Meditation Retreats

Retreat is a time when we make spiritual practice the primary activity of our daily life - whether it is the cultivation of inner peace, the development of the altruistic minds of love and compassion, focusing on our trying to develop the mind of enlightenment, or any other special virtuous activity. When we engage in retreat we do so with a recognition of the importance our thoughts and feelings play in our life and our relationship with the world, and determine to try to gradually make these thoughts and feelings more and more positive through consistent meditation so that we can make our life more and more meaningful, develop true happiness from inside and become therefore become a friend of the world - a Bodhisattva. 

Here at Khedrubje Buddhist Centre we host various retreats throughout the year. Some are more suitable for beginners than others although you are welcome to attend most of them unless they state otherwise.

Developing the Path to Enlightenment

During this retreat we will meditate on the whole path to enlightenment, taking us from our current state of mind through the methods that develop the supreme mind of enlightenment. We will meditate on the 21 stages of meditation that were set out by the great Buddhist Masters Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa in their Lamrim teachings. These 21 stages of meditation can be summarised breifly in terms of the results they bring:

The meditations that lead us to happiness in this life and in our future lives. Called the initial scope.

The meditations that lead us to the supreme inner peace of liberation - complete freedom from all suffering and real long-lasting mental peace. Called the intermediate scope.

The meditations that cultivate our minds of love and compassion that lead us to be of benefit to others. Called the great scope.

This retreat contains 4 sessions a day that are about one hour long and start at 10am, 12pm, 4pm and 6pm. If you wish to attend it is advised to come for a full day although you can also attend individual sessions if you wish. A vegetarian lunch will be provided at 1pm. This retreat costs £5 per day including lunch.