Personal Retreats

Bhavana Dhamma is available to BDF members and to those known to us for personal retreats at the discretion of the Abbot.

To apply to make a personal retreat or to stay and help at The Forest Hermitage or Bhavana Dhamma please complete this Application Form and email it to retreats@foresthermitage.org.uk or alternatively print this Application Form and post it to The Retreat Manager, The Forest Hermitage, Lower Fulbrook, Warwickshire, CV35 8AS.

.

Organised Retreats

Bhavana Dhamma Retreat Programme 2009/2010

Below is the 2010 programme of retreats being led by Tahn Manapo at Bhavana Dhamma. For photos click here.

Date	Type
2010	-
August 27 - 29	Weekend
September 24 - 26	Weekend
October 29 - 31	Weekend
November 26 - 28	Weekend
Dec 29 - Jan 2, 2011	5-Day New Year

Times:

Day: 8:30 am – 5 pm (bring vegetarian packed lunch)
Weekend: 6:30 pm, Friday – 4:30 pm, Sunday
Five- and Seven-Day: 6:30 pm, starting day – 3pm, final day

.

Retreat Service

Please look under ‘News and Notices’ on this page to see how you can help out with a retreat.

.

Retreat Information

Application

To apply online to come on any of these retreats, please complete this Application Form and email to retreats@foresthermitage.org.uk or alternatively print this Application Form and post it to The Retreat Manager, The Forest Hermitage, Lower Fulbrook, Warwickshire, CV35 8AS.

For the longer retreats we would prefer you to have already attended a day or weekend retreat or to have attended our Monday, Wednesday or Friday evening sessions. If you are new to the Hermitage and would still like to attend a long retreat, please contact us.

Accommodation is mostly shared rooms. Retreatants are required to participate fully in the daily routine and in keeping with the true forest tradition only one meal a day is eaten. Meditation instruction will be given and there will be opportunities for questions, apart from this, silence is maintained unless there is an important reason to talk. Reading is avoided.

Meditation

The practice here is that of Samatha-Vipassana – concentration and insight. During sitting meditation we focus our minds on the breath (anapanasati), and during walking meditation we concentrate on the the sensations at the soles of the feet as we walk from one end of the walking meditation path to the other. At all times we try to develop the four foundations of mindfulness (satipatthana), being mindful and aware of our body, our feelings, our mind, and of the Buddha’s Teachings.

Eight precepts

Retreat participants live by the eight precepts, these are to abstain from: killing; stealing; unchaste behaviour; lying; using alcohol and drugs; eating after noon; listening to music and entertainments, and wearing jewellery and makeup; and using high and luxurious seats and beds.

Daily Routine Example:

5:30am: Wake-up bell.
6:00: Morning sitting.
7:00: Tea, wash etc.
8:00: Work period.
8:40: Meditation (walking and sitting) and Dhamma Talk.
11:00: Meal, clean up, break.
1:20: Meditation (walking and sitting with a tea break).
5:40: Break and hot drink.
6:40: Meditation (walking and sitting).
8:00: Evening sitting and Dhamma Talk.
9:15: Free time.

EVERYONE ATTENDING IS EXPECTED TO COMPLETE THE WHOLE RETREAT

Charge

There is no charge for attending retreats. However, participants are welcome to offer donations as it is through these that we are able to keep both the Forest Hermitage and Bhavana Dhamma going and provide these retreat opportunities.

Other information

If you can bring a sleeping bag and pillow case please do. We can provide if this is a problem. You will also need towels and toiletries; waterproofs just in case (including reasonably shower proof footwear); comfortable shoes for doing walking meditation in; decent socks (shoes aren’t worn indoors); comfortable and loose fitting clothing to meditate in; and a torch.

Mobile phones

These must be handed in on arrival. They will be kept safely and returned at the end of the retreat.

Chairs

Chairs are not used in the shrine room. There is a variety of cushions and kneeling stools which suffice for most people’s needs. If you really cannot sit on the floor we can provide a cushioned backless stool. If you feel that you might require this please state so on applying.