simultaneous Mind meditation on coarse-level sense perception–dreamer & dreams meditation
  • One Taste meditation–non-duality of the Simultaneous Mind
  • Advanced One Taste meditation–Sealing whatever occurs as empty upon arising
2:00 - 6:00pm
  • Sealing all occurrences as empty upon arising
  • Automatic emptiness practice during and after the meditation session
  • Overview of Non-Meditation Instructions
  • The extraordinary version of compassion meditation
evening practice
  • Automatic emptiness each moment, off the pillow (no formal class, participants practice on their own with given instructions)
10:00am - 12:30
  • The problem of artificial vs. spontaneous activity of mind
  • How making something happen or preventing something from happening obscures awakened wisdom
  • The problem of conceptualization
  • Review of the practice as a means to set up awakened wisdom
  • Skillfully identifying & removing the obstacles to awakened wisdom
  • Protecting instructions–real mindfulness without artificial activity, with awareness-itself as both the vantage point of and the object of meditation
2:00 - 4:30pm
  • Continuation of protecting instructions
  • Individualized assessment of habits of mind that obscure awakened wisdom
  • Setting up meditation; shifting the locus to the ground of awareness; practice from the vantage point of awakened wisdom
7:00 - 9:00pm
  • Practice that never ceases; continuous awareness of whatever arises moment-by-moment, sealed as empty upon arising
  • Made calm/set-free as empty upon arising
10:00 - 12:00pm
  • Application of the practice to everyday living–the issue of spontaneous presence
  • How to deepen the gains
  • Path-walking instruction
  • Precious opportunity meditation
  • Closure

Faculty

Daniel P. Brown
Ph.D.
Daniel P. Brown, Ph.d

Daniel P. Brown, Ph.D., has been on the Harvard Medical School faculty for 36 years and serves as Associate Clinical Professor in Psychology. For the past 25 years, he has taught performance excellence courses at Harvard Medical School for physicians, surgeons, business executives, and superior district and family court judges.

Clinically, Dr. Brown’s specialties are trauma and abuse in children and adults, and infant-caregiver attachment. He recently completed a scientific study identifying the neurociruitry of awakening. He is the author of 17 books, including Pointing Out the Great Way.

He is also author of a main textbook on the assessment and treatment of attachment disorders in children and adults, Treatment of Attachment Disturbances in Adults, and a book on the stages of normal emotional development in children, Human Feelings. His main interest is in synthesizing East and West knowledge around performance excellence and vital engagement of everyday living.

Dustin DiPerna
Entrepreneur
Dustin DiPerna

Dustin DiPerna is a visionary leader, entrepreneur, and recognized expert in world religions. He has committed his life to making timeless spiritual wisdom relevant and accessible for a rapidly changing global society. Through writing, teaching, coaching, and entrepreneurship, Dustin helps individuals and groups to find happier and more fulfilling ways of being in the world. He is author of three books - Streams of Wisdom, Evolution's Ally, and Earth is Eden - and co-editor of The Coming Waves. Dustin holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and an MA in Religion from Harvard University.

OUR LOCATION

The Living Room by Octave is located in the former French Concession of Shanghai.

It is the first comprehensive urban wellness center created in China, providing customized holistic wellness and learning programs rooted in mindfulness through a team of international wellness experts.

The Living Room by Octave is the distillation of decades of reflection by Octave’s Founder & CEO Chavalit Fred Tsao and is viewed by him as “an expression of a world-view where evolution is supported, and where consciousness can shift to embrace wholeness and connectedness.”

The Living Room is an integrated complex of wellness spaces and learning facilities consciously created by master architect Calvin Tsao to be the embodiment of a vision of how such a community might work. One of the spaces within Living Room - The Inspiration Room- has won numerous architectural awards for its stunning design and elaborate interiors and exteriors.

Built with natural materials, Octave’s aesthetics and design choices for Living Room re-think the whole idea of space utilization, reconsidering the balance between personal space and communal space, to create a greater sense of closeness, of community.

For inquiries, please contact:
Margie Chiang
Director, Business Development OCTAVE
Phone: +86 130 0323 1162
Email: margiechiang@livingoctave.com