Daily Retreat Schedule

6:00             Wake-up bell    

6:15              Yoga or exercise

6:45             Sitting meditation – Seated meditation is a path to discovering insight and wisdom and realising our true nature. It helps us overcome greed, selfishness, negativity and worry, cultivates intimacy and closeness with ourselves and all of life, gives us a foundation for ethical and noble aspirations in this life and a basis of peace, relaxation and inner joy.

7:30            Breakfast & work period  

9:30            Meditation instructions – Detailed meditation practice instructions taken from the core teaching of the Buddha in the Satipatthana or Anapanasati Sutta are given. Students are given time to discuss any questions and answers about the instructions and share their experiences.

10:15-12:15 Private and group interviews – This space is set aside for either group or one on one private interview time with the teacher to discuss and receive guidance about your practice.

10:15           Walking meditation – A practice where we continue to count our breaths, keying our breath to our steps. We are present with our footsteps as we walk slowly. Walking meditation is halfway between the quality of attention demanded by sitting and the quality of attention demanded in the everyday world and can be practiced in our everyday lives as well, for example, as we walk along the street. 

11:30           Sitting meditation                                          

12:15           Walking meditation      

12:30          Lunch

2:00           Dharma inquiry session – This is a opportunity for students to speak ask the teacher questions about their personal practice in front of the group for all to learn from.

3:00-5:00 Private and group interviews – This space is set aside for either group or one on one private interview time with the teacher to discuss and receive guidance about your practice.

3:00           Walking meditation       

3:30            Sitting meditation                               

4:15            Walking meditation                                    

5:00           Evening meal

6:30           Sitting meditation

7:05           Dharma talk  – This is a public discourse by the teacher, covering a variety of subjects relative to the specific Buddhist texts they are teaching on.

7:50            Walking meditation

8:00           Evening program: loving kindness meditation. Metta is the Pali word for friendship or lovingkindness. It is taught as a meditation that cultivates our natural capacity for an open and loving heart. With its roots in the Brahma Viharas practices, said to be taught by the Buddha himself, metta is traditionally offered along with meditations that enrich compassion, joy in the happiness of others and equanimity. These practices lead to the development of concentration, fearlessness, happiness and a greater ability to love.

9:00           Rest