Beginners meditation retreat

Cultivating a calm and clear mind

This retreat is an introduction to the Mindfulness of Breathing meditation practice which is one of two principal meditation practices through which we can develop calmer, more concentrated and positive states of mind. During this weekend retreat you will learn the fundamental principles and practice of mindfulness and meditation in the beautiful and supportive rural environment of Sudarshanaloka. You will be guided by an experienced team of meditation practitioners and teachers in the company of like-minded people.

This is a rare opportunity for you to practice the Mindfulness of Breathing Meditation many times over the weekend and to gain confidence both in this meditation and in your experience of meditating.

There are many things in life that are beyond our control. However, it is possible to take responsibility for our own states of mind – and to change them for the better. According to Buddhism this is the most important thing we can do, and Buddhism teaches that it is the only real antidote to our own personal sorrows, and to the anxieties, fears, hatreds, and general confusions that beset the human condition.

Meditation is a means of transforming the mind. Buddhist meditation practices are techniques that encourage and develop concentration, clarity, emotional positivity, and a calm seeing of the true nature of things. By engaging with a particular meditation practice you learn the patterns and habits of your mind, and the practice offers a means to cultivate new, more positive ways of being. With regular work and patience these nourishing, focused states of mind can deepen into profoundly peaceful and energised states of mind. Such experiences can have a transformative effect and can lead to a new understanding of life.