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October 2021
How to Wake Up Smiling day retreat
Day Retreat | Sun 3 October | 9.30am–4.30pm ONLINE ONLY due to Covid-19 Learn effective meditations that enable you to greet each day feeling positive and inspired. Discover how it is possible to turn every encounter into an opportunity to deepen your appreciation of life and the people around you. Everyone is welcome, no previous ... Read more
Find out more »The Importance of Patience half-day course
The Importance of Patience half-day course There are many difficult and unpleasant circumstances that we cannot avoid, but we can certainly avoid the unhappiness and anger these circumstances normally provoke in us. Training in patience is learning how to maintain a calm mind at all times even when faced with difficult circumstances. Patience is therefore ... Read more
Find out more »The Actual Roadmap to Freedom
Of recent times there has been much talk about a roadmap to freedom; an external freedom granted through the lifting of certain restrictions, but this is only one type or level of freedom. Although in time we will enjoy this level of freedom again, we will continue to experience the results of a subtler level of restrictions ... Read more
Find out more »November 2021
Rest & Relaxation weekend retreat @ Glenrock Lagoon Scout Camp
The retreat conditions at Glenrock Lagoon Scout Camp provide a perfect opportunity to relax, unwind & enjoy the peace of meditation. During the retreat, Resident Teacher Kadam Mick Marcon will explain the basics of meditation practice. Mick will guide each of the eight sessions over the weekend starting with an introduction on the Friday night. ... Read more
Find out more »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
