Meditation Retreat
31st May - 7th June 2024
Women's Weekend
7th - 9th June 2024
Open Retreat
27th July - 3rd August 2024
Retreats
A retreat is a period of time spent away from our usual life, spent in conditions that are helpful to our spiritual development. Retreats vary, some are silent and some can have a full programme of activities.
Retreats are not meant to be holidays, in the sense of a period away from home in which to relax. There may be a lot going on! But everything that happens on retreat is aimed at developing in us the twin goals of wisdom and compassion.
On a retreat you may be meditating, studying Buddhist texts, looking after your children (or indeed, someone else’s children!), chopping wood and cooking. All the activities of the day can be carried out in a way that can bring us closer and closer to the mind of the Buddha.
One of the great benefits of retreats for most people is a sense of community and belonging. During a retreat, you become part of a group of people who, to some extent at least, have a common purpose, and who care about each other and have an intention to act with kindness towards each other.