{"id":15348,"date":"2026-03-12T16:44:03","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T20:44:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/?post_type=ctc_event&#038;p=15348"},"modified":"2026-03-12T16:44:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T20:44:23","slug":"silent-simplicity-a-spring-silent-meditation-retreat-in-ct","status":"publish","type":"ctc_event","link":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/events\/silent-simplicity-a-spring-silent-meditation-retreat-in-ct\/","title":{"rendered":"Silent Simplicity: A Spring Silent Meditation Retreat in CT"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Spring invites renewal in the natural world, a few hours of silence can help us rediscover clarity, balance, and presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our <strong>Silent Simplicity Spring Retreat<\/strong> offers a gentle opportunity to step away from the busyness of daily life and reconnect with the present moment through mindfulness and meditation. Just as the season invites renewal in nature, a few hours of intentional silence can refresh the mind and heart, bringing clarity, calm, and a renewed sense of balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Held in the peaceful setting of the <strong>Shoyoan Tien Zen Garden<\/strong> at the Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies, this half-day silent meditation retreat invites participants to experience the restorative power of quiet awareness and mindful presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout the morning, we will explore several simple mindfulness practices that help cultivate steadiness and ease, including:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"547\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zen-garden-at-Buddhist-Faith-Fellowship-547x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14729\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.5341725795376516;width:189px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zen-garden-at-Buddhist-Faith-Fellowship-547x1024.jpg 547w, https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zen-garden-at-Buddhist-Faith-Fellowship-160x300.jpg 160w, https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Zen-garden-at-Buddhist-Faith-Fellowship.jpg 566w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 547px) 100vw, 547px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Guided sitting meditation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mindful breathing practices<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Walking meditation in silence<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mindful listening<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Noble silence for reflection<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The retreat is intentionally simple and accessible. <strong>No prior meditation experience is necessary.<\/strong> Whether you are new to meditation or have practiced for many years, this morning of shared silence offers a supportive environment for reconnecting with stillness and awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many participants find that even a short retreat can help:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Reduce stress and mental busyness<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Restore clarity and focus<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Deepen mindfulness and self-awareness<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cultivate a greater sense of balance and presence<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>As the natural world awakens in spring, this retreat offers a meaningful opportunity to refresh the mind and heart. Participants often leave feeling more grounded, peaceful, and connected to the present moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Space is limited in order to preserve the quiet and supportive atmosphere of the retreat. Advance registration is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>All are welcome.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Spring invites renewal in the natural world, a few hours of silence can help us rediscover clarity, balance, and presence. Our Silent Simplicity Spring Retreat offers a gentle opportunity to step away from the busyness of daily life and reconnect with the present moment through mindfulness and meditation. Just as the season invites renewal in&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15005,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","ctc_event_category":[],"class_list":["post-15348","ctc_event","type-ctc_event","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","ctfw-has-image"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ctc_event\/15348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ctc_event"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/ctc_event"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15348"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ctc_event\/15348\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15350,"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ctc_event\/15348\/revisions\/15350"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15005"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"ctc_event_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bffct.org\/bff\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ctc_event_category?post=15348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}