Join us in our home retreat journey as we begin with Vidyamala’s insights on optimizing the ‘home retreat’ experience. Discover how taking breaks, moving, and stepping away from screens can ground you in the moment. Creating space and simplifying your surroundings can enhance your retreat sessions. Our technical team shares essential updates, and then Vishvapani takes the stage. Delve into the profound interplay between mindfulness and imagination as he uncovers the depth of our theme. As WB Yeats aptly puts it, “The mind liberated from the pressure of the will is unfolded in symbols.” Stay till the end for a stimulating Q&A session between Vishvapani and Vidyamala. They delve deeper into the insights shared and illuminate the paths opened by mindfulness and imagination. Embark on this retreat with us – a journey of mindfulness and creativity.

Join us for an immersive experience in session two as we explore the enchanting world of mandalas. These timeless symbols have resonated across history and cultures. Vidyamala takes the stage to present the captivating “Five Buddha Mandala,” a profound Buddhist mandala from the Vajrayana tradition. Discover the intricacies of each figure within the mandala as Vidyamala delves into the unique qualities of the enlightened mind. But that’s not all – we’ll also journey through the protective rings of fire, the symbolism of vajras, and the grace of lotus flowers that encircle this intricate and meaningful image. We finish the session with a period of meditation and visualisation practice.

Join us for an Day 2 as we begin with a grounding meditation guided by Vidyamala, grounding us in our bodies and resting into the earth. Following this, Vishvapani leads an indepth presentation on Akshobhya, the Buddha of the Eastern realm.

We find some of the qualities of Akshobhya originating in the life of the Buddha-to-be Siddharta Gautama, with his encounter with mara on the cusp of his enlightenment. It’s here we first encounter the earth touching mudra. Later, we meet the female Buddha of the East, Locana, sparking a thought-provoking discussion on gender within Buddhist iconography.

As the session concludes, join Vishvapani in a series of movement exercises inspired by the image of the tree.

The session starts with Vidyamala leading a grounding meditation. Vishvapani introduces a special place exercise, where we will contact with that space with some prompts that seek to relate with the environment and our senses and mark any images that strike you. Then we have some breakout groups to discuss our experience.

We begin Day 3 with Vishvapani guiding us through a meditation inspired by Keats’ poem, “Ode to Autumn.” By unraveling the beauty and depth of the emotions it evokes, we are encouraged to sit with whatever arises from these words. Continuing our journey through the mandala, we step into the Southern realm and encounter Ratnasambhava and Mamaki. Vidyamala discusses the idea of releasing the ‘hoarding heart’ and highlights how generosity often leads to our own needs being fulfilled. Following this, we take a moment for self-reflection on our personal practice of generosity. The day concludes with another meditation led by Vishvapani, delving into the mudra of giving.

Vidyamala leads us in an exploration of vedana, which refers to the feelings and sensations that arise from our experiences, using the practice of awareness. She specifically emphasized the importance of understanding the hedonic tone, which relates to the pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral qualities of our sensations. This exploration extended to our responses to various stimuli, including sound and music. Where we listening to some music together.

Today, we enter the western realm, where we encounter the Buddhas Amitabha and Pandaravasini, encompassed by the love and warmth akin to the setting sun. Vidyamala graces us with another insightful presentation, delving into the symbolism associated with these two figures. Which encompasses elements like lotus flowers, the colour deep red, and the peacock.

Later on, Vishvapani reads a poignant poem by Sangharakshita, titled “The Lotus of Compassion.” We take time to immerse ourselves in the imagery conjured by the verses, allowing its essence to resonate within.

To bring our session to a close, Vidyamala guides us through a five-stage Metta Bhavana meditation, cultivating loving-kindness and compassion towards ourselves and others.

Vidyamala begins the session by introducing Amitajyoti. She then leads us through a series of mindful drawing exercises, emphasizing the connection with ourselves and the materials we use. Throughout the session, she showcases artworks from artists who utilize techniques similar to the ones she demonstrates.

As we step into the realm of the Buddha Amoghasiddhi, we are enveloped in the deep green hues of the mandala. Vishvapani begins by describing how advertising and marketing employ the very same language of images, even utilizing archetypal images like the ones we’ve been exploring in this retreat. However, these images are used with vastly different intentions. They often harness this potent imagery to persuade us into believing that acquiring certain products is necessary for our well-being and happiness. This raises questions about the nature of images and prompts us to ponder how our approach diverges from that of advertising agencies.

Later, we delve deeper into the intricate symbolism surrounding the green Buddha Amoghasiddhi. We also touch briefly on the female Bodhisattva often associated with him, Green Tara. Amoghasiddhi’s right hand is poised in the Abhaya mudra, symbolizing the fearlessness of the enlightened mind. To comprehend fearlessness, it’s essential to first gain a clearer understanding of the concept of fear itself.

Our session concludes with a 40-minute meditation practice, commencing by vividly embodying the Vishvavajra in our imaginations. The Vishvavajra represents total integration in all its dimensions, encompassing both the peaks and depths of existence.

The session begins with Vidyamala leading a mindful movement exercise, fostering a deeper connection with our bodily sensations.

Vishvapani delves into the topics of the vishvavajra and mandalas. He guides us on a creative and reflective exploration of the mandala representing the five Buddhas. We engage with their qualities of love, generosity, fearlessness, and strength, contemplating how these attributes manifest in our lives, recognizing where they currently exist, and envisioning where we would like them to be more prominent.

We’ve completed our journey around the mandala, and now we find ourselves at its heart, where we encounter the Buddha Vairocana and Akashadhatvishvari, embodiments of the clear white light of reality. Vairocana gestures with is hands the teaching mudra, also known as the Dharmachakrapravasana mudra.

In this session, Vidyamala provides another comprehensive overview of the profound symbolism associated with these Buddhas. She also delves into the various Buddhist schools that hold a particular reverence for Vairocana.

Following this, Vishvapani invites us to contemplate a series of images that radiate with a strong presence of light. This culminates in a thorough exploration of a short prose passage by Rilke, titled “Archaic Torso of Apollo,” which has proven to be a true highlight of the retreat thus far. The session concludes with a period of open practice.

In this session, Vidyamala introduces the concept of “Flow” and how we might approach our experiences with an attitude or softness. She also makes the argument that water might actually be stronger than earth. This naturally leads us into a guided meditation where we attend to the flow of our experiences, encompassing thoughts, sensations, and emotions. All of these elements arise and pass away in a continuous state of flow. The remainder of the session is dedicated to an open period of practice.

As we enter the final day of the retreat, we also transition into a much quieter and more reflective phase. During this session, we dedicate almost all of our time to meditation practice. Vidyamala initiates the session by guiding us through a meditation in which we bring to mind, one by one, all the Buddhas of the mandala. By doing so, we reawaken their qualities and immerse ourselves in the potency of what we have collectively created. Following this, Vishvapani leads us through a complete Metta Bhavana meditation, inviting us to carry with us the qualities evoked in the mandala. Lastly, we engage in a third meditation session, led by Vidyamala, which is unguided and spacious.

The day starts with breakout groups for retreatants to share their experience on the retreat, and then we have a plenary session for some people to share with everyone how the retreat was for them.

Later on, Amitajyoti shares some thoughts coming from Vessantara on the five female Buddhas, and then Vidyamala and Vishvapani end the session by answering some questions from the audience.