The Urban Retreat gives you opportunity to have a retreat experience in the midst of your daily life. This year, there will be more silence and more meditation, and themed talks.
You can carry on living your normal day-to-day life whilst finding ways to intensify your practice of meditation and Buddhism. We will support you with intensive meditation mornings, a silent day-long retreat, weekday morning meditations, evening classes, dharma talks, yoga, daily text messages and emails. Free, booking essential. Book Here
Programme
Saturday 8th | First Intensive Morning
Start the retreat with a mostly silent morning of practice, so that we can collectively deepen into meditation and community. Coming on this first, intensive morning will really help you prepare to intensify your practice for the week ahead. There will be an ‘introductory level’, for those new to meditation. 9am-12.30pm.
Sunday 9th | Total Immersion Day
A completely silent day of meditation practice that provides intensive conditions for you to deepen into experience and see the subtle patterns of your mind. 10am-5pm. Arrive at 9am for breakfast if you wish. Please bring vegetarian lunch to share.
Saturday 15th | Final Intensive Morning
The last morning of practice with an opportunity to assess how the retreat went and what you would like to continue to maintain some of the conditions for a healthy, energetic and creative state of mind. 9am-12.30pm.
Weekday Mornings | Monday 10th – Friday 14th
Meditation & Breakfast We will be opening the LBC for people attending the Urban Retreat at 6.40am for a meditation from 7am – 8am each weekday morning for the duration of the retreat. Please note: doors will close at 7am. A breakfast will be available after the meditation at 8am, and after that a chance to do some volunteering at the centre if you’d like.
Weekday Daytimes | Monday 7th – Friday 14th
Meditation Drop in and learn the basics of two crucial meditation practices in a lunch-hour. 1-2pm
Yoga for Meditation
Come and loosen up your body and develop physical awareness before the meditation classes. A perfect opportunity to relax and get out of your head! 12-12.45pm and 5.45-6.45pm. All welcome
Work as Practice
Help to clean the centre with Vajrabandu. 8.30 – 9.15 am
Weekday Evenings
There will be special classes every weeknight during the Urban Retreat which will include longer mediations followed by talks on Buddhism. On this Urban Retreat we will be exploring five forces, or qualities, that are vital to activate in our lives if we are to live in new ways. These evenings are open to anyone. All evenings start at 7.15pm. Dana/donation.
Monday 10th | Sraddha – Confidence
Subhadramati will be exploring the importance of confidence and pointing us to what exactly we do need to have confidence in if we are to deepen into life.
Tuesday 11th | Virya - Energy
On this evening Vidyadaka will take a look at energy and bring to light the vital importance it has in shaping our minds.
Wednesday 12th | Smrti - Mindfulness
Mindfulness is everywhere, but how do we actually practice it in a way that brings a larger perspective and a bigger vision. Shraddhasiddhi investigates.
Thursday 13th | Samadhi - Concentration
Concentration is not simply a focused awareness but a force that helps our lives flow, a mind that is flexible and strong and a way of life that is rich and dynamic. Singhamanas helps unpack this quality.
Friday 14th | Prajna - Wisdom
This is the culmination of Buddhist practice – but what is it and why is it so vitally needed in our lives and in the world?