Contemplation & Enlightenment Intensive
21-24 August 2027
Three day retreat with Brendan Lea in Nijmegen
This intensive is part of our annual Cheng Hsin Holland Camp starting Friday evening 13th with a martial arts demo and mini workshop followed by 11 days of workshops in the Cheng Hsin martial arts. Learn more on this webpage.
A Contemplation and Enlightenment Intensive is similar in some ways to an intense Zen retreat. Throughout the workshop, the participants ask or “hold” a question, such as “Who am I?” for the purpose of directly experiencing who they are. In Zen terminology, such a breakthrough is called an enlightenment experience.
There is no “data” in this intensive, nothing to memorize, no formula to live by, nothing to understand. New distinctions and breakthroughs are likely to occur, yet they occur solely out of the participants’ own work in contemplation.
The Enlightenment Intensive
While this kind of intensive is highly structured and requires discipline, the actual technique used is extremely straightforward and simple. The main exercise we do throughout the 3 days is called a Contemplation and Communication Exercise (CCE).
This is a 40 minute period in which two people sit facing each other, with one person acting as a listening partner and the other as the contemplating and communicating partner. Every five minutes the roles are reversed and the listening partner becomes the contemplating and communicating partner, and the contemplating partner becomes the listening partner. This continues back and forth for 40 minutes.
Who am I?
The fundamental endeavour in a CCE is repeatedly setting out to directly experience who you are (other questions include: What is another? What is life? or What am I?). As a result of such immediate contemplation, in which you are opening up in this very moment to experience yourself directly, something will come up. By “come up” I mean that some thought, feeling, idea, sensation, memory, or some sort of experience will fill the space of that openness. Or you will directly experience who you are.
Whatever comes up for you when you set out to directly experience yourself — no matter what it is — is communicated to your partner. You get it across to that person honestly, exactly as it is. The listening partner receives it without comment, without judgment, without any kind of feedback at all, subtle or gross. This gives you the freedom and space to communicate anything, without concern about its correctness, how good or bad it looks, or whether or not it will be judged.
When the communication has occurred, you once again set out to experience who you are — contemplating and then communicating what comes up as a result, repeating this process until your five minutes are up. At that time a bell will chime and you will be instructed to reverse roles; you will then become a non-judgmental, open, and silent listening partner for five minutes.
The Intensive format
During the intensive a day begins at 6.00. Throughout the day you will do about 14 CCEs. There will also be 2 to 3 walking or solo contemplations (30-40 minutes), a lecture period, and a few other short exercises during the day. The meals will be light, but relatively frequent. Vegetarian meals are provided. You will be cared for so that your focus can be total. Everything will be a contemplation. For example, meals are “eating contemplation” and bedtime is “sleeping contemplation.” The participant is instructed to “hold the question” every minute of the entire day. Sleeping contemplation occurs close to midnight.
In such an intense environment, where you have no concerns but to directly experience yourself, you will move through a tremendous amount of “stuff.” Mental, emotional, or physical barriers can come up. This is to be expected. Consider it part of the process and keep your intent on directly experiencing who you are no matter what comes up or gets in the way. The purpose of the intensive is to have an enlightenment experience, which is to say, to directly and authentically experience the true nature of Being. Even if this doesn’t occur at this time, however, your efforts can have a lasting effect on your life and wellbeing.
Brendan Lea
Brendan has worked with Peter Ralston for over 20 years. He has done every apprenticeship program and lives at the Center in Texas. Brendan has been trained in facilitation and assists Ralston in his consciousness workshops. He also runs his own workshops in cities in the US and other countries.
His commitment to study and training has created a great awareness and understanding of the dynamics of mind and body as they apply to effective interaction. Through years of intense contemplation he has also developed a deep understanding of self, life, and reality. This allows him to powerfully facilitate others in having the breakthroughs and insights necessary to expand their own consciousness and create new skills.
Arrival and departure
Check-in: Saturday 21 August 5.15pm (dinner at 5.45pm)
Check-out: Tuesday 24 August 6.30pm (after a dinner)
Costs and payment
Costs for the intensive including lodging and meals are €615.
We offer an Early Bird price of €510 if you register and make a non-refundable deposit of €200 before April 1st 2027.
Sign up by sending in the registration form below. To make your registration complete make the required deposit. Transfer the deposit by wire to IBAN NL85 TRIO 0198369425 (BIC code: TRIONL2U), to Effortless Power
Training & Coaching, mentioning Cheng Hsin CI 2027. The remaining amount will have to be paid by transfer before July 1st. If you sign after July 1st make a full payment directly. Please mention Cheng Hsin CI 2027 in all you payments.
After signing up you will receive a preparation letter with general information on lodging, a route description, workshop conditions and other requirements.
If you wish to also participate also in the martial arts workhops of the Cheng Hsin Holland Camp sign up and learn more on this webpage.
Registration
Locatie / Venue
Our venue is Groepsaccommodatie De Elegast located in an former boarding school on a woody hill near Nijmegen. The accommodation offers one person cubicle bedrooms with running water. Showers and toilets are on the corridors. Bring your own towel, sleeping bag or bed sheets. You can also rent bed sheets (7 euro) and/or a towel (2 euro) on site (please bring in cash). During the intensive you will receive excellent vegetarian meals prepared by our hosts Karin and Paul. Free, but limited parking! There is a bus line from Nijmegen Central railroad station.
Address: Groepsaccommodatie De Elegast, Rijksstraatweg 37-77, 6574 AC Ubbergen
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