Retreat Theme: Being a Good Friend, to Ourselves and Others
The Buddha taught that wise friends are indispensable to the spiritual path. At the same time, he said no one could do us as much good as our own well-trained mind. How can we learn to be a good friend, to ourselves and others? Perhaps acting for our own welfare and the welfare of others are inextricably linked or even synonymous. Please join us for this in-person work retreat at Common Ground Retreat Center, where we will practice being a good friend in the context of working, meditating, and sharing together.
Mark Nunberg began his practice in 1982 and has been teaching meditation since 1990. He co-founded Common Ground Meditation Center in Minneapolis in 1993 with Wynn Fricke and continues to serve as the center’s Guiding Teacher. Mark has studied with both Asian and Western teachers and finds deep inspiration in the teachings of the Buddha. Mark practiced as a monk for five months in Burma and completed four three-month retreats at Insight Meditation Society Retreat Center, as well as many months of intensive retreat practice at The Forest Refuge. Mark continues to be a grateful student of Buddhist practice.
Gabe Keller Flores has been part of the Common Ground community since 2008, when he was a high schooler falling in love with the Dharma. He served as Common Ground’s Office Manager and Admin Assistant for 6 years as well as serving on the Board of Directors. He facilitates the Millenials community group and the biannual conversation for Men and Masculine-identified folks, as well as offering Dharma talks at the Weekly Practice Groups when Mark and Shelly are away. Gabe is interested in an integrated, engaged Dharma that encompasses all of our being and all of our world in an ever-deepening exploration of wisdom and compassion. | 
