Weekend Buddhist Dharma Retreats & Workshops
Please e-mail us to receive regular updates on forthcoming events.Beginners to meditation are welcome at all day retreats. Instruction and explanation are always given. Retreat and workshop times are 10am - 5pm, unless otherwise stated. Arrival time is 9.30 - 10am (or 30 mins prior to the start if the scheduled times are different).For all bookable events where no other suggestion is made, the suggested minimum donation is £20 per day. This is intended to cover the teacher’s essential expenses and some of the centre’s costs. It does not include ‘dana’ for the teacher, which may be offered at the end of the retreat. Some teachers may charge a fee, which is payable separately from the donation to the Bodhi Garden.To guarantee your place on a retreat it is wise to book in advance.
To book onto retreats, courses and workshops at the Bodhi Garden, please send a cheque payable to EBMT (English Buddhist Monastery Trust) to:
EBMT
The Bodhi Garden:
7a Ship Street Gardens
Brighton BN1 1AJ
Please enclose an email address or S.A.E for confirmation of your place
* Please do not use the PayPal facility to pay for day retreats - this is for online donations only. Please do not send cheques directly to the Bodhi Garden. Send them to the address above. Thank you.
n.b. If you can’t afford the minimum donation, then why not offer the Bodhi Garden some other form of support, or help out on the day? For further information please contact Laura on 07531 556616.
2010
At a glance (detailed programme below)
- Sunday 21st February (6 – 7.30pm): Chenrizig Prayers and Practice
- Saturday 27th February (9am - 1pm): Morning Zazen
- Sunday 28th February (10am – 5pm): Jake Dartington - "Ethics, meditation and wisdom" - a day for young people.
- Saturday 6th March (10am - 5pm): Christopher Titmus - "Beginnings, Sustaining and Ending"
- Sunday 7th March (6 – 7.30pm): Green Tara Puja
- Saturday/Sunday 13/14th March (10am - 5pm/10am - 4pm): Rory Singer - "Humiliation, Flight, Stilling & the Path"
- Sunday 21st March (10am - 12 pm): Bodhi Garden Cleaning Puja
- Sunday 21st March (6 – 7.30pm): Chenrizig Prayers and Practice
- Saturday March 27th (9am - 6pm): Guy Mercier - Zen day
- Sunday 4th April (6 – 7.30pm): Green Tara Puja
- Sunday 18th April (6 – 7.30pm): Chenrizig Prayers and Practice
- Saturday/Sunday 24/25th April (10am -5pm/10am-4pm): Rory Singer - "Ethical, Emotional, Cognitive Intelligence & Wisdom
February
Chenrizig Prayers and Practices
Sunday 21st February (from 6pm)
Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara) practices and prayers, plus Green Tara praises.These practice sessions are run by the Brighton Green Tara Group, which is attached to the Sangha of Samye Ling Monastery (Scotland) and Samye Dzong (London).
All levels of meditators are welcome and the practices are explained.
No booking required: For further info on the Evening Pujas, please phone Patricia on 01273 739187
Zen am.
Saturday 27th February (9am - 1pm please arrive by 8.45am)
2 periods of zazen with a break for tea
Suggested donation £6, concs £4
Wear loose, dark clothes.
More information: Jay or Heather Tel: 01273 682974 zen@zenbrighton.co.uk
Ethics, meditation and wisdom: a day for young people.
With Jake Dartington
Sunday 28th February (10am – 5pm)
Young people aged 16-25 are invited to explore the Buddha's teaching on ethics, meditation and wisdom. Through a programme of sitting and walking meditation, Dharma teaching and discussion, we will explore the ways in which these elements of the Buddha's teaching open up a liberating way of being in the world.
Jake Dartington has been practising Buddhist meditation since 1995. He trained as a Dharma teacher and has been leading retreats for young people since 2007. Jake also teaches Philosophy and Religious Studies at Bilborough College, Nottingham.
Please see top of this page for booking details
March
Beginnings, Sustaining and Ending
Retreat/Workshop with Christopher Titmuss
Saturday 6th March (10am – 5pm)
"The Buddha referred to living in a world where we experience what starts, what stays and what finishes.
Each of these three characteristics challenge us in a variety of ways. These three areas can act as a blessing or be an enormous challenge to deal with. We are perhaps slow to start something or struggle at the beginning or find it difficult to sustain something or find it hard to cope when something ends.
In this workshop, we will look into our relationship into beginnings, sustaining and ending. We will also inquire into freedom amidst such characteristics."
Please see top of this page for booking details
Green Tara puja
Sunday 7th March (6 – 7.30pm)
Green Tara (Jetsun Drolma) is the ‘Essence of Wisdom’ and thus ‘Mother of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas’. The qualities of her body, speech and mind are infinite. Tara practice helps us to move towards liberation and our own Tara potential.
These pujas are open to all. Please bring your Green Tara texts, some will be available for sale.
Each puja is led by Patrica Karma Dolkar and Gem from the Brighton Green Tara Group.
No booking is required
Humiliation, Flight, Stilling & the Path
with Rory Singer
Saturday 13th & Sunday 14th March (10am - 5pm Sat / 10am - 4pm Sun)
An Exploration of the Four Noble Truths from a Buddhist & Psychotherapeutic point of view.
Loss, pain, grief, despair, not getting what we want and the whole range of human difficulties, often carries an element of humiliation. We may carry an ideal of where or whom we think we should be, and this doesn’t measure up to the experience of where or who we perceive we are.
In taking flight (aggression to self and other, numbing, seeking and sense diversions) from this humiliation, we can loose the opportunity for authentic humility where we can compassionately and honestly open ourselves to the limitations of our being human. Through awareness, compassion, collectedness and insight we learn to still the mind and heart. In this knowing stillness and connection the world can seem more simple, more joyful, kinder and alive, which includes its turbulence and unpredictability.
In this retreat/workshop there will be periods of meditation, teaching and verbal exploration of the themes raised.
Rory Singer has been a practising Buddhist and Psychotherapist for over 20 years. He has taught Counselling, Psychotherapeutic and Buddhist Theory and Practice for around 15 years.
Participants must attend the full weekend.
Course fee: £45 (Some bursaries are available at £30)
Plus donation to the Bodhi Garden - suggested £30 for the weekend
Please see top of this page for booking details
Cleaning Puja
Sunday 21st March (10am - 12 pm)
“There is no Bodhi tree, nor stand of a mirror bright, Since all is void, where can the dust alight?" Hui Neng, 6th Patriarch
10am: 20 minute sit guided by one of the Bodhi Garden group facilitators
10.20am: search out the dust - clean till 11
11am: tea, coffee, cake and bikkies – create crumbs
11.25am: clean till 12.am
12am: leave feeling virtuous yet humble!
No booking required but it would be nice to know if you intend to come
Chenrizig Prayers and Practices
Sunday 21st March (from 6pm)
Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara) practices and prayers, plus Green Tara praises.These practice sessions are run by the Brighton Green Tara Group, which is attached to the Sangha of Samye Ling Monastery (Scotland) and Samye Dzong (London).
All levels of meditators are welcome and the practices are explained.
No booking required: For further info on the Evening Pujas, please phone Patricia on 01273 739187
Zen day
With Guy Mercier
Saturday March 27th (9am - 6pm please arrive by 8.45am)
A Day of Zen Practice with Zen Monk and Teacher Mokuho Guy Mercier
£20, £15 concessions. Advance booking required
More info: zen@zenbrighton.co.uk
April
Green Tara puja
Sunday 4th April - Easter Sunday (6 – 7.30pm)
Green Tara (Jetsun Drolma) is the ‘Essence of Wisdom’ and thus ‘Mother of all Buddhas and Bodhisattvas’. The qualities of her body, speech and mind are infinite. Tara practice helps us to move towards liberation and our own Tara potential.
These pujas are open to all. Please bring your Green Tara texts, some will be available for sale.
Each puja is led by Patrica Karma Dolkar and Gem from the Brighton Green Tara Group.
No booking is required
Forest Sangha Retreat Monastic Visit
Sunday 11th April (Starting at 10am)
The retreat days will start at 10:00 am, and will consist of sitting and walking meditation, talks and opportunities for questions and answers. They will be suitable both for beginners and for more experienced meditators, and offer a valuable chance for contact with a senior monk or nun.
Please bring vegetarian food for a shared lunch; at this time of year the monastic Sangha must eatbefore 12:00, so lunch will be offered at 11:00am
Although we aim to accommodate everyone, it makes the organisation much easier if you book in advance. It also lets the organisers know whether we should prepare extra food to make sure the monastics are properly fed!
Please see top of this page for booking details
Chenrizig Prayers and Practices
Sunday 18th April (from 6pm)
Chenrezig (Avalokitesvara) practices and prayers, plus Green Tara praises.These practice sessions are run by the Brighton Green Tara Group, which is attached to the Sangha of Samye Ling Monastery (Scotland) and Samye Dzong (London).
All levels of meditators are welcome and the practices are explained.
No booking required: For further info on the Evening Pujas, please phone Patricia on 01273 739187
Ethical, Emotional, Cognitive Intelligence & Wisdom
with Rory Singer
Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th April (10am -5pm Sat / 10am-4pm Sun)
An Exploration of the Eight-Fold Path from a Buddhist & Psychotherapeutic point of view.
In this retreat/ workshop Rory will focus on the aspects of the eightfold path from the perspective of intelligence. This intelligence is not about being academic or quick thinking; it is a developed, wise and intuitive understanding of the way things are. The eight aspects are:- Intelligent Understanding, Intelligent Intention, Intelligent Speech, Intelligent Action, Intelligent Livelihood, Intelligent Effort, Intelligent Mindfulness and Intelligent Collectedness.
These eight aspects of path each merit a weekend (and lifetime) of exploration in themselves. The purpose of this weekend is to get the flavour and spirit of this path, which will serve as a useful tool as we navigate the journey of living in this world.
In this retreat/workshop there will be periods of meditation, teaching and verbal exploration of the themes raised.
Rory Singer has been a practising Buddhist and Psychotherapist for over 20 years. He has taught Counselling, Psychotherapeutic and Buddhist Theory and Practice for around 15 years.
Participants must attend the full weekend.
Course fee: £45 (Some bursaries are available at £30)
Plus donation to the Bodhi Garden - suggested £30 for the weekend
Please see top of this page for booking details
Some of our coming Retreats & Workshops
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Sat/Sun 15/16th May:- Workshop with Rory Singer - "Attuning to Desire"
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Sunday 6th June:- Retreat with Bhikku Bodhidamma
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Sunday 5th September:- Retreat with Rob Burbea
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Sunday 26th September:- Retreat with Leigh Brasington
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Saturday 2nd October:- Workshop with Christopher Titmuss - "Listening to our Feelings"
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Sunday 28th November:- Retreat with Yanai Postelnik
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Sunday 5th December:- Retreat with Jake Dartington