In this 4 week course we shall go deeply into our dream experience and learn ways to become more conscious and creative dreamers and through this bring our dreams into relationship with our Dharma practice.

Using the lens of the System of Dharma Practice (Integration; Positive Emotion; Spiritual Death; Spiritual Rebirth; Spiritual Receptivity) we shall see how there are opportunities in our dreams to develop each of these 5 aspects.

What to expect

Each week we shall explore the different characteristics of each stage and ways of engaging with our dream experience that are helpful for each stage. There will be suggestions for practice each week which can be explored before the next session. Participants will have the option each week to join small break-out groups and explore the themes in relation to their own dreams and Dharma Practice.

Together we will be a Sangha sharing and exploring our dreams together. Learning from each other, encouraging and supporting each other so we can go deeper in this journey and deepen our practice of the Dharma.

Tuesdays 24 September; 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 October; 5, 12 November 2024.

Sessions (2 hrs 15 mins, with break): USA PST 11:00 am | México CST 12:00 noon | USA EST 2:00 pm | IE & UK BST 7:00 pm | Europe CEST 8:00 pm | India IST 11:30 pm | Australia AEST 4:00 am (next day) | New Zealand NZST 6:00 am (next day)

How do we move beyond hope and fear with the Six Paramitas as a guide? A weekend of talks, workshops and practice exploring how we as Buddhists can respond to the climate and ecological emergencies.

The conference will include papers, workshops, guided meditations, puja, poetry and the visual arts. We will present perspectives of particularly affected communities and show what Buddhists can do in this current time of multiple crises.

We are linking the conference to COP29, which is happening at the same time.

Suggested donation for the conference:

$175 / £125 / €150 for all days and events.
$90 / £65 / €75 per day.
$15 / £10 / €12.50 for single events.

Get one ticket and come to any session you wish!

This event is offered freely, in the spirit of dana (generosity). At the same time, we would deeply appreciate your financial contribution. Proceeds will be split between the Triratna Earth Sangha (TES) and the Buddhist Centre Online. TES funds will go towards supporting eco-projects and funding a part-time coordinator to continue their work.

Like all our events, this retreat is offered by donation rather than charging a compulsory ticket price. We want to do this because we never want money to be an obstacle to taking part in a supportive community, and we know many people are struggling financially in the wake of the pandemic and cost of living crisis. The amount we suggest reflects the huge amount of work and love that goes into putting on events we hope will benefit everyone attending. If you can, please donate today to help us continue with our work and support others to attend who cannot afford to pay. Thank you!

Event images by Karl Magnuson and Casey Horner

Earlier this year we explored how the Buddha’s teaching in the Shorter Suññata Sutta establishes emptiness in a very direct and experiential way, by noticing absence. Experience is empty of whatever isn’t right here in experience now. This seems obvious, but we delude ourselves into thinking that although something isn’t ‘here’, it’s still ‘there’ in some way, even when we don’t experience it.

Say you’ve been somewhere away from home (even just out shopping) – where is that place in experience now? Quite simply, it’s nowhere, other than in our imagination. This is not suggesting that the place ‘doesn’t exist’, it’s about directly knowing the distinction between what is experienced and what is imagined or mentally constructed. Once we gain clarity around this, the liberating path of insight (prajñā) can unfold.

We’ll use the Buddha’s method to explore areas of our experience of bodily form, space and consciousness – gaining clarity about what is actual experience, what is imagined or constructed and what the emptiness teachings are actually pointing to.

Friday 29th Nov – Sunday 1st Dec

Retreat starts Friday 29 Nov on the 3rd session, and ends on Sunday 1st Dec on the second session.

First session (2 hrs) USA PST 12:30 am | México CST 2:30 am | USA EST 3:30 am | IE & UK GMT 8:30 am | Europe CET 9:30 am | India IST 2:00 pm | Australia AEDT 7:30 pm | New Zealand NZDT 9:30 pm

Second session (1.5 hrs) USA PST 8:00 am | México CST 10:00 am | USA EST 11:00 am | IE & UK GMT 4:00 pm | Europe CET 5:00 pm | India IST 9:30 pm | Australia AEDT 3:00 am (next day) | New Zealand NZDT 5:00 am (next day)

Third session (1.5 hrs) USA PST 11:00 am | México CST 1:00 pm | USA EST 2:00 pm | IE & UK GMT 7:00 pm | Europe CET 8:00 pm | India IST 12:30 am (next day) | Australia AEDT 6:00 am (next day) | New Zealand NZDT 8:00 am (next day)

Join experienced writer and meditator Yashobodhi for this day retreat tuning into compassion through meditation and reflective writing.

We cannot force compassion to come, but we can certainly invite it to enter our experience as we delve gently into the realm of things waiting to be digested and excavated.

The writing on this day is about process rather than about a product. We are not writing texts, but using the writing for our personal reflections and explorations.

It works best if you attend both parts of the day, but you are also welcome to only come to the first or second session. And you won’t have to share your writing with anyone if you’d rather not!

The ingredients of the day:

• Guided meditation
• Reflective writing
• Some optional interaction in small groups (3-4 people)

Do come along if you want to regroup, refresh and reinforce yourself. We will be looking back together…

Sunday December 8th, 2024

First session (3 hrs): USA PST 2:00 am | México CST 4:00 am | USA EST 5:00 am | IE & UK GMT 10:00 am | Europe CET 11:00 am | India IST 3:30 pm | Australia AEDT 9:00 pm | New Zealand NZDT 11:00 pm

Second session (2.5 hrs): USA PST 6:30 am | México CST 8:30 am | USA EST 9:30 am | IE & UK GMT 2:30 pm | Europe CET 3:30 pm | India IST 8:00 pm | Australia AEDT 1:30 am (next day) | New Zealand NZDT 3:30 am (next day)

Event image by Alexander Milo