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.
Bookings on this page are for an online space only on this hybrid retreat.
The deposit amount is £99 to book, plus a suggested donation of £60-90 (this can be paid at the booking checkout).
Please note:
1. That the automated booking confirmation that you will receive will contain information that relates to a residential retreat, so please ignore that. It would cost money that we don't currently have to change our systems to reflect the circumstances of this hybrid event.
2. You will receive a joining email from us close to the start of the event, with a Zoom link that will work for the whole of that particular retreat online event.
3. Zoom is a simple online communications platform that is very easy to use. If you have not used it before, we suggest that you download this programme and install for free before your retreat is due to take place. You can find the programme at this link: https://zoom.us/download. If you have any questions about using Zoom, please contact us at bookings@rivendellretreatcentre.com
Retreat information
For experienced meditators
The heart/mind of each one of us is essentially open, dynamic, and connected to all life. However, we easily lose track of that open-hearted fluidity and feel isolated and disconnected. This is due to our limiting habitual tendencies, which can be very tenacious. These tendencies are called 'kleshas’ – afflictions that both stir us up and narrow our view of ourselves and life. As these negative emotions are what prevent us from being free, happy, loving and at peace with the world, we need the best possible set of methods for working with them.
In this retreat we’ll explore the treasury of methods explained in a Tibetan text called 'The Great Peacock Which Overcomes the Poisons'. Through learning and practising these methods, we’ll enhance our capacity to relax, release, see through, and liberate the energy tied up in negative emotions. Doing so automatically creates space for more love, peace, centredness and freedom to appear and express itself in our lives.
The retreat will be mainly in silence, with presentations from Vessantara, guided meditations, and some evening devotional practice. For residential retreatants there will be the opportunity for meditation reviews. As usual with Vessantara’s retreats, the aim will be twofold: to support you to get into your meditation on the retreat, and also to equip you with new understandings and insights to take away and unpack over time.
Vessantara is a very experienced retreat leader, but usually he devotes his time to retreats for Order members. This retreat is a rare opportunity – the only one for non-Order members that he will lead in 2024.
Online itinerary
Saturday (all sessions open 10 mins before)
*10:15 - 12:30 Teaching Session (*please note the slightly earlier start time and arrive promptly for some information from Vijayamala)
15:30 - 16:00 Optional tune in with others on the retreat
16:00 - 17:30 Teaching Session
20:00 - 21:00 Meditative and/or Devotional Session
Sunday-Thursday (all sessions open 10 mins before)
10:30 - 12:30 Teaching Session
16:00 - 17:30 Teaching Session
20:00 - 21:00 Meditative and/or Devotional Session
Concession information
Rivendell has a concessionary rate available for most of its retreats. If you are in need of further financial assistance to help enable you to come on retreat here, please do consider writing to our office team via bookings@rivendellretreatcentre.com explaining your circumstances.
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 the 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: £99