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Shraddhadharani

Shraddhadharani first began practicing Buddhism in Manchester in the late '90's. She now lives in the Scottish Borders where her practice is supported by the beauty and peace of the surrounding landscape. She enjoys using ritual and ceremony as a way of bringing people together around shared values and experiences.

going deeper - walking in the living land

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Retreat Type:
Going Deeper

This retreat takes Dhanakosa’s well established hillwalking retreat format and adds an extra element: an exploration of animism.  We will not be doing this through a set of beliefs or views, but by encouraging what we will be calling an “animistic sensitivity” as a dimension of our awareness.  A rich sense of the aliveness of everything that surrounds us.  And, through this we will be exploring the positive qualities that this sensitivity can draw forth in our lives.

The retreat will include three days of guided walks, spread throughout the week. We will normally offer three walks on each of these days to suit a range of levels of fitness and experience. All walks are in the local area, some require a short drive to get to the starting point. For more information on the walks and the appropriate clothing and footwear to bring, please read the retreat information sheet

Going Deeper retreats are an ideal first regulars’ retreat. They are suitable for anyone who has already done an introductory retreat or who has been regularly attending their local Triratna centre and wants to take things deeper. We will continue to explore the Mindfulness of Breathing and Metta Bhavana, as well as a further introduction to Buddhist ritual.  Longer periods of silence together with quiet walks will all support a deep and rich experience both of ourselves and the world around us. 

Booking Fee:

£100

Booking Availability:
Spaces

going deeper - heart's release in song

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Retreat Type:
Going Deeper

This retreat takes a deep dive into Buddhist ritual practice, cultivating and expressing devotion through the medium of the voice, through music and song. The Dharma set to music and sung together in harmony can open our hearts and the Buddha’s teachings can land more fully into our bodies and minds.

Singing can be a complete practice integrating body, speech and mind through melody and rhythm. Over the course of the week we will learn numerous songs expressive of the Dharma, expressive of gratitude and love for all that the Buddha has given us. 

Each day will include several sesshins including singing, drumming, sound baths and meditation. The retreat will be mostly held in silence apart from these sesshins and the evening pujas. The emphasis of the retreat is ritual and devotion, so come willing to step into the magic and mystery of this shared practice together.  

Going Deeper retreats are an ideal first regulars’ retreat. They are suitable for anyone who has already done an introductory retreat or who has been regularly attending their local Triratna centre and wants to take things deeper. 

No experience of singing is needed. We will start each session with warm up exercises which are great fun and get the body and the voice activated. For more information, read the retreat information sheet

Booking Fee:

£100

Booking Availability:
Spaces

going deeper - meditation and yoga

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Retreat Type:
Going Deeper

Experience Balquhidder Glen in the spring-time and take time for yourself to deepen your practice and connect with like-minded others in the supportive context of a Dhanakosa retreat. 

This retreat offers a body-based approach to meditation supported by the mindful body work of yoga to support us to develop a fuller physical and emotional awareness. We will continue exploring the Mindfulness of Breathing and Metta Bhavana practices, and also introduce a stronger Just Sitting and reflection element to our practice. These retreats will also include an introduction to Buddhist ritual and the Seven Fold Puja. Longer periods of silence than on introductory retreats will support a deep and rich experience of ourselves and others.

Going Deeper retreats are an ideal first regulars’ retreat. They are suitable for anyone who has already done an introductory retreat, or who has been attending their local Triratna centre and wants to take things deeper.

Yoga teaching is suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners and will include elements of embodied movement. For more information, read the retreat information sheet

Booking Fee:

£100

Booking Availability:
Spaces

photography and meditation

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Retreat Type:
Introductory

On this retreat we will be exploring our relationship to the landscape and the world around us, through the lens of meditation and photography - taking a contemplative approach to image-making with the camera. 

We will focus on the importance of going beyond just looking - to really seeing with our whole heart, mind, and body. Using all our senses we will explore the world around us before we try to create images, in big views or in more intimate details. Using inspiration from Buddhist tradition and meditation techniques, we will create an atmosphere within the retreat where awareness can naturally feed into the creative process.

There will be minimal technical photography teaching on this retreat with the emphasis being on photography coming out of meditative experience and our connection to nature. You are welcome to use a digital camera or phone camera. For more information, read the retreat information sheet.

An introductory retreat - no previous experience of meditation is assumed - the retreat is suitable for complete beginners, and can also be a good refresher for those who already have some meditation experience.

Booking Fee:

£100

Booking Availability:
Spaces

green buddha: appreciative mindfulness for troubled times

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Retreat Type:
Regulars - Meditation

We live, it seems, in increasingly troubled times. Yet if we fall prey to fear and hatred, blame and conflict, things only get worse. We need the resources to find our feet, rise up and meet challenge with courage and confidence, strength and dignity, creativity and compassion, and with wisdom.

This retreat offers resources from the Buddhist tradition to meet the challenges of the modern world. We will explore the traditional teaching model of the Satipatthana - the four foundations of mindfulness - that leads us from appreciation of nature and the body, to feelings, emotions and thoughts, to other people, and to the contemplation of non-dual reality itself. 

We'll also be accompanied by the Green Buddha - referring to the historical Buddha who spent much of his time in appreciative mindfulness in the forests of ancient India, and the archetypal figures of Amoghasiddhi and Green Tara - embodiments of compassion and fearlessness. 

The retreat is suitable for people who have been on retreat before and have a regular meditation practice. These retreat will be conducted mostly in silence, and will normally have between 5 and 7 hours a day of sitting meditation. For more information, read the retreat information sheet

Booking Fee:

£100

Booking Availability:
Spaces

introductory weekend

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Retreat Type:
Introductory

These retreats are an excellent short introduction to Buddhism and Meditation. We will cover an introduction to two traditional Buddhist meditations: the mindfulness of breathing and the development of loving kindness (metta bhavana). We will also introduce some key elements of the Buddhist tradition. As well as giving a grounding in the basic principles of Buddhism and meditation, these retreats are an ideal reflective situation in which to take a fresh look at ourselves.

These retreats are suitable for complete beginners to meditation as well as being an ideal refresher for those who already have some experience.

For more information read the retreat information sheet.

Booking Fee:

£100

Booking Availability:
Retreat Full

yoga, embodied movement and meditation

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Retreat Type:
Introductory

These retreats combine introductory meditation teaching with a blend of traditional yoga and contemporary approaches to embodied movement.  This playful synthesis of body based approaches to wellbeing (through meditation and movement) in the peaceful and beautiful environment of the retreat can help restore physical and mental vitality and balance in our lives.

We will cover an introduction to two traditional Buddhist meditations as well as give a solid introduction to the principles of meditation.  We will also be exploring some traditional Buddhist teachings to get a flavour of how these might be relevant to our modern lives.  

No previous experience of meditation, yoga or embodied movement is assumed so these retreats are suitable for complete beginners, but they are also a good refresher for those who already have some experience.

For more information read the retreat information sheet.

Booking Fee:

£100

Booking Availability:
Retreat Full

introductory weekend

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Retreat Type:
Introductory

These retreats are an excellent short introduction to Buddhism and Meditation. We will cover an introduction to two traditional Buddhist meditations: the mindfulness of breathing and the development of loving kindness (metta bhavana). We will also introduce some key elements of the Buddhist tradition. As well as giving a grounding in the basic principles of Buddhism and meditation, these retreats are an ideal reflective situation in which to take a fresh look at ourselves.

These retreats are suitable for complete beginners to meditation as well as being an ideal refresher for those who already have some experience.

For more information read the retreat information sheet.

Booking Fee:

£75

Booking Availability:
Retreat Full