To attend this retreat you will need to have been regularly meditating for at least two years and regularly attend retreats, a centre or a group within the context of the Triratna Buddhist Community. You must also be comfortable with extended periods of sitting meditation, Buddhist devotional practice and spending most of the retreat in silence.
Residential Bookings
Bookings on this page are for a residential space only on this hybrid retreat.
Retreat information
For experienced meditators
How do we keep ourselves motivated to practise the Dharma, day after day, year after year? How do we build momentum behind our practice, so that it grows deeper, richer and more fulfilling over time? On this retreat we shall look at a set of deep reflective meditations that empower us to practise effectively.
These reflections are all included in the Morning Verses that we recite at the beginning of the day on many retreats. Based on traditional reflections, the verses begin with the ‘four thoughts that turn the mind to the Dharma’ and end with the ‘four immeasurables’ – love, compassion, sympathetic joy and equanimity.
So, we’ll spend our time together focusing on what’s really important in our lives and what opens our hearts. We’ll practise setting up the conditions to pass the tipping point so that our mind turns towards freedom.
The retreat will be mostly in silence, and will include presentations, guided meditations, devotional practice, and (for residential retreatants) the opportunity for meditation reviews. As usual with Vessantara’s retreats, the aim will be twofold: to support you to get into your meditation, and also to equip you with new understandings and insights to take away and unpack over time.
In 2023 Vessantara will celebrate having been a Buddhist for fifty years. He and Ambaranta have often teamed up over the last decade to offer retreats for experienced meditators at Rivendell.
Covid-secure requirements
We still have some Covid related requirements that we believe helps to ensure that Rivendell is a safer environment (such as asking each retreatant to take a lateral flow test and letting the office know the result before travelling to Rivendell), and we will only accept bookings on the basis that those who attend our retreats abide by the requirements of our Covid risk assessment.
We want those that come to Rivendell to be confident that we are making their stay here as safe as possible.
Concession information
Rivendell has reintroduced its concessionary rate for all retreats, however we are still in a very difficult financial situation so please can we ask that you only use this rate if essential. Please do also consider writing to our office team via bookings@rivendellretreatcentre.com if you really are in need of further financial assistance to help enable you to come on retreat here.
Cancellation policy
All deposits are non-refundable and non-transferable in all circumstances. If you wish to cancel your place on a retreat, we require a minimum notice of 4 calendar weeks before a retreat is due to take place, in order that a refund (not deposit) will be possible. If you cancel and we can't replace you, you will be required to pay half the total cost of the retreat. Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel, as there may be other people waiting for a place on the retreat to become available. Any refund will still be on the basis that we can the fill your space.
Prices for this event are: £389 - £366 (Conc)