About the Retreat:

The retreat is designed to allow us to enter the authentic experience of awareness in

a relaxed but diligent style. Awareness that directly sees the true nature of our

experience is the essence of Vipassana/Vipashayana. The method to cultivate this

awareness is called ‘mindfulness’. Thus, the heart of ‘mindfulness’ is awareness.

But what should we be aware of? Starting where we are, the retreat will show how to progress through the stages of genuine practice through experience, not just understanding.

Each session will consist of 20 minutes sitting, 10 minutes walking, and 20 minutes sitting again, followed by a simple tea practice for 20 minutes. As you can see, the schedule is quite manageable, especially if you have never done this type of thing before.

The overall inspiration of the retreat is the vision of the unified intention of the Three Vehicles, for there is no Buddhist vehicle where the practice of ‘mindfulness’ is not the path, and Vipassana is not the goal. This does not mean that you need to be a Buddhist to do this retreat. Since the goal is understanding the nature of our experience to dispel unnecessary suffering and achieve happiness, the practice is relevant to everybody.

The format is retreat, which means there are boundaries. The physical boundary includes the location, where everyone commits to stay for the duration of the retreat unless there is some unexpected serious reason to leave. Everyone also shares the boundary of speech, which is to remain silent without talking. This also means no phones, email, or internet where possible. The boundary of the mind is to engage with the fundamental workability of the mind through the continual application of mindfulness during meditation and post-meditation.

We all have busy lives, and having time for retreat is a precious opportunity to familiarise ourselves with the clarity of awareness which is the source of our wisdom and compassion. It is something that really deserves priority, and in retreat with give our focus to that priority by maintaining these boundaries.

There is no need for apprehension about the retreat. It is for everyone, both those new to the practice of mindfulness as well as long-term practitioners. However, it requires a commitment to the project of meditation—of training our mind—and respect for the physical and verbal boundaries. This retreat will offer an opportunity to experience the essence of Buddhist meditation practice in the peace of retreat, as well as preparing us for post-retreat engagement of wisdom and compassion in our everyday world.

Silence

The purpose of retreat is to truly connect with the practice of mindfulness. Silence has been adopted in retreat since the Buddha first began to teach some 2,500 years ago. It is a tried and tested way to aid the development of mindfulness.

Sometimes we might get stuck on the thought that we cannot actually progress towards enlightenment, but that is just an obstructing thought. When we practice, we might not experience full enlightenment right away, but we can certainly diminish our confusion and catch a glimpse of our own Buddha-nature through mindfulness and awareness. We keep silence to help this practice of mindfulness and awareness.

We should also keep in mind that all of us have busy lives, and having time for retreat is a very special opportunity to effectively address the quintessential core issue of our lives—the clarity of our awareness which is the source of our wisdom and compassion. It is something that really deserves priority in our lives. Silence is one way of really making sure that mindfulness becomes the focus in the few days we have in retreat, and keeping silence contributes to having a sense of attainment when we go home.

Also, we are a community of practitioners with mindfulness as our common objective, and while we are here, we need to respect others in our community. Not keeping silence forces others into speaking, or suggests to others that it is alright. So please keep silence also out of respect for others and for what they are doing.

As retreatants, we all work towards our common goal. So, on behalf of the seeds of innate wisdom that are being cultivated, and on behalf of all sentient beings that stand to benefit from the successful harvest of wisdom and compassion, a fellow gardener thanks you from the bottom of his heart!

About our Teacher:

Ben has over 30 years of experience practicing and teaching both traditional

Buddhist meditation techniques and contemporary psychological approaches to mindfulness. Ben has studied in both the Theravadin and Mahayana Buddhist

traditions and holds a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) and a PhD in neuroscience of

mindfulness.

Daily Yoga Sessions:

Erin Lee will provide an hour of gentle meditative yoga exercise each morning between 11.00 and 12.00.

Registration and Donations

The suggested donation for this ten-day retreat is $400. A donation of $400 covers our costs and helps sustain the Centre so we can continue offering teachings to the wider community.

• However – you are welcome to offer whatever amount you feel comfortable with.

• Your donation helps keep the Centre open and running. It supports operational costs, facilities, and the ability to offer teachings.

• A donation of $300 makes a meaningful contribution toward maintaining our space.

• A donation of $200 helps us cover our most basic costs.

Please note: all donations are non-refundable and go directly to supporting the ongoing operations of the Centre.

Of course you are always free to offer more if you wish – please give as generously as you are able to benefit other students at Chenrezig Institute! 

There will be no zoom registrations or registrations for single days during this retreat.

To arrange your accommodation, please email info@chenrezig.com.au, and meals can be booked online through our website:

Should you have any questions regarding the retreat, please contact us at spc@chenrezig.com.au