April 24-26, 2026
Loyola Retreat House
Clinton, OH
A dharma principle is to balance wisdom with the heart. The insight practice focusing on presence in the moment and seeing things as they are (the foundation of wise view), must be balanced with the intuitive openness of the spiritual heart.
What the heart longs for: compassion, peace, connection and ease of being, do not come from the seemingly separated self. They are the innate qualities of the ground of our Being, and thus these longings, which are in every heart, are a treasured reminder, a compass pointing the way to go beyond the dream of separation – back home to the reality of Oneness.
This weekend we will explore body centered and heart centered practice. What does it mean to practice from the heart? It means to live the life of being fully alive and open, honoring the longings that started us on the path to begin with.
Heart practices also involve welcoming the barriers that seem to keep us from the aliveness the dharma promises. Paradoxically, as we explore and cultivate presence with limiting beliefs and conditioning, they no longer hold the power to close the heart.
If you have questions about the retreat experience, see our Retreat FAQ. Still have questions? Contact the retreat manager.
Susan Weir is the founding teacher of Insight Meditation Ann Arbor, and has been teaching Insight Meditation classes and retreats since 1999. Her background includes Gurdjieff, Zen, and Insight Meditation (Vipasssana). Teachers of influences have been Samu Sunim, Barbara Brodsky, Joseph Goldstein, Matthew Flickstein and Adyashanti. Her mentors have included Loren Cruden and Stephen Bodian. She currently studies with Rupert Spira and Helen Hamilton.
In keeping with ancient tradition, the teachings of the Buddha are offered freely—the teachers receive no compensation from IM Cleveland for teaching, but rely on dana (generosity) of their students. At retreat’s end, students have an opportunity to practice dana by offering contributions to the teacher.
CANCELATION POLICY: We will provide a refund minus a $25 cancelation fee for cancelations up until 3 weeks before the beginning of the retreat. After that time we cannot provide a refund except in the case of communicable illness (please don’t come if you are experiencing flu or Covid symptoms).