Photo by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

About this retreat

Note – Immediately after registering please complete either the Residential Retreat Questionnaire or the Zoom Retreat Questionnaire to secure your place (these links will also be in your confirmation email). 

The information you supply enables us to organise crucial aspects of the retreat - food, accommodation, and your wellbeing. We ask everyone coming on Dharma Training retreats to be a member of the Community of Interbeing (see our website at Join Us ).

This five-day retreat will be led by UK Dharma Teachers Dene Donalds, Teri West, and aspirant Dharma teachers Rehena Harilall and Anthony Leete. It will also be available on Zoom for those who prefer that or who are unable to attend in person.

We will explore the wisdom and related teachings of the discourse The Diamond That Cuts Through Illusion ("The Perfection of Wisdom Sutra that Cuts Like a Thunderbolt"). We encourage people to read the discourse in preparation for the retreat.

Photo by chi liu on Unsplash

When we first hear about emptiness, we feel a little frightened. But after practising for a while, we see that things do exist, only in a different way than we'd thought. Emptiness is the Middle Way between existent and nonexistent.

The beautiful flower does not become empty when it fades and dies. It is already empty, in its essence. Looking deeply, we see that the flower is made of non-flower elements — light, space, clouds, earth, and consciousness. It is empty of a separate, independent self.

In the Diamond Sutra, we are taught that a human being is not independent of other species, so to protect humans, we have to protect the non-human species. If we pollute the water and air, the vegetables and minerals, we destroy ourselves.

We have to learn to see ourselves in things that we thought were outside of ourselves in order to dissolve false boundaries.

― Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation 

Content and Suitability

The retreat is suitable for those with an established understanding of mindfulness and a regular meditation practice.  It will include:

• Opportunities to practise guided and silent sitting meditations, walking meditation, mindful eating and noble silence;
• Opportunities to learn from others through dharma sharing and exploration;
• Dharma teaching from UK Dharma Teachers
• The opportunity to receive a transmission of The Five Mindfulness Trainings

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Residential retreat

The five day residential retreat will run from 18:00pm on Thursday 24 October 2024; please arrive from 16.30pm onward. The retreat will finish by 15.00pm on Monday 28 October. Please organise your plans to allow you to be present for the whole retreat. Details of the timetable for the retreat will be available one week before it starts.

The vast majority of accommodation is in three and four bed dormitory style rooms. There are a small number of single rooms. The single rooms are allocated on a "needs-responsive" basis, beginning with those who otherwise would not be able to attend the retreat. Please explain any specific needs in the Retreat Questionnaire (see above).

Attending on Zoom

There is the option of attending online via Zoom for a donation according to what you can afford. The suggested amount is £125.

To book a Zoom place, click the Book Your Place button, then scroll down and select the number of Zoom Attendance places you require. After that you can specify your donation.

Those attending on Zoom will be able to join meditation sessions, Dharma talks, dharma sharing and other activities. You can fully participate in the programme; it can be a wonderful opportunity. Start time will be at approximately 6pm on Friday 24 October - we will inform all ticket holders of the exact timing at least a week beforehand.

We invite you to create a retreat atmosphere at home – planned meals, a quiet corner for meditation, some time away from being online. We are aware that some retreatants will have family and/or other caring commitments around them and we fully support your need to take care of responsibilities. We suggest sharing a copy of the programme with your household so that they can support you for the sittings, the talks and the dharma sharing.

Organisers

The retreat is being organised by the Community of Interbeing. We are a growing network of people in the UK who practise mindfulness and aspire to develop peace and happiness in ourselves and in the world by living according to the teachings on global ethics of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh (“Thay”).

His teachings, which can be followed by people of all ages and any religion or none, are notable for their emphasis on joy, engagement in the world, and integrating the practice of mindfulness into daily life. We are a registered charity which offers a programme of courses, retreats and events, and which encourages and supports local groups that meet to practise mindfulness.

Other Information

Agenda

• 16.30 Arrivals
• 18.00 Start
• 15.00 End of retreat (on Tuesday)

Location

Sidcot School is a Quaker boarding school and event venue set in the beautiful countryside of North Somerset. It offers a hospitable and peaceful environment in which to practice, serving delicious vegan food. Find out more about the school’s location here

Accommodation

The majority of accommodation is dormitory bedrooms with separate shared bathrooms. There are a few single rooms. There is also some accessible ensuite accommodation. Beds are allocated on a needs-responsive basis. Please indicate any specific accommodation needs via the Retreat Questionnaire; the link to this is above and in the confirmation email you receive on booking. Please fill in this form immediately AFTER booking.

Diet

Sidcot will be providing a simple but delicious vegan diet for this retreat. Please confirm any additional special dietary requirements in the Residential Retreat Questionnaire. The link to this is in the confirmation email you receive on booking, as well as at the top of this page.

Dana

The fee for the retreat does not include a fee for the teachers who offer a great deal of time, love and experience in delivering their teaching. There is an opportunity to offer dana (generosity, giving) in support of the continuation of this work during and after the retreat.

Cost

The tickets for this five day full board residential retreat range from £265-£415 with variations visible by clicking the Book Your Place button. The Online retreat tickets can be bought for a donation with the suggested amount being £125. Any surplus, after administrative costs, will be donated to our charity Plum Village UK.

The supported places on the residential retreat are intended for people who have been practising for at least 12 months with the Community of Interbeing and who are in receipt of state benefit or who are in financial difficulty. Supported places are offered on an honesty and first come first allocated basis.

Refunds

We can offer a full refund minus the TicketTailor fee for cancellations made up to two weeks before the retreat. After that no refund is available other than in exceptional circumstances - please contact the organisers if you feel this applies to you.

Frequently asked questions

What further information do I need to supply?

At the bottom of the Eventbrite confirmation email, under Additional Information, are links to two Google forms. Immediately after booking, please fill in the relevant form (residential or zoom). Collecting personal data in this way allows us to explain why we need it and who has access.

What further information will I receive?

You will receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite on booking. Two weeks beforehand you will receive a list of attendees offering or are looking for lifts and taxi shares. A week beforehand you will receive a retreat schedule and other information. Please check your spam folder regularly.

Will I be sharing a room?

Most accommodation is shared. Single rooms are allocated on a needs-responsive basis. Please give us more information about your accommodation wishes and needs on the google form, linked to in the confirmation email you receive upon booking.