Brixton Winter Weekend Retreat

In our lives we can sometimes feel that we are trapped in a mundane and repetitive cycle and long for something different - for freedom. Come on retreat and find out how the Buddha's quest for meaning and the meditation practices he taught relate to our own potential for depth, connection and ultimately, freedom.

A retreat gives us a unique opportunity to directly experience the freedom of mind and heart that develops when we contact a simple life of Buddhist meditation, friendship and communal living.

Over this weekend there will be meditation, talks, discussion and Buddhist ritual, as well as plenty of time to hang out, make friends, read or go for a walk in the beautiful Suffolk countryside.

Whether you're a regular or a newcomer to meditation, coming on our January retreat will bring a fresh perspective and renewed energy for starting the year.

Friday 19th - Sunday 21st January 2023
At Vajrasana, Suffolk
£230 Full Waged / £175 Concession. Booking essential

All welcome, including those who have not attended our retreats before.

This retreat will be followed by an optional eight-week course starting 31st Jan called The Journey & The Guide, which can be booked separately. On this course we will be working on the themes of the retreat in much more depth, allowing us to activate insights and experiences from the retreat, and giving you the chance to turn your new year into an intensive period of growth and transformation.

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FAQs

This retreat will run at Vajrasana's usual capacity - please note that this will involve sharing rooms in the accommodation blocks. The wearing of face coverings in this retreat is welcome, but not compulsory.

What are my transport/parking options for getting to and from the event?

Vajrasana is located at Potash Farm, Walsham le Willows, Suffolk, IP31 3AR (on Google maps here).

We are offering coach travel to this retreat which can be booked here.

The coach will leave from Effra Space, Brixton, SW2 1PX at 2pm on the Friday, and return for around 6.30pm on the Sunday.

Alternatively, if you can offer a lift to Vajrasana or are seeking a lift then please get in touch: info@brixtonbuddhistmeditation.org

Regular trains also run to Stowmarket from London Liverpool Street. If you are travelling from the North, Thetford might be easier to get to and if you are coming from Cambridge, the nearest convenient station to Vajrasana is Elmswell.

Taxis: Stowmarket Taxis: 01449 677777 or Gold Star Taxis: 01449 676 767
Elmswell is the nearest train station but it is very hard to get a taxi from there, the taxi will probably come from Stowmarket.

What's included in the cost?

The cost of the retreat includes all food, accommodation and bedding. Meditation mats, cushions and blankets are provided (you could also meditate on a chair) and there are some yoga mats and blocks available to borrow. Travel is not included in the cost of the retreat, but can be booked separately.

What if I can't afford to come?

We offer are happy to offer some bursary places on a pay-what-you-can basis to enable those struggling financially to come on retreat. To enquire about bursary place, please contact us on info@brixtonbuddhistmeditation.org

Do you need to be a Buddhist?

Although this is a Buddhist retreat, you don’t need to consider yourself a Buddhist to come on retreat.

Living Communally

Living communally is an important and enjoyable element of the retreat. We will eat together as a community and accommodation will be in multiple occupancy rooms within single-sex blocks, with regularly cleaned shared amenities. We require couples to stay in separate rooms. If you identify as non-binary/trans, make your booking according to whether you would prefer to be accommodated in a room in the men's or women's block.

The team leading the retreat are volunteers who are on retreat as well, not paid staff. In order to enable us all to live together comfortably and to keep the retreat running smoothly, we ask everyone to help out with some simple chores. Our retreats are known for being friendly and harmonious; we ask retreatants to cooperate with one another and to refrain from harsh speech or anti-social behaviour. It is also important that retreatants commit to attending the full period of the retreat to maintain the integrity of the community and atmosphere.

Diet

The food on the retreat will be vegan. Please don't bring any meat or fish with you. We can only cater for specific dietary requests if there are medical reasons for them. If you do need a special diet then we must be notified as soon as possible, ideally when booking, and at least one week before the retreat starts.

What's the refund policy?

In the event that is retreat must to be cancelled due to additional COVID restrictions coming in, then all bookings will be fully refunded.

if you decide to cancel, we will refund the full cost of your booking minus a deposit of £40 up to seven days before event. With less than seven days before the event we are unable provide a refund, unless we are able to refill your space from the waiting list or the cancellation is due to testing positive for Covid or having to self-isolate.

Is my registration fee or ticket transferable?

We can transfer your place to another person up to seven days before the retreat, if accommodation permits. Because of the complexities of running a large retreat we will not be able to transfer retreat bookings with less than seven days to go before the event.

Is there disabled access?

Vajrasana has disabled access facilities. For more information please contact info@brixtonbuddhistmeditation.org