Retreats

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Burgs has simplified his teaching schedule this year to make it more accessible to beginners and to begin to give the opportunity for more seasoned meditators to attend ongoing retreats for longer periods of time.


The majority of retreats will follow the 7 day format and give training in the foundations of serenity and insight meditation.


They are deeply transformative experiences that allow people to retake control of their lives and find meaning within them: healing both their bodies and purifying their minds. The tools that are developed on these retreats are extremely valuable all aspects of life. Until you are well established in your practice the best way to progress is to keep attending these superb training retreats at least once a year.


Each retreat is subtly different in focus and approach.  There are a large number of students who have sat this retreat many times and keep coming back.


We will also be repeating the following retreats in 2010:


· The Vipassana retreat

· The Heart Essence of the Awakened mind retreat

· Dreaming Retreat

The Foundation in Serenity and Insight Silent Retreat Programmes


The day begins at 6am every day and finishes at 9pm and consists of the following schedule

  • 7 or 8 formal meditation sessions with instructions (40 mins each).
  • 2 discourses each day. One explaining the mechanics and techniques of meditation and mental development, the other explaining in stages the Buddha’s teachings. The focus will vary from retreat to retreat covering the disciplines of both serenity and insight meditation as well as the powerful ways in which you can develop meditation as a healing practice.
  • Chi Kung or Yoga sessions daily to help open the body structurally and energetically. These classes can greatly accelerate the progress made in formal meditation.
  • Burgs and an assistant are always present to give help and guidance about your meditation that may arise during the retreat.
  • There are two hours of free time in the early afternoon for walking or relaxing.

All food will be vegetarian and the group will eat together at 7.30 and 12.30. There will be a light evening meal of soup and fruit at 6.30 pm. The retreat will be held in noble silence for the first 6 days.

 

The Vipassana retreat

The requirements for this retreat are at least one of our Foundation to Serenity and Insight retreats, or previous vipassana experience (please contact us individually for assesment).

Vipassana is the direct seeing into the true nature of things and our experience of them. We meditate on Nama (mind) and Rupa (matter) and see their characteristics as  Anicca (Impermanance of condition states), Dukkha (Suffering or instability of conditioned states), and Anatta (No-self/impersonal nature of all things) to see things as they are. This lies at the heart of the Buddhas teachings as it swiftly allows us to relinquish our attachment which is the root cause of our suffering. Previous experience is required.


The Heart Essence of Awakened Mind

The aim of meditation that has liberation as its goal is to become more unconditioned in our approach to life, and ultimately let go of all conditioning. To do so we investigate the conditioned states that make up our egos and the world that we live in, penetrating through to the essences of all condition things: impermanance and suffering.  Many yogis can get lost in the minutia of this process, and in doing so miss the wood from the trees. The ultimate goal of the noble eightfold path is to get fully beyond self, to do so we need to understand the noble truth of Anatta, no self. Being introduced to and familiarizing oneself with an inherent state of awareness ( sometimes called our Buddha Nature) that is already and always has been beyond the entanglement of conditioned states, is a huge refuge while walking the path, and allows yogis’ insight into the Noble truth of Anatta to quickly mature. During the retreat we will also be focusing on internal energy work to help open the internal channels, and deepen your minds capacity for concentration and insight. Please note you must have sat at least one of our Introductory retreat, or have substantial past of experience as a yogi.


Code of conduct on retreats

  1. Participants will be asked to hand in their mobile phones on the first day of retreat. (except for special circumstances)
  2. There is no reading or keeping of journals permitted.
  3. There will be noble silence through the reteat. You will be able to speak to the teachers at any time to ask questions about your practice. Please dont worry about this, many people do worry about being in such an environment and how they will cope but they find it to be one of the most rewarding aspects of the process. You will be constantly engaging in learning and practicing so there will be lots to occupy you throughout the week. Such an environment is necessary to to learn the foundations of the practice and mature your practice.
  4. Throughout the week you will all be asked to uphold the 5 precepts of: not taking what is not freely given, not lying, not committing sexual misconduct, not killing and not using intoxicants. Smoking is also prohibited.

Location and Pricing

Poulstone Court 7 day

Poulstone court, Herefordshire

£400 for shared room

£550 for private room

Teaching on donation

Poulstone Court Retreat Center


Delbury Hall

Shropshire

£350 for bunk room

£400 for shared room

£550 for private room

£675 for private room plus ensuite

Teaching on donation

www.delbury.com

 

How pricing for the retreat is structured. PLEASE READ.

  1. The prices we charge cover accommodation, food and administration costs.
  2. Teachings are on donation: you will be invited to give dana (donation) to the teacher at the end of the retreat.
  3. To make a booking please contact us at bookings@theartofmeditation.org. For information about how to make payment please see http://theartofmeditation.org/contact-us-payment

A Note on pricing and sponsorship. We are doing our best to bring down the cost of these retreats to make them as available to as many people as possible. Some retreats are cheaper than others.If you really want to attend but are struggling financially to cover the cost please approach us for sponsorship or concession. Please understand that we are a non for profit organization. We would like to be able to offer all our retreats freely to everyone and one day hope to to do. For now though we do have to rent private facilities to host the events and it is expensive to do so. There are a number of people who feel the Dhamma should always be offered freely and have issue this. Please try to understand that the teachings on all retreat are always offered freely and Burgs in no way expects you to leave donation if you are unable to. It is simply an opportunity for you to express your gratitude if you feel to do so.

If anyone wishes to contribute to the cost of making these retreats available to others who cannot afford them we are always most grateful to receive your donations. Remember the gift of Dhamma is the greatest of gifts. One of the highest merits we can make is to make it possible for others to learn the Dhamma.

We hope you will be able to find a retreat to suit you.