If you have never had any instruction in meditation before, it may be helpful for you to take part in a retreat or a mindfulness course. Whether you are new to meditation or an experienced practitioner, we hope that the following links may be of use to you:
Gaia House is a Meditation Retreat Centre near Newton Abbot in Devon, which offers Insight Meditation (known as Vipassana in the Buddhist tradition) and Zen retreats throughout the year.
Harnham Buddhist Monastery (Aruna Ratanagiri) is a Theravada Buddhist community near Newcastle upon Tyne with a retreat facility known as Kusala House.
Dhamma.org is the international home page of the organisations which offer courses in Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka and his assistant teachers in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. The nearest permanent centre is in Herefordshire, where 10 day Vipassana courses are run regularly.
Mindfulness in Life runs MBSR Programmes in the Newcastle area.
Psychology@thecoast offers mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) courses for people living in North Tyneside and around.
Meditation for seniors sets out some of the benefits of meditation for older people
Insight North East 