« All Events

How to Become a Friend of the World

August 26 - August 30

 

Many people have the compassionate wish to benefit others, but few understand how to accomplish this successfully in daily life. A Bodhisattva is a friend of the world who, motivated by compassion, seeks enlightenment to benefit all living beings. Bodhisattvas have such strong compassion that they are able to transform all their daily activities into ways of benefiting others.

“Nowadays, with the world in turmoil, there is a particular need for Westerners to cultivate bodhichitta. If we are to make it through these perilous times, true Bodhisattvas must appear in the West as well as the East”. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche

Teacher

On this very special five-day silent retreat Resident Teacher Kadam Mick Marcon will explain and guide a series of meditations leading us to the precious mind of Bodhichitta
Kadam Mick has been studying and practising Kadampa Buddhism since 2004.

 

 

 

Information

To create favourable conditions for gaining a deeper experience of meditation, the retreat will be conducted in strict silence and held off-site at The Old Monastery, 47 St Clairs Road, Stroud. Accommodation is included and all meals are catered for.

Venue

The Old Monastery, 47 St Clairs Road, Stroud

Date

26-30 August 2022

Cost & Booking

$420 single room / $375 shared room
LDKBC Members: $340 single room / $295 shared room

Booking and pre-payment is required.

Timetable

Friday 26th
4.00 – 7.00pm Registration
6.00 – 7.00pm Dinner
7.30 – 9.00pm Introduction / Session 1
Saturday 27th
6.30 – 7.30am Breakfast
Silence begins at 8am
8.00 – 9.30am Session 2
11.00 – 12.30pm Session 3
1.00 – 2.00pm Lunch
4.00 – 5.30pm Session 4
6.00 – 7.00pm Dinner
7.30 – 9.00pm Session 5
Sunday 28th
6.30 – 7.30am Breakfast
8.00 – 9.30am Session 6
11.00 – 12.30pm Session 7
1.00 – 2.00pm Lunch
4.00 – 5.30pm Session 8
6.00 – 7.00pm Dinner
7.30 – 9.00pm Session 9 with Q&A
Monday 29th
6.30 – 7.30am Breakfast
8.00 – 9.30am Session 10
11.00 – 12.30pm Session 11
1.00 – 2.00pm Lunch
4.00 – 5.30pm Session 12
6.00 – 7.00pm Dinner
7.30 – 9.00pm Wishfulfilling Jewel chanted meditation with Tsog (Bring a

vegetarian food offering if you wish)
Tuesday 30th
6.30 – 7.30am Breakfast
8.00 – 9.30am Session 13
Silence ends at 9.30am
9.30 – 10.30am Clear out rooms
10.30 – 12.00pm Session 14
From 12.00pm Final site pack up (volunteers needed)
12.30pm Lunch
Leave site no later than 3.00pm
+ Google Calendar+ Add to iCalendar

Details

Start:
August 26
End:
August 30

Venue

The Old Monastery
47, St Clairs Rd
Stroud, NSW 2425 Australia + Google Map

Day Courses

 

Take a day out to immerse yourself in meditation and Buddhist teachings. Explore a specific topic in more detail at one of our monthly one-day meditation courses at held at our Centre or various locations throughout Newcastle

Day courses offer practical solutions to everyday problems of modern living and are suitable for everyone!

Courses consist of teachings and guided meditations. Refreshments are served between sessions.

 

 

 

What is Retreat?

In our busy modern life we lack the calm and stillness conducive to maintaining a happy and peaceful state of mind.  To regain a balance people are drawn to peaceful and quiet places where they can withdraw for a short time and renew their energy – in short, they go on retreat.  On retreat we devote our time to meditation and contemplation – it is a time to acquaint our minds with positive and meaningful thoughts.

“On retreat we stop all forms of business and extraneous activ­ities so as to emphasize a particular spiritual practice. There are three kinds of retreat: physical, verbal and mental. We engage in physical retreat when with a spiritual motivation we isolate ourself from other people, activities and noise, and disengage from extraneous and meaningless actions. We engage in verbal retreat when with a spiritual motivation we refrain from meaningless talk and periodically keep silence. We engage in mental retreat by preventing distractions and strong delusions such as attachment, anger, jealousy and strong self-grasping from arising, and by maintaining mindfulness and conscientiousness.

If we remain in physical and verbal retreat but fail to observe mental retreat, our retreat will have little power. Such a retreat may be relaxing, but if we do not prevent strong delusions from arising, our mind will not be at peace, even on retreat. However, keeping physical and verbal retreat will help us to keep mental retreat, and for this reason Shantideva, in Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, praises the first two kinds of retreat.”

Excerpt From: The New Guide to Dakini Land – Geshe Kelsang Gyatso