Embodying fearless compassion

With Anna Bendijk and Walter Young

Sunday 18^th June 2023 11am – 4pm

Newton & Bywell Village Hall
Newton Village, near Stocksfield, NE43 7UL

Whether we like it or not, suffering and stress feature in all of our lives. Accepting this reality with courage and compassion means no longer being intimidated by suffering. 

If we live our lives in a constant state of defence, trying to block out what we don’t like, we also block out joy and happiness. If we’re willing to meet life as it is and accept that our world is imperfect, we also open up to its beauty and richness.

In this one-day retreat, we will offer teaching and guided meditation to support the cultivation of friendliness and compassion, both towards ourselves and others. This can be seen as a training that helps us to live fearless, authentic lives. A compassionate heart is one that opens naturally and instinctively to whatever it encounters.

Parts of the day will be spent in silence, which allows us a greater level of stillness and depth in our practice.

The suggested donation for the retreat is £30, depending on your means.

True Connection: mindfulness in relationship with others

With Anna Bendijk and Walter Young

Sunday 7th May 2023 11am – 5pm

Knott Memorial Hall
The Towne Gate, Heddon-on-the-Wall, Newcastle upon Tyne NE15 0DT

In this one-day retreat, we will offer teachings, guided meditations and the opportunity to learn about mindful communication with others through the practice of Insight Dialogue. We will explore what it means to be in full conscious relationship with another person.

When we bring our mindful presence into any interaction, we start to relate to others in a much more conscious, open way. Instead of simply seeing a reflection of our own habit patterns and conditioning, we experience the other person in all of their unique richness.

Insight Dialogue helps us to bring our mindful presence into any relationship. This practice involves pausing, listening, tuning in and honouring, so that we can receive the other person without judgement, fully open and aware. We really start to see them and in doing so, we discover missing qualities in ourselves, recognising our connection to everyone and everything.

Cost: the suggested donation for the retreat is £30-£50, depending on your means.

The Third Foundation of Mindfulness: Steady heart, quiet mind

With Anna Bendijk and Walter Young

Saturday 26th November 2022
10am – 4pm

Newton & Bywell Village Hall
Newton Village, near Stocksfield, NE43 7UL

When we bring mindfulness to the heart and mind, we start to learn that our moods change and evolve all the time, just like the weather. 

Mindfulness means not getting lost in stories about ourselves, not judging our thoughts and feelings, instead simply noticing the way they arise and pass. When we learn to see just how transient our mind states are, this helps to reduce the extent to which we identify with them and releases us from a great deal of unnecessary anxiety and stress. 

This day retreat explores the potential of mindfulness as a practice that helps us to stay in touch with our lived experience and develop our capacity for unshakeable peace and happiness. We will practise simple meditation techniques together and learn about what Buddhist psychology teaches us about living a full life. Many people find that regular insight meditation practice can help make you happier, more resilient and less vulnerable to negative thought patterns. You’re invited to join us and explore for yourself the support that meditating with other people can bring.

Cost: the suggested donation for the retreat is £10-£25, depending on your means. This is to cover the basic cost of organising the retreat including hiring the hall and catering.
Places are limited so we encourage booking in advance.

The Second Foundation of Mindfulness: a lesson in peace & freedom

With Anna Bendijk and Walter Young

Saturday 26th & Sunday 27th February 2022
10am – 4pm

Newton & Bywell Village Hall
Newton Village, near Stocksfield, NE43 7UL

This two-day non-residential retreat will offer teaching, guidance and the opportunity to practice meditation in a supportive group environment. 

Much of our time and energy is spent pursuing pleasant experiences and trying to avoid those we think of as unpleasant. This leads to a kind of perpetual chasing, a shallowness, a failure to engage with what’s actually real. 

When we examine our moment-to-moment experience, we find that pleasant and unpleasant feelings seldom last long. Happiness is transient and if we keep chasing it, we only exhaust ourselves. 

The problem isn’t enjoyment of pleasant experiences, but rather the way we allow our lives to become ruled by the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of discomfort. This creates stress and dissatisfaction.

There is another way to live, one that leads us towards unshakeable resilience and inner freedom.

Over the two days we will offer practical approaches, based on Buddhist teachings, that can help free us from the treadmill of craving and dissatisfaction. These teachings are as relevant and important now as they were 2500 years ago.

Cost: the suggested donation for the retreat is £20-£50, depending on your means. This is to cover the basic cost of organising the retreat including hiring the hall and catering.

Please note that this is a weekend silent retreat with the learning and exploration developing over a two-day trajectory. We are therefore inviting bookings from participants who are willing to attend both days.

Places are limited so we encourage booking in advance.